Today a guest post from The Beck.
Last night, the Telegraph released an interview with Jack Wilshere. He was speaking to the infamous/famous Henry Winter about his views on the possibility of Adnan Januzaj representing England.
This is what he was directly quoted to have been saying:
“If you live in England for five years it doesn’t make you English, 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. You shouldn’t play. It doesn’t mean you can play for a country. If I went to Spain and lived there for five years I’m not going to play for Spain.’’
Immediately after I was aware, I began to ask myself if there was any way I could possibly defend Jack for his comments and I realized that I couldn’t.
I’m aware that he is a young man, 2 years younger than me, and that he’s possibly lived a life growing up where his national identity was never in question and his views on “Englishness” was always pre-defined by his surroundings. Questioning the intellect of most footballers will usually not get you very far in accomplishing anything, but I truly believe he has brought up an interesting subject to discuss and to elaborate on. In the first quote, Jack directly attributes that that his version of being English is universal and cannot be changed. His version of national identity appears static and archaic to me.
“If you live in England for five years it doesn’t make you English” – and I suppose you’d have to ask, why not? Who sets these time constrictions on what it would take for someone to have an accurate grasp of English identity and culture? The government certainly does based on both research and economical aspects. When Jack is saying this, he’s not thinking about all the players who became citizens elsewhere and played for their new adopted country, whether they loved that country, or were grasping that culture and identity is completely subjective and personal to them, it is not something we can decide for others.
Luis Figo, once dismissed Deco for being part of the Portuguese team prior to the Euro 2004 (where they were both hosts and finalists and Deco played a vital role), Figo said:
“I don’t think people would be happy in Spain if I had become a Spanish national and played for the Spanish side,” said the Real Madrid midfielder. “It’s something that distorts team spirit and I don’t agree with it. If you’re born Chinese, well, you have to play for China.”
“It looks like you’re trying to take advantage of something. That’s my opinion and I’m not going to change it because he is in the team.”
Figo there has already decided that Deco was using Portugal, taking advantage of a situation, when in fact it was Portugal who were taking advantage of his new citizenship too.
Deco responded by saying:
“I don’t regret choosing to play for Portugal, I was born in Brazil and it would be a lie to say that I’m Portuguese now and not Brazilian. But I love Portugal and I love playing for the national team.”
See Deco’s experience is also subjective, he recognizes his Brazilian identity to be higher than his Portuguese, but it is not difficult to imagine it the other way around. We live in a very multicultural society in an ever-growing multicultural world, we recognize many different tribal and nationalistic ideas and associate them and stereotype them with what we/our governments and media see fit. The debate was high and live last night, many were suggesting that age mattered, that there was a certain point where players stop adapting to culture or want to belong to another culture, that it is just purely convenient for them to swap nationalities so that they gain caps.
Marcos Senna became a citizen of Spain at the age of 29 and won the European Championship with Spain in 2008. Many would argue that he did so to his advantage, but did not Spain get the advantage too? Was it not convenient for Spain to have a citizen of its country play for them and win them the trophy? So many questions; you all know where I am going with this. Plenty of players in the Spain squad feel more Catalan than Spanish, yet they play for Spain, they love Spain, they play for Spain because they know collectively they will win trophies (some play for Catalonia too).
Owen Hargreaves is another good example, born in Canada, raised in North America, moved to Bayern Munich at 16, lived there until he was 26 before moving to Manchester. He amassed 42 caps for England until the injuries got the better of him, he probably felt more German than English at times? Or more Canadian than German? Or more English than Indian? I don’t know, it gets all confusing, but are we in the game to guess what players feel and how they think before asking them how they truly feel?
I feel like that is one of the biggest flaws in this debate, we assume what players want and ultimately believe they want to “take advantage”, expecting them not to be as “English” as the “Englishman” (vague term, so vague).
Colin Kazim-Richards born in London, raised in England, plays for Turkey, his mother is a Cypriot Turk and his father is Antiguan, does it get confusing yet?
“It’s difficult because half my family is Muslim, and the other half is Christian. I’ve always felt Turkish, though. My nene [grandmother], she can’t speak English. Half of my family, their first language is Turkish, and so I went to Turkish school before I played football, although I can’t remember any of it now”
Owen Hargreaves may have grown up feeling German but playing for England, Colin Kazim Richards may have felt Turkish in that interview, but felt very English had he been a better player? Who knows? I just find it hard to see how footballers and fans have the audacity to tell players and people how to feel and what to be about their national identity? It is you, yourself that gets to choose what you want to be, not them, not an oppressor or a simpleton.
