I've always thought the press gave Greg a hard time.

I think the real proof that he was dedicated in his taking UK citizenship has been recently-he could easily have bowed of DC and left us with probably relegation vs Ukraine but went and did a job for no reward. Credit to the man. If he were not dedicated in it, you'd have figured it have bowed out by now, given there is nothing more to gain for him.

The British view of immigrants is not always great. I speak as someone who's mother is Hungarian born, with a (naturalised) British passport, a post WWII (jewish) emigre who married an Englishman. She lives down in Cornwall, and I think (because she had an accent) was sometimes not as welcomed as is perhaps desirous. Being the remarkable lady she is, when she once recieved criticism as being a foreigner (which was not very common, but I think only because most people do not say what they think), she once replied 'Well, you are British by accident of birth. I, however, chose to be British, when I saw the place, and what it stood for in the war. Which one of us is most likely to be dedicated to the ideals of this country?'. She got an MBE for community service, which she always giggles at, saying she was delighted to have citizenship.

She is not untypical of people who have chosen to come here as a place of refuge-she's valued it and worked for it. I think Greg has done the same, although in different circumstances. And I would also say that both being white have probably had an easier ride than the folks of Indian, Pakistani and Caribbean descent.

In summary, I think my mother is spot on: when people come here for a reason, they actually often value the place more than those who were born here. And they often give more too. I think Greg has come with this philosophy, and I am sure he will stay when his playing days are done, provided the establishment let him contribute. He's come to love the place.