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World Cup: National Team threads #2

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Jamal Musiala informed both Jogi Low and Gareth Southgate that he's committing to play for Germany going forward rather than England. And honestly, for the first time in my living memory, he's right that there are fewer obstacles for an attacking midfielder to get into the German side than the English.
 
Wee Baby Seamus said:
Jamal Musiala informed both Jogi Low and Gareth Southgate that he's committing to play for Germany going forward rather than England. And honestly, for the first time in my living memory, he's right that there are fewer obstacles for an attacking midfielder to get into the German side than the English.
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I never understand these decisions where players decide to play for the team because of less options on those national teams.

Maybe it's because I don't have such strong allegiances to two countries, but I couldn't understand making this a decision about anything sporting. The way I look at this, I'd think this player plays for which of Germany or England he has a stronger allegiance to. Making this into a sporting decision is strange to me, and I never understand it. Then again, I don't know what he experiences, so thats only from my view of it.
 
Pavel Buchnevich said:
I never understand these decisions where players decide to play for the team because of less options on those national teams.

Maybe it's because I don't have such strong allegiances to two countries, but I couldn't understand making this a decision about anything sporting. The way I look at this, I'd think this player plays for which of Germany or England he has a stronger allegiance to. Making this into a sporting decision is strange to me, and I never understand it. Then again, I don't know what he experiences, so thats only from my view of it.
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Seems pretty logical to me... I can play in the world cup+Euro or not. Nationalism in itself is a joke but that's just me.
 
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Duchene2MacKinnon said:
Seems pretty logical to me... I can play in the world cup+Euro or not. Nationalism in itself is a joke but that's just me.
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A lot of these players that play for the country with less depth often times don't speak the language of that country that well, don't know the culture that well, struggle to get along with their teammates. I'm not sure why someone would want to put themselves in that kind of situation. I'm not saying it applies to Musiala, and maybe he feels equally English and German, but I think playing for a National Team shouldn't just be about winning or game time. I think you should feel some pride in playing for your country, and results can't be all that matters.
 
Pavel Buchnevich said:
A lot of these players that play for the country with less depth often times don't speak the language of that country that well, don't know the culture that well, struggle to get along with their teammates. I'm not sure why someone would want to put themselves in that kind of situation. I'm not saying it applies to Musiala, and maybe he feels equally English and German, but I think playing for a National Team shouldn't just be about winning or game time. I think you should feel some pride in playing for your country, and results can't be all that matters.
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Like I said its a big fat joke to me. The kid has a Nigerian father and a German mother...
 
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The pros and cons of a calculated decision regarding which country you choose are neatly illustrated by the Ozil case. Increased fame and fortune, but ended up pissing off the majority of people in the country he played for, ruining much of the reputation previously built in the process and essentially self-exiled himself to the country he would have chosen if he had followed his heart in the first place.
 
No kidding.
Pavel obviously doesn't see the problem because players usually pick the US when they feel like they can't reach a european NT.
I do agree it should be about more than playing time, but as can be seen by the multiple players picking the country of their grand father where they usually haven't even put a foot on, the main thing is getting that international exposure, even for a lower team.
That's how Auba, Koulibaly or others chose too early, when they weren't good enough.
 
I'm curious to see who Belmadi will call up

With have 4-5 starters who are injured, and Mahrez and Benrahma won't be able to travel due to covid related travel restrictions

Sigh..........
 
Copa America will go ahead with 10 teams. Split into 2 groups. 4 each advance to knock out stages. Argentina cant afford to grow into the tournament like last time. Facing Chile and Uruguay as their first 2 games.
 
The entire Inter squad are prohibited from travelling to their NT next week for the WCQ games because of several positive tests

Meanwhile multiple big clubs are refusing to let some of their players go as well

With numbers going up again in several countries they should just cancel the entire thing, instead of having NTs come together and spreading the virus even more
 
Dembele recalled for the first time since 2018. Lemar too. Meanwhile Lenglet, Zouma and Sissoko are called up while seeing superior players called up for the u21.
 
Bamford has been great and probably should've been called over one of the right backs (because there are THREE OF THEM, jfc), but in a vacuum I can't be that mad that Watkins and DCL were called up over him.

Savi said:
Why is Lingard still in the NT?
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The word still is doing a lot of work here - this is his first call-up in two years and is entirely because his form since joining West Ham has been amazing and because most of England's midfield options are hurt (Henderson, Maddison, Grealish, etc) and because he's a player Southgate knows well. I'd be absolutely gobsmacked if he made the Euro squad.
 
Evilo said:
Dembele recalled for the first time since 2018. Lemar too. Meanwhile Lenglet, Zouma and Sissoko are called up while seeing superior players called up for the u21.
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Complain about Lenglet, complain about Sissoko, I don't care. But don't you DARE come after Zouma and his well-earned call up :laugh:
 
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I think it’s smart to take the better options to the U21. The senior team is going to breeze through qualifying regardless, whereas the U21 is an actual tournament.
 
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