Aljaz Bedene

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

RE: Aljaz Bedene

indiana · Tennis legend

I continue to think it's a poor analogy, Eddie and CD. As CD says, not the same, I say pretty different. Nor indeed is one necessarily "better or "more British".

Different, because Aljaz is taking up citizenship of a country other than where he was born and bred in, whereas Andy most certainly wants to be a citizen of where he was born and bred in and feels a particular afinity to the more licalised part, Scotland, where he hails from and was seeking independence.

All us Scots had many issues that did or could enter our own individual choices, and I am sorr, but the taking up of citizenship in another cointry away from where you were born and raised and supporting independence for a constituent part within a country ARE to be me very different scenarios, however much one wants to play with words to try and make out otherwise.

Anyway, it makes sense to me and I am running out of ways to make essentially the same point.

Another couple of points :

Eddie, I agree with you that we are better off together. That is why I personally was a big supporter in spirit of the "Better Off Together" canpaign, if circumstances had allowed would have more actively supported it, and I most certainly voted NO. But I respect the great majority of my fellow Scots who voted YES ( there were some to my mind rather loopy reasons for voting YES, but no doubt some for NO too ).

Also, Phil may have been 'tongue in cheek'. Maybe he was also tongue in cheek about saying Glasgow should have been less of a consideration for hosting the Davis Cup tie vs the USA, because 45% of Scots voted not to be British ( which was anyway the wrong emphasis, since it was rather voted in favour of independence ). Sorry, Phil, if I misinterpret such nonsense, you say it with the forum equivalent of such a straight face. Anyway I hope Andy and the Glasgow crowd didn't let folk down in the tie, both seemed reasonably up for it :)

As for Aljaz, as I have said, I certainly could understand his case for citizenship, so that's absolutely fine with me. And once he is a citizen, he to me should fully be part of the consideration for being a member of the Davis Cup team - just pick the most likely team to win.

philwrig · Hall of fame

indiana wrote:
I continue to think it's a poor analogy, Eddie and CD. As CD says, not the same, I say pretty different. Nor indeed is one necessarily "better or "more British".

Different, because Aljaz is taking up citizenship of a country other than where he was born and bred in, whereas Andy most certainly wants to be a citizen of where he was born and bred in and feels a particular afinity to the more licalised part, Scotland, where he hails from and was seeking independence.

All us Scots had many issues that did or could enter our own individual choices, and I am sorr, but the taking up of citizenship in another cointry away from where you were born and raised and supporting independence for a constituent part within a country ARE to be me very different scenarios, however much one wants to play with words to try and make out otherwise.

Anyway, it makes sense to me and I am running out of ways to make essentially the same point.

Another couple of points :

Eddie, I agree with you that we are better off together. That is why I personally was a big supporter in spirit of the "Better Off Together" canpaign, if circumstances had allowed would have more actively supported it, and I most certainly voted NO. But I respect the great majority of my fellow Scots who voted YES ( there were some to my mind rather loopy reasons for voting YES, but no doubt some for NO too ).

Also, Phil may have been 'tongue in cheek'. Maybe he was also tongue in cheek about saying Glasgow should have been less of a consideration for hosting the Davis Cup tie vs the USA, because 45% of Scots voted not to be British ( which was anyway the wrong emphasis, since it was rather voted in favour of independence ). Sorry, Phil, if I misinterpret such nonsense, you say it with the forum equivalent of such a straight face. Anyway I hope Andy and the Glasgow crowd didn't let folk down in the tie, both seemed reasonably up for it :)

As for Aljaz, as I have said, I certainly could understand his case for citizenship, so that's absolutely fine with me. And once he is a citizen, he to me should fully be part of the consideration for being a member of the Davis Cup team - just pick the most likely team to win.

Tongue in cheek Indy ! Sometimes its difficult to express typed words in the way you want them to be understood. Originally I was against the DC venue being in Scotland, but mainly because Glasgow had hosted so many previous ties. But having been there I 100% take it back, the Scots provided an unreal atmosphere, plus it was only a 2hr car drive, so all good.

indiana · Tennis legend

Fair enough, Phil :)

The things I heard over many months related to independence, I sometimes just got into just another "WHAT?!" And some folk definitely were ( trying to be ) serious, so it at times becomes difficult for my poor mind to cope. Sorry.

Anyway, I'll leave things here for now since, as I indicated, more generally I'd just be repeating myself.

EddietheEagle · County player

Somehow I don't think the Scots independence issue is going away and the corollary issue of a separation in our Davis Cup team may well come round again at some point. I think the genie is well out the bottle now, what with Sturgeon and Salmond on the rampage, a situation partially created and worsened in my view, by the supine way in which UK politicians caved in to "Scottish" demands for high taxation and welfare spending largely funded by English taxpayers. They ought to have kept their mouths shut and let Scottish voters think and decide for themselves.

emma · Strong Club Player

yes, I will be supporting Aljaz from now on. Team GB

indiana · Tennis legend

I am sure Scottish independence will not actually come to a vote again for many years, and is off the cards regarding current players.

The SNP seem to be evolving new meanings for the word 'generation' after Alex Salmond had very clearly stated pre-poll that it was an opportunity that we would not get again for another generation, but we are still talking many years.

So re Davis / Fed Cup and GB tennis generally that can be parked for now and we can move on ...

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Well I guess it's official now. There are some pictures on twitter of Aljaz signing documents during his citizenship ceremony. And a nice touch from Liam sending him a "welcome to GB" tweet.

Edit:

One closer to our 20 in the Top 500 target. Now who else can we recruit wink

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Tuesday 31st of March 2015 12:32:33 PM

scottie1 · Futures level

Bob in Spain wrote:
Well I guess it's official now. There are some pictures on twitter of Aljaz signing documents during his citizenship ceremony. And a nice touch from Liam sending him a "welcome to GB" tweet.
Edit:
One closer to our 20 in the Top 500 target. Now who else can we recruit

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Tuesday 31st of March 2015 12:32:33 PM

Adam Lownsborough could make a come back!

philwrig · Hall of fame

Welcome Mr Bedene, the more he gains support from other British players the better, he will also hopefully take some weight off our other potential 100 players. You never know in 12 months time he might become my favourite GB player ;)

-- Edited by philwrig on Tuesday 31st of March 2015 02:49:21 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

philwrig wrote:
Welcome Mr Bedene, the more he gains support from other British players the better, he will also hopefully take some weight off our other potential 100 players. You never know in 12 months time he might become my favourite GB player ;)

-- Edited by philwrig on Tuesday 31st of March 2015 02:49:21 PM

smile smile

Jan · Hall of fame

Yes - welcome and congrats to Aljaz!

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

So GB finally has 2 players in the top 100, well for 6 days at least. Next Monday, Aljaz will drop out of the top 100 although I am sure this will only be temporary.

I am also sure that someone is going to tell me that until he has processed his citizenship papers with the ITF/ATP, he is technically still playing for Slovenia.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Bob in Spain wrote:
So GB finally has 2 players in the top 100, well for 6 days at least. Next Monday, Aljaz will drop out of the top 100 although I am sure this will only be temporary.

I am also sure that someone is going to tell me that until he has processed his citizenship papers with the ITF/ATP, he is technically still playing for Slovenia.

Hate to point this out Bob, but until the paperwork has actually gone through technically he's still Slovenian.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

If he attended a citizenship ceremony, the paperwork must have gone through. I've attended a few of them - the chorus I used to sing in supplied the entertainment at them. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't stand there swearing allegiance to the Queen if the paperwork wasn't all in order.