Supporting Other teams over you home team.

[Aneesmoha]

I'm not sure if it was/still is a unique thing of South African sports fans when it comes to international sport.

In South Africa especially people of colour would support the touring team over the Proteas.

For example the Durban area just happens to have the largest population of people of Indian decent outside of India itself. So if India come to SA and they play in Durban they get home town support to the point where the Proteas have been booed in Durban before. (One of the reasons that no test match is being played in Durban during the current series, ironically though the only team that can produce a sell out crowd for a test match in Durban is India..).

Cape Town and Johannesburg have the highest Muslim Populations so when Pakistan or Bangladesh come over the place is packed with Pakistani flags.

And the Black community support the West Indies to the death. In fact every non white person in South Africa holds a soft spot for the West Indies...because during Apartheid they gave us hope.

I would just like to know if this happens anywhere else where certain people just refuse to support their home country.

[Katto]

Happens in Australia a lot. Especially with soccer, but also cricket there are a lot of residents of Indian and Sri Lankan descent that support their motherland teams. In one day cricket they often outnumber the home supporters because 'Aussies' have lost interest in ODIs.

Some of the tamils refuse to support Sri Lanka though and support Australia.
There are a few second generation Indians starting to support Australia (to Vandy's horror )

A lot of poms and a few kiwis that live here too support them when they tour.

[Aneesmoha]

SA have huge support in Perth. However definitely not so much as to out number home fans.

[Paddles]

Asian migration is huge in NZ also.

There was even at one stage a banning of the SL fan band players, which I was against. I don't like those SA soccer World Cup instruments known as vuvuzelas, but a brass band is different. Especially in a 3/4 empty stadium.

Australia and England draw a "pro-kiwi crowd", the barmy army is more than merely noticable when they tour tho. Aus, despite all their migrants here, is greatly outnumbered.

Asian countries will oft get the better of in-ground support, especially in the city grounds. Crickets just not that big here, and where it is huge demographically here, is in sub-continent migrants. But when Eng or Aus tour, they seem to be in NZ's favour.

Biggest crowds in NZ are Aus and Eng. We prolly have enough South Africa players to get a lot of their migrant support

[Aneesmoha]

And even 3rd generation Indians supporting anyone else other than India here is a sin hahaha.

[bolero]

This topic created a lot of controversy in CF before. There was something called ' Lord Tebbit's test' if I remember correctly introduced by MP Norman Tebbit.

[bolero]

There was a debate in India of Indian origin players being called up to represent India. Debate didnt go far. Robin Singh from West Indies returned to represent the Indian team.

Other than that, front line West Indian batsmen like Shiv Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan having Indian roots etc continued playing for West Indies, I dont think they were offered by India to play. Mark Ramprakash represented England, in his case he was mixed race, mother English , father Indian origin from Guyana. Hashim Amla is again of Indian origin (Indian Muslim) his ancestral roots I think are from Bharuch, Gujarat.

This debate extended to football too, there was a suggestion that top Indian origin Brits playing in first / second division being called to represent India. Michael Chopra was offered and he kind of accepted. Dont know what happened after that.

[bolero]

Michael Chopra says he still has ambitions of representing India in international football

New Delhi: Former Newcastle and Sunderland striker Michael Chopra says he has not given up on his ambition to represent India in international football.

Chopra said in the past he is willing to surrender his British passport to represent India. The striker has represented England at the junior level but according to FIFA rules, he is eligible to represent India since his grandparents moved to England from Jalandhar in the 1950s.

"I do still have ambitions to play for India and in fact I am in the process of doing so now. I am speaking to lawyers about the right steps to take, it's just taking longer than I first thought," he said.

The first British Asian to play in the high-powered world of English Premier League was the top pick during the international draft for Kerala Blasters in the inaugural season of ISL in 2014, but somehow could not live up to the expectations.

An injury did not help his case and even though he fought his way back into the squad for the final clash against Atletico de Kolkata, there was no happy ending.

