Winter Sports - Football
GR SSCUTTER KP - is it all a bit nuts?
Our anonymous groundsman, Mr AKA Grasscutter, ponders the ongoing trend for international teams to plunder non-nationals to represent them ... and then there’s FIFA!
I began my last article by suggesting it had been “a dull old March”. I was, of course, referring to the weather but, if I may go ‘off script’ somewhat, April and May have been anything but dull; and, this time, I’m not citing Mother Nature’s efforts.
The rumblings of the current KP saga - that’s Kevin Pietersen by the way, just in case you have been on a tour of duty at the space station - began in April as claims and counter claims were made by the man himself and the incoming hierarchy at the ECB.
There’s no doubting the man’s talent and, by all accounts, there’s no doubting his disruptive presence in the dressing room. Many pundits rallied round to have him reinstated, fuelled by a highest first class score for the man of 355 not out, although I should point out that this was Division 2 cricket on a flat track, against a side who had not won a first class game since 2012. Hardly Mitchells Johnson, Starc and co.
Now, I suppose the topic will be revisited often throughout the coming summer but, here’s a thing, KP is not English, he is South African, born and bred, so why did he play for ‘England’ in the first place?
The England cricket team are serial offenders when it comes to plundering talent from around the world; most recently, South Africa, the Windies and Ireland. In the case of the latter, and fast bowler Boyd Rankin in particular, players are often discarded after only a few games, meaning they can no longer play for their country of birth until they have ‘requalified’. How mad is that? In Ireland’s case, who have serious and legitimate aspirations to achieve Test status, this must be frustrating.
Super-slip and cantering fast bowler Chris Jordan went to school with Rhianna - in Barbados - whilst the latest ‘Botham’, Ben Stokes, was born in New Zealand, albeit he has spent a good portion of his life growing up in and adopting the accent of Cumbria.
And then there’s Manu Tuilagi, a Samoan playing for England while all of his five brothers have played for or are representing Samoa! Again, the man is hugely talented, but can he really be considered ‘English’?
98 I PC JUNE/JULY 2015
Mind you, in 2013, Wales laid claim to him because he had lived and learned his rugby in Cardiff!
And, if that makes you furrow your brow, then consider the recent statement by the RFU who say they will not pick two Englishmen in the form of their lives because they play in France and, therefore, don’t meet the criteria of the selection policy ... unless you happened to be Jonny Wilkinson, of course!
Mind you, cricket and rugby have nothing on football, and the latest sorry saga surrounding corruption at FIFA, which broke towards the end of May when the FBI stormed in all guns blazing, so to speak, makes for very sorry reading.
That an external organisation is now investigating these allegations is to be welcomed, especially after FIFA’s very own
“
Now, I suppose the topic will be revisited often throughout the coming summer but, here’s a thing, KP is not English, he is South African, born and bred, so why did he play for ‘England’ in the first place?
anti-corruption committee found no evidence of any wrongdoing, which is a bit like asking Jeremy Clarkson if Jeremy Clarkson should return to Top Gear.
I know a good number of my friends and colleagues would like to see international teams return to being represented by birthright. After all, there are plenty of second generation Asians and West Indians who would qualify under that simple rule; Moeen Ali being a fine example.
Owning an Old English sheepdog should not be a qualifying criteria!
To their credit, the ECB, and especially new Director of Cricket Andrew Strauss, have made some difficult decisions in recent weeks without fudging the issues. Now, remind me, where was he born?
If you follow a family tree back far enough, it is quite likely that a relative from the old country will be found, thereby making an individual of English lineage. That will certainly be the case in Australia ... now, there’s a thought!
Keep the faith, and keep cutting the grass. After all, that’s all we do!
© NAPARAZZI
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