Do Expats support Australia?

[Arabmariner]

The thing I can't understand is the kids of expats that support their parents country of birth over Australia. Whenever the socceroos play against say one of the arab countries at the Asia cup or say against Italy at the world cup you always see teenagers who were obviously born here supporting the other team.   :

Who are you to judge whether or not they have more passion for their heritage or the country that they grew up in?

I don't think Teddy was judging anybody Forza. He was saying he couldn't understand how they do that.

My heritage is British (English and Scottish) and I have no passion for those countries as far as my patriotism is concerned.

That is the way it is with many descendants of other countries.

But there seems to be a lingering affection of some cultures to hold onto their heritage with a passion, and to even support their heritage country over their home - birth country in major sporting events, even though they may never had set foot in their heritage country.

Mind you, expats from Australia tend to have their moments of sticking their Aussie roots up someone's nose whenever there's an international competition (America's Cup 1983, Ashes Test wins in England, Socceroos World Cup games - remember the Aussie expats in Japan?), so we're not immune to jingoism either. I'd like to think though, that these Aussie expats' kids were more closer to their country of birth than their heritage.

That is what i can't understand. When Australia played Italy in the last world cup, Norton street was awash with kids who were obviously born and raised in Australia waving the Italian flag???

I was born in Scotland and it would be the greatest nightmare for me to see Scotland play Australia in football. I would probably just sit in silence or not watch it. I don't expect my kids to support Scotland over Australia.

I agree with Teddy on this one.People like us ,born and brought up elsewhere,after a number of years out here you start to feel more and more like you are an Aussie.I,m sure if Scotland were drawn to play Australia in a World Cup I,d end up wanting Scotland to win but not with the same passion as usual.........if that makes any sense!

My kids though are a different story.They were born here.Unless I,m mistaken that makes them Australians.If Scotland play Australia we,ll have a split household and plenty of banter happening.As I said in an earlier post they will probably grow up with a soft spot for Scotland but you won,t see them dancing around the streets waving StAndrews cross flags if  Scotland are playing Australia.
They are ,and encouraged to be ,proud Australians.

By the way I,ve got a piece of paper that says I,m one too!!

And an off topic question for Spud.......you,ve been told you are a SPUD.....I must be one aswell....do the letters stand for something,you know like SNAG..or maybe its just that our balding domes make our heads look like spuds???!!!

Answers please!

 

[finally retired]

My heritage is British (English and Scottish) and I have no passion for those countries as far as my patriotism is concerned.


I'm the same.....English but here for 35+ years....so while I might not sound very Aussie, I believe I am and support the Aussies for everything.......even when it's Australia v England it's a no contest...always support Australia (that way I always support the winners  )


And an off topic question for Spud.......you,ve been told you are a SPUD.....I must be one aswell....do the letters stand for something,you know like SNAG..or maybe its just that our balding domes make our heads look like spuds???!!!
Answers please!


I have a friend who's wife call's him Spud...he says it's "because he's a fat root".......surely that's not whay you guys are called Spud ? 

 

[bristol]

I have been hear since 93 have not been back in the UK since 99 and do not plan to go back any time soon.

I am 100% for the Aussies in everything they play. Still take a interest in what England are doing but when it comes to Eng V Aus it is a 100% Aus with 100% Passion.

Agree with Teddy about the Norton street bull S**T. Italy v German I can understand. I would go to a pub to watch England v Germany but the street being pack v AUS I dont understand. But I would question their passion for the other team.

It is good to watch young players come up through the ranks and watch them make it big we are always hearing and talking off young players from the olyroos or a-league that are going over to Europe making it big and that is passion from the fans to pick and chat about the next up and coming star

I bet if you asked any off the Kids at Norton St who the next big Italy name was going to be they could not name any.

Which questions their real passion for the team. 

 

[mustapha_beer]

I've been here just over 7 years now, and I can say that I support the Socceroos as passionately as I do Scotland. I'd still count the Uruguay match as one of my top 2 or 3 best ever nights of following the code. That said, I probably couldn't say the same for the other Aussie national sides for 2 reasons:

(1) I don't follow other codes like League & Union as avidly as football (or, in the case of cricket, I don't follow it at all, and would rather spend a day staring at dried paint than watch any kind of match).
(2) I enjoy following relative underdogs (Dundee United, Scotland, Demons, Mariners etc....) Australian teams tend to be pretty dominant in a lot of these, and the amount of crowing that invariably follows victories like the Ashes, or the League Tri-Nations alienates me.

I suppose you could argue that any team which has proven itself as many times as the likes Ponting's mob has earned the right to be a little sure of themselves, but it does nothing for me personally, and I've found myself in the unusual position of secretly wanting England to beat them once or twice recently.....whit the *#!?

 

[Omni]

The thing I can't understand is the kids of expats that support their parents country of birth over Australia. Whenever the socceroos play against say one of the arab countries at the Asia cup or say against Italy at the world cup you always see teenagers who were obviously born here supporting the other team.   :

Isn't that what living in a free country is all about, freedom to choose. There was all this xenophopic rubbish at the Round of 16 in the world cup and it's just rubbish. Living in Australia means you are free to choose to follow any football team you want for whatever reasons. Australia are first for me and Scotland are second, in my 21 years I've only been to Scotland once (for 4 days) but it is where my Grandparents are from so I do have a soft spot for it. Other cultures are raised like that more than the British ones, look at Croatian families for instance, there's nothing wrong with that it's all about an upbringing. I may be moving overseas in the future and I will always be an Australian, doesn't mean I won't support the local team.

 

[MrCelery]

Even though I'm a Pom by birth, I would be horrified if my daughter supported England against Oz.

But then again, my parents (if they cared about football, but they don't) would probably be horrified that I, as an Englishman, would support Oz over England.

I know many here in Newcastle are horrified that I support the Mariners over the Scum! However, that's an easy one to justify.

Everyone has their motivations and opinions.