The Fantasy Football Club

[dan17]

Not particularly exciting to be honest but did anyone else see the 'teaser' of the interview with AL on Sky Sports Fantasy Football Club tonight.

 

He was talking about an unnamed saints player in his all time saints 1-11 and said this of him......

 

'I think he'd be in my team if I had to choose out of the whole premier league. I think he might of even been here long enough to even maybe represent England as his country so I am kind of getting in his ear now a little bit'

 

Firstly, I presume he is talking about Morgan.

 

Secondly, what are people's thoughts generally on 'foreigners' playing for England? We've seen plenty of it in cricket (not that it helped us with the most recent ashes), but not so much in football - particularly with England.

 

Myself, I would rather have just 'true' Englishmen playing for England. But what does everyone else think? Sorry if you really don't care but seeing that snippet made me think......

[Hopkins]

He'll never be eligible for England so Lallana is wrong.

[Doctoroncall]

Thread calling Trousers and the groundhog pic!

[Saint Garrett]

He'll never be eligible for England so Lallana is wrong.

 

I believe he is eligible! He has only played for France 21s so is eligible!

[Hopkins]

He's not. This will explain why.

 

http://sport.stv.tv/football/international/242115-explained-why-manchester-uniteds-adnan-januzaj-cant-play-for-england/

 

It's absolutely baffling and laughable that the media and even members of the FA including Hodgson seem to not know about this rule.

[oldskoolsi]

He's not. This will explain why.

 

http://sport.stv.tv/football/international/242115-explained-why-manchester-uniteds-adnan-januzaj-cant-play-for-england/

 

It's absolutely baffling and laughable that the media and even members of the FA including Hodgson seem to not know about this rule.

 

So because England opted out of the rule he can't play for England? Obviously you couldn't keep opting in and then out to suit your needs but what is it possible for England to change their minds and sign up to the rule?

[kpturner]

He's not. This will explain why.

 

http://sport.stv.tv/football/international/242115-explained-why-manchester-uniteds-adnan-januzaj-cant-play-for-england/

 

It's absolutely baffling and laughable that the media and even members of the FA including Hodgson seem to not know about this rule.

 

The only reason why Januzaj won't eventually be eligible to play for England is the fact he is highly likely to be capped by another country before he qualifies. Same for MS.

[ThreeSixty]

So because England opted out of the rule he can't play for England? Obviously you couldn't keep opting in and then out to suit your needs but what is it possible for England to change their minds and sign up to the rule?

 

Ding ding.

 

You'd think the Home Nations AGREEMENT would be a hint.

[revolution saint]

I really don't understand this home nations agreement because it only seems to be applied to players born outside the UK. Graeme Le Saux, MLT, and countless others have been eligible for all home nations and called up. Scotland have no qualms about picking players like Stuart McCall and Wales have picked Vinnie Jones FFS so surely this home nation agreement is just prejudiced against players born outside the UK? Personally I'm really not fussed about international football but the public tend to like winners regardless of nationality and if they're happy to cheer on Mo Farah and that fella who won the tour de france then I really don't see what the problem is with calling up eligible "foreigners".

[Hopkins]

So because England opted out of the rule he can't play for England? Obviously you couldn't keep opting in and then out to suit your needs but what is it possible for England to change their minds and sign up to the rule?

 

It's all the home nations that agreed to opt in. To get out of it, the others would have to agree to it. That, I'm sure you'll realise is highly unlikely because it just leaves England to pick all the best players they can and the others to fall further behind.

 

The only reason why Januzaj won't eventually be eligible to play for England is the fact he is highly likely to be capped by another country before he qualifies. Same for MS.

 

No. He's not eligible to play for England now and never will be. Did you read the link? Or are you, like the media, just choosing to ignore it?

 

I really don't understand this home nations agreement because it only seems to be applied to players born outside the UK. Graeme Le Saux, MLT, and countless others have been eligible for all home nations and called up. Scotland have no qualms about picking players like Stuart McCall and Wales have picked Vinnie Jones FFS so surely this home nation agreement is just prejudiced against players born outside the UK? Personally I'm really not fussed about international football but the public tend to like winners regardless of nationality and if they're happy to cheer on Mo Farah and that fella who won the tour de france then I really don't see what the problem is with calling up eligible "foreigners".

 

I CBA right now to look into the specifics of those cases but the agreement and the rules for it have been altered numerous times over the years. Now though it's quite a clear criteria.

 

1. A Player who, under the terms of art. 5, is eligible to represent more than one Association on account of his nationality, may play in an international match for one of these Associations only if, in addition to having the relevant nationality, he fulfils at least one of the following conditions:

a) He was born on the territory of the relevant Association;

b) His biological mother or biological father was born on the territory of the relevant Association;

c) His grandmother or grandfather was born on the territory of the relevant Association;

d) He has engaged in a minimum of five years education under the age of 18 within the territory of the relevant association.

— Home nations agreement

[kpturner]

No. He's not eligible to play for England now and never will be. Did you read the link? Or are you, like the media, just choosing to ignore it?

 

Yes of course I read it but, like the person who wrote it, I am of the opinion that the agreement will just be disregarded if they really want to. To say he, and players like him, will NEVER play for England is nonsense. Sooner or later the agreement will be binned, either by mutual "agreement" or one nation just ignoring it...by which time he will have already been capped elsewhere. Rules, much less agreements, are never set in stone in perpetuity.

[Hopkins]

Yes of course I read it but, like the person who wrote it, I am of the opinion that the agreement will just be disregarded if they really want to. To say he, and players like him, will NEVER play for England is nonsense. Sooner or later the agreement will be binned, either by mutual "agreement" or one nation just ignoring it...by which time he will have already been capped elsewhere. Rules, much less agreements, are never set in stone in perpetuity.

 

Hahahaha it's not possible to just bin it. It's a FIFA rule. One team can't just ignore it, the others have to agree to it as well. That isn't going to happen because then it just becomes a free for all and that obviously plays into Englands hands and leaves the others behind. Not only that, but if all the home nations did agree to opt out then FIFA would look very seriously at turning us into a GB team and none of the home nations would want that.

[oldskoolsi]

I don't think it would become a free for all. The best Scottish/Welsh/Northern Irish players would still opt to play for their countries through some national pride. I think if yo gave Gareth Bale the choice of playing for England or Wales, he'd still choose Wales. However average to good English players who didn't have a sniff of playing for England might accept any offer of international football ala Republic of Ireland.