KP in Col Blimp redux defends the Empah

KP has had a row with a soap dodger soccer player about English import selection policies -

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LONDON: Kevin Pietersen took to Twitter to question England footballer Jack Wilshere's belief that only English-born players should represent the national side.

Pietersen, born in South Africa to an English mother and South African father, has become a mainstay of the England cricket team and is just one match away from appearing in 100 Tests.

He is one of a number of players across several sports, including Jamaica-born footballer John Barnes, who've represented England without being born in the country, a legacy of the country's imperial past, 'mixed' marriages and, more recently, greater global migration.


England footballer Jack Wilshere. Photo: AFP
But Wilshere said on Tuesday: "The only people who should play for England are English people. If you live in England for five years it doesn't make you English."

Advertisement However, Pietersen, pointing to his own case and that of several other South Africa-born England cricketers as well as Somali-born double Olympic champion Mo Farah, said: "Jack Wilshere - interested to know how you define foreigner...?

"Would that include me, (Andrew) Strauss (the ex-England cricket captain), (Jonathan) Trott (England batsman), (Matt) Prior (England wicketkeeper), Justin Rose (South Africa-born golfer), (Chris) Froome (Kenya-born Tour de France champion), Mo Farah?"

England international Wilshere insisted he'd only been talking about his own sport.

"With all due respect Mr Pietersen the question was about Football! Cricket, cycling, Athletics is not my field!"

That didn't placate Pietersen, who replied: "Same difference.. It's about representing your country! IN ANY SPORT!"

Wilshere's initial remarks, made ahead of England's key 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland, came against the backdrop of the Football Association looking into the eligibility of rising Manchester United star Adnan Januzaj.

Belgium-born winger Januzaj can play for the country of his birth, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia and Turkey and the 18-year-old could one day represent England on residency grounds.

Wilshere said having foreign-born players in the team risked diluting the essential character of the side.

"You think of England and you think they are brave and they tackle hard. We have to remember that," he said."

"You think of England and you think they are brave and they tackle hard. We have to remember that," he said."

Actually, I'd prefer it if we won a major tournament for once, Jack. If a player makes a commitment to England, serves the qualification period, and does his job on the field, who's to say he shouldn't be playing for England?

All of this "only people born in England should be playing for England" talk is well out of date, ignorant, has more holes in it than Swiss cheese, and is quite frankly xenophobic.

is this a minority view ???...bit off really and at odds with pomgolian history - even the royals were imported but served their qual period

However, Pietersen, pointing to his own case and that of several other South Africa-born England cricketers as well as Somali-born double Olympic champion Mo Farah, said: "Jack Wilshere - interested to know how you define foreigner...?

"Would that include me, (Andrew) Strauss (the ex-England cricket captain), (Jonathan) Trott (England batsman), (Matt) Prior (England wicketkeeper), Justin Rose (South Africa-born golfer), (Chris) Froome (Kenya-born Tour de France champion), Mo Farah?"

England international Wilshere insisted he'd only been talking about his own sport.

"With all due respect Mr Pietersen the question was about Football! Cricket, cycling, Athletics is not my field!

FMD - when KP holds the intellectual high ground over you in a debate you are in deep doo doo.

Is it worth noting that England has had 18 cricket captains born outside England?

Henry wrote:"You think of England and you think they are brave and they tackle hard. We have to remember that," he said."

Actually, I'd prefer it if we won a major tournament for once, Jack. If a player makes a commitment to England, serves the qualification period, and does his job on the field, who's to say he shouldn't be playing for England?

All of this "only people born in England should be playing for England" talk is well out of date, ignorant, has more holes in it than Swiss cheese, and is quite frankly xenophobic.

Out of date? Does Ranji know about this?

Has anyone asked Wenger for his views?

Belgium-born winger Januzaj can play for the country of his birth, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia and Turkey and the 18-year-old could one day represent England on residency grounds.

Eh, doubt he can. Wasn't there a situation with Angel Rangel with the Home Nations agreement's education clause?

Anyway, Wilshere's a ******. A brainless one to let KP get the upper hand...

Jack Wilshere needs to STFU

There's a difference between KP, who has an English mother, and some random Belgian who's only claim to being English is that in 2018 he will have lived here for 5 years.

It's a dangerous precedent to set, I don't think anyone wants to see the England team made up of 11 players from across the globe who were just scouted from a young age and brought over here so they could qualify in a few years. It would lead to the best national sides being the ones who have the most money and would make internationals not too dissimilar from club football.

Wilshere is still a qunt, mind.

Have you qualified for SA yet?

4 years and two months to go still.

Still enjoying?

Loving it, especially now the weather is warming up. Going to see Australia v SA hopefully at PE which should be good too, will hopefully get the chance to sledge a few Aussies if we win down under.

Oh yes, you have the crappy winters down there I the Cape. You are I George aren't you?

Plett, and yeah winter was a bit shite.

I say shite, but it was miles better than any winter in England and there was usually at least one day a week where it was possible to top up my tan, often more.

I think I must have been here too long to be complaining about the "winter", I'm going to get a shock when I do get back to England.

