His mother, not him. And given he took the call up, clearly he chose england.
Not really, its clear he is going to be some player. Its also not specific to england
His mother wanted him to play for Jamaica, and considering he's just a kid it's a more than considerable influence. And he'd slot right into their first XI without much trouble, too.
Calling up a player just because it stops him from playing for his country of birth is kind of sad, really.
His mother, not him. And given he took the call up, clearly he chose england.
Not really, its clear he is going to be some player. Its also not specific to england
When it comes to that decision, that is when I will decide but if Jamaica calls for me, why not?
As I said, He clearly has chosen England by not rejecting the call up, he could have rejected it and left himself the option.That's a direct quote from him. He got called up by England first but he was just as keen on playing for Jamaica.
And I never said it was specific to England, I'm just against players becoming naturalized to represent other countries. There could/should be exceptions, but when you see two brazilians playing for Armenia, one for Belarus, a brazilian and an Italy-born brazilian playing for Spain, a couple of argies playing for Italy, a handful of poles and a brazilian playing for Germany (and I could go on for ages)... well, it kind of beats the purpose of a 'national' team.
That's a direct quote from him. He got called up by England first but he was just as keen on playing for Jamaica.
And I never said it was specific to England, I'm just against players becoming naturalized to represent other countries. There could/should be exceptions, but when you see two brazilians playing for Armenia, one for Belarus, a brazilian and an Italy-born brazilian playing for Spain, a couple of argies playing for Italy, a handful of poles and a brazilian playing for Germany (and I could go on for ages)... well, it kind of beats the purpose of a 'national' team.
As I said, He clearly has chosen England by not rejecting the call up, he could have rejected it and left himself the option.
He came here when he was 5, Most of his growing up was here, all his footballing talent has been developed here. While he is eligible for both countries, Jamaica are effectively trying to poach English talent. 12 of his 17 years are here, he speaks with a north london accent.
And Poldoski and Klose went to germany aged 2 and 5. Do you think they consider themselves Polish first and Germany second? Podolski especially is very open about identifying himself as German.
I think there's a big difference between the likes of Raheem Sterling, who was brought up here since he was a small child, and Amauri, who acquired Italian citizenship and played for Italy because he couldn't get a game for Brazil. Others who fall into the latter category include the likes of Cacau, as you mentioned.
Well, Jamaica would be trying to poach English talent if they were trying to call an English player to their national team due to parentage. For all intents and purposes Sterling is a Jamaican citizen by both birth and blood and thus eligible to represent Jamaica. Using your logic France "poached" Trezeguet and Argentina pretty much poached Messi, and, why not, you poached Hargreaves from Canada (or even Germany!).
And Klose has repeatedly claimed that he would've taken a call-up from Poland but Germany were pretty quick in snapping him up, while Podolski (and you'll have to trusk Wikipedia on this one...) stated that he considers himself a pole playing for Germany, and that "two hearts beat in his chest". Trochowski, another pole who represented Germany a decent amount of times, also considers himself to be polish but played for Germany after the Polish FA refused to call him up.
I know there's a difference but it's really, really hard to find a place to draw the line. In this particular case, calling a foreign-born player to your main squad when he hasn't even had the chance to play for your u-21's certainly raises an eyebrow. I've always said that if they're good enough then they're old enough, but we're talking about someone who, albeit apparently very talented, hasn't even had a handful of games in the top-flight. It certainly looks like they're trying to force the choice upon him.
I know there's a difference but it's really, really hard to find a place to draw the line. In this particular case, calling a foreign-born player to your main squad when he hasn't even had the chance to play for your u-21's certainly raises an eyebrow. I've always said that if they're good enough then they're old enough, but we're talking about someone who, albeit apparently very talented, hasn't even had a handful of games in the top-flight. It certainly looks like they're trying to force the choice upon him.
Force nothing. Two countries have offered him a chance to be capped, and he can either choose between them or choose neither and concentrate on his football. I believe that's what Carl Jenkinson has done. Just because you're called up doesn't mean you HAVE to accept.
