shiva

except that they play as individuals and not as a representative of any national team in the ATP Tour

The Dean

Tim Henman = Jewish
Andy Murray = Scottish
Greg Rusedski = Canadian
Laura Robson = Australian
Kevin Pietersen/Jonathan Trott = Yarpies
Mo Farah - Somali
Jessica Ennis-Hill - half-Jamaican
Douglas Jardine/Colin Cowdrey - born in India
blah blah blah blah...............

scrubbedexpat141

Cool. So he's the Scottish Wimbledon champion and nothing else?

Just to clear that up

shiva

well no. since there is still a union of the crowns and states he would be be both british and scottish champion. my point is not that he is solely scottish but that there is a fuss about the saltire when there was none about st georges cross. the media and some cant have it both ways

Dumbo

I think he should be, yes. Let them have their moment in the sun, they get so few what with being so fair and ginger.

scrubbedexpat141

I don't disagree with you. I just think the entire debate is so tragic.

It's all just tit-for-tat bollocks.

Bahtatboy

shiva

exactly.

But there is an unfortunate tone that English nationalism is OK but Scottish nationalism is totally unacceptable. Which to be fair is probably exactly what Salmond was trying to achieve anyway

The Dean

In this 'union' of which you speak - why can Scotland vote to leave it, but England can't?

[Edit - aimed at Shiva really................]

Bog Man

Bollocks comparison Shiva - if Cameron had held up the George Cross the nationalist haggis jockeys and english pinko press would go ape. Good on the scots and english fans flying their flags but that uber-****** was invited to his very expensive royal box seat in his capacity as First Minister and that stunt was cringe-worthy.

scrubbedexpat141

Unfortunately, that's never going to change from either side and it will perennially be the other nations fault.

jam25mack

As far as I can understand is that the flag issue is due to the size limits. Little ones are allowed and encouraged whereas big **** off ones (like Bellend Salmond was holding behind Bellend Cameron's back are not). It's the same BS argument as Mo Farah on his moby in the Royal box.

Also in terms of Nationalism, my observations as someone who has lived in Wales, England and Scotland, I would say that not that long ago the majority of the English would fly the Union Flag in preference to the George Cross. However, in recent years the Scots have become more.....(how can I say it) ..... proud or at least vocal in their 'we are Scottish not British' BS, and so as a reaction the English have been swayed away from the Union Flag and pushed towards the George Cross.

Well that's my observation at any rate.

shiva

as far as I'm aware the exact same mechanism exists in England to dissolve the union

jam25mack

And... so what?

The UK is one of the biggest melting pots in the world. It's massively diverse. Would you rather we excluded these talented individuals based on religion, colour or their heritage?

If they are classed as British then I don't see the problem.

shiva

exactly "as first minister" so surely he should be expected to display the Saltire as he is the head of the devolved scottish government. had it been the olympics and Murray representing the UK then a display of the Saltire would have indeed been out of place. It however was not the olympics and as Murray was not an official UK representative then why should Salmond have not displayed a Saltire.

Also why does anyone waving a Saltire have to be a nationalist haggis jockey, it is the national flag, is that really something to be ashamed of or belittled?