No go for Novo's Scottish dream

Scottish FA Chief Exec Gordon Smith has crushed Nacho Novo's hopes of appearing for his adopted country.

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Novo can't become part of the Tartan Army



Glasgow Rangers' Spanish hitman claimed last week that he would respond to any call for him to appear for Scotland - the 29-year-old would be eligible for a British passport after having worked in the country for eight years.
Scotland boss George Burley had considered drafting in Novo, but the idea was rejected by SFA President George Peat.
"The situation is this," Smith said. "George Burley and George Peat are both correct.
"George Burley has said it is OK for a player to be picked who has a British passport. That is absolutely correct under the [Fifa] regulations.
"But a gentlemen's agreement was made some years back between the four associations.
"The associations agreed that we would only go back as far as grandparents, rather than a situation where somebody who has come to live in this country and has got a British passport.
"That agreement is still in place. I've had discussions with the other associations in the past four days and found out that everybody is still adhering to that."
However, Smith conceded that the status quo is not set in stone:
"At some stage in the future we may change that and go to the full Fifa regulations, which is that someone with a passport can play for the country in which he lives. But at the moment we are all sticking to the gentlemen's agreement."

I agree with this....

Novo is a cracking player, but to be honest I would prefer the national team to be full of Scots.

I know that some countries have used the fifa rules to suit themselves, ie senna who is brazillian playing for spain, deco another barzilian playing for portugal, and of course klose and podolski playing for germany even tho both are polish.

But to be honest i would prefer full bloodline only. Plus there is a gentlemans agreement between England, Wales, Scotland and N.Ireland., however i know that England are considering trying to cap almunia and arteta...which may open the floodgates.

What about you guys tho, if ronaldinho, ronaldo, messi, rooney etc worked in your country and were uncapped, would you want them to naturisle and if so became elegible to play for your country would you want it?

Klose & Podolski are from Poland ???

So in the US National team are only natives (indians) allowed to play

No No Sir - Podolski & Klose grew up in germany and get a german passport - like 8 Million other people with other cultural background - with german passport.Not to forget that many parts from Poland were occupied from the USSR after WWII - and this landscapes were former german landscapes.

Actually the german football assosication decline many offers from football pro to became a german national player.
Hehe, i am a lil serious in that