“But you have to have English roots.”
Say that to all the Jamaicans that came to the U.K. in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s and became part of the English national team in the 70’s, how they themselves must see the irony in the apparent need for roots. The need for those former Jamaican men that became naturalized British citizens to play was huge. Besides, the whole concept of English roots is absurd. If you need to look into that, there are thousands of pages about DNA and how none of us are a 100% anything, (except me; I’m a 100% pure blooded twat.
Each government that is part of the EU/EEA has substantially given each person a chance to discover another country and become a resident of it, perhaps even share the national identity of it. I am a person who has taken those chances (through war and opportunity), a person who feels no particular tie to one specific country/administrative state/stateless state, but half a dozen, Iraq, Kurdistan, Norway, England, Wales, Hong Kong.
I am a piece of all of them, but I am also none of them.
I’ve seen many people over the age of 30 adapt to a new culture and totally capture it, a friend of mine never felt American and moved to Japan, he speaks the language, lives the culture, is part of the Japanese identity, especially to himself (as he might be an outcast to others). Who am I to tell him that he’ll never be Japanese to me? Isn’t that an oppressive archaic view of nationality and personal identity, that someone’s personal state of national identity is directly related to my own lack of perspective?
Who is Jack Wilshere or any of you to say Januzaj won’t fall in love with British culture/values/identity and become more than a naturalized citizen?
Who is to say he won’t feel English or British in 6 years? People change, people adopt values that adhere to their reason sometimes, it is not always back to tradition and thinking that it always is perhaps why we are having this debate right now (or I’m having it by myself).
What is a nationality, but a giant tribal government construct on what you are or who you should be?
You know, I grew up with a Geordie, a Brummie, a Mancunian, a Scouser and a Cornish man and none of them could ever tell me what it meant to be English other than to point to regurgitated stereotypes that some of them were not even fond of. To each of them, it was different, they had different views on many different things, and the thing that made them English to me was probably the language and the location.
To measure someone’s Englishness is an exercise in taking a stereotype from a world full of propaganda, stereotypes and agenda’s and turning it against those who do not practice it. You could effectively have English ancestors, be born in England, raised in England but not feel English. People are very complex and to simplify them is a disservice to both their thoughts and abilities to change and grow and become more than a piece of propaganda or national pride (tribal/government construct).
If you look at all countries as if they were all going through a constant transitional cultural change, I believe your view on nationality would change, but most only see it in the moment.
Have a lovely day.
Should you wish to take The Beck to task or agree with him,he can be found on twitter @The_Beck_
Positively Arsenal 
I have to be honest,I don’t know what to think.
I do not believe Jack has done anymore that speak his mind.He is not a politician,he’s a young footballer.
I cant see a reason to be making him sit on the naughty step.
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Jack appears to have developed a knack of getting a headline for wrong reasons of late.
With regard to the genuine question of should there be firm rules concerning the eligibility of players to represent a country at football or any sport it is a fair question.
There does not appear to be a point in having a ‘national’ team if those who make up the team have no link to the country.
With regard to how you weight the genuineness for eligibility then that is a bit more complicated, as you have outlined above Beck. There are plenty of cases of people representing countries in which they were not born or raised and doing it with great distinction and sincerity.
I do not think anyone however has much respect for a player like Cascarino who bragged in his autobiography, having picked up 50 Irish caps, he made up the story of an Irish granny and wanted the cash and kudos of playing international football. As an England cricket fan I am dubious about the likes of Trott and KPs inclusion. They want to play top class Test cricket. They reckon getting into the England team is easier than the SA team. They are right.
You could argue, because it is so potentially complicated, you could make it much more simple. If your place of birth is, for example, England then you are eligible to play for England and only England. If you were born in Somalia then play football or, in Mo’s case, run for Somalia. Do away with the five year eligibility rule, grannies, people hopping on the passing bus of nationality to further their ow ends and exploitation by countries desperate to be associated with a winner.
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That was a very erudite piece from someone in their early twenties. Are you really 23 years of age? If so you couldn’t possibly be a 100% pure blooded tw*t yet!
