Nigeria make Cole call-up blunder

[Mosiah]

...to put it kindly.

[Me]

quite a stupid statement by rf

[Mosiah]

I thought you had mentioned Boxhill's physical appearance. Go back and read your own post.

[Reggae-Fan]

What do they look like Mosiah? If you see a typical Jamaican, dress in everyday cloths standing beside a Nigerian dressed in his traditional garbs, you could definately tell who is Nigerian and who is Jamaican. No?

[Mosiah]

What ignorant talk?!? What does a Nigerian look like? What does a Jamaican look like?

[Zeppo]

Zeppo: Jason Euell was an England under-21 player in his younger days. He was 27 years old when Jamaica called on him to represent us and he was allowed to do so by FIFA.

Fedric Kanoute was born in France to parents from Mali. He was also a member of the French youth teams, but then opted to play for Mali when they came calling when the player was 26 years old. FIFA allowed him to play.

I could cite other examples, but I think the two should suffice. If Jamaica wants Pennant and Pennant wants Jamaica, it can happen. Jermaine is 25 years and still has a lot of football in him. It would not be the first that FIFA has allowed a player to play for another country despite their rule.

And Martin Vasquez, Klinsmann's no. 2 at Bayern Munich, played for both Mexico and the USA.

But these are all examples from before FIFA updated the rules to what they are now.

Don't you remember some of those UB40 Trinis being denied the possibility to play for T&T in the 2006 World Cup?

Read the quote from this article, which also happens to explain the Kanoute case:

However, FIFA rules state that a player may only switch national association before his 21st birthday.

A `grace period' of 12 months ran from January 1, 2004 allowing players over that age who had not played in senior international competition for their registered association to switch allegiance.

Former Tottenham star Fredi Kanoute was one of the players who took advantage of the change in rules to switch from France to Mali.

The only way that a player can now switch from one country to another is if he is still under 21 and the international games he played in are youth level friendlies; friendly games are not binding.

Jermaine Pennant played for England in official youth tournaments and he is over 21 years old.

That is why he cannot play for Jamaica.

[Tilla]

[Reggae-Fan]

I am in fact wearing African garb in that picture boss. Look closely.

[Rudi]

LOL !! Yuh mus b BOXHILL....a lang time mi want tell yuh bout yuh !! LOL !

Den tell me nuh?

[Twan]

Interesting. If that picture above is an accurate likeness of yourself then you could also pass as a Nigerian without any african garb.

LOL !! Yuh mus b BOXHILL....a lang time mi want tell yuh bout yuh !! LOL !

[Twan]

Yeow ! The rules changed since Euell did that...the man is correct !

[Tilla]

Somebody needs to show this to X the next time he starts rambling on about calling up Jermaine Pennant for the ReggaeBoyz.

Zeppo: Jason Euell was an England under-21 player in his younger days. He was 27 years old when Jamaica called on him to represent us and he was allowed to do so by FIFA.

Fedric Kanoute was born in France to parents from Mali. He was also a member of the French youth teams, but then opted to play for Mali when they came calling when the player was 26 years old. FIFA allowed him to play.

I could cite other examples, but I think the two should suffice. If Jamaica wants Pennant and Pennant wants Jamaica, it can happen. Jermaine is 25 years and still has a lot of football in him. It would not be the first that FIFA has allowed a player to play for another country despite their rule.

[Rudi]

True talk. On a serious note though, boxhill could definately pass as a Nigerian based on his physical appearance. All he needs to do is wear African attire.

Interesting. If that picture above is an accurate likeness of yourself then you could also pass as a Nigerian without any african garb.

[Zeppo]

Cole, who has a Nigerian father and Sierra Leonean mother, has played for England at under-21 level.

But he cannot switch allegiance to Nigeria as he is now 24 years old.

Fifa allows players who have represented one country at junior level to switch to another country.

But the statutes of world football's governing body state that this can only happen if they are still under the age of 21.

Somebody needs to show this to X the next time he starts rambling on about calling up Jermaine Pennant for the ReggaeBoyz.

[Reggae-Fan]

True talk. On a serious note though, boxhill could definately pass as a Nigerian based on his physical appearance. All he needs to do is wear African attire.