Anderson declares for Scotland

[The Algebraist]

I very much doubt Gordon will ever be seen in a Scotland shirt but you never know. Some regard Barnes as stick on for Scotland now while he was only capped for England a couple of years back. If you don't make it to a finals with a team for whatever reason you may start to wonder.

Agree Anderson is a strange one, I don't think he's as far off England as some here suggest because of the way they have capped a lot of young players at a similar level. Gordon clearly ahead though.

The "didn't feel comfortable" line troubles me a bit. When I heard it I immediately wondered whether he had been picked on, either after turning up and being a Billy Big Baws or just because that's the culture in our comp. 

If that's the case a part of me thinks it's not great, another part of me thinks we clearly have an extremely strong team culture that may be hard to adjust to, but is paying us huge dividends on the pitch. I have played in teams like that and you need to prove yourself or you get spat out. Bizarrely it's the better players that tend to be picked on, folk that clearly aren't up to it just get dropped quietly. It can be taken too far but I would trust Steve Clarke not to let it get like that in a professional setting. 

 

[Barry Ferguson's Hat]

My mate's brother works for the National Team's analytics department and was saying that on the second morning of training, Anderson was running slightly late as his sliders were too big for him so it was taking him longer than usual to walk and go down stairs. This meant he was last to get to the shuttle bus taking them from the hotel to the training pitches and every time he went to get on the bus, the driver would accelerate away slightly. This went on for a minute or so before Kenny McLean launched a wine gum off his head through the open bus doors and he just decided enough was enough and stormed off. On the way back into the hotel, one of his oversized sliders caught on the front step and he stumbled through the doors whilst the rest of the team were pointing and laughing. He essentially just packed his bags and left after that, with the oversized sliders left poking out the bin of his hotel room.   

Edited January 5 by Barry Ferguson's Hat

[Gordopolis]

34 minutes ago, Barry Ferguson's Hat said:

My mate's brother works for the National Team's analytics department and was saying that on the second morning of training, Anderson was running slightly late as his sliders were too big for him so it was taking him longer than usual to walk and go down stairs. This meant he was last to get to the shuttle bus taking them from the hotel to the training pitches and every time he went to get on the bus, the driver would accelerate away slightly. This went on for a minute or so before Kenny McLean launched a wine gum off his head through the open bus doors and he just decided enough was enough and stormed off. On the way back into the hotel, one of his oversized sliders caught on the front step and he stumbled through the doors whilst the rest of the team were pointing and laughing. He essentially just packed his bags and left after that, with the oversized sliders left poking out the bin of his hotel room.   

A "Sliding Doors" moment 

[craigkillie]

On 05/01/2024 at 11:45, The Algebraist said:

I very much doubt Gordon will ever be seen in a Scotland shirt but you never know. Some regard Barnes as stick on for Scotland now while he was only capped for England a couple of years back. If you don't make it to a finals with a team for whatever reason you may start to wonder.

Agree Anderson is a strange one, I don't think he's as far off England as some here suggest because of the way they have capped a lot of young players at a similar level. Gordon clearly ahead though.

The "didn't feel comfortable" line troubles me a bit. When I heard it I immediately wondered whether he had been picked on, either after turning up and being a Billy Big Baws or just because that's the culture in our comp. 

If that's the case a part of me thinks it's not great, another part of me thinks we clearly have an extremely strong team culture that may be hard to adjust to, but is paying us huge dividends on the pitch. I have played in teams like that and you need to prove yourself or you get spat out. Bizarrely it's the better players that tend to be picked on, folk that clearly aren't up to it just get dropped quietly. It can be taken too far but I would trust Steve Clarke not to let it get like that in a professional setting. 

 

Lots of other new players have arrived and integrated into the squad without much apparent difficulty, so it feels unlikely there's some major issue there. More likely Anderson had a word in his ear from someone involved with England and has decided to buy himself some time.

[The Algebraist]

On 07/01/2024 at 13:12, craigkillie said:

Lots of other new players have arrived and integrated into the squad without much apparent difficulty, so it feels unlikely there's some major issue there. More likely Anderson had a word in his ear from someone involved with England and has decided to buy himself some time.

Yeah I agree that's most likely. Just thought it was a very strange choice of words. 

Maybe he has the hots for Robbo. I know I do. How could any young player resist?

 

 

[Jambomo]

On 05/01/2024 at 11:45, The Algebraist said:

I very much doubt Gordon will ever be seen in a Scotland shirt but you never know. Some regard Barnes as stick on for Scotland now while he was only capped for England a couple of years back. If you don't make it to a finals with a team for whatever reason you may start to wonder.

Agree Anderson is a strange one, I don't think he's as far off England as some here suggest because of the way they have capped a lot of young players at a similar level. Gordon clearly ahead though.

The "didn't feel comfortable" line troubles me a bit. When I heard it I immediately wondered whether he had been picked on, either after turning up and being a Billy Big Baws or just because that's the culture in our comp. 

