*Official* English Football Season 2010-11

[Uppercut]

Originally Posted by Craig

So does that apply with Aiden McGeady? Born in the Glasgow, and now playing for the Republic?

Pretty sure he just qualifies on account of having the most Irish-sounding name in existence.

[BoyBrumby]

Originally Posted by GingerFurball

I'm pretty sure under FIFA's eligibility rules I'd be eligible to play for England or Wales as a British national. However, the gentleman's agreement between the four home boards would prevent me from representing either, as I have no links to either through lineage, being born there or being schooled there.

Players born in British territories overseas, such as Matt Le Tissier, or anyone born in say, British bases in Germany or Cyprus are automatically eligible for all 4 nations. Players like Arteta who might opt to gain British citizenship would be eligible for all 4, but I'm pretty sure the gentleman's agreement would kick in and they'd only be eligible for the nation that they'd qualified in. Could be interesting if Arteta had played for Swansea or Cardiff for 5 years instead of Everton, mind.

That used to be the case (Maik Taylor plays for N Ireland despite having no family links because he was born in Germany whilst his dad was in HM Forces), but there was a tightening after then, so to be eligible a player either has to have been born in the home nation, have a parent or grandparent who was born there or have been schooled there for five years. David Johnson (Ex Ipswich & Forest striker who was Jamaican born) wanted to play for Scotland, but was denied the chance because his birth-mother was English-born, so only qualifies for us.

The exception is players from Channel Islands and Isle of Man, who qualify for any of the home nations. Different sport, but the English born-and-raised Budge Poutney used this loop hole to player union for Scotland, despite having no Scottish blood & never having lived there. He has a Grandmother who was born in the Channel Islands

[GingerFurball]

Originally Posted by Craig

So does that apply with Aiden McGeady? Born in the Glasgow, and now playing for the Republic?

One set of Irish grandparents. Same applies for James McCarthy at Wigan, again Scottish born, but plays for the Republic because of one grandparent. The same rules would allow me to be eligible for Northern Ireland, and the Republic if I opted to take up my entitlement to Irish citizenship.

I'll refrain from commenting on whether the fact that both of them grew up as Celtic fans had anything to do with their decision.

[GingerFurball]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

That used to be the case (Maik Taylor plays for N Ireland despite having no family links because he was born in Germany whilst his dad was in HM Forces), but there was a tightening after then, so to be eligible a player either has to have been born in the home nation, have a parent or grandparent who was born there or have been schooled there for five years. David Johnson (Ex Ipswich & Forest striker who was Jamaican born) wanted to play for Scotland, but was denied the chance because his birth-mother was English-born, so only qualifies for us.

The exception is players from Channel Islands and Isle of Man, who qualify for any of the home nations. Different sport, but the English born-and-raised Budge Poutney used this loop hole to player union for Scotland, despite having no Scottish blood & never having lived there. He has a Grandmother who was born in the Channel Islands

The schooling rule has only been recently introduced or changed, Andrew Driver wasn't eligible to be called up for Scotland the first time we wanted to.

[GingerFurball]

Originally Posted by Uppercut

Darren Gibson's the controversial one.

Don't think it's worth opening a can of worms over.

It's a problem for the IFA though, because anyone who's born in Northern Ireland can take Irish citizenship and be eligible for the Republic despite having no family ties whatsoever. Any player who the IFA have invested time and money in coaching can jump ship prior to being capped at full level, AFAIK it's a unique situation in football.

[Uppercut]

It's a unique situation in the world, too, AFAIK.

It's hard to have any sympathy for the IFA. If they actually cared about the welfare of Norn Irish footy they wouldn't ban Sunday Leagues.

[roseboy64]

Originally Posted by GingerFurball

Nah, Northern Ireland has a massive problem because the Good Friday Agreement allows those born in Nothern Ireland to choose to have either British or Irish nationality.

FIFA requires players to posess a passport of the country they wish to represent, so if you're a Northern Irish Catholic, you can represent the Republic despite not being born in the Republic and having no family links to the Republic.

UIMM, there's been a few Northern Irish born players play for the Republic's underage side.

Yeah that's what I meant in clearer words.