Move to the Highveld. We only had two days that hit zero.

And the pay is better.

Oh it has never got anywhere close to zero here, I think the lowest it got was 7. Anything below 10 was pretty out of the ordinary.

True, was thinking more Cape Town side.

Spain - the best side in the world - have recently welcomed with open arms Brazilian striker Diego Costa as one of their own.

Yeah, England, keep on keeping on with that pure-born bullshit, while the rest of the world continues to leave you trailing in their wake.

It's all moot anyway - Januzaj wants to play for Albania as his first choice (and is hardly going to wait five years from now before finally playing international football, which is the earliest England could select him).

The epitome of English grit and (literally) bloody minded determination, Terry Butcher, was born in Singapore.

Wilshere is just perpetuating the stereotype of footballers being ignorant c*nts who should never be allowed to speak in public.

vilkrang wrote:
It's a dangerous precedent to set, I don't think anyone wants to see the England team made up of 11 players from across the globe who were just scouted from a young age and brought over here so they could qualify in a few years. It would lead to the best national sides being the ones who have the most money and would make internationals not too dissimilar from club football.

That hasn't happend though, and wouldn't happen. The FA has nothing to do with foreign players coming over at a young age. That's all down to the clubs. And the clubs aren't bringing them over in the hope that they'll one day play for England - they couldn't give a shit about international football and mainly consider it a great imposition.

If a civilian can get a British passport through residence after five years, then why shouldn't they be able to play for one of their sporting teams? They'd be able to vote, join the army, enter X Factor. The big three.

Dello wrote:

vilkrang wrote:
It's a dangerous precedent to set, I don't think anyone wants to see the England team made up of 11 players from across the globe who were just scouted from a young age and brought over here so they could qualify in a few years. It would lead to the best national sides being the ones who have the most money and would make internationals not too dissimilar from club football.

That hasn't happend though, and wouldn't happen. The FA has nothing to do with foreign players coming over at a young age. That's all down to the clubs. And the clubs aren't bringing them over in the hope that they'll one day play for England - they couldn't give a shit about international football and mainly consider it a great imposition.

If a civilian can get a British passport through residence after five years, then why shouldn't they be able to play for one of their sporting teams? They'd be able to vote, join the army, enter X Factor. The big three.

What about the Cheeky Girls?

Fair point on the clubs thing. Not sure why this chap would even want to play for England anyway, he'd have a genuinely better chance at international silverware if he stuck with Belgium.

vilkrang wrote:

Dello wrote:

vilkrang wrote:
It's a dangerous precedent to set, I don't think anyone wants to see the England team made up of 11 players from across the globe who were just scouted from a young age and brought over here so they could qualify in a few years. It would lead to the best national sides being the ones who have the most money and would make internationals not too dissimilar from club football.

That hasn't happend though, and wouldn't happen. The FA has nothing to do with foreign players coming over at a young age. That's all down to the clubs. And the clubs aren't bringing them over in the hope that they'll one day play for England - they couldn't give a shit about international football and mainly consider it a great imposition.

If a civilian can get a British passport through residence after five years, then why shouldn't they be able to play for one of their sporting teams? They'd be able to vote, join the army, enter X Factor. The big three.

What about the Cheeky Girls?

Fair point on the clubs thing. Not sure why this chap would even want to play for England anyway, he'd have a genuinely better chance at international silverware if he stuck with Belgium.

Well, he seems to have little interest in Belgium and to be swaying towards minnows Albania or as yet non-FIFA-recognised Kosovo. He would never even get to play in a tournament with either of those two. If he doesn't identify with the country of his birth because it's not where his family background is from, I can't imagine him identifying with a country he moved to as a teenager.

In terms of qualification rules, there needs to be something across the board to keep the integrity of international football, otherwise it will just become no different to club football with big/rich countries buying up the talent, at which point it becomes meaningless. It doesn't have to be purely by birth, but qualification outside of birth right should be through a parent or having lived somewhere since early childhood.

Andy Carroll and Carlton Palmer have played international football.

It has no integrity left to preserve.

vilkrang wrote:

Dello wrote:

vilkrang wrote:
It's a dangerous precedent to set, I don't think anyone wants to see the England team made up of 11 players from across the globe who were just scouted from a young age and brought over here so they could qualify in a few years. It would lead to the best national sides being the ones who have the most money and would make internationals not too dissimilar from club football.

That hasn't happend though, and wouldn't happen. The FA has nothing to do with foreign players coming over at a young age. That's all down to the clubs. And the clubs aren't bringing them over in the hope that they'll one day play for England - they couldn't give a shit about international football and mainly consider it a great imposition.

If a civilian can get a British passport through residence after five years, then why shouldn't they be able to play for one of their sporting teams? They'd be able to vote, join the army, enter X Factor. The big three.

What about the Cheeky Girls?

Monica's a tricky winger of some ability, but Gabriela wouldn't even get in the Sunderland team with her poor first touch.

Also, f*ck you for making me google the Cheeky Girls. Some government agency or other will be logging that and thinking I've finally crossed a line. That and the animal porn.