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For anyone who has missed it this morning an excellent interview in this morning’s Telegraph with Arsenal’s greatest Dutchman;
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/10365349/Dennis-Bergkamp-reveals-he-wants-to-return-to-Arsenal-to-work-on-the-clubs-coaching-staff.html
No not Glenn Helder
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I have to admit to a certain uneasiness watching so many South Africans playing cricket for England, but then again I fel frustrated (despite being half welsh) that Bale and Ramsey aren’t helping England qualify for the World Cup. The whole notion of identity is difficult, and I guess that is one reason wny I am so proud to support The Arsenal which to me sets the best standards of diversity in all its forms.
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Blimey, as I woke this morning, the thought crossed my mind, ‘what is it with JW – that there’s such a big thing going on about him smoking a fag/all the meedja stuff?’ It’s not as though Jack has simulated wiping his arse on £20 notes, or run over the tops of cars for a laugh, or beaten up people of colour/ditched a girlfriend on finding out she’s a 1/4 Asain, is it? (Although I still don’t know the details of some fight that took place where a girl’s arm was broken, and Jack supposedly defended her???)
Then I read this excellent piece. I know Jack’s only 21 but I wish he hadn’t said it – not because it’s right or wrong, but because all Arsenal players should IMO steer clear of ‘stuff like that’. “Steer clear”, cos lets face it, anything that could be deemed controversial – said by Arsenal’s players – will ultimately be made to look bad. Even saying ‘we could win the league’, FFS.
Despite his upbringing in leafy Hertfordshire, Jack, having been with the club since age 9 – has certainly grown up and trained around lads from different countries, and Frimpong and him seem to have been firm friends. Perhaps I’m irrational in thinking that if the FA – wanting to capture this ManU guy – upon learning of Jack’s views – may step up their ‘punishment’ of all things Arsenal, which already include carte blanche smashing up of Wilshere’s ankles, despite him being an England player. (And the longer we stay at the top of the league, is the more chance we have of our players legs being broken, because that’s the pattern. Don’t argue – on that one).
Paranoid? Put me right, by all means.
DB10 (foreigner) wants eventual return to Arsenal:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/10365349/Dennis-Bergkamp-reveals-he-wants-to-return-to-Arsenal-to-work-on-the-clubs-coaching-staff.html
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Pardon me – now I’ve posted the above, I see others have pretty much put my points – eloquently. (And the link to the Bergkamp intvw. is already there.
How about I make up for my shoddiness by posting a link to Winter’s article about Jack?:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/10365464/Jack-Wilshere-fuels-debate-over-foreign-players-after-insisting-Adnan-Januzaj-should-not-represent-England.html
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I think Jack is only guilty of giving his honest opinion,I’ve got Irish parents but was born & brought up in East London,if you asked me whether I was English,Irish or British I’d tell you I was a Londoner! But I’m an awkward so & so! Coll makes a great point about the cricketers,would England have won the 2005 ashes without Pieterson? We all know the answer to that,I just think Jack should be careful about talking to journos during an interlull,I think there’s probably too much being made of the whole issue,you are what you are and if you qualify to play for your country and it feels right then that’s alright by me.
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jack shut the fuck up and learn from wenger the internationalist…who has busted his arse to get rid of “englishness” at arsenal and thank fucking god for that, millions swithc on to arsenal for our diversity and multinational/universal approach/philosophy/prinicples……. ozil probably thinks youre a cunt now and i wonder on what grounds you consider frimpong english? ethnically speaking he is not english either is he little jack ? ….
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i think he should stop talking all together…… if he feels like that now he aint far from joining ashley cole who felt a @stranger@ in a dressing room full of french players….
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Although he plays for another club now and is clearly dead to us I enjoyed this piece by George’s chum Amy Lawrence on out former Ivorian hit man in the Guardio today;
http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/oct/09/gervinho-roma-arsenal-giallorosso-jersey
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Hunter13
Ashley felt a lot of strangers.
We have the pics to prove it too.
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bah humbug
Let’s do a liberal right-on lynching of Jack.
He was the only one doing an England team presser yerterday, loads of microphones and someone askes him a stupid question, and he gives a (let’s just say not fully thought through) answer.
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I’ve got a sporting bet with a friend that Gervasi will do ok at least under his old manager and in front of a crowd that are not bravely taking out their Van Judas frustrations upon him. When I reminded my firend of this on the weekend he feigned ignorance of any bet, heh.
–
Poor old St. Jack. He walked straight into the hacky slappers melee there. Into the dragons maw. Ooops.
Hunter @ 12.33: behave! : )
SAfricans coming over to play cricket for England is on another level.
I can’t compare that to players from France who aren’t good enough to play for France going to play for another country they have associations with that doesn’t have as strong a coaching infrastructure. Bit like players in England playing for Ireland – sorry DC and others to have inflicted Cascarino upon your poor souls.
