Enugu II wrote:
marko wrote:
I asked his dad the same question a couple weeks ago, from what i understood, England would be his preferred choice but this was before he signed the new arsenal deal, its business, not personal, perhaps he might change his mind!
Marko,
As I have pointed out several times, signing for England when a choice actually exists makes far more sense.
They have grown up as English boys and possibly well over 80% of their friends are English boys as well. It is where they are likely to be more comfortable. They are individuals. They are not out there to live their parent's lives or to feel as attached to Nigeria as their parents. In my view, Saka has opportunity to play for England and I won't be surprised if that is his choice. I can only wish him well. If Nigeria gets him, I will be elated because he will be NO DOUBRT THE FIRST WHO HAS POSSIBILTY OF PLAYING FOR ENGLAND who then makes the decision to play for Nigeria. That will be be a major coup, if you ask me.
Prof, you have not been taking on board the insight those of us that live here in the UK have laboriously been trying to provide on these issues for many months....even years.
The dynamic here is very different from the USA.
I can't stress it enough.
There is no such thing as "English boys" for many black kids here.
THEY ARE PROUD TO IDENTIFY AS AFRICAN (AND NIGERIAN) MORE SO THAN "ENGLISH".
So its simply a career decision, nothing to do with "Englishness".
IT HAS NEVER BEEN 'COOL' FOR YOUNG BLACK BOYS TO PUBLICLY OR PRIVATELY IDENTIFY AS "ENGLISH", NOT EVEN WHEN I WAS A KID ALL THOSE DECADES AGO.
You do it as a matter of expediency, usually work-related if you are in the public eye, and every black man here understands it. Its like an unwritten code of conduct. It has deep socio-psychological roots, all to do with identity. Nobody wants to be a 'coconut' - the ultimate insult for a black man here.
Maybe because you are in the USA where it is very different you might find it difficult to understand.
But this is not as black and white as you tend to see it.
Even Tammy that chose England won't be happy to be described as an "English boy" by his peers. Tomori maybe less so, because he was brought up in the USA, so might not be as clued in, but I doubt it.
Saka will be under enormous pressure, the likes of which none of us experienced as an 18yr old.
At that age, the worst pressure we probably experienced was to pass our exams to get into University - and that was strictly family.
The whole world wasn't watching and "putting mouth"
