Johnny Foreigner allowed to play in an ENGLAND shirt - what, what..!?

[Vinnieffc]

Surely your nationality is where your heart lies. I have an Irish name, have Irish parents, brought up in Ireland but was born in - London !! On the basis of the argument that makes me eligible to play for England ?? Can't be right, can it ?

[Pata]

I do not think that citzenship should qualify you for the national side though - it just doesn't feel right - more lke cheating than anything else.

How is that cheating? If ordinarily under the Home Office rules one gets a passport after about 7.5 years of work/residence, I don't really see why footballing authorities should deny that person the right to represent his/her new country at football.
(Granted, though - "British" passport v. "England/Scotland/Wales/Northern Ireland" makes this a bit fuzzy).

[Rupert]

Interesting topic, this.

From a personal point of view, had I been good enough, I could have qualified for Scotland (Mum born in Glasgow), Ireland (Dad born in Co Cavan) or England (me, born in Isleworth).

Scotland was never an option, Mum left aged 18 months when her mum died, very hard life, my Mum has had, and puts those who claim they went bad because of their circumstances to shame, but I digress. Anyway, I never had any affinity to Scotland as a youngster (though, funnily enough, it is developing more and more nowadays).

Ireland and England- Ooh. It would have been a wrench deciding against either of them. I would certainly have played for either with immense pride.