Finnegan

Yeah he left in the late 90s. Think he was suing the band round about the time I saw them

I get that. I know it's definitely one of those moments where my views in a strictly sporting sense are completely contradictory to my general world views (tear down the borders, love everyone, etc.) I just think you can exist in a space where its perfectly okay to take pride in culture and heritage and celebrate those things without prejudice, hate and a superiority complex and I think that's the realm international sporting competition sits in for me. And the cynic in me thinks that my version of the rules probably excludes more sporting mercenaries who don't attach any sentiment to international sport than it would exclude genuine migrants. Obviously "my rule" absolutely shouldn't ever apply to actually gaining citizenship. In the "real world" I'd completely agree with you and everything you've written but we're talking about professional sportsmen, 99.9% of them are moving purely for their careers, it isn't for love or for family or for any other "human" reasons. They're just moving to the most competitive / prestigious league and / or the highest wage.

Fvck yes.

I feel like a cock saying this now you've added that last note but yeah I've told my family I want Hear You Me played when my coffin rolls in to the incinerator because I know it'll emotionally cripple my friends and you want to leave a mark don't you. Ha. Thoroughly beautiful song. In seriousness, I'm sorry for your loss man. Agree with you on the No Skips (except Authority Song...!) My friends group from childhood has pretty much three albums I think we can all agree on without arguing: Bleed American, Sing The Sorrow (AFI) and Here To Infirmary (Alkaline Trio.) Peak 00s.

In my Weezer excitement I also missed the opportunity to say this is an absolutely phenomenal album full of massive classics (... and Authority Song.)

Yeah man. I was lucky enough to see them at Reading 02 and I'm pretty sure they opened with it. Absolute tune. It's a toss up between Undone and My Name is Jonas for my favourite on the blue album.

I've thought about this a lot. Mostly in the context of rugby because, like I say, the rules are absolutely terrible in rugby and the sport is rife with project mercenaries that defeat the point of international sport imo. Best solution I've thought of, personally, is that players just simply can't "gain" nationality throughout their careers. The teams you're eligible for when you hit 21 are the teams you're eligible for for your career. That way if you're Robert Earnshaw or Raheem Sterling (or Mako Vunipola or Taulupe Faletau) then nobody is telling you you can't represent the country you've grown up in and that you feel is home. Maybe you could adjust that slightly so that if you've started gaining eligibility before 21 you're allowed to finish? Idk. But you've got to draw a line somewhere. Grown adults, professional sports people, moving to a new country for no reason other than their career have no business changing allegiance to represent a new national team in my eyes. Brazilians that moved to some Eastern European country for strictly professional reasons aged 23, 24, rocking out for their national sides later on in the peak of their career? Or 24 year old Kiwis giving up on their dreams of playing for the All Blacks so heading north to become Northern Hemisphere qualified just so they can play international rugby? Give me a break.

IF YOU WANT TO DESTROY MY SWEATERRRRRRRRRR

Flip a coin. Whoever turns up on the day. Recent history between them is exceptionally close. You could make well researched, clever, tactical points about the strengths, weaknesses and form of either team and make an argument for them winning. The fact is they're two of the best teams of the last two world cup cycles (if not more) and it's a winner takes all cup game. Whoever turns up more switched on and up for it will probably win and if they both are it'll probably end up decided by a bit of luck or an official's interpretation of the rules.

Mh. I dunno. I'm not a patriot or a jingoist, I hate nationalists with a passion. But you can take a bit of pride in where you're from and your culture without thinking it's superior to everyone else's and being a cock about it. And I do still think international sport should be about representing your country with a bit of pride. I'm extremely disappointed by some of the "football is just a job the players just want to play at a high level" stuff some people are spouting in here. I hate residency laws that encourage mercenaries to move to represent succesful national teams. I don't think that's a problem we have in football so much compared to rugby and their "project players" (ugh.) But residency laws that allow genuine migrants to come and represent the country they call home or the place they've grown up? Yeah I'm all for that. Anyone taking a shot at McAteer needs to grow a brain, though. He's literally got an Irish parent right? I mean as far as I'm aware, there's people on this forum born in Australia and America to English parents that support English national teams, no? There's people on this forum born and raised in England to Indian parents that support the Indian national cricket team and very few people have the bollocks to give them stick for it. So why the fvck shouldn't McAteer play for Ireland and who out of any on here has the right to tell the lad how he does and doesn't identify? Jokes about him learning Amhrán na bhFiann, what's to say he doesn't know it already? Might have been supporting Ireland all his life for all you know. And if not, Christ, I think I can sing most of it. It's just a fvcking song. It ain't hard. If Vinnie fvcking Jones can learn Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, I reckon Kasey will be fine. Edit: obviously not this whole post is aimed at you, Sampson

Just avoid the ones in cowboy hats that pull up in their Range Rovers with personalised liscence plates and you'll be fine.

What that be the only country that gives a **** about all three?

Are New Zealand viewed as one of the favourites? To date iirc Australia are the only country to win the cricket and rugby union world cups in the same year? Be cool if NZ did ngl.

Kane is a genuinely excellent striker, nobody should be laughing at that. Has consistently been one of the top 5 players in his position globally throughout most of his career. But Bellingham is something different. Kane has never really been seriously in the running in a conversation about "the best player in the world." If Bellingham keeps it up he might be. Think he could turn out to be the best British & Irish player in my lifetime easily if he keeps progressing as he is.

Somewhat more believable tbf

That's probably a compliment to be honest. 15m is ridiculous, it was always prohibitively expensive for them I'm not sure how anyone ever thought Bologna were going to stump up 15m for a full back. This shows they've a genuine interest in him at a level they can afford.

It's a 50/50 coin flip between

It's coming home.

Yet trying to shoot spider webs

Terrorism costs money. Are most terrorists not state sponsored albeit covertly somewhere? The United States is the big main boogeyman of the Islamic extremist and China is the big main boogeyman of the United States. What Islamic regime with the finances to support major international terrorist cells is going to send them after China when China is a significant ally of both Iran and Saudi? It's exactly why NATO members look the other way when Turkey and Israel (not to mention the US themselves) do horrific shit. Politics and economics run everything, religion is just a tool to get people whipped up and bought it. It's far less important to the psychopaths in charge than it is to the average Joe on the street.

I'm never gonna stop. I mean, I do a good 60% of them specifically for you.

I mean tbf Knockaert but with a brain would also describe Bernardo Silva

He reminds me of Knockaert but with a brain.