International sport is dead? The country was almost at a standstill 11 months ago when England were playing .
I love international football and love following England. But I do agree in the sense that I personally don't think its right countries can select individuals who aren't even of that nationality. Listen to the Mark Crossley podcast he openly admitted he had no affiliation to Wales and classes himself as English but there were a connection in his family tree somewhere that allowed him to qualify but obviously took the opportunity as international football looks good on any c.v, which in my opinion makes a mockery as previously mentioned. There's a lot of English blokes in this wales squad now. I cant imagine all of their supporters would be happy with this.
I agree that the eligibility rules are way too lax these days, and not just in football. Finland fast tracks people for naturalisation, just so they can represent the country in a sport. I once went to the awards dinner of the Finnish national cricket team (No, I didn't know it existed before then either. Do you @Tomi ) . The fact that it was held in an Indian restaurant should have made me a little suspicious. When we arrived, every single player was of Indian or Sri Lankan origin! It turned out that it was a bunch of very forward thinking students, who decided to set up a cricket league in Finland, knowing full well if they could get the status an official organisation, they could then form a national team and apply for passports! Ten out of ten for ingenuity!
As a Welsh bloke I'm delighted to see Keiffer in the squad alongside Williams Davies and Hedges. If they've a granny born to the West of Offa's Dyke it's good enough for me! (and if you check you'll find that many 'English Internationals' are not as 'English' as you assume.
Were different then buddy, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with because its clearly not breaking any rules. However, I wouldn't really be best pleased if England were doing the same. One other reason why I don't follow the cricket national side.
Who is only in the England squad through a distant relative? If this is the case I genuinely don't know about it.
Moore at least as a link to Wales. It's nowhere near as bad as David Willey playing his part for years in making England the best limited overs side at Cricket and then the week before the World Cup being left of the final squad captained by an Irishman so someone else that's not English can take his place.
I suppose in those situations its different, these two have spent the vast majority of their lives living in the country they represent rather than qualifying through distant relatives. Likewise if Sterling decided to represent Jamaica I would totally understand that too. I obviously don't know this for a fact but I would guess that some of the Welsh internationals and representatives of other similar countries have only ever been there once they get a call up. Its that what I would have an issue supporting. Didn't Wales in the 2016 only have 9 Welsh men in the entire squad? or have I just made that up.
I always thought he was born in Ghana and moved to Manchester as a kid! Just checking now and you're absolutely right. I stand corrected.