Tartan Army forum - Liam Bridcutt

edna krabappel · Jan 7, 2013

Brightonia said:
Yeah was being a little tounge in cheek but they have a very multi-cultural team! Ok you did your research lol what about Lukas Podolski?? Surely he should play for Poland!!

Podolski= Polish parents, born in Poland, moved to Germany when he was two, so I guess he qualifies as a German citizen with many years' residence. He's said himself he feels both Polish and German. Klose was born in Poland to a Polish mother and German father, because his father was playing handball for a Polish team at the time. They then moved to France for a few years before returning to Germany. I guess he has the right to consider himself half German, half Polish.

Neither are as bad as somebody picking a country because at some point in the 1930s, one of your four grandparents accidentally happened to be born somewhere, especially if you've never even been to that country yourself.

Puppet Master · Jan 7, 2013

edna krabappel said:
Podolski= Polish parents, born in Poland, moved to Germany when he was two, so I guess he qualifies as a German citizen with many years' residence. He's said himself he feels both Polish and German. Klose was born in Poland to a Polish mother and German father, because his father was playing handball for a Polish team at the time. They then moved to France for a few years before returning to Germany. I guess he has the right to consider himself half German, half Polish.

Neither are as bad as somebody picking a country because at some point in the 1930s, one of your four grandparents accidentally happened to be born somewhere, especially if you've never even been to that country yourself.

What about the French squad? Aren't half of them African!?

Bean · Jan 7, 2013

Scotland

Norman Potting · Jan 7, 2013

edna krabappel said:
McCarthy is as Scottish as a deep fried Mars Bar lightly poached in Irn Bru, with a porridge oat crust and a Buckfast jus, however he opted to play for the Republic of Ireland.

Don't know about McArthur, but he's not in this squad, no.

Sounds a great recipe Edna, might try it for Burns night as my wife and in-law are 3/4 Scottish!

34064 Fighter Command · Jan 8, 2013

hans kraay fan club said:
You've missed out Kevin Kuranyi (Brazilian) and about six POLES...

You're re-awakening 1939 with the whole German - Polish thing. Gdansk was formally called Danzig and Wroclaw was formally Breslau when it was part of the Prussian Empire. Germany has also traditionally had a large 'ethnic' Turkish poulation, originating from the prohibition of East Germans from travelling to the West due to the iron curtain, resulting in huge labour shortages ( in the same way that we have a large Afro-Carribean and Indian population for similar historical reasons ).

Colin Kazim-Richards comes from Leytonstone but decided to opt for Turkey, rather than England. It cuts both ways.

Sussex on Leith · Jan 8, 2013

34064 Fighter Command said:
You're re-awakening 1939 with the whole German - Polish thing. Gdansk was formally called Danzig and Wroclaw was formally Breslau when it was part of the Prussian Empire. Germany has also traditionally had a large 'ethnic' Turkish poulation, originating from the prohibition of East Germans from travelling to the West due to the iron curtain, resulting in huge labour shortages ( in the same way that we have a large Afro-Carribean and Indian population for similar historical reasons ).

Colin Kazim-Richards comes from Leytonstone but decided to opt for Turkey, rather than England. It cuts both ways.

Spot on.

Also, you've helped me realise that England would be World and European champions by now if only CKR had made a different choice on his international allegiance :smile:

edna krabappel · Jan 8, 2013

Sussex on Leith said:
Spot on.

Also, you've helped me realise that England would be World and European champions by now if only CKR had made a different choice on his international allegiance

Don't forget CMS too, curse on him choosing Scotland over England :lolol:

turienzo's lovechild · Jan 8, 2013

if you move to a country and live there long enough to become a citizen, i think it's fair enough that you can represent that nation (did anyone mind that mo farah wasn't born here, for example?), so the likes of podolski and klose, who both moved to germany at a young age and have had all their footballing education in germany should be more than able to play for germany (ozil and boateng are ridiculous arguments, both were born in germany)

but i think it slightly takes the piss when you weren't born in a country, you've never lived there, your parents aren't from there and only one of your grandparents was born there for you to represent that nation (like CMS)

edna krabappel · Jan 8, 2013

turienzo's lovechild said:
but i think it slightly takes the piss when you weren't born in a country, you've never lived there, your parents aren't from there and only one of your grandparents was born there for you to represent that nation (like CMS)

Or, like Tony Cascarino, you weren't born there, you don't have residency or citizenship, neither of your parents are nationals of that country, your grandparents have never even heard of it let alone been born there, and you haven't so much as visited for a weekend break in your entire life.