Cascarino? Yuck. It was not a surprise when Bernard Tapei’s former pawn was embarrassed by Mathew Syed.
I like the story of the Boatang bruvvers in Germany. One brother plays for Ghana, the other for Germany. That is cool.
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Some examples of the complexities of national identity:
Martin Keown – Irish parents, but played for England.
Wayne Rooney – Irish parents, but plays for England.
James McCarthy – Scottish but plays for Ireland.
John Barnes – Jamacian, but played for England.
Jenkinson – half Finnish, but now has chosen England after playing Finnish U19s.
Frimpong – Has been in England long enough in his life to become a citizen, but want’s to play for Ghana.
Tony Cascarino – decided to adopt the nationality of his foster parents and declared for Ireland. Half the Irish team for Euro 1988, World Cups 1990 & 1994 were Irish, but only n the sense that they had drank a print of Guinness in Dublin once.
Most of the current England cricket team would fail jack’s test.
I was born in England, but I choose to be Irish.
Stephen Patrick Morrissey was born in England, and chose to be English.
It’s laughable, but it can be deadly serious.
Anyway the Jazzy Kick Kid is just the flavour of the day for a bored England team press corps. It’ll blow over.
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Interesting post, The Beck.
To me, it seems what Jack was trying to articulate was something similar to what Figo was saying: that although playing for a recently adopted country may be permitted by the rules, he was not in favour of it. Or, to put it another way, although they may qualify, they should not be picked. Some people will agree with that opinion, some won’t.
To the reporter who asked the question, I say both ‘bravo’ (for doing his job well) and ‘shame’ (for putting Jack in the s***) because it makes a good story whatever Jack says. It either plays out how we have seen, or, if Jack says he would be happy for Januzaj to play for England, then the headline becomes some variation of “England team not good enough”.
The discussion of what constitutes nationality is interesting, but for the purposes of a competition, there must be some objective rules (I say that fully acknowledging that is a stereotypically British point of view!). Clearly, it would be unworkable to allow people to choose a nationality based on how they ‘feel’ about a country. If that were the case, who would want to play for Wales? I jest, of course! Cue backtracking: “Many of my best friends are Welsh…”
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I hate to say it,
but we badly needed players like Casc.
Missing out on Keown was terrible.
Mel – if you’ve got a pair of football boots, now is the time to hop over to Cologne!
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Take the Welsh.
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JW10 – CLARIFICATION – (read from bottom up – for others who like me, aren’t twtterer’s, or twitee’s, or whatever):
Jack Wilshere @JackWilshere 1h
Anyway….training was decent today, I even managed to score again! With my right foot! #wishingtraininggoalscounted
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Jack Wilshere @JackWilshere 1h
I wish he was English! I’m sure most of you agree with me even if some journalist are trying to make me look bad….again!
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Jack Wilshere @JackWilshere 1h
The question was should foreign players be allowed to play for England, and in my opinion I don’t think they should! He is a great player…
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Jack Wilshere @JackWilshere 1h
Just to clarify a few things….again! Seems to be a trend in this country, poor journalism in my eyes! I wasn’t referring to Janujaz…
Link:
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Here’s an article showing how ‘Alex Song back to Arsenal’ rumours got started.
http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/alex-song-considering-making-a-shock-return-to-arsenal-how-a-tran
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I think many of you saw that I was criticizing Jack and are forgetting the argument.
My attack isn’t on Jack, its on that idea, I doubt Jack could articulate words and thoughts like most of us, should I hold him to the same level as us? perhaps,
But its that again he woke up and tweeted.
Jack Wilshere @JackWilshere 1h
The question was should foreign players be allowed to play for England, and in my opinion I don’t think they should!
That is wrong, his concept on what makes someone foreign and English is far too basic for him to completely believe that they shouldn’t play for England.
As I explained above, there is a lot of complexities and difference in opinion in what makes you English or what qualifies you as English in someone’who is English’s eyes.
And frankly there is xenophobia and racism subconsciously that sometimes springs out when you want to answer as to why a person couldn’t possibly be English. This occurs all the time.
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@anicoll
Thanks for pointing that out. I still maintain that Gervinho is a rather good player and us fans are one of the reasons why he never really managed to play anywhere near his best for us. Not the only one, mind you, but I think when you are in a situation where you have to fight for your spot amidst competition from the likes of Theo, Poldi or even Santi, who was made to occupy a wide berth to accomodate us playing Tomas through the middle, and the fans make it known that they’d have you rather gone, a player who depends on confidence — whose playing style is so risky that there is a chance of failure attached to his every move — can’t flourish in such circumstances.
