Team Wilshere vs Team Pietersen

[Herr Tubthumper]

He clarified his stance.

"I said English people should play for England."

Thanks Jack.

He also muddied his bamboozled defence by saying "Great respect for people like KP, Mo Farah and Wilf Zaha - they make the country proud."

Mentioning Zaha with the likes of KP and more importantly, Mo? Moron.

Another thick as pig shit footballer.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

i think Wilshire gets this more than you give credit. Mo Farah came to England when he was 8, he's grown up here, he's English/British. KP has an English mother, so half English. what he's saying is that its not on to be chasing around for people who've no family ties, get them in the country for a few years to meet residency rule and call them english.

the comical thing to all this is Januzaj doesnt even qualify to play for England, he'd need to stay here another couple of years for residency to count. its quite wrong to even be talking about him in the England squad at this point.

If this is "what he's saying " then maybe he should say it? As opposed to the clumsy incoherent nonsense he is coming out with.

And the first rule of digging a big ****ing hole....is to stop digging Jack.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I'm honestly really surprised that clubs haven't banned players using twitter yet. It's a total recipe for disaster.

Was it Gervais who said no one should have a smart phone which is smarter than themself? True in Wilshire's case.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

regardless of the pros and cons of residency and qualifying to play for England - it simply highlights the issue we have with home grown talent in this country - this is really what the FA need to address.

Good point. England FA investigating a 'Belgian's' nationality after just two goals smacks of desperation.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Also, anyone who thinks Wilshere just turned up to that press conference thinking 'I know what I'll do today, I'll get involved in the Januzaj debate and stir it up' is nuts.

He was asked about it. Probably/clearly hadn't thought through exactly what he did think on the issue, and the result is what we have all seen. He is really expressing someone else's agenda they cooked up over breakfast, and fell headlong into it.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

The residency rules, have long been mis-used. I've no issue with somebody like Farah or Zaha, who settled here as a CHILD, grew up here, and ultimately learned their craft within our system, representing our country. Proffessional sportspeople who move country to further their career, and then use the residency rules to qualify is a very different scenario.

Pietersen WOULD be a prime example of this, if NOT for the fact he is half English anyway. Cricket, despite the comments on here, has FAR tougher qualification criteria than football. Had KP been a footballer, there would have been no need for him to sit out 4 years in county cricket before becoming eligible. In fact he wouldn't have needed to ever live here at all.

There are a couple of young footballers looking promising in England age group teams at the moment - Gael Bigirimana (U-20), and Saido Berahino (U-21). Both were born in Burundi, and arrived as refugees, Berahino directly, at the age of 10, and Bigirimana, via Uganda, at the age of 9. They've not come here to play football. They've come here for a better life, and have developed their skills here, in English schools, and at English clubs. If anyone thinks they should not be allowed to represent England, that would be a real shame.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Shock horror, the media lambast one of our own then create a frenzy when we inevitably "fail" at the World Cup.

F*ck the media, as if any of them know the pressures of playing football or any other sport in front of thousands of people live and millions on TV.

Please. Plenty of people have pressured jobs.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Also, anyone who thinks Wilshere just turned up to that press conference thinking 'I know what I'll do today, I'll get involved in the Januzaj debate and stir it up' is nuts.

He was asked about it. Probably/clearly hadn't thought through exactly what he did think on the issue, and the result is what we have all seen. He is really expressing someone else's agenda they cooked up over breakfast, and fell headlong into it.

Come on, Wilshire, thinking?

 

[spring hall convert]

Good point. England FA investigating a 'Belgian's' nationality after just two goals smacks of desperation.

If the cap fits.... we are desparate aren't we?

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Having made the extreme effort to have looked at his twitter just now, I see he wrote "Going to a new country when you're an adult & because you can get a passport you can play for the national team - I disagree"

I don't see much wrong with that as an opinion.

It may be a stance you disagree with....but the opinion itself isn't a horrendous one, is it?

Massive fuss over nothing...as usual.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

The amusing thing about the debate surrounding Januzaj is that he'll probably never, ever meet the residency criteria anyway! He needs to live here for another 4 years, before he can be considered for England. His United contract expires in 6 months time, and he is being courted by Barcelona and Juventus...

