Jack Wilshere fuels debate over foreign players; ...insists Adnan Januzaj should not represent England

Jack Wilshere has waded into the debate over Adnan Januzaj by claiming England should only pick players who are born in the country.

England manager Roy Hodgson has admitted the FA want the United starlet, who was born in Belgium but could qualify for several countries.

Every player in Hodgson’s 23-man squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro on Friday and Poland next Tuesday was born in England.

Wilshere said: ‘The only people who should play for England are English people. If you live in England for five years it doesn’t make you English. If I went to Spain and lived there for five years I’m not going to play for Spain.’

FIFA rules say Januzaj, 18, must live in England for at least five years to qualify. The issue also affects the Under 21 team, with Nathaniel Chalobah (Sierra Leone), Saido Berahino (Burundi), Raheem Sterling (Jamaica) and Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast) having been born overseas.

Wilshere said: ‘We have to remember what we are, we are English and we tackle hard and we are tough on the pitch and we are hard to beat. We have great characters. You think of Spain and they are technical, but you think of England and you think they are brave and they tackle hard.

‘If you look at our squad there isn’t a bad technical player. Gerrard and Lampard can both play. Cleverley, Daniel Sturridge, Wayne Rooney — we can play possession football. We have started to show that over the last few years and it suits my game.

 

The spotlight is only on Januzaj for his recent performance, give the lad a breathing space to establish himself rather before debating on his international allegiance!

And Wilshere is right though! England is gradually going the way of France in terms of naturalization for football reasons! Its gradually killing the International football.

Leave 'buying' or 'lobbying' of players to clubs only.