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preferred him to tim henman !!
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Team Wilshere vs Team Pietersen
- Thread starter Pavilionaire
- Start date
User removed 4
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turienzo's lovechild
New member
- Oct 25, 2003
- 23,964
is this of the current team, out of interest? I can't think who the 3.2% are that weren't born in England
I'm sorry but we are all responsible for our actions whether in big public arena or not. Ignorance is not an excuse.
I'm guessing it's the new generation. At least couple of the recent debutants (one who plays for Liverpool and someone else) were born overseas.
turienzo's lovechild
New member
- Oct 25, 2003
- 23,964
Sterling and Zaha were both born overseas you're right (Jamaica and Ivory Coast respectively)....not sure if that works out as 3.2% as I'm terrible at maths
It would be highly amusing if the entire England team were made up of refugees/immigrants. I'd be up for watching them again. 2 down, 9 to go.
mejonaNO12 aka riskit
Well-known member
I didn't say it was...
He didnt say an offensive statement did he. He said an opinion on quite a complex subject. In this one thread I have sort of changed my opinion on the matter about 3 times as to who exactly should be eligable for a national football team.
He had a question put to him in front of the national media and answered immediately. He didn't say anything racist, overly xenophobic, massivly offensive etc etc. He just said an opinion on a topic that he probably hasnt really sat down and thought about fully.
If I was asked an opinion on something in that situation and then again a day later with only one person, my answer would almost certainly be massivly different, more in-depth and in a discussion form.
father_and_son
Well-known member
I'm sort of vaguely with Jack on this one.
Its too easy for players to be picked for a national squad which they have very little personal relationship with.
For me a more simplistic rule would be... Where you were born or where you lived on, say, your 8th birthday. [Maybe not 8th, but some arbitrary age which allows for people who were born in one country but moved elsewhere from an early age]. This is very cut and dried and gives a maximum of 2 countries for anyone.
No player should be able to list off half the United Nations (I'm exaggerating) as their possible choices.
Its far too easy for nations to field players/competitors from all over the world using any old dubious 3rd generation connection in lots of sports. It degrades the value of the "national" side if competitors can just change their nationality as it suits.
Its too easy for players to be picked for a national squad which they have very little personal relationship with.
For me a more simplistic rule would be... Where you were born or where you lived on, say, your 8th birthday. [Maybe not 8th, but some arbitrary age which allows for people who were born in one country but moved elsewhere from an early age]. This is very cut and dried and gives a maximum of 2 countries for anyone.
No player should be able to list off half the United Nations (I'm exaggerating) as their possible choices.
Its far too easy for nations to field players/competitors from all over the world using any old dubious 3rd generation connection in lots of sports. It degrades the value of the "national" side if competitors can just change their nationality as it suits.
As I've pointed out above, there is Bigirimana in the U-20s, and Berahino in the U-21s, both refugees from Burundi, and Chalobah (U-21s) was born in Sierra Leone.
vegster
Sanity Clause
- May 5, 2008
- 28,273
It's a very complicated issue as there are many levels of "Qualification " possible and it's hard to be definative because there are so many sub-levels.
If you are born abroad with British parents then you should qualify also, if you come to this country as a refugee as a youngster and gain British citizenship then you should qualify unless you have already represented your previous country at any level.
If you have only one parent who is a British national then you can represent one country only. You should make the choice and stick with it.
If you are born abroad with British parents then you should qualify also, if you come to this country as a refugee as a youngster and gain British citizenship then you should qualify unless you have already represented your previous country at any level.
If you have only one parent who is a British national then you can represent one country only. You should make the choice and stick with it.
The Large One
Who's Next?
Pretty certain that's already the case - John Robinson, Eric Young, Matt Le Tissier etc.
I didn't think you were allowed to represent more than one anyway.
beorhthelm
A. Virgo, Football Genius
- Jul 21, 2003
- 36,015
why digging out Wilshire on the issue though. what did he actually say: only English should play for England. he didnt (and hasnt since afaik) qualified "English" and thats for FA/FIFA rulebooks. he's said nothing wrong, only others have over-interpreted it. in particular a cricketer with a chip on his shoulder (dont hear the other half English cricketers complaining). But more to the point on the PR and ignorance front, why the fudge did anyone from the FA let this story run? they cant be actualy investigating anything, as its clear cut he doesnt qualify for a few more years, so why didnt they say "no" if or when asked to kill this dead? its a newspaper invented story.
crodonilson
He/Him
Am I the only one who feels for Wishere in this.
We moan about footballers who have no personalities and tow the club/country line at press conferences and then someone has the nerve to have an opinion and everyone jumps on it, and he's now getting pillaried for it. No doubt next time he'll tow the FA line on such matters and give us nothing.
I think I know what he's trying to say but by saying it outright he'll get jumped on as borderline racist which is ridiculous.
We moan about footballers who have no personalities and tow the club/country line at press conferences and then someone has the nerve to have an opinion and everyone jumps on it, and he's now getting pillaried for it. No doubt next time he'll tow the FA line on such matters and give us nothing.
I think I know what he's trying to say but by saying it outright he'll get jumped on as borderline racist which is ridiculous.
4, just need another 7 now. And the rate they're "flooding into the UK" my dream cannot be too far away now. A team to accurately reflect modern England. Maybe a rebrand; New England?
GreersElbow
New member
Just to throw a question into the debate, which is actually relevant to my university course.
If I had 2 French parents, but were born and bought up in England; am I English by birth or naturalisation?
If I had 2 French parents, but were born and bought up in England; am I English by birth or naturalisation?
I think it is more the clumsy ham-fisted way he is dealing with a very sensitive subject which is getting him pillaried. It is no different on here, you make comment and your have to expect a reaction. It's life.
vegster
Sanity Clause
- May 5, 2008
- 28,273
I'm referring to the case of players who represent a country at a " low level " such as International Schoolboys or U 17's for one country then try to wriggle out of their past in order to play for another when its clear they are not going top make it in their first choice.