O/T Alumia for England?

[RedRedWine1]

Good Idea/Bad Idea? Discuss.

For me it's totally a bad idea and should not happen. Almunia is Spanish, only wanting to play for England because the national team deem him not being good enough to get into the Spain squad.

But then I suppose you contrast football to other sports. Pietersen (England Cricket) is South African, Andrew (Australia Cricket) Symonds is English, Lewis Hamilton (GB F1 driver) might aswell be Swiss. If I thought that Almunia was actually good enough, or of a world class standard would I think any differentley?

I want England to be as good as they can be. Ideally the team would be representative of England, but I guess most people (myself included) are glad we got rid of the wolly McClaren and replaced him with Capello. I bet some people were equally pleased when Hargreaves pulled on the England jersey, despite being raised abroad and to my knowledge not actually living over here until he joined Manchester United. Is the Almunia situation any less deserving of playing for the three lions? In July he'll have been living in England for 5 years.

[CASS]

Some comments from an on line "Have your say" site

If he is good enough why not? we have some excellent players of African origins who do the shirt proud.

Cricket ,Rugby, Tennis,Athletics ALL have foreign players playing for England.
Why not Football .?
Or can we only have Foreign Managers.?

If Almunia shows the passionc dedication and pride required for an England shirt then why not. He will be British (English), won't he?

The bit about the Manager is interesting,we are on our second now and Martin O'Neil was at short odds to get the job. Portugal have or have had ex Brazilians playing for the National side
and I think Spain are the same. Eduardo is not a native of Croatia. I think the root cause of
Almunia even being considered has a touch of Irony to it,If there was not so many Foreigners
playing top class football we may have a couple of decent Keepers to pick from.

[Pandashrimp]

This just shows what massive roles consistancy and confidence play to keepers. When he first came to England Almunia was considered a bit of a calamity keeper. MOTD pundits would talk of teams targeting him as a weak link ie from crosses etc (much like i have in a previous thread about Jalal tomorrow!!). The point is Almunia was an easy target and a weaknesss in the Arsenal team when he came and now he is, (whatever people think about his nationallity) being debated as a possible English number one. I think 90% of Chesterfield fans would have been happy to see Barry leave in the summer and his reputation on 606 had me a little worried. It will now be a miricale if he doesn't receive our player of the season.
On the original topic i think he should be allowed to play for England, if he's eligible like KP in cricket then why not.
Does however show up England as not having a world class keeper at the moment, we have options, but no keeper of a Buffon or Casilas pedigree. I reckon after James any one of six could wear the shirt- (Carson, Kirkland, Robinson, Foster, Green, Almunia). Lets just hope Joe Lewis continues to develop and cements his place in 4 or 5 years!!

[SkinnyShrimp]

I cannot believe people would even consider a foriegn player - purely the fact he even wants to play for any country other than that of his birth or his parents birth says all you need to know about the man.

Do you really want a England team full of foreigners who aren't good enough to play for thier own country? - would you celebrate a world cup win by such an 'England' team?

Leave it out - the premier league is bad enough, having a non British manager is a step too far for me - representing your country is special privaledge which should mean just that - representing England - living here for 5 years does not qualify you to represent me in my book - you should be born or at least brought up here from a very young age - not just rock up because the money is good and then decide well I can't play for Spain as I'm not good enough so I'll become an English man and play for England - its a joke but not a funny one

Seems like some would sell thier soul for success - support Brazil then and leave England for the English players.

[outsider]

No.

[ezz]

I cannot believe people would even consider a foriegn player - purely the fact he even wants to play for any country other than that of his birth or his parents birth says all you need to know about the man.

Do you really want a England team full of foreigners who aren't good enough to play for thier own country? - would you celebrate a world cup win by such an 'England' team?

