-- Posted by Briley 07 at 5:25 am on Oct. 7, 2008 As some of you may know Arsenal's Spanish goalkeeper, Manual Almunia is now eligible to play for England as he is now married to an Englishwoman. I think he should be selected for thee squad, England has a pretty shit pick of goalkeepers about from the young guys who are too young for a full international, and I think he could fill the gap nicely. Thoughts? -- Posted by Tavis at 5:27 am on Oct. 7, 2008 He was born and raised in Spain, so he should play for them. If he was raised in England, and lived there the majority of his life, but born in Spain, then he could play for England. You can't just start making people citizen's of your country, just for the sports. -- Posted by rosebud at 5:28 am on Oct. 7, 2008 he's eligible so he should be picked if he's the manager's choice he wont be the first to get picked in the national side of a country with which he has tenuous links -- Posted by Jadien at 5:29 am on Oct. 7, 2008 Quote: from Tavis at 8:27 am on Oct. 7, 2008 He was born and raised in Spain, so he should play for them. If he was raised in England, and lived there the majority of his life, but born in Spain, then he could play for England. You can't just start making people citizen's of your country, just for the sports. qft -- Posted by Briley 07 at 5:30 am on Oct. 7, 2008 Quote: from Tavis at 1:27 pm on Oct. 7, 2008 He was born and raised in Spain, so he should play for them. If he was raised in England, and lived there the majority of his life, but born in Spain, then he could play for England. You can't just start making people citizen's of your country, just for the sports. He's never played for Spain, and he's only lived in England for about 2-3 years. -- Posted by babel at 5:32 am on Oct. 7, 2008 no almunia is pure shit! -- Posted by Tavis at 5:35 am on Oct. 7, 2008 Quote: from Briley 07 at 8:30 am on Oct. 7, 2008 Quote: from Tavis at 1:27 pm on Oct. 7, 2008 He was born and raised in Spain, so he should play for them. If he was raised in England, and lived there the majority of his life, but born in Spain, then he could play for England. You can't just start making people citizen's of your country, just for the sports. He's never played for Spain, and he's only lived in England for about 2-3 years. He's never played for any Spanish soccer team? What did he do, get good at it in England for 2-3 years? If he was raised and got good at soccer in Spain, he should be playing for them, they don't encourage sports just to have them leave. You should see Canada, with our Hockey. The majority of NHL hockey players are Canadian, and we do very well in Hockey nationally, because we give everyone the chance to play. We have dozens of charities who pay for kids to play hockey, so we find the good ones, and they grow up to represent Canada. But I guess it also has to do with Patriotism, and how much of one you are or aren't. -- Posted by dcdx89 at 5:37 am on Oct. 7, 2008 Quote: from Briley 07 at 5:25 am on Oct. 7, 2008 As some of you may know Arsenal's Spanish goalkeeper, Manual Almunia is now eligible to play for England as he is now married to an Englishwoman. I think he should be selected for thee squad, England has a pretty shit pick of goalkeepers about from the young guys who are too young for a full international, and I think he could fill the gap nicely.   Thoughts? Im not sure, though i do agree that English players today lack the Grace and flare of foreign players, so why the fuck not. -- Posted by rosebud at 5:38 am on Oct. 7, 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Hargreaves -- Posted by Briley 07 at 5:46 am on Oct. 7, 2008 Quote: from Tavis at 1:35 pm on Oct. 7, 2008 Quote: from Briley 07 at 8:30 am on Oct. 7, 2008 Quote: from Tavis at 1:27 pm on Oct. 7, 2008 He was born and raised in Spain, so he should play for them. If he was raised in England, and lived there the majority of his life, but born in Spain, then he could play for England. You can't just start making people citizen's of your country, just for the sports.    He's never played for Spain, and he's only lived in England for about 2-3 years. He's never played for any Spanish soccer team? What did he do, get good at it in England for 2-3 years?   If he was raised and got good at soccer in Spain, he should be playing for them, they don't encourage sports just to have them leave. You should see Canada, with our Hockey. The majority of NHL hockey players are Canadian, and we do very well in Hockey nationally, because we give everyone the chance to play. We have dozens of charities who pay for kids to play hockey, so we find the good ones, and they grow up to represent Canada.   But I guess it also has to do with Patriotism, and how much of one you are or aren't. I don't know much about him pre-Arsenal. But he's never played for Spain at any international level. He has played for Spanish clubs, but I'm not sure how big he got over there, he definitely made his name at Arsenal though. -- Posted by PurpleEnvy at 5:54 am on Oct. 7, 2008 Definately he should be allowed play for England, ye don't have a great track record between the sticks. -- Posted by PurpleEnvy at 5:55 am on Oct. 7, 2008 Quote: from rosebud at 1:38 pm on Oct. 7, 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Hargreaves I did not know that. -- Posted by robdude at 5:58 am on Oct. 7, 2008 Im against people doing that, like in the Olympics I think you should be born, or a least lived in a country for over 10 years. -- Posted by ludlight at 4:42 am on Oct. 10, 2008 He has no chances to play for Spain. Why not to play for England? -- Posted by emo sux69 at 7:28 am on Oct. 11, 2008 Spain have some of the best goalkeepers in the world he has no hope of playing international for them, if he played for england though he would be a shoe in.