Back of the Net!

George Boateng is a former Middlesbrough midfielder and began his career in Holland. Currently playing for Hull City, on the eve of a raft of international friendlies across Europe, Boateng has revealed that he regrets a key choice made earlier in his career - which country to represent .

“At 15, I had to change my nationality from Ghanaian to Dutch, because at the time there were only three non EU (European Union) residents allowed to play in the first-team.

“I had to change it to give me a better chance of playing at Feyenoord.”

Speaking as someone who has always lived in the UK, I find it inexplicable that:

1. Someone should be asked to represent a different national team

2. Someone would want to represent a different national team

Boateng however has played for Holland at Under 16, Under 19, Under 21 and as a senior; and it is this last status that precludes him from now appearing for Ghana. Boateng has played for Holland 8 around 10 times.

If he had played a single friendly (with a short substitute appearance), there is an outside chance that George would have been able to switch international allegiance; however even this is unlikely.

As it is, George would like to be lining up for the Ghanian national team alongside Michael Essien and Stephen Appiah, but thanks to questionable advice when he was younger, this opportunity has been lost.

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