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Former Everton midfielder Ian Snodin hoping Mikel Arteta does not play for England
Midfielder's heart lies with Spain, says former Toffee...
1 Sep 2010 09:52:00
By Adithya Ananth
Former Everton midfielder Ian Snodin believes that Mikel Arteta should not play for England.
The 28-year-old joined the Merseysiders in 2005, and will soon be eligible to represent the Three Lions under residency regulations as he has never played for Spain - the country of his birth.
The former Rangers midfielder also recently maintained that he would "seriously consider" representing England if he should be given the chance to do so.
But the ex-Toffee remains persistent that the midfielder should not represent the nation, while maintaining that he still holds Arteta in very high regard.
"Call me a dinosaur but I want to see English players representing the national side," Snodin said in a column for the Liverpool Echo.
"There just wouldn’t be something right about Mikel playing.
"Even though you could argue that English players have been turning out for Ireland and Scotland for decades, due to a grandparent from one of those countries, at least there is some genetic link somewhere.
"That is taking nothing away from Mikel, I’m his biggest fan. I know Spain’s midfield oozes class but I still think he is worth a place in the squad, even if a route into the team might be blocked for now."
The 46-year-old went a step further to express his belief that the midfielder genuinely desires a call-up into the Spain national squad, adding: "Deep down I can’t see the man himself having his heart in it either. He wants and deserves international football - for Spain."
The 28-year-old joined the Merseysiders in 2005, and will soon be eligible to represent the Three Lions under residency regulations as he has never played for Spain - the country of his birth.
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The former Rangers midfielder also recently maintained that he would "seriously consider" representing England if he should be given the chance to do so.
But the ex-Toffee remains persistent that the midfielder should not represent the nation, while maintaining that he still holds Arteta in very high regard.
"Call me a dinosaur but I want to see English players representing the national side," Snodin said in a column for the Liverpool Echo.
"There just wouldn’t be something right about Mikel playing.
"Even though you could argue that English players have been turning out for Ireland and Scotland for decades, due to a grandparent from one of those countries, at least there is some genetic link somewhere.
"That is taking nothing away from Mikel, I’m his biggest fan. I know Spain’s midfield oozes class but I still think he is worth a place in the squad, even if a route into the team might be blocked for now."
The 46-year-old went a step further to express his belief that the midfielder genuinely desires a call-up into the Spain national squad, adding: "Deep down I can’t see the man himself having his heart in it either. He wants and deserves international football - for Spain."
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