@On topic
Obviously a difficult question to answer and I think that Jack was somewhat unfortunate because it’s a question you can hardly answer in a satisfactory matter. Personally, I believe that it all depends on the question of national identity. Being a person that doesn’t have one, I am a Bosnian-born German citizen but would identify as European, I can understand how it must be when you are presented with such a choice as to which country you want to represent. But if your parents aren’t English but you have grown up in England and you “feel” English, why shouldn’t you be allowed to represent England? I believe that national identiy is not a question of race, but something you feel or you don’t.
But on the other hand there are obviously cases where sportsmen are switching allegiances out of pure self-interest (the cricketing examples are rather good) or where countries are trying to lure good players to play for them. Those things aren’t acceptable in my opinion.
Unfortunately though, those are only two extremes and there is a lot inbetween. Take our own Eduardo for example. He was born in Brazil but moved to Crotia when he was in his teens. His knowledge of the Crotian language is very good (and I can judge since Bosnian and Crotian are almost the same) and he has married a Croatian girl. Can he claim to be “Crotian” enough to represent their national team or not? It’s not a question with an easy answer.
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hehehe alex ..its why i love wenger’s arsenal…no fucking room for this xenophobia, racism, nationalism, shauvinism ……NOTHING……all equal under the sun ..all here to work and enjoy our times doing our favourite thing…playing football! …
if you wanted to pinpoint/tag wenger;s arsenal under one flag or some silly notion like that you couldnt….way too multi…way too open…way too civilised to enter any limited ways of thinking
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and jack should shut the fuck up and remember that he hasnt achieved anything in football yet and when reporters come to bust his balls for an answer he should walk away and not be as keen to answer or get engaged in all this media fuelled englishness…..has noone learned from paul scholes?
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something tells me jack is relishing the opportunity of becoming the next best thing in english football….only in england such a pursuit of a role usually leads to disaster…..maybe he should see previous examples of gasgoigne or similar and realise that english culture and englishness is what keeps english footballers lightyears behind their continental/international colleagues………
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ill throw myself out now ….
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Thanks for the article Beck.
You have raised excellent points about Nationality and Identity.
I don’t think we were reading any of this as any attempt to seriously criticise Jack.
(apart from a bit of naivety about speaking too much to jounos without thinking through the consequences).
It’s great that there is such a mixed bunch of folks around here who can probably see the issues from every Angle.or maybe plenty of non Anglo-Saxon views.
Phfffff – blow-ins from Germany anyway, the Angles.
Not even Squares.
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H13
“he hasn’t achieved anything in football yet”.
True That.
There is too much hype around him for comfort.
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no…one more thing….perhaps jack shoudl realise that its this englishness sort of mentality that is attacking the club and our manager the last 7 to 8 years about trophyless seasons, foriegn divers, french foreign softies, wenger the clouseau etc etc etc…..our club is getting insulted the last 7 years by englishness..ramsey eduardo and diabby nearly got amputated due to this englishness…we had muppets marching outside our ground or shitheads screaming spend some fucking money to a financial genius because of this englishness……stay clear jack.please..or else i would love to see you sold….for 30m ..give or take
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DC, I could play for the sweatys as well my gran was Scottish!
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Evil
If Zlatan Ibrahimovitc is a Sweed (?Really)…. they why not try to get Edwardo for Croatia?
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There is too much hype around him for comfort.
yeah and he is starting to believe it himself too……tattoos, esquire front covers, nightclubs, cigarrettes, the style and turtlenecks …the number 10 shirt…photos of zidanne….lmao….
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Media is attacking jack right now, twisting his words and actions to make news headlines, best to remove him from interviews and the spotlight for a while.
He was just trying to say he thinks people should have a proper connection to the country they play for, not that someone can’t decide they want to play for england if they move there and fall in love with the country etc, just that they should actually consider themselves ‘english’ rather than just choosing a convenient country to play for.
I don’t agree there is a xenophobia/racism slant to it, he never said anything about people who genuinely intend to migrate to england and become ‘english’ or moved here when they were young etc.
I think people are reading different meanings into Jacks words that he did not intend to deliberately make him look bad and too many people are unthinkingly lapping them up.