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Come on, Wilshire, thinking?

But isn't that the whole reason we shouldn't get worked up about this?

He's not a politician. He's a young bloke who kicks a ball around. We stick him in front of the cameras to ask "how well do you think you are going to kick the ball around this week" and then expect him to comment on social issues.

And then people are SUPRISED when his answers don't tick all the PR boxes.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

The amusing thing about the debate surrounding Januzaj is that he'll probably never, ever meet the residency criteria anyway! He needs to live here for another 4 years before he can be considered, for England. His United contract expires in 6 months time, and he is being courted by Barcelona and Juventus...

And he doesn't even want to play for England. Apparently he want's to wait for Kosovo to be a viable option.

Our media are ****ing idiots sometimes. Last year it was them going BONKERS about Zaha after he made his England debut (two touches and a dive) and now it's this.

 

[User removed 4]

The residency rules, have long been mis-used. I've no issue with somebody like Farah or Zaha, who settled here as a CHILD, grew up here, and ultimately learned their craft within our system, representing our country. Proffessional sportspeople who move country to further their career, and then use the residency rules to qualify is a very different scenario.

Pietersen WOULD be a prime example of this, if NOT for the fact he is half English anyway. Cricket, despite the comments on here, has FAR tougher qualification criteria than football. Had KP been a footballer, there would have been no need for him to sit out 4 years in county cricket before becoming eligible. In fact he wouldn't have needed to ever live here at all.

There are a couple of young footballers looking promising in England age group teams at the moment - Gael Bigirimana (U-20), and Saido Berahino (U-21). Both were born in Burundi, and arrived as refugees, Berahino directly, at the age of 10, and Bigirimana, via Uganda, at the age of 9. They've not come here to play football. They've come here for a better life, and have developed their skills here, in English schools, and at English clubs. If anyone thinks they should not be allowed to represent England, that would be a real shame.

I have a massive issue with zaha playing for england, he couldnt decide between ivory coast and england, if england isnt an immediate first choice then f*ck off and play for whoever has put you in the quandary.

 

[maltaseagull]

How complex can it be? Football seems to have relatively strict rules, ie play for the country of your grandparents. Personally, think it should just the land of birth of your parents and, obvio usly, where you were born. Also, once you have represented one country in a competitive game then you can't switch. Residency rules should not apply.

I agree but only as long as all countries sign up and follow.

We would have a very poor cricket team under these rules and also lose a few Rugby players. The All Blacks would be decimated but would probably still beat everyone else.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I have a massive issue with zaha playing for england, he couldnt decide between ivory coast and england, if england isnt an immediate first choice then f*ck off and play for whoever has put you in the quandary.

that's entirely a different angle though bushy. I'll clarify that bit - I have no ISSUE with someone in Zaha's situation being eligible. In his individual case, I share some of your reservations, becuase a) as you say, he's hardly shown commitment to the flag, b) he's really not that good, and c) he's a cheat.

 

[Tooting Gull]

The amusing thing about the debate surrounding Januzaj is that he'll probably never, ever meet the residency criteria anyway! He needs to live here for another 4 years, before he can be considered for England. His United contract expires in 6 months time, and he is being courted by Barcelona and Juventus...

That's another couple of possible countries into the mix, then...

 

[The Large One]

Mildly interesting Tweet from Paul Hayward this morning...

'Born in England' stats for national teams
Cricket - 62.5%
Rugby Union - 76.1%
Rugby League - 94.1%
Football - 96.8%

 

[hans kraay fan club]

That's another couple of possible countries into the mix, then...

Well, it is (and Spain are not shy about using these rules either. They had Marcos Senna bossing their midfield for a while, and he never set foot in Spain until the age of 26! they are currently trying to woo Diego Costa, too), although that would require the lad to start the 5 year wait again, from scratch, meaning he'd be putting any International career on hold until he's at least 24.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

I have a massive issue with zaha playing for england, he couldnt decide between ivory coast and england,

He did decide....hence him making a decision.

Also his choice was between the Ivory coast where he was BORN or England where he moved to when he was about 4.

He's the prime example of someone who I would happily say can choose who he represents. Of course you hope he bases it on which country he most feels the affiliation to.