An Irishman's reaction............
- Thread starter London Irish
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Southover Street Seagull said:
Why does this come up so often? Ryan Gigg was born in Wales of Welsh parents and grandparents. His family moved to Manchester when he was seven.
I have a godson who was born in France as his father was on a two-year secondment there. He only lived in France for six months, has no French blood in him and can't speak French - yet by your criterion he's French. That must be nonsense - but no more than I'd expect for someone who thinks Ryan Giggs is English
London Irish said:
My opinion, and it is nothing personal against him, but no. He was born and raised in Canada so therefore is Canadian. However good on him for using the system to his advantage and getting to play for an international team at a high level.
Dandyman
In London village.
I LIKE the Irish. Best field hands I've ever had.
Cian
Well-known member
Roger Mellie said:
Hrm, for a team that doesn't challenge you and aren't rivals, why did your "fans" riot and cause an unexpected renovation job on Lansdowne when we went ahead last time
The Large One
Who's Next?
f***ing hell, dig up old history, why don't you? That was what, 13 years ago?MYOB said:Hrm, for a team that doesn't challenge you and aren't rivals, why did your "fans" riot and cause an unexpected renovation job on Lansdowne when we went ahead last time
A bunch of the Hitler Youth came over, the Garda refused to co-operate with British Police, warning them of who was coming, who was going to cause trouble and when. Garda's response? 'We weren't expecting trouble because Dublin is a peaceful city...' Talk about sticking your head in the sand.
Nowadays, those people have their passports confiscated before England away matches, so we are at least endeavouring to get our house in order.
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Cian
Well-known member
DJ Leon said:Yeah, that had a lot to do with football and the scoreline didn't it?
They were still England "fans" who were sold tickets by the FA and allowed to travel.
Southover Street Seagull
Well-known member
No he shouldn't really should he.
Neither should Michael Owen as I beleive he was born and brought up in Wales.
For me personally if I was good enough to play football professionally I would only ever want to play for England as I was born and raised here. I have Maltese grandparents but that doesn't mean I would ever want to represent Malta.
But in the end of the day it's down to the persons in question as to what nationality they feel they are.
I don't feel the Greg Rusedski is British, neither do I feel that Lennox Lewis is. On the other hand I think that Amir Khan is.
Neither should Michael Owen as I beleive he was born and brought up in Wales.
For me personally if I was good enough to play football professionally I would only ever want to play for England as I was born and raised here. I have Maltese grandparents but that doesn't mean I would ever want to represent Malta.
But in the end of the day it's down to the persons in question as to what nationality they feel they are.
I don't feel the Greg Rusedski is British, neither do I feel that Lennox Lewis is. On the other hand I think that Amir Khan is.
Southover Street Seagull
Well-known member
London Irish said:
The reply above this is the answer to this quote LI.
Southover Street Seagull
Well-known member
Gwylan said:Why does this come up so often? Ryan Gigg was born in Wales of Welsh parents and grandparents. His family moved to Manchester when he was seven.
I have a godson who was born in France as his father was on a two-year secondment there. He only lived in France for six months, has no French blood in him and can't speak French - yet by your criterion he's French. That must be nonsense - but no more than I'd expect for someone who thinks Ryan Giggs is English
My apolgies about Ryan Giggs (Wilson) must get my facts right.
But if you look I did say born and raised. So your freinds son can't exactly say by living in France that he was raised there. Can they?
Southover Street Seagull
Well-known member
Just read about Mr Giggs on his website. I thought his Dad was English and that he only played for Wales to side with his Mother's family when his parents got divorced. How wrong I was all his parents and grandparents are Welsh so he had no choice in the matter. He is quite rightly playing for his country of birth.
London Irish
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #33
Southover Street Seagull said:
Eaxctly. No one else has the capacity to peer into another person's mind and heart and decide for them what their identity or rationale is.
Hargreaves has every right to say he wants to represent England, his brother was born in England, his parents are British and his dad played for many years as a pro up north for the likes Blackburn and Wigan, the English culture in his home growing up must have been very strong.
If he was a simple football mercenary, then he could have represented Germany, where his talents have always been (perhaps up until the past couple of weeks) far more highly regarded than here.
On a slightly different tack, I'm fascinated by the small amount of net migration there is now from England to Ireland that was mentioned by MYOB on here the other day, I personally know some anecdotal evidence of this, there was a couple of lads who were in my girlfriend's year at uni who went straight to Ireland after graduating for work (film industry) purposes even though they have no links with the country, and they are still there years on.
While the phenomenon of the Anglo-Irish is nothing new historically, it will be interesting to see over the next 20 years what identity any kids they have will adopt growing up, will they be 100 per cent Irish or will they hark back to England and be derided as "Plastic Tommies"
Southover Street Seagull
Well-known member
So LI being born and bred over here in London do you regard yourself as English or Irish? I take you have an intrest in Irish affairs due to your parentage?
London Irish
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #35
Both to be honest, I find it impossible to seperate these identities and I've supported Ireland and England against each other over the years on whim and depending on the sport.Southover Street Seagull said:
Legally that is the situation for me too, I hold passports from both countries so I guess that makes me a citizen of both, although I've never voted in an Irish election.
Southover Street Seagull
Well-known member
Well for me then I am lucky enough not have such didvided loyalties!! Although I will support the British home nations and Ireland in sport when England aren't playing any of them.
Southover Street Seagull said:
I don't mind the rivalry etc, I have it with my Ireland supporting dad, whereas I always support England and when asked always say I'm english despite having dual nationality.
What I don't understand is the constant accusations of arrogance mainly from the scots and irish. I don't believe I have seen and england player or manager dis opposition or say anything different than any other team, i.e. we have to believe we are capable of winning. It seems we muct never overly celebrate a win whilst Ireland can constantly celebrate wins over england forever and a day. Here in Munster they are still celebrating beating the all blacks sometime last century but mention we won the world cup once and that's dismissed as being ancient history.
Totally double standards.
Southover Street Seagull said:
But where's the dividing line? If he spent 10 years there and then moved back, would that make him French? If he spent 15 years there would that make him French? Surely if he speaks English in an English family that would make him English no matter how long he spent there?
Mr Burns
New member
London Irish - f*** of you piss poor excuse for a human being and go and offer your pathetic arse to that war lord **** Blair, or go and seek your attention some where else you f***ing cun t -
That is all
That is all
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