Biscuit · Jan 8, 2013

Scotland

Brightonia · Jan 8, 2013

Same could be said about Giggs born in Wales granted, but raised in Manchester, played for England schoolboys yet opted to play for Wales! Surely would of been one of the first names on the team sheet had he played for England! Fair play though, had the option to do both and chose his birth country!

turienzo's lovechild · Jan 8, 2013

Brightonia said:
Same could be said about Giggs born in Wales granted, but raised in Manchester, played for England schoolboys yet opted to play for Wales! Surely would of been one of the first names on the team sheet had he played for England! Fair play though, had the option to do both and chose his birth country!

Giggs was never eligible for England. Born in Wales with no English blood. He played for England schoolboys because he went to school in England- different set of criteria.

Postman Pat · Jan 8, 2013

turienzo's lovechild said:
Giggs was never eligible for England. Born in Wales with no English blood. He played for England schoolboys because he went to school in England- different set of criteria.

But presumably lived in England long enough to become naturalised in the same was as the German players?

Giggs has always said he would have never have played for England and always considered himself Welsh.

turienzo's lovechild · Jan 8, 2013

Postman Pat said:
But presumably lived in England long enough to become naturalised in the same was as the German players?

.

doesn't work like that with the UK unless it's changed very recently (certainly didn't work like that when Giggs was starting)

no such thing as being naturalised English in a footballing sense as we're all British.

Kumquat · Jan 8, 2013

Has anyone mentioned Adam El-Abd yet? Can't be bothered to check.

Personally I think the tartan army thread just highlights how passionate some of them are about being scottish. I can see where they are coming from.

Brightonia · Jan 8, 2013

Kumquat said:
Has anyone mentioned Adam El-Abd yet? Can't be bothered to check.

Personally I think the tartan army thread just highlights how passionate some of them are about being scottish. I can see where they are coming from.

El Abd was born in Brighton and has dual nationality, his father is Egyptian and his mother is British.

Kumquat · Jan 8, 2013

Brightonia said:
El Abd was born in Brighton and has dual nationality, his father is Egyptian and his mother is British.

Sorry, yes I knew that, just wondered if he'd been mentioned, given I seem t remember him never actually having been there that much if at all before his call-up. Even with dual nationality, I can understand some scots balking at players who only want to play for them once they have been called up.

Sussex on Leith · Jan 8, 2013

Kumquat said:
Personally I think the tartan army thread just highlights how passionate some of them are about being scottish. I can see where they are coming from.

Agree with that. I've got a few good mates in the Tartan Army and I've got total respect for them. They follow their team through thin and thinner, they'll travel all over the place to watch their national side, and whatever the result (rarely good), they support their team from first whistle to last, enjoy the experience, and are genuinely welcomed by their hosts wherever they go.

Reading this thread, and the "English/British" poll thread, I admit I'm sometimes a bit jealous of my Tartan Army pals. I'd define myself as English, but have never been able to summon the passion for my country, or my country's football team, that these guys do. When it comes to football, the only thing that really gets me going is the Albion. When it comes to internationals, I really can take or leave it. That's not some political stance on my part, it's just the way I've always felt.

One side point. A good few people I know in the Tartan Army are hugely passionate about the national team but can't be arsed with club football in Scotland, largely because of the presumed religious/political affiliations that go with supporting one of the big Scottish clubs. So when they're working out how to define themselves, they choose to unite behind the Scottish flag rather than a UK or Irish one - which seems pretty reasonable to me.

And by extension, I can appreciate why they're reluctant to embrace players they perceive to be sniffing around for a national team that will pick them, despite having no real connection (in allegiance as opposed to bloodline) to that country. But where they do see evidence of such a connection, they'll get right behind that player, even if he happens to have a "foreign"-sounding name. (Or an English accent.)

34064 Fighter Command · Jan 8, 2013

turienzo's lovechild said:
doesn't work like that with the UK unless it's changed very recently (certainly didn't work like that when Giggs was starting)

no such thing as being naturalised English in a footballing sense as we're all British.

Wales is NOT a separate Country, it's a Principality - you don't need to show your Passport every time you cross the Severn Bridge.

Football is completelty out of step with other sports when it comes to this sort of thing and it don't half put FIFA's nose out of joint.............

You'll be telling me Matt le Tissier and Mark Cavendish aren't English next...........

There, that will upset all the Welshmen on here..................

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