Michael Vaughan's little xenophobia moment Print E-mail
Category: Shorts
Written by Luke Tagg   
Friday, 05 March 2010 16:02
Former England captain Michael Vaughan is fed up with South Africans and other foreigners playing for "his" country, as revealed in an extraordinary outburst of uncontained xenophobia.

Speaking to the Independent, Vaughan singled out Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and Craig Kieswetter, claiming they only settled in England to further their careers. Referring to South Africans, he added that "a lot of them come over for the money".

"It's very, very difficult to stop them," he moaned. "I would like to see, in an ideal world, 11 complete Englishmen in the team but I don't think that's ever going to be the case."

Whining about it is hardly going to make a difference - if he has a problem with his country's immigration and residency laws he should probably take it up with the Foreign Office or someone.

Frankly, I agree with him. Not that I think it's a problem to have ex-pats playing for you - he should be grateful for that. I'd just be happy never to have to play against any of those names mentioned above.

If the South African side consisted of three Pakistanis, two Irishmen and a dog - but won everything - I'd be the last person complaining.

It also highlights Vaughan's complete lack of understanding of the South African player exodus. They've chosen to become Brits and I doubt any of them will ever return to the Republic. It's not like they're sitting there, funnelling their salaries back to the motherland.

They left here because South African sport is tainted by political interference and agendas, which doesn't benefit any of those three players. They chose to play their sport in a country that would accept them for who they are and the talents they possess and not judge them on the colour of their skins.

KP's badge-kissing heroics on his first tour to South Africa showed the passion and love the man has for his adopted country - he clearly felt bitterly angry at the country of his birth.

It's no easy thing to uproot your life - everything you've ever known - and head to foreign shores for good, to claim an entirely different nationality. It's not exactly first prize for anyone, much less South Africans who are so passionate about their own country.

Yet those three guys have given their new country everything they've got and it's no surprise that all three have excelled. They were a lot more average before they went to England - being legal Englishmen has brought out the best in each of them, as they've tried hard to prove their worth.

Comments like Vaughan's undermine their efforts to start a new life far away from the hell of their old one, not to mention the value they have brought to English cricket.

That little milquetoast wouldn't know hardship if it slapped him in the face - all 12 inches of it.

Full Story: Vaughan calls for Pietersen to be dropped from side
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