Carroll for Scotland?

[nufcmichael]

Scotland boss Craig Levein is chasing Newcastle United's England U21 striker Andy Carroll.

 

Carroll who turned 21 last week, has already played for England at Under-19 and Under-21 level but he qualifies for Scotland through his gran and the beanpole striker is now on Levein's radar for the Euro 2012 qualifiers, says the Scottish Sun.

 

The new Scotland gaffer will make a personal check on Carroll at St James' Park tomorrow night.

 

Levein will travel south to watch Newcastle play Plymouth in their FA Cup replay.

 

He could enlist Magpies No2 Colin Calderwood, a former Scotland cap, to help convince Carroll to make the switch.

 

http://www.tribalfootball.com/scotland-boss-levein-targets-newcastle-striker-carroll-567521

[Kaizero]

I absolutely hate that grandparent rule and I think the only reason you should qualify for another nation than the one you are born in (bar adoption) is through your parents.

[cubaricho]

What is the point of the "grandfather" rule anyway?  What was it initially meant to help/do?

[Kaizero]

What is the point of the "grandfather" rule anyway?  What was it initially meant to help/do?

 

Let footballers play International football for nations they feel nothing about representing, just to get to play International football. I'm also highly against letting "mercenaries" play International football, like for instance having a Frenchman represent Wales after playing five years or something in the Welsh league gaining British citizenship, then choosing to play for Wales 'cause he's not good enough for France and he wants to play International football.

 

I've always liked International football, with nations competing about who has the best footballers. Though now you get countries like Japan, bringing in Brazilians just to add to their International team. It just kills the fun, it's not meant to be club football, you should only represent the country you're originally from. (Exception of course being people who moved to a country when they were like.. two-three years old and so on, and adopted people.)

[M4]

Can't see Carroll being convinced. Surely he feels English and that's that.

[Fugazi]

Probably his level. 

[JH]

It's just like that stupid rule that says Cudicini or someone can technically play for England. It's stupid.

 

English people should play for England, Scottish people should play for Scotland, Italian people should play for Italy.

[Ronaldo]

That's not how it works though, very few players are good enough to even be considered for England and Italy.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

If you object to this, you should see what happens in Rugby and Cricket... you can basically just pick a country!

[JH]

That's not how it works though, very few players are good enough to even be considered for England and Italy.

 

I know, that is a shame, but why should they then go play for some country that they have a tenuous link to that they don't really give a shit about, just for the sake of playing International football? It's just not fair on those that want to play for their country.

[Guest]

After losing my granda who was Northern Irish over the Xmas period, I can see why someone would want to represent their grandparents country in their honour.

[MKSC]

It's basically a tool to help second rate footballing nations develop themselves and be competitive. The Irish did it, with some success, in the 80's and early 90's and since then Football has become a lot more propular in a country where traditional games such as Hurling and Gaelic Football were the sport of choice for youngsters. Now the Irish team is mostly filled by native Irishman (with the odd exception).

 

Time was when the Scottish national team was comprised of people playing for Celtic, Rangers, Liverpool, Man Utd and other top English clubs. Now they are scouring the English lower leagues to find anybody with a minute amount of talent and an even smaller link to Scotland.

 

Also, they've scrapped the ruling that if you've played a competitive international at U-21 Level you were stuck with that country. As long as you don't get a senior cap you can switch at any point. I heard them talking with Jamie O'Hara last night on talksport about the possibility of himself, and players like Kevin Nolan, who have U-21 caps for England turning out for the Republic in the Euro qualifiersnext season. Ridiculous if you ask me.

 

International football is not club football. It should be about Nation vs Nation. Our best players against their best players, our best coaches against their best coaches, our best manager against their best manager. But in this ridiculous world of free trade and litigation for restricting someones human rights it is an idea that has long since departed.

[MKSC]

After losing my granda who was Northern Irish over the Xmas period, I can see why someone would want to represent their grandparents country in their honour.