Leave it out - the premier league is bad enough, having a non British manager is a step too far for me - representing your country is special privaledge which should mean just that - representing England - living here for 5 years does not qualify you to represent me in my book - you should be born or at least brought up here from a very young age - not just rock up because the money is good and then decide well I can't play for Spain as I'm not good enough so I'll become an English man and play for England - its a joke but not a funny one

Seems like some would sell thier soul for success - support Brazil then and leave England for the English players.

Since when have England had any success? He's good enough and if he wants to play then he should be allowed. Also if he showed the slightest bit of enthusiasm then he'd already have 10X more passion than the current England team.

[Aspers]

I've represented Australia on a few occasions in my field in various world championships etc.
I live in Australia, I have no intentions of ever living back in England, I am a proud Australian citizen, I always want England to beat Australia at everything (except when I'm in charge).
its no big deal, if he wants to and becomes a British Citizen, good luck to him.
The way Iker is going at the mo, he has a chance for Spain.
Although I think Foster and Lewis are going to become the Shilton/ Clemence of England.
I'm just about to leave for the Airport, no internet in the badlands where I'm going.
3 points today and I'll be happy.
.

[Curly]

If you carry on down this road, soon we can just have Liverpool or Man Utd represent England.

By the way, isn't it Aluminium?

[RedRedWine1]

This thread is sort of going the way I wanted it to. A week or so late in the year, but what makes you English, or eligible to represent the Country? A few murmurings of birth, yet in most sports I can name a few representatative of the English side giving their all, yet they do not qualify as being 'English' under this criterion. Say goodbye to Butcher (apart from Moore perhaps our most charismatic and passionate captain despite being from Singapore and having a hand in the Scotland management team), Pietersen (South African by birth), Nasser Hussain (Indian by birth) and John Barnes (Jamaican).

And then the parents argument, in many of the cases these parents have abandoned this great land to seek foreign fortune. Yet their prodigies are seen as fit to represent us poor souls. And what of the parents of the parents, should they not be English born to? What about the parents of the parents of the parents? Do you see where I'm going in this completely flawed argument? If Almunia thinks he is English andis proud to represn us, then who are we to say that you have no right to do so when countless others clearly fail the criteria that people are throwing in his face.

I'll celebrate a world cup win the same way I celebrated the ashes victory a few years ago, when our top order failed and we were put over the line by KP.

[Plain Peter]

Everything bad about life is practiced, preached and tolerated in this country.
England has already tipped over the edge.
I say, let anyone play for England. End of problem!
Rhodesia became Zimbabwe.
So perhaps we should be discussing what would be a more appropriate name for England.

[Aspers]

How about Engmaniance

BTW little internet kiosk here, the badlands are not so bad after all.

[Crimson Crust]

Or, how about Interland.
Or, Welcomall.

(no need to change the songs then)

[dave wilky]

disgraceful idea..
And a slap in the face of all English goalkeepers.....

[World Cup Willie]

If you carry on down this road, soon we can just have Liverpool or Man Utd represent England.

By the way, isn't it Aluminium?

I thought it was Aluminum. Or is he the Arsenal Goalkeeper?

[Richard Head]

Is there a big diference between England having a foreign manager and having foreign players who are qualified to play. I notice the 'Little Englanders' who were moaning about Capello's appointment seem to have gone quiet now.

Having said that i dont give a sh*t really because i only have a passing interest in the England team for the same reason that i have little interest in watching Premiership matches, the majority of the players are overpaid tossers with little talent and inflated egos

[Plain Peter]

David Moyes is arguably the best manager in England.
He should be the England manager as well as remaining the Everton Manager.
All England players must also be Everton players.
If you don't play for Everton, then you can't play for England.
Therefore players have a choice, either aspire to be an England player, and if you're good enough Mr Moyes will sign you, or if you don't want to play for Everton then you either ain't good enough or don't want to be an England International.
There would be no club v country conflict, and the England team would always be able to field it's best team.
You could probably get rid of most of them prats at Lancaster Gate.
Excuse me a minute I've just seen a squadron of pigs fly past the house.

[Crimson Crust]

with little talent

Compared to what/who? (those that give their International wages to charity)