Aside from the age 17 point, which is like 'well of course, thats obvious' I don't think that's true. He'd just get a different kind of stick, more the Xisco kind of stick.
No, there’s a definite section of our support who believe foreign kids must be world beaters in the making and local lads must be shite.
Works equally the other way IMO. Steven Taylor was given a much longer stay of execution than a foreign defender of his early ability would have been.