Nacho for Scotland?

It’s been a long silence for the Scotland WCB. Since that incredible miss which will never be mentioned again in this blog, I’ve been in a bit of a stupor, and frankly, have survived by burying myself in club matters. Still, this is a story that needs to be dealt with.

Nacho Novo (of Rangers) was born in Spain but has lived in Scotland for eight years, since signing for Raith Rovers. He loves Scotland, he has no intention of leaving, and now he claims that if he applied for British citizenship, was accepted, and was asked, he would play for Scotland.

Interesting. I honestly can’t decide how I feel about this. From a pure footballing standpoint, we could use him. He would help the cause, especially with the notable … hard to avoid the word betrayal here … difference of opinion … of Kris Boyd. Still, a naturalized player from outside of Britain is a pretty unknown thing in Scotland. Do we just admit that this is the way international football is now, and take him up on it, or do we stick to our guns, and possibly give up a chance at the big stage?

If I have to pick a side, I guess I land on the side of tired provincialism. Something about this doesn’t seem right. I don’t think that a player should ever be restricted from playing wherever his or her skills allow at the club level … but international football is different. It’s not just about citizenship – it’s about a shared heritage and history. If Nacho Novo truly thinks of himself as a Scot, rather than a Spaniard, perhaps this is alright, and to his credit, he has said that he wants to cause no trouble … he just wants a chance to play.

It’s hard to make this argument without sounding old-fashioned, but really, that’s what international football is – it’s old-fashioned. Maybe that’s why it’s so endangered. We’ll certainly keep an eye on where this ends up, and at any rate, for the offer, Nacho, thanks.