[roseboy64]

Originally Posted by aussie

But at the same time i think you may be exaggerating slightly when you say..."To grant that it'd pretty much mean the disbandment of the national associations and to form a GB team as FIFA views the Home Nations as it does the Basques and the only reason the Home Nations continue as they are is through their history and the fact they don't pick foreign players".

Since if FIFA views the home nations as the they do the Basque's over in Spain. Then how did Marcos Senna get picked by Spain?. He didn't have spanish or basque home schooling or spanish heritage. Just gained Spanish residency & qualified to play for them.

Preferably yea, him having hame a string of solid performances would be better than just a one-off. But ENG have a crisis @ RB ATM with the incumbent (Johnson) being utter crap defensively. So its worth the risk i'd say, especially when you consider Richards did prove before last season he can defend well againts good players - something that Johnson never proved he can do before Capello picked him & he made a national embarassment of himself vs Germany, SMH.

Originally Posted by marc71178

Why would it?

What is the difference between that and Germany picking Poles or Spain and Portugal picking Brazilians?

Well those nations haven't deleted the section in the FIFA Statutes that grants eligibility to naturalised citizens. The Home Nations are unique in that regard. As I said, this is due to them making up the IFAB and also being so powerful in football. The Basques are inconsequential in FIFA's eyes and I think people like Messi have played for them.

The Gentleman's Agreement means the UK teams can't pick any random foreigner. Of course Poles can qualify for England if they have British heritage or were schooled in Britain. Pretty sure Cacau has no German heritage but Germany can pick him all they want as well as Spain Senna since those countries have the section that grants eligibility in full i.e the part that says residency grants eligibility isn't omitted.

It's a FIFA law. BTW from what I know FIFA would ideally want a GB team has the Home Nations separately have loads of power. It's not a must that a GB team would have to form with the breaking of the agreement but it's a likely consequence should politics get involved.



Re: Richards , he needs to have that string of performances. You can't risk him going back to what he was doing in the qualifiers unless you see sustained improvement. Against Spurs he was hardly brilliant right?

[roseboy64]

Originally Posted by GeraintIsMyHero

I didn't read roseboy's links but I'd imagine the sort of ruling should surely be aimed at preventing players from just picking a home nation on that basis, i.e. if Wales approached Arteta?

It's to stop them having their pick of teams I think. Something to do with Maik Taylor. Not so clear but it's pretty much what you said. Logically though, England would get all the good foreigners which is why I'm sure Wales and Northern Ireland would vote against breaking it as I can't see Arteta choosing them over England. As it works Hargreaves could only play for England. None of the others were possible. Oh and Wales too through his mother.

[roseboy64]

Originally Posted by GeraintIsMyHero

Yeah, this is how I understand it.

I think roseboy has got the wrong end of the stick re Almunia & Arteta

Nope I'm right. Pretty sure the Scottish FA wouldn't have a meeting over Novo if I wasn't. If Arteta and Novo want to play they'd need approval from the other nations. How much is enough I don't know. I just know England can't just pick Arteta and Scotland couldn't pick Novo even though both would have been eligible in an ideal world.

[sledger]

BBC Sport - Football - Steven Taylor transfer listed by Newcastle

Demands of £60k p/w? Not surprised he's being booted tbh.

[BoyBrumby]

Looked like he had potential 2-3 seasons ago, Taylor. Never really developed.

Obviously having a teammate bust his jaw rather suggests issues on one side or other too. Carroll staying, is all I'll say.

[sledger]

Spurs romping home. How dull.

[Marcuss]

Uhh
Spurts into the CL proper then, hope they get some no-name teams in their group but still manage to go out.
Jeez, Adrian Chiles talking about "Great European nights at ****e Hart Lane", enough to cause a small seizure.

[sledger]

Originally Posted by Marcuss

Uhh
Spurts into the CL proper then, hope they get some no-name teams in their group but still manage to go out.
Jeez, Adrian Chiles talking about "Great European nights at ****e Hart Lane", enough to cause a small seizure.

Chiles talking about anything is enough to cause a small seizure tbh, in fact just his general appearance would suffice in most cases.