Ursus — You know, I was prepared to ignore the fact that two of Germany’s best players were born in Poland. Then I learned that they actually like to communicate on the pitch in Polish. In Polish. Oh well, at least Podolski didn’t score both goals and win the game…
Duffman — I like where you’re going with this, but I’m afraid the narrative falters right at the point where the U.S. is expected to come crashing in during the knockout phases and actually win some big games.
Which is why I was planning to ignore Podolski and Klose (and Trochowski), who have a much better claim on being German than Guerreiro has on being Polish.
But still, I mean…at least Guerreiro isn’t speaking German on the pitch.
Although he’d probably trash-talk with the Portuguese players in Portuguese.
After Guerreiro’s naturalization went through, a Polish TV commentator joked that we might soon need the 6+5 rule in international football. He may have been right.
“I’ve said often enough that I have Polish blood. But I’ve grown as a player in Germany and that’s where I became known and that’s why there is only one goal for me – to win.”
ah, footballing glory — the only vague urge capable of superceding the equally vague category of nationality?
I have no skepticism about the legitimacy of Podolski playing for Germany—his family moved there when he was two years old, and as far as I know did so for non-footballing reasons. But yeah, it’s hard to take when players who are eligible to play for more than one country pick the strongest team and then act like they made the choice out of patriotic sentiment. Just admit that you want to win the World Cup, Giuseppe Rossi. Quit going on about your heart.
Yeah, Podolski was screaming for the ball . . .
Do you suppose that some treaty has been broken which necessitates the involvement of England?
Ursus — You know, I was prepared to ignore the fact that two of Germany’s best players were born in Poland. Then I learned that they actually like to communicate on the pitch in Polish. In Polish. Oh well, at least Podolski didn’t score both goals and win the game…
Duffman — I like where you’re going with this, but I’m afraid the narrative falters right at the point where the U.S. is expected to come crashing in during the knockout phases and actually win some big games.
It softens the blow slightly to acknowledge that Poland’s most effective player was born in Brazil.
Which is why I was planning to ignore Podolski and Klose (and Trochowski), who have a much better claim on being German than Guerreiro has on being Polish.
But still, I mean…at least Guerreiro isn’t speaking German on the pitch.
Although he’d probably trash-talk with the Portuguese players in Portuguese.
After Guerreiro’s naturalization went through, a Polish TV commentator joked that we might soon need the 6+5 rule in international football. He may have been right.
The Polish Germans will now be experiencing deep-seated feelings of conflict.
Is that why Podolski looked about as happy as Andriy Shevchenko on an average weekend in London?
He was actually emotional and tapped the Deutsche Fussball Bund badge as if to reassure the fans of his allegiance.
an interesting quote (http://sport.scotsman.com/football/Podolski-mindful-of-his-roots.4167466.jp):
“I’ve said often enough that I have Polish blood. But I’ve grown as a player in Germany and that’s where I became known and that’s why there is only one goal for me – to win.”
ah, footballing glory — the only vague urge capable of superceding the equally vague category of nationality?
I have no skepticism about the legitimacy of Podolski playing for Germany—his family moved there when he was two years old, and as far as I know did so for non-footballing reasons. But yeah, it’s hard to take when players who are eligible to play for more than one country pick the strongest team and then act like they made the choice out of patriotic sentiment. Just admit that you want to win the World Cup, Giuseppe Rossi. Quit going on about your heart.