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I may have a more jaundiced view on nationality than others perhaps. My dear departed father arrived in England in his 20s, lived and worked here the best part of 60 years, married a native, brought up the family, and still bloody hated the English as much on his deathbed as the day he stepped off the train at Kings Cross.
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mk
October 9, 2013 at 3:25 pm
exactly my point? jack should be aware of this “englishness” and should stay fkn clear and not look so keen or interested in either replying to media or becoming the new gazza…roo..beckham whatever….
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@anicoll5 at 3:28 pm
Where was your dad from?
I sweat after reading some of Hunter’s rants…..
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You only have to see how Jack reacts to his black, French, German, Spanish and whatever other nationality is represented at Arsenal to see that he is not a racist. If you try and think like Jack, a young footballer, then you will perhaps understand Jack. I think MK has it just about right…..
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He was from Ayrshire George – hated the English, disliked the the Welsh and the Irish, did not have a lot of time for Highlanders and people from Dundee, Glaswegians got right up his nose, and never, ever mention bowler hats, sashes, religion or the Masons – in fact most of the people in Ayrshire he had a down on ………………………………….
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That’s a pretty comprehensive list Coll……
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Much like mine Coll
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He was a very thorough man George – ‘inclusive’ you might say in his xenophobia
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DC, I grew up in Sweden and ibrahimovic was born there. I suspect he enjoys his Swedish meatballs as much as I do. Although I doubt I’ll bump into him at ikea anytime soon.
Beck, tricky one. As much as I like him to focus on his football and avoid being entangled with media storms, hes entitled to have his opinions. One day when he’s older and wiser he might be able to play the media right, and then hopefully use it for good purposes. (Always felt its a shame so few celebrities try to make a positive difference, with media at their hands.) But until then we just have to live with it.
As for his opinion im just glad it didn’t result in a discussion on Englishness as based on ethnicity. It’s obvious Jack is better that. That said I doubt he fully grasp the complexity of what constitutes a national identity that works within the constructs of a national state. Its a construction and therefor not a birthright. Passport is, englishness isn’t. There’s no saying Januzaj can’t adopt an English identity, that Jack and many in media seem to think is minimum requirement for entry to the English national team.
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Anicoll
An Equal Opportunities bigot – hate’s ’em all.
I like his style.
Prison officer Mackay in Porridge:
Mackay: I am firm but fair. Remember I treat you all with equal contempt.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HatesEveryoneEqually
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apropos thank you for nailing it
ethnicity is different…citizenship is different and ..nationality is also different as are cultural customs.
you can have a jamaican (ethnicity) being an english citizen , adopting english nationality (passport) but far removed from the cultural traits of being english with his cup of tea and mocking andora for being crap at football. and who also does nto identify perhaps with hardcore jamaican roots or rastafarianism or what else and due to his tavelling and expansion of horizons considers himself/herself..UNIVERSAL….internationalist……the wenger way….
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Hold on there, not accusing Jack of being a xenophobe or a racist, that’s not what I asserted, I asserted that this is what springs to mind when I try to have someone tell me what my Englishness or Norwegianess or Iraqiness should be about.
I feel as though the undertones of it heavily relies on ethnic make up rather than personal identity.
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The whole “should he be playing for England” is met by the press and certain people as “He’ll never quite be English enough, he’s not one of the boys? do you know what I mean?” that’s the logic process and it is completely flawed.
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Apropos,
A great reply, but is it not in Jack’s best interest to just focus on his game instead of trying to be Mr England? you are right about fame and using media for good, but I’m afraid he was used by Henry Winter in this situation.
Winter knew the reaction it would get, he knew what he was asking Jack and he knew the vagueness of the young man’s reply.
Jack’s P.R. team/agent should know better than to let him drag himself in another shit storm so soon after the smoking incident.
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Alexander Beck
October 9, 2013 at 5:19 pm
yes yes i agree…thats why i expected better from wilshere who has been raised by an internationalist manager who doesnt give a shit about such things…they are trying to turn him into another english footballcelebrity popstar number ten and he should be able to see through it and tell them respectfully to fuck off.
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Hunter 3:18pm
Respectfully — no, it’s not an exclusively English thing.
Go look at Arsenal sites from Ghana, Nigeria or Dublin – sadly there is a lot of Anti- Arsenal Arsenal around the world. And I could mention some American posters on another blog -(but I won’t!).
Your 4:22pm post – Absolutely! I do not want to see Jack in Y-Fronts any time soon on a Billboard near me.
Aaron, on the other hand…………………………………hehe.
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i maintain as last year…ramsey for captain
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