What should we make of the current debate about Januzaj possibly declaring for England, and Wilshere's and others' comments on who should and shouldn't play for a country?
My own feeling is that where you are born is almost totally irrelevant, and only someone a bit thick would even make it, but that the actual rules based on 5 years' residency aren't much better.
Personally I'd make the case for the concept of a person being 'sufficiently' (or equivalent) English/British/whatever. I think it's obvious that, say, Mo Farrah, is less British than I am, or Shearer or Wilshere is, but I would say he is still clearly *sufficiently* British to compete for us because he's more British than anything else.
I think what is most important for determining a person's sense of nationality (or, at least, is both important and objective) is where they live during their formative years - up to adulthood, basically. I think that probably chimes with most people's experience. On that basis, I'd tentatively say that a person is English if they have been resident in England for a majority of their first 18 years, automatically.
For someone who doesn't meet that, like Januzaj, I think 5 years is too short a time to genuinely confer on a person a real sense of national feeling for their adopted country. It's subjective, obviously, so no number would be appropriate for all people, but should at least be suggestive of a clear commitment to settle - at least 10 years, but more like 20, IMO.
So, anyway, should he be able to play for England, or not?
My own feeling is that where you are born is almost totally irrelevant, and only someone a bit thick would even make it, but that the actual rules based on 5 years' residency aren't much better.
Personally I'd make the case for the concept of a person being 'sufficiently' (or equivalent) English/British/whatever. I think it's obvious that, say, Mo Farrah, is less British than I am, or Shearer or Wilshere is, but I would say he is still clearly *sufficiently* British to compete for us because he's more British than anything else.
I think what is most important for determining a person's sense of nationality (or, at least, is both important and objective) is where they live during their formative years - up to adulthood, basically. I think that probably chimes with most people's experience. On that basis, I'd tentatively say that a person is English if they have been resident in England for a majority of their first 18 years, automatically.
For someone who doesn't meet that, like Januzaj, I think 5 years is too short a time to genuinely confer on a person a real sense of national feeling for their adopted country. It's subjective, obviously, so no number would be appropriate for all people, but should at least be suggestive of a clear commitment to settle - at least 10 years, but more like 20, IMO.
So, anyway, should he be able to play for England, or not?
