Arteta for England?

[DEFchenkOE]

If they are eligible then I don't see why they shouldn't play, a lot of other countries do it. I'd definitely take Arteta if he qualified and wanted to play and maybe N'Zogbia too.

 

[Rocksuperstar]

Why do we have any of this nationalisation bullshit anyway? It's like the offside rule - it was a simple set of regulations that everyone understood but, for whatever reason, none of which jump to mind as having a purpose, it was decided that, despite it not being broken, it needed fixing.

It's not hard - if you were born in this country then you are English and eligible to play for the England National side. I don't care if your parents had just popped to France on the Eurostar and you were born during lunch and an hour later were back in the UK - you were born in France, you are French.

It should be strict and it should be stuck to, then we wouldn't have this confusion and so many players jumping ship - "oh, my great grand parents bought a Labrador once, does that mean i can play for Canada?" - cocking stupid.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

That's never going to be the case though is it, what a waste it would have been if Rooney's parents decided to got to Qatar/Barbados or anywhere random when his mum was pregnant and he was born there! Would be a bit ridiculous if he had to represent one of those countries :lol:

 

[donny1013]

Yeah it's lucky Owen Hargreaves wasn't born somewhere like Canada, he should be lining up along Stalteri and Hirschfeld......

 

[Bill_Oddie]

It's an issue which will grow and grow though. I'm by no means exceptional in that my son could play on either side of The Ashes. Sorry, will play on either side in The Ashes. :wink: Likewise who knows which country my daughter will swim for in the Commonwealth Games. Between them they have been to the UK once. By the time they get to 18 it is unlikely they would count a dozen trips there between them. And yet they have every right to represent the country, no? Please tell me if you think not.