If that's the case a part of me thinks it's not great, another part of me thinks we clearly have an extremely strong team culture that may be hard to adjust to, but is paying us huge dividends on the pitch. I have played in teams like that and you need to prove yourself or you get spat out. Bizarrely it's the better players that tend to be picked on, folk that clearly aren't up to it just get dropped quietly. It can be taken too far but I would trust Steve Clarke not to let it get like that in a professional setting. 

 

I just thought that the “didn't feel comfortable" line maybe came from him realising he didn’t feel like he wanted to represent Scotland. 

I can imagine that you could think that playing international football for a team other than where you are born might seem a good idea when you think about it rationally, but then actually pulling on the strip and making that a reality is another thing.

If I were a player I couldn’t imagine at all playing for an international side other than Scotland. If it came to it though, who knows if I’d be the same in reality?

[BazMac]

1 hour ago, Jambomo said:

I just thought that the “didn't feel comfortable" line maybe came from him realising he didn’t feel like he wanted to represent Scotland. 

I can imagine that you could think that playing international football for a team other than where you are born might seem a good idea when you think about it rationally, but then actually pulling on the strip and making that a reality is another thing.

If I were a player I couldn’t imagine at all playing for an international side other than Scotland. If it came to it though, who knows if I’d be the same in reality?

He's played with us through the age groups though, so it's not like pulling on our strip/ hearing our anthem etc was a new thing

[2426255]

  

5 hours ago, SH Panda said:

Playing for England is worth millions more in sponsorship, anyone advising Anderson on his career will know this (and that he gets a cut of earnings).

Makes far more sense to keep hedging your bets just in case.

It's why Konta plays for "Britain" despite having absolutely nothing to do with the country.

Equally, if someone offered you £10s millions in sponsorship to represent the US, India / China etc. I think most people would do it.

So extra credit to the likes of McDominate who would have a load of England caps had he not opted for Scotland. Some boi.

Even if financial incentives come into it, which may or may not be the case with Anderson - the root cause will still be the same: a lack of feeling for playing for our National Team. It's my view that our Scottish born players would still choose Scotland even if they were eligible to play for England regardless of how much they could earn in terms of sponsorship or other financial incentives. 

McTominay said he had wanted to play for Scotland since he was a boy and so I think again that points to him prioritising that over money which doesn't support the idea that players will necessarily put finances first.

Spoiler

Quote

I wanted to play for Scotland and I always have done since I was a young boy and it was an incredibly proud moment for me when he did call me up and hopefully I can kick on and do well.

Scott McTominay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V39oszkkuM0

There is no evidence that finances are affecting Anderson's decision making currently - therefore it's just speculative at this stage. Is Dykes just playing for Scotland over Australia for more money? I don't think so. Realistically some of our Scottish born players will have English or foreign heritage and could have potentially played for England, but it never comes to the surface as it's never even a question. 

I don't think money is the main driver in these matters for most in the UK probably. I understand it might happen more in Africa where they declare for France etc, but I don't think we see that certainly with Scotland, Ireland or Wales.

Edited January 9 by 2426255

[craigkillie]

6 hours ago, SH Panda said:

It's why Konta plays for "Britain" despite having absolutely nothing to do with the country.

Assuming you mean the tennis player who has been retired for over 2 years, she lived in the UK for 7 years before getting British citizenship, which doesn't scream "nothing to do with the country" to me. I can't imagine there is a massive financial or competitive benefit of being British over Australian in tennis, both countries have a big sponsorship market, both have their own grand slam, and both have broadly a similar standard of player.

[Molotov]

On 05/01/2024 at 02:22, Skyline Drifter said:

 

Likewise Livramento.

Everytime I read this guys name I keep thinking of this guy.

[Sortmeout]

On 30/12/2023 at 10:51, General dissaray said:

Elliott Anderson has choosen to play for us now its time to get Barnes and Livamento and still try for Gordon allthough he will be harder to swing

I wouldn’t want any player that we had to convince or swing as you put it.

[Miguel Sanchez]

8 hours ago, SH Panda said:

So extra credit to the likes of McDominate who would have a load of England caps had he not opted for Scotland. Some boi.

I'm enjoying this autocorrect.

[Jambomo]

23 hours ago, BazMac said:

He's played with us through the age groups though, so it's not like pulling on our strip/ hearing our anthem etc was a new thing

Ahh fair enough, I’d missed that.

[ClydeTon]

On 30/12/2023 at 10:51, General dissaray said:

Elliott Anderson has choosen to play for us now its time to get Barnes and Livamento and still try for Gordon allthough he will be harder to swing

I assume this thread was supposed to be posted in September when this was actually a thing, and not just a result of shite algorithms and/or not paying attention to dates?

[CM.]

