h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4527526.stm


I notice that Jlloyd Samuel is hoping to now represent Trinidad and Tobago at the world cup on the grounds that he has never played a senior game for England and was born in Trinidad.

Now without going into the rights and wrongs of this FIFA have basically said "no" on the grounds that you have to be 21 or younger to change nationality.

Now correct me if I am wrong but didn't Frederic Kanoute despite having played for France under 21, and 18 change nationality to Mali so he could play in the last Africa Cup of Nations?

I seem to remember Spurs desparately trying to stop it but FIFA overuling them.

German Journalist once said "Sepp Blatter has 10 ideas a day, 11 of them are bad"!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/3379415.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/3373507.stm

Yeah SO Kanoute *did* change nation aged 26 despite having played for France U21.

Good old consistant FIFA eh?

My understanding is that there was a window of opportunity when the rules changed for those over 21, but that that window has now closed.

http://www.rediff.com/sports/2004/nov/30time.htm

My Swedish/Tridadian Grandfather marries a lovely Paraguayan woman.

apparently Peter Crouch is now claiming to be Scottish.

there is something to remember about cases like kanouté's: some european federations had the habit of capping immigrants at young ages just to tie them up. there were a lot of african dual nationals with 1 or 2 U-16 caps who would obviously never play for france but could play for no one else... it's only right and proper that this has changed.