Sterling's as British as I am, by my standards. Just because someone was born abroad doesn't make them foreign.
He is eligible for both sides. He grew up in this country, was developed in this country, and England are well entitled to call him one of their own, and call him up.
Podolski gave an interview about how Poland only became interested once he was in the German under 21s, had previously shown no interest.
But back to Sterling, it isn't sad at all that England want to call up one of their own players.
Force nothing. Two countries have offered him a chance to be capped, and he can either choose between them or choose neither and concentrate on his football. I believe that's what Carl Jenkinson has done. Just because you're called up doesn't mean you HAVE to accept.
Sterling's as British as I am, by my standards. Just because someone was born abroad doesn't make them foreign.
How are they forcing it? England just got decimated by injuries and illness. We have 15 players training for tomorrows game. He's good enough, and Jamaica want him, and we have places to fill. If anything, Jamaica have forced Englands hand.
The fact that Poland became interested after Podolski was already playing for the German u-21s doesn't mean he wouldn't have played for Poland or that he doesn't consider himself to be Polish, but rather that the Germans were quick to snap him up (which they still are, look at the likes of Peniel Mlapa, Marko Marin, Boris Vukcevic...).
And back on Sterling, I think I've made my point quite clear, and I believe it's decently fundamented, whether you agree with it or not is an entirely different matter. FIFA certainly takes your side but then again we all agree that FIFA are a bunch of useless greedy ***** who know too much about money and too little about football.
Finally, while I could argue that your opinion is biased because you're English, you could very well argue that I'm just as biased as we're more often than not on the losing side when it comes to losing players to other countries.
Well, Jenkinson wasn't going to get anywhere near the England squad, he knew it and I'd believe his situation is more like Amauri's than Sterling's if you ask me.
And I'm not doubting his 'britishness' (if you can call it that), I'm just saying that this call up has more to do with making sure he doesn't represent Jamaica, the country where he was born and for which he's still eligible, than what he can bring to the team. That said, until tomorrow it's nothing more than speculation, as he may just come on and get a hattrick (which would prove me wrong) or may not leave the bench (which would also prove me wrong).
Okay, we've got an injury crisis, let's call the 17 year old with 2 premier league games instead of... well, pretty much any other eligible player.
I don't see how this is even a debate. Sterling's situation is nothing like Cacau's, for example. You say it's hard to draw the line, and perhaps it is, but when a person comes to the country aged five, spends over two thirds of his life in the country, considers himself British, was educated and brought up in London and has the same kind of accent I do, I'm pretty sure he's well over the required line.
Well, Jenkinson wasn't going to get anywhere near the England squad, he knew it and I'd believe his situation is more like Amauri's than Sterling's if you ask me.
And I'm not doubting his 'britishness' (if you can call it that), I'm just saying that this call up has more to do with making sure he doesn't represent Jamaica, the country where he was born and for which he's still eligible, than what he can bring to the team. That said, until tomorrow it's nothing more than speculation, as he may just come on and get a hattrick (which would prove me wrong) or may not leave the bench (which would also prove me wrong).
Okay, we've got an injury crisis, let's call the 17 year old with 2 premier league games instead of... well, pretty much any other eligible player.
Eh? In what sense? Jenkinson has refused to answer Finland's call-up in order to focus on his club career, with the intent of making his decision later in his career. It's not like he's waiting on England to call him up, he just wants to settle himself in the Prem before he chooses a nation to represent.
Also, he's English. How he's anything like Amauri is beyond me.
It's not only about what he can bring to the team, it's about what he can bring to the team in the future. England are giving Sterling an option. Jamaica are trying to force his hand, so England have responded. So he's English, and England are calling him up. Fine by me, if he's good enough.
Like who? I'd rather we call up a promising youngster and give him a taste of the international game and what he can achieve if he works hard than ******* Stewart Downing again.