On 05/01/2024 at 02:22, Skyline Drifter said:

Likewise Livramento likely. Walker and Trippier will be gone for England within the next couple of years. He and Rhys James will be England's right backs for years to come.

Reece James is also very injury prone so with that added to other factors like England using Alexander-Arnold in midfield more than RB recently and not having great options at LB meaning Trippier has covered there plenty of times (and it's a position Livramento can and has also played) means I'd agree there's next to no chance Livramento will be representing Scotland. 

Someone also mentioned about Newcastles dip in form but Anthony Gordon, from what I've seen, has still played well enough in the majority of the games. I think he's been the best English player in his position this season and not far away from a callup.

Edited January 10 by CM.

[2426255]

5 hours ago, SH Panda said:

She doesn't have any British family background and moved to the country aged 14*, I don't even think she had been in the UK before that age. If I as a 14 year old moved to France, having never been there before, and started declaring myself French it would be a bit weird.

It was a blatantly commercial decision, maybe mixed with it just being easier from a logistics perspective.

The UK is also well more than double the population of Australia and has a significantly larger sponsorship market.

No issue with her doing it, these are professionals who are entirely entitled to maximise their income.

The UK Olympic team was pretty open about all they were doing to convince Sky Brown to represent them even though she had never lived in the UK, for them it was offering her a guaranteed spot she likely wouldn't get with Japan or the US (you know, the countries she actually lived in).

For some time national representation has been moving this way, you can find as many cases as you want.

And for Anderson it's not about short term sponsorship value (he probably has none) it's longer term. A quick straw poll shows that John McGinn, iconic talismanic Scottish midfielder, has 338k Instagram followers and 182k on X. Utterly shite bench fodder like Kalvin Phillips has 1.3m and 303k respectively. Even joke players like Harry Winks have more IG followers than John McGinn. Being a shite English midfielder will get you more attention than being an excellent Scottish one, it's almost as if England has 11x our population or something.

And they are not close to the pinnacle either, a top class badminton or cricket player wouldn't need to think twice about representing England or India.

*Her parents moved to the UK at this time, she actually moved to Spain until she was 15 (internet says different things on this). Fair play to those who think your national identity starts age 14 or 15. She actually admitted in 2017 , aged 25, she didn't know the British national anthem - which is fair, it is complete pish after all.

It's still irrelevant Satoshi SH Panda.

Several of our Scottish based players doubtless have English Grannies, but they play for Scotland because they have a connection to the country that overrides financial motivations. Evan Ferguson is a good recent example from Ireland and Gareth Bale a good older example. If this boils down to a financial decision for Anderson then that connection isn't there which for me is the root of the issue, the financial motivation is just the symptom.

Edited January 10 by 2426255

[2426255]

11 minutes ago, SH Panda said:

Don't get what your scored out thing is all about.

It's clear that Anderson is predominantly English and considers himself as such. Fair enough. For now he is hedging his bets because he thinks he might be good enough for England and thats a huge financial personal win for him.

The likes of Matt Ritchie were probably the same and only joined up when it was clear England was totally off the cards.

It's different to Folarin Balogun who played for England, said he was open to Nigeria but commited to the US quite young. For him the financial jeporday is far lower, if he turns into a superstar he will make a ton in the US market. Were his choices Scotland or England, and he thinks good enough for England, it would make sense to wait. Similarly Karomoko Dembele has no English family and only spent a few weeks there as a baby, yet chose to represent England over Scotland where he actually grew up.

Just some realism, many players will consider the financial element when making a decision like this (along with a range of other factors). It would be the height of naivety to think otherwise. And for those who ignore financial considerations and follow their heart - fair play to them. Not everyone has enough national pride to leave millions of pounds under the table.

Anderson probably isn't good enough for England, and may not even be good enough for Scotland. Think the chances of him making the squad are very low, and for Gordon even lower.

Decent chance on Harvey Barnes though who would be a great acquisition.

Honestly Satoshi SH Panda I think the possibility of playing for England will be a more important factor in the Anderson case than financial incentives. That's my point - I think you're overemphasizing the role that finance is playing in this decision. Most young players will choose the country they've imagined themselves playing for as a boy. Finances might add to the decision, but it won't be at the core of it.

Edited January 10 by 2426255

[Central Belt Caley]

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/scotland-snubbed-by-ps35m-former-hearts-and-hibs-transfer-target-4774756?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1BxJR1vYxVtm9qcMBfCMsn-x8vHPNjLE8WxxPvbKYUJ_Or4SD-9WNrIVM_aem_nHQtcAZGr_MPGhAwbQZIdA&ai=#Echobox=1725890002-1
 

Anderson has decided England is the one for him 

[MarkoRaj]

"It was tough as I'm Scottish and English."

Fair enough, not an easy decision to make. Livramento was in the England squad, Gordon has played for them already.

Just need Barnes to get a cap and we can forget this whole sorry episode every happened 

[Binos]

He'll get 3 caps