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dangie

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I'm often fascinated by footballers who are born in England, often play age-grade football for England, but then choose another country to represent as an adult.
Do the familial ties pull stronger? Did they think they had a better chance of getting into the team of a different country?
I’m guessing if you have two legs and can walk upright without too much assistance you have a fair chance of playing for Scotland.
Note: Neither of the above qualities are compulsory but would be an advantage.
 

Tramfan

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The only thing worse than England's performance tonight was Sam Matterface's commentary. Didn't know his far post from his near post, called Slovakia Slovenia and confused Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham. Utter clown.
I do find any game he's commentating on immediately more difficult to watch. Good commentators like Clive Tyldesley really do add something, and for me they can build a sense of excitement and anticipation in even the most boring game.
 

JD2168

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France have beaten Belgium 1-0 through a Kolo Muani shot which deflected in off Vertonghen to win the match.

One thing I have noticed is that some of the pitches in use have been poor, bobbly, cutting up & generally not brilliant for a major championship. I know there has been plenty of rain but the pitches should have been better.
 

REVUpminster

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I think Emma Raducanu, not just watching England, must have been coached by Gareth Southgate. She was generally solid in defence, missed a few open goals and came into her own during extra time of the first set.
 

Haywain

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I'm often fascinated by footballers who are born in England, often play age-grade football for England, but then choose another country to represent as an adult.
Do the familial ties pull stronger? Did they think they had a better chance of getting into the team of a different country?
Or could it be that they have seen the attitude of the media towards so many England players over the years?
 

gg1

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I'm often fascinated by footballers who are born in England, often play age-grade football for England, but then choose another country to represent as an adult.
Do the familial ties pull stronger? Did they think they had a better chance of getting into the team of a different country?
I'd say the latter in 99.9% of cases, off the top of my head I can't think of any player who switched but was good enough to be an England regular. I was going to suggest Ryan Giggs as an exception but according to his wikipedia page his eligibility for England schoolboys was due to attending a school in Salford, he wasn't eligible to represent the full England team anyway.
 

SuspectUsual

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I can't think of any player who switched but was good enough to be an England regular.

Jamal Musiala played for England U21s but reverted to Germany (the nation of his birth) for full internationals. He's probably the 0.1% :D
 

REVUpminster

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I'd say the latter in 99.9% of cases, off the top of my head I can't think of any player who switched but was good enough to be an England regular. I was going to suggest Ryan Giggs as an exception but according to his wikipedia page his eligibility for England schoolboys was due to attending a school in Salford, he wasn't eligible to represent the full England team anyway.

Born in Kingston upon Thames. Who can it be?
2015–2016Republic of Ireland U176(2)
2016–2017Republic of Ireland U196(0)
2017–2018Republic of Ireland U215(0)
2018Republic of Ireland3(0)
2019–England55(3)

Click here Declan Rice
 

Haywain

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Peregrine 4903

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That save from gunok is the best I've ever seen. Utterly incredible. Thought Austria were rubbish in the first half but superb in the second. Arnoutovic with his awful finishing and selfish play cost them the game.

What a great game though.
 

Bantamzen

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It was a good save not a great save. He made it look spectacular. Hype overload.
You're kidding right? It was a very good header and Gunok had literally no reaction time not only to get across onto the ball but to get enough power in his wrist to push it around the post rather than just in. 99.99% of the time that was a nailed on goal. That was a great save.
 

SuspectUsual

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You're kidding right? It was a very good header and Gunok had literally no reaction time not only to get across onto the ball but to get enough power in his wrist to push it around the post rather than just in. 99.99% of the time that was a nailed on goal. That was a great save.

It was a great save, but it wasn't as good as the Banks one, although it looked similar.

If we're in full Roy Keane mode, the Austrian player had the whole goal to head the ball into and really shouldn't have given the goalie a chance
 

dangie

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…It was a very good header and Gunok had literally no reaction time not only to get across onto the ball but to get enough power in his wrist to push it around the post rather than just in. 99.99% of the time that was a nailed on goal.…
You’re quite correct. That’s why it was a good save. He did well.
 

SuspectUsual

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I wonder who the bookmakers see as the shortest-odds team to win this tournament, now this stage has been reached?

Amazingly, England.

Although that'll be more the weight of money in patriotic bets rather than actual chance of winning (although the odds will be shortened by the teams in their half of the draw being the 5=, 7th and 8th favourites (ie the outsiders))

Best odds available currently:

England 4/1
Spain 17/4
France 5/1
Germany 5/1
Netherlands 9/1
Portugal 9/1
Switzerland 16/1
Turkey 40/1

But if you look at the odds of each pair of quarter finalists, with Spain playing Germany, it's likely that whoever wins that tie will then become favourite
 

DarloRich

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It was a good save not a great save. He made it look spectacular. Hype overload.

It was a great save, but it wasn't as good as the Banks one, although it looked similar.

If we're in full Roy Keane mode, the Austrian player had the whole goal to head the ball into and really shouldn't have given the goalie a chance
Correct - massive hype overload. Good top level save. Looked great in real time.
 
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Correct - massive hype overload. Good top level save. Looked great in real time.
A great save when the enormity of the occasion is factored in for context. Lets be honest though, if that save was made at 4-0 of a game between West Ham and Bournemouth we wouldn't be talking about it the next day.
 

dangie

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A great save when the enormity of the occasion is factored in for context. Lets be honest though, if that save was made at 4-0 of a game between West Ham and Bournemouth we wouldn't be talking about it the next day.
In the context of the game it was a decisive save. It definitely affected the result. Fans of Turkey & Austria will no doubt be talking about it for years. Gunok will probably never have dip into his pockets to buy another beer again. However it’s the actual quality of the save we are talking about here. It was good, but not great.
 

Haywain

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I haven’t seen the save in question but what does it matter that some people rate it more highly than others?
 

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