Greetings footiecall faithful.
International break, done and dusted. Back to the business of league football.
Before we get there though,
This article suggests that Gordon Igesund will be looking to a few 'foreign-based' Saffers to further strengthen his squad. Players who were born in RSA, but who have never worn the colours of Bafana Bafana...some of these players may even have opted to play for their new 'home' countries before.
There is a bit of a back story to Desailly though. Adopted by a French diplomat, who would marry his mother...Odenke Abbey was just 4years old when he arrived in France
[and subsequently changed his name to Marcel Desailly]
Les Bleus have been benefiting from Africa for many years though, we can go as far back as Jean Tigana, a fantastic talent, who could have chosen Mali over France...or further yet to Just Fontaine, one of the finest marksmen the game has seen, who was born in Morocco.
Besides their 'World XI' winning team of '98, they've relied on neighbours for other talent too. Raymond Kopa [Poland], Michel Platini [Italy] and Robert Pires [Portugal].
Of course, France is not the only nation to benefit from "forced" movements of our African brothers and sisters, seeking a better life in these 1st World countries.
Independent tests prove that 3 of 4 Dutch players come from Suriname
Quite interesting to look at the amount of players Holland have 'grabbed' from their former colony Suriname
Davids, Bogarde, Hasselbaink, Kluivert, Seedorf, Winter and Rijkaard to name a few...
Portugal have also drawn strength from their colonial links to Mozambique...their greatest 'import' is certainly Eusebio, while the little maestro Deco hails from Brasil [so too Pepe].
Now then to ze Germans. It's well known that Jerome Boateng has chosen his new home Germany as the country he wants to represent, while his brother Kevin-Prince Boateng is more than happy to don the colours of the Black Stars.
There are also a few Polish lads running out for Die Mannschaft, Poldi, Klose and also Trochowski of the current crop.
Then there are those who are ethnically Turkish, like Mesut Ozil and Serdar Tasci...
So naturalisation has happened for many years and continues to be the order of the day.
What are your thoughts on this?
Should players be allowed to choose their allegiance based on length of stay, where they feel most comfortable and/or the football jersey that fits better?!
After all...HOME, is where the heart is.
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