midfielder Jack Wilshere's claim that only English
people should play football for England.
Manchester United's Belgian-born Adnan Januzaj
could qualify for England in the future by residency.
Asked about the issue, Wilshere said: "If you live in
England for five years it doesn't make you English."
Wenger told BBC Sport: "I agree with him. I always
said also an Englishman should manage the England
team.""With England manager Roy Hodgson concerned at
the lack of English players playing first team football
in the Premier League, is it acceptable for the FA to
stand back from that trend and ignore top class
talent living in this country and playing for English
clubs?"
The Frenchman added: "If we are not clear on that
the national teams will become like a club - players
will buy passports."
Wilshere, who has 10 England caps, said his
comments were not in reference to Januzaj, who
England manager Roy Hodgson has confirmed he is
monitoring.
South African born England cricketer Kevin Pietersen
responded to Wilshere's comments by asking the
Gunners player: "Interested to know how you define
foreigner...? Would that include me, [former England
cricket captain Andrew] Strauss, Trott, Prior, [golfer]
Justin Rose, [cyclist Chris] Froome, Mo Farah?
"Same difference.. It's about representing your
country! IN ANY SPORT!"
And later on Wednesday, Wilshere sought to
clarify his original remarks: "To be clear, never
said 'born in England' - I said English people should
play for England. Great respect for people like KP
[Kevin Pietersen], Mo Farah [born in Somalia] and
Wilf Zaha [born in Ivory Coast] - they make the
country proud.
"My view on football - going to a new country when
you're an adult, and because you can get a passport
you play for that national team - I disagree."
The 18-year-old Januzaj, who has not yet played
internationally at any level, was born in Brussels and
signed for Premier League champions United
in 2011
from Belgian club Anderlecht.
He also qualifies for Albania through his Kosovan-
Albanian parents, Turkey through his grandparents
and Serbia as Kosovo's independence has not been
recognised by the United Nations.
Any England hope stems from Fifa rules that a player
is eligible if "he has lived continuously for at least
five years after reaching the age of 18 on territory of
the relevant Association."
That would mean Januzaj would have to wait until
2018 to represent England, assuming he remains in
the country until he turns 23.
Who is Adnan Januzaj?
Januzaj was born on 5 February 1995 in Brussels,
Belgium.
He spent six years as a youth player at Anderlecht
before joining United as a 16-year-old in 2011.
Januzaj was an unused substitute in Sir Alex
Ferguson's last game as United manager, away to
West Brom in May.
He made his competitive debut for United in the
Community Shield against Wigan.
His first Premier League appearance was as a
substitute against Crystal Palace on 14 September.
"I personally believe what we have really to define is
what is an English player and we get that more and
more," said Wenger, speaking at the launch of the
Four Four Jew exhibition at the Jewish
Museum in London.
"I have young players now with three different
nationalities and I ask them how do you feel? You
have some, for example, who were born in Africa,
they have come to Europe, they have lived for a few
years in one country and, after, their parents have
moved to another country because they had to find
work - and they have three different cultures.
"One of the tasks of the modern politicians will be
really to define what is the nationality of a person,
because some people feel differently to their
passport.
"Have they the freedom of choice or do they have to
be educated in a country to feel they love this
country? Have you to spend a certain number of
years in the country to say you represent this
country?
"I feel, as well, in Januzaj's example do you just come
six months and play for a country? It's not realistic.
Maybe if he stays a few years and he decides that he
wants to play for England then...
"But he has not chosen yet which country he wants
to play for."
England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
voluntarily agreed to opt out of the residency rule in
1993.
Instead, they have chosen to allow switches once a
player has received five years' education in one of
the four countries before the age of 18, which
reduces the chances of Januzaj playing for England
unless the home nations change their stance. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24469540
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