Quaifying for the English football team

jp_bl_68

jp_bl_68

jp_bl_68

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What do you have to do to qualify for selection for England? Do you have to have been born here, do you're parents have to have been born here, can people born in foreign countries play for England if it is now their country of permanent residence and they have some British ancestry?
 
Football forum ;)

also, the answer to your question is a mere google away, however it does bring a potentially good discussion on foreign born players playing for england under residency rules etc!
 
I did notice Football Stadium but "a place where mindless thugs can abuse each other without upsetting normal people" made me think it was for squabbling only :p

My google-fu must be off today. All I could find was an article saying that 5 years residency allows you to play for your new country's national team.
 
My understanding is that you have to had played in England for 3 years and NOT been selected for another country, e.g. Manuel Almunia hasn't appeared for Spain so is technically able to do so for England now. I think it may have to do with the fact that after 3 years you're allowed to apply for a passport therefore becoming a national. This is irrespective of ancestry.

In terms of that however, I think a player's parents (i.e. their nationalities and passports) can determine who a player can represent irrespective of where they were born or raised. Owen Hargreaves was born in Canada and hadn't played domestically in England but due to his family chose to represent us at senior level. There are some players who were born and played in Europe (particularly France for example), but have chosen to represent their African country instead.
 
Mikel Arteta is also eligible to play for England because he doesn't have a senior cap with Spain.
 
No worries, as said that's my understanding of it, I'm not sure if it's 3 or 5 years, but I have heard 3 being touted due to Almunia (or the fact that England had a bit of a keeper crisis a while back).
 
It is 5 years to gain citizenship, however I believe that there is an agreement somewhere between the FAs of the home nations that no foreign players will ever be selected to represent them.
 
SideWinder said:
Why oh why haven't England used him? Does he have to give up his Spanish passport? And i assume he doesn't want to...?
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Read my previous post and you will see the reason ;)

Edit: A little more reason, a foreign player would become a British citizen after 5 years, meaning he would be eligible to play for England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, so to keep things friendly and avoid conflict between the nations as they would all be interested in calling up the better players it was agreed that none would call up such players.
 
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Oh and also he said he wouldn't want to play. Didn't you see Gerrard say the other day about how he would love him in the England team...
 
Greenlizard0 said:
No worries, as said that's my understanding of it, I'm not sure if it's 3 or 5 years, but I have heard 3 being touted due to Almunia (or the fact that England had a bit of a keeper crisis a while back).
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Probably Cudicini rather than Almunia. I can't say I remember us being that desperate ;)
 
Gilly said:
Probably Cudicini rather than Almunia. I can't say I remember us being that desperate ;)
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It depends on which article you read at the time, the Independent said Capello was considering it in May '09, the Times in August '09 said he'd ruled it out.

Not massively bothered either way myself, if a player wants to play for an adopted team and they've put in the time to become a citizen then I don't see the harm in it. It isn't likely to be a common occurrence so for the sake of a few cases a year I'd be happy to let it slide.
 
Happy news for the English...

Capello was at Goodison today to watch the first half, I think he left at half time, watching Jags, Baines and it looks like Arteta.


England call-up interests Spanish-born Mikel Arteta


"If one day the opportunity comes obviously I would have to consider it very seriously," Arteta told BBC Sport.


When asked about the possibility of England selection Arteta replied: "I don't know what his [Capello's] thoughts are.
"I know some people have been talking about it, but I haven't said anything yet because the offer is not there at the moment."
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Gilly said:
Probably Cudicini rather than Almunia. I can't say I remember us being that desperate ;)
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When we 'were' he was having a really good spell. A few years back he outed Lehmann and looked to be progressing into a world class keeper.

Oh how time hasn't been a kind mistress to him. The stupid tit. Lives in a haunted house as well.
 
Greenlizard0 said:
When we 'were' he was having a really good spell. A few years back he outed Lehmann and looked to be progressing into a world class keeper.

Oh how time hasn't been a kind mistress to him. The stupid tit. Lives in a haunted house as well.
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My memory fails me, was this around his run of clean sheets in the champions league?
 
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