plastic brits for england ?

[Tee]

Lennox Lewis was born here

 

moved to canada young

[TF S4DK]

Yes, but my point was he has a non-English accent and was always considered the plastic brit back then, cos he boxed for Canada.

 

The English media wanted Bruno to beat Lewis cos Bruno was the more English of the two in the "Battle of Britain" fight.

[darkman]

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has lent his backing to keeper Manuel Almunia's potential claim to play for England.

The Spaniard, who has said he would consider playing for England, will be eligible to apply for citizenship this summer having signed in 2004.

And that would enable the 31-year-old, who has never represented Spain, to play for England under Fabio Capello.

"If it is possible legally, why not? I believe he is not only good enough, but he is the best," said Wenger.

"There are international rules which have to be respected and then it is more a choice left to the English Football Association or to Manuel Almunia's desire."

 Wenger believes turning to a naturalised replacement such as Almunia is a viable option.

"It is down to what you expect morally and mentally from a national team," said the Frenchman. "I believe at some stage you have to observe just the rules and decide what you want.

"On the English side, for the national team, it is not so much a problem because if the guy decides to become English, he has had to observe and respect the rules like anybody else.

"Why should he then not be qualified to play for the national team?

"It is more a moral problem maybe for Manuel Almunia, because does he consider he has a chance to play in the Spanish national team or not?"

 

I agree with him (Wilshere). I always said also an Englishman should manage the England team." Wenger has maintained this view having seen Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello take charge of the Three Lions during his time in England.

"I personally believe what we have really to define is what is an English player and we get that more and more," Wenger continued.

"I have young players now with three different nationalities and I ask them how do you feel? You have some, for example, who were born in Africa, they have come to Europe, they have lived for a few years in one country and, after, their parents have moved to another country because they had to find work - and they have three different cultures.

"One of the tasks of the modern politicians will be really to define what is the nationality of a person, because some people feel differently to their passport.

"Have they the freedom of choice or do they have to be educated in a country to feel they love this country? Have you to spend a certain number of years in the country to say you represent this country?”

 

lol @ Wenger