Januzaj is an exciting young prospect who scored two good goals for United yesterday. News that England are enquiring if he can play for us. This is a lad born in Belgium who has refused to play for Belgium as he wants to play for his father's country, Albania. He is not a refugee who has formed a love for England after being raised here, he was not born here, and he has no relatives born here. If he chose to play for us (presumably based on years spent at United), it would be a purely pragmatic decision on his part. I suspect he won't want to anyway, but I find this all very embarrassing.
A lot of other top footballing nations use "foriegn in ports" just look at the French and Germans so why should we not consider it....come on Roy persuade Snidders to play as our defensive midfielder. For all England cricket fans, does the fact that half the team are born outside of these shores deflect from an Ashes victory? No so why should we get all Little Islander about our football team?
I'll have more respect for the players that turn us down. Anyway, if we can't coach our own crop, what makes you think the odd Belgium player will make a difference for us? We are destined to do nothing in world football for a long time.
The grounds for him to play for England are that he must apply for and get citizenship here...eligibility for citizenship will be based on the number of years that he has lived here. Can see no reason for him to do so as a citizen of Belgium and strongly suspect that he has no intention to do so...unless returning to Brussels would result in his torture and summary execution. We should be concentrating on finding and developing our own players.
Embarrassing because of one good game and suddenly he's being touted for England (whether or not he's eligible). Remember Macheda? On his debut he scored two goals against Aston Villa, then one or two goals in the following games and has done barely anything since. Who is to say this dude won't do the same thing?
There's a "gentleman's agreement" between the Home Nations that a player must have 5 years of British education before their 18th birthday, which Januzaj wouldn't have.
One difference is that the cricket players are eligible by blood...though I get your point...this lad has no link with us at all. Don't get me wrong...I have no problem with players such as John Barnes etc who form an emotional link after arriving as a child, but Januzaj has already indicated that his desire is to play for Albania.
Same reason why Arteta couldn't play for England all those years back, or Angel Rangel for Wales when he got his 5 years citizenship.
I was trying to think why he would want to play for us and nearly put that he wanted to play for a big side...then realised that we are no longer in that category. Easy to see why a cricketer eligible for Ireland would choose to play for England, but doesn't make so much sense in the football world. Neither is he a poverty stricken player from Sierra Leone, so there is no financial advantage.
Wouldn't really say it's embarrassing loads of other countries do it. It's more stupid not to realise even if he wanted to play for us he can't.
I was raging when I heard Hodgeson say they'd look at options. No! He f***ing shouldn't. He is Belgian. He should not qualify just because he'd be in the country for five years. It's like the Arteta/Almunia saga all over again! It's not right!!!
Too right man! Them foreigners, taking good old English jobs for English people! Makes my blood ****ing boil, I was raging too! EDL! EDL! EDL!
