foreigners playing for England?

[johnny37]

There must be many foreigners playing in the Premiership who qualify for a British passport on residential grounds. Is there any reason why not?

[ichkeria]

I don't know for sure but I suspect that there isn't a single foreign player of note in the EPL who qualifies on residential grounds. Not knowing what the residential rules are either admittedly.

[Duncer]

It's five years, and there are plently who would/could qualify.

One overriding reason why they haven't is the fact that they have probably already been capped for their home country before they even come to England.

[ichkeria]

Well exactly. The residency rule becomes slightly irrelevant when you take into account factors such as: they are passport holders of and players for other countries. I can only see uncapped (and therefore perhaps not really all that good) players wanting to. I believe there was talk of Arteta for example being signed up some time ago

[Anngel123]

I think that people should be born in the country to play for it. It is bad enough that we spend so much on foreign players that there is no money (or not much) to support any home grown talent.

[Duncer]

Nacho Novo was touted for Scotland a few times. I still think there should be a direct link of some sort, but it is a highly contentious issue.

[mariner2]

Either born here or have at least one English parent, and it should never be any different, otherwise what's the point of a national team?

[dotty.]

a scottish player won the world cup though.

[nungate]

Marco Senna played midfield for Spain - Brazilian born I believe, as was Deco who turned out for Portugal.

[dotty.]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Reilly

[jno]

if you want a country-of-origin cup, hold one. Otherwise, anyone entitled to live and work in a country, by whatever laws are in force at the time, should be entitled to play for it.

[johnny37]

There is a former Brazilian playing for Croatia Not sure he even lived there for five years before being awarded his passport. Kenyan athletes are so good but cannot even get into their own team so they tout their talents elswhere. We even have an Australian tennis player of Hungarian descent s who is now British (Tomic). Remember Rusedski? I believe there is as least one former US athlete in Team GB athletics. If a sportsman is legally qualified, not to treat him as British him breaks the law of restraint of trade.

[Duncer]

jno - that means any footballer legally entitled to work and live here, even if they have only been here for a month or two, could play for any of the four home nations. Is that what you really want international football to become?

Much as I'd love to see Silva, Van Persie, Balotelli and a few others in Northern Ireland shirts, it just wouldnt be the same for me. Fair enough if they become naturalised through residency, and not with Zola Budd style indecent haste, but not just on the grounds of living and working here.

[johnny37]

The same should apply to football clubs but perversely it would be illegal to stop them. I hear Premiership fans talking about 'our team' when hardly any of the player are British (sometimes none).