 

I don't have a problem with that as such, but it should be a case that you have to declare it as an 18 year old. You can't just change you're mind at 26 because you never got picked for England so you'll have a bash at playing for Scotland or Ireland.

[Guest gggg]

Defeats the point of us competing as separate nations if they're just going to use our players anyway.

[Guest Heneage]

It's a good rule, why shouldn't you be allowed to represent a grand parents country? They may have raised you, or influenced you with that culture, in the case of some countries you may speak that language like Colin Kazim Richards.

[GM]

I don't have a problem with that as such, but it should be a case that you have to declare it as an 18 year old. You can't just change you're mind at 26 because you never got picked for England so you'll have a bash at playing for Scotland or Ireland.

 

Absolutely spot on.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I don't have a problem with that as such, but it should be a case that you have to declare it as an 18 year old. You can't just change you're mind at 26 because you never got picked for England so you'll have a bash at playing for Scotland or Ireland.

 

Absolutely spot on.

 

Agreed, suppose the problem is that at the moment the choice is based more on ability than on affection for the country.

 

With the exception of a couple of players (e.g. Giggs), the vast majority of players want to play for England and only choose Wales/Scotland/Jamaica/Nigeria when they fail to make the grade. Which does nobody any favours.

[Dokko]

If he plays for Scotland we should get rid of him.

 

 

[GM]

If he plays for Scotland we should get rid of him.

 

 

 

Player plus cash deal for Kris Boyd? Oh, no..wait..Boyd plays for Scotland too.

[Guest Stephen927]

He isn't good enough for Scotland, either.

[Dokko]

If he plays for Scotland we should get rid of him.

 

 

 

Player plus cash deal for Kris Boyd? Oh, no..wait..Boyd plays for Scotland too.

 

Aye but Boyd is canny (until we realise he's a cunt) 

 

I was more leaning towards the hatred the lad already has on this place. Him selling out and playing for Scotland would just add another string to the bow of hate aimed directly at his forehead. Though some of it is just and fair, he gets his fair share of stick. Next we'll sell him to Sunderland and he'll be the next Don Hutchinson.

 

 

[Raconteur]

If you object to this, you should see what happens in Rugby and Cricket... you can basically just pick a country!

 

Exactly what I was thinking - the parents and grandparents rule won England the Ashes

 

That said, it doesn't always work out that shite players turn out for second rate nations - sometimes second rate nations lose players to "better" countries thanks to this rule. In the 2006 World Cup, the Croatian team that played Australia contained three Australian-born players (Simunic, Seric and Didiluca) who turned their backs on the country on the land of their birth to play for the "better" nation of their forefathers. Which made kicking them out of the tournament that much sweeter...

 

[LesPaul]

It's basically a tool to help second rate footballing nations develop themselves and be competitive. The Irish did it, with some success, in the 80's and early 90's and since then Football has become a lot more propular in a country where traditional games such as Hurling and Gaelic Football were the sport of choice for youngsters. Now the Irish team is mostly filled by native Irishman (with the odd exception).

Still is. It's only really in big urban areas were football would be the main sport. There's very few football schools aswell. The vast majority are GAA schools with a few rugby schools (these would be in richer areas of the country such as the south side of Dublin). The secondary school I went to placed a huge emphasis on hurling. It was the main sport there. Gaelic football was more or less used as a way of getting fit and there was no rugby or soccer teams. IMO this is why still take advantage of the granny rule because we wouldn't be able to compete with our limited pick.

 

 

Also, to any of the English who have a problem with it, what about John Barnes?

[Darth Crooks]

His name was English enough so we'll let him off. And he can rap like no other

[MKSC]

I don't have a problem with the granny rule (see above posts) but like I said, once you're 18 you should make a decision and that's it. No changing you're mind cos you didn't get picked for the first choice.

 

I don't like the 'naturalised' rule either. Fair enough, grandparents, at least it's a blood connection. But just living somewhere for 4 or 5 years shouldn't make you eligible to play for that country.