Don't be an idiot, Jack

[hector]

There are so many complexities to this argument.

Is a child born in Torbay, to say, two Polish immigrants more or less 'English' than a child born abroad to English parents, or more or less English than someone who moves here and settles here.

I don't like the fact the the Republic of Ireland, had so many players through the Granny rule, when those players would not have been entitled to a passport or citizenship. On the other hand, if a player is entitled to citizenship of the country or allowed a passport etc, then I think they should be allowed to play for that country, even if they were born elsewhere.

[FavGull]

My views on this are that the residency rules, which I believe vary from country to country, are fine. Football, or other sports, associations should not actively pursue players to 'change' nationality via the residency rule, as this is morally incorrect.

If Januzaj, or somebody else, makes the decision for themselves that they want to commit to a country within the established rules, be it for personal or professional reasons, then this should be welcomed and taken with the spirit which it is (perhaps) intended.

Obviously as the lines are blurred, policing this, with the example of Qatar given before a potential example, would be a nightmare.

[Kernowgull]

The difference between Hargreaves and Januzas( sp?) is Hargreaves had to choose between England, Germany and Canada because he qualified for all three, through his upbringing. I really don't think we should be planning our international futures on somebody who might qualify in 5 years time.

[Dave]

To be fair Kerno, I do not think it's the case we are planning our international future on this, think it was a case of us making a polite inquiry, also do not think we need to plan our future on this lad, if we look at the age of some the established senior players for England, and dept of talent coming through our U21's the future for England I do not think has looked this bright in a long time.

And while we are on subject of Januzaj, he also qualifies for three countries, Belgium of course by birth, also via his parents he could play for Serbia or Albania.

As a general, point I just don't get the fuss, other countries have done this and will again, I've already mentioned John Barnes we've done it before, and I am sure he not the only one, and we as a footballing country are doing it right now.

20 year old W.B.A striker Saido Berahino, scored against Man.u, scored 4 in 3 games for the England U21 was born in Burundi.

[Kernowgull]

I think its a moot point anyway, he'll play for Belgium, they've got the best chance of winning anything out of the teams he can play for /including England!).

[Gulliball]

I don't think it is quite that simple. He has rejected Belgium call ups before, and is apparently waiting on a FIFA decision on whether to grant Kosovo International status.

As a general, point I just don't get the fuss, other countries have done this and will again, I've already mentioned John Barnes we've done it before, and I am sure he not the only one, and we as a footballing country are doing it right now.

20 year old W.B.A striker Saido Berahino, scored against Man.u, scored 4 in 3 games for the England U21 was born in Burundi.

The big difference between Januzaj and other cases is the age and motivation for arriving in England. Barnes moved to England aged 13 and was playing for Sudbury Court in Middlesex when Watford spotted him. Berahinho moved to England aged 10 to escape war in Burundi and his whole family was given political asylum. Mo Farah moved to England aged 8. If any of them had not been International level sportsmen, then they would still have been living and working in England. It wasn't the sport that brought them to the UK. With Januzaj, his sole reason for moving to the UK was to play football for Man Utd - it was the money they offered that made him leave Belgium. If he wasn't a professional footballer, he wouldn't be in England and he received no teaching (academic or football) in the UK.

This is a totally different qualification than players who have more than one nationality through parents and grandparents, and those who have moved countries and grown up in a different country. If a Scottish man and a German woman have a son born in America, who lives there until aged 9, then moves to Argentina where he lives till 19, then it is reasonable that he could represent any of those four countries through birth, heritage or residency.

If he then moves to Real Madrid aged 19, should he be allowed to represent Spain? To me, that is where a line should be drawn because then you are not making a decison based on nationality, but a deliberate career choice based on money. The biggest and richest nations will benefit and International football will turn into an extension of Club football, with a transfer market. If you want to watch 11 fantastic players in the same side, then you can support any European giant and see it every week. The smallest clubs already lose their best players to bigger clubs aged 18, if you do that with International football too then it loses its whole value, and I wouldn't like to see England contribute to that just so we can poach a promising youngster away from a smaller country.

[Southampton Gull]

I think its a moot point anyway, he'll play for Belgium, they've got the best chance of winning anything out of the teams he can play for /including England!).

Really? You must be bleddy Cornish to come up with that gem.

[Kernowgull]

I am bleddy Cornish. Belgium have a great team, although I'm genuinely excited by how England have played recently, I would put Belgium ahead of anywhere England have been in the last 20 years Ive been a fan.

I agree with the post above with regards to eligibility. Didn't realise he had turned down Belgium thus far either.

[Southampton Gull]

Belgium have done nothing but head a poor qualifying group that ended with them drawing against the might of Wales without Bale. Sure they have a couple of decent players but I fail to see how you can evidence your suggestion that they are any better than England, guess we'll have to be men about it and agree to disagree (you clueless Cornish wnaker)

[Kernowgull]

I don't think they can win next year, but I reckon they'll be amongst the favourites for France 16. Who knows, we may be too.

The missus is cleaning the house, and making me a full English (we're definitely better at breakfast than the Belgium waffles) whilst I'm arguing with a bald man Ive never met on the internet, and watching Football Focus, so I can't be all clueless!!

[leetufc]

I agree with Kernow on the Belgium point. At present I would expect them to get further at the World cup than we will, although I don't think they have enough to win it.

There are several players in the Belgium team who would either be certainties or pushing for a starting 11 place in England's team. I would take both Mignolet and Courtois ahead of Hart, Kompany and Vertonghen are a better centre back pairing. Any of Witsel, Fellaini, Hazard or Dembele (plus possible others) for a place in our midfield, and Benteke and Lukaku challenging Sturrigde and Rooney for a first team place.

Plus the average age of their squad must be below 25 so they'll be around for a while yet.

I also think their group was no worse than England's and yet they walked theirs and qualified with plenty left, whereas we were sweating until the last match.

In terms of the point of the thread, I think Gulliball has it spot on with where the line should be drawn, otherwise nationality starts to become irrelevant for football teams.

Plus they're full of young players who are only going to get better

[Gulliball]

I would agree that Belgium have a better squad than England right now, and they are all pretty young too, by 2016 they will be a major force in Europe.

England look pretty good too, and with Chalobah, Morrison, Hughes, Zaha, Sterling and quite a few others we have some technically gifted youngsters to get us back to the top seed level.

[Dave]

I would agree that Belgium have a better squad than England right now, and they are all pretty young too, by 2016 they will be a major force in Europe.

England look pretty good too, and with Chalobah, Morrison, Hughes, Zaha, Sterling and quite a few others we have some technically gifted youngsters to get us back to the top seed level.

Totally agree, think the future looks very bright for us, you could add, Tom Carrol and tom Ince a few others to those names, and we now the new F.A chairman, Greg Dyke who is trying effect change in our game, yet dismissed by some.

Also fair comment with your response to me above, however I do think if a player wants to take up citizenship here, commit to England we should embrace that, other countries would, why not us.

[Gulliball]

Because if you follow that through, Qatar could beat the United Arab Emirates in the final of the 2022 World Cup with a squad of Brazilians, Spaniards and Germans being paid oil money, as already happens in club football. International football loses its whole purpose when it moves into that area.

[Dave]

Because if you follow that through, Qatar could beat the United Arab Emirates in the final of the 2022 World Cup with a squad of Brazilians, Spaniards and Germans being paid oil money, as already happens in club football. International football loses its whole purpose when it moves into that area.

as said, fair comment.