Let players speak their mind, says Hodgson
Manager backs Jack Wilshere in furore over eligibility to play for England
Footballers who speak their mind should be welcomed, not frowned upon, England manager Roy Hodgson said in backing under-fire midfielder Jack Wilshere.
The Arsenal and England player caused a furore when he waded into the debate over Manchester United teenager Adnan Januzaj’s future eligibility for the England team by stating only English people should be selected.
Januzaj was born in Belgium to Kosovan-Albanian parents and has Turkish grandparents but could qualify for England under Fifa rules if he is resident in the country continuously for five years.
It’s quite wrong to criticise someone for having an opinion in the first place and, secondly, the subject matter is worthy of debate
Wilshere’s comments prompted a row over non-English-born players representing the country with England’s South African-born cricketer Kevin Pietersen asking Wilshere on Twitter: “Interested to know how you define foreigner ? Would that include me, Strauss, Trott, Prior, Justin Rose, Froome, Mo Farah?”
Hodgson said the subject matter was worthy of debate.
“We are consistently complaining that players don’t ever have an opinion, when they are asked questions they never come out with anything worth listening to,” Hodgson said ahead of England’s World Cup qualifier against Montenegro at Wembley tonight.
“It’s quite wrong to criticise someone for having an opinion in the first place and, secondly, the subject matter is worthy of debate.