In the following season for 2015, Chopra was not considered by either Kerala Blasters or any of the seven clubs in ISL. But now that Kerala Blasters have recalled him and he has proved his fitness in last three weeks of intense training at Pune, Chopra would want to make the best of the lifeline that has been provided to him by the Sachin Tendulkar co-owned franchise.

"I think there were a few things that went wrong; I underestimated the ISL. I thought it was going to be easier than it was, and then I picked up a hamstring injury in pre-season which set me back.

"When I was due to play against Atletico de Kolkata, I picked up a really bad ankle injury that should have kept me out of the ISL, but I was determined to try and play my part in the semi-finals and final. I played through pain. It still haunts me to this day how the Kolkata goalkeeper made that save in the last five minutes," said Chopra.

Chopra has learnt lessons from his past endeavours in the ISL and is now determined to set the wrongs right.

"This year I have approached things differently. I know what to expect and I have made sure I am going to be fit this season. I have been training with DSK for three weeks before I met up with Kerala Blasters and I would like to thank Shirish and Dave for giving me the opportunity to do so," said Chopra.

http://www.firstpost.com/sports/michael ... 96772.html

[Aneesmoha]

There was a debate in India of Indian origin players being called up to represent India. Debate didnt go far. Robin Singh from West Indies returned to represent the Indian team.

Other than that, front line West Indian batsmen like Shiv Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan having Indian roots etc continued playing for West Indies, I dont think they were offered by India to play. Mark Ramprakash represented England, in his case he was mixed race, mother English , father Indian origin from Guyana. Hashim Amla is again of Indian origin (Indian Muslim) his ancestral roots I think are from Bharuch, Gujarat.

This debate extended to football too, there was a suggestion that top Indian origin Brits playing in first / second division being called to represent India. Michael Chopra was offered and he kind of accepted. Dont know what happened after that.

Yeah Hashim is a Bharuchi. My Grandad on my father's side was born in Bharuch he come over to SA when he was 3 or 4 in 1913!!! I have Indian roots on both sides of my family from completely different parts of India.

[bolero]

There was a debate in India of Indian origin players being called up to represent India. Debate didnt go far. Robin Singh from West Indies returned to represent the Indian team.

Other than that, front line West Indian batsmen like Shiv Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan having Indian roots etc continued playing for West Indies, I dont think they were offered by India to play. Mark Ramprakash represented England, in his case he was mixed race, mother English , father Indian origin from Guyana. Hashim Amla is again of Indian origin (Indian Muslim) his ancestral roots I think are from Bharuch, Gujarat.

This debate extended to football too, there was a suggestion that top Indian origin Brits playing in first / second division being called to represent India. Michael Chopra was offered and he kind of accepted. Dont know what happened after that.

Yeah Hashim is a Bharuchi. My Grandad on my father's side was born in Bharuch he come over to SA when he was 3 or 4 in 1913!!! I have Indian roots on both sides of my family from completely different parts of India.

Great, I love the groundnuts from Bharuch. Really tasty. I have been there. The Golden bridge constructed in British times between Bharuch and Ankleshwar remains.

[Katto]

There was a debate in India of Indian origin players being called up to represent India. Debate didnt go far. Robin Singh from West Indies returned to represent the Indian team.

Other than that, front line West Indian batsmen like Shiv Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan having Indian roots etc continued playing for West Indies, I dont think they were offered by India to play. Mark Ramprakash represented England, in his case he was mixed race, mother English , father Indian origin from Guyana. Hashim Amla is again of Indian origin (Indian Muslim) his ancestral roots I think are from Bharuch, Gujarat.

This debate extended to football too, there was a suggestion that top Indian origin Brits playing in first / second division being called to represent India. Michael Chopra was offered and he kind of accepted. Dont know what happened after that.

Nasser Hussein was born in India wasnt he?

anyway, no great loss

[bolero]

There was a debate in India of Indian origin players being called up to represent India. Debate didnt go far. Robin Singh from West Indies returned to represent the Indian team.

Other than that, front line West Indian batsmen like Shiv Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan having Indian roots etc continued playing for West Indies, I dont think they were offered by India to play. Mark Ramprakash represented England, in his case he was mixed race, mother English , father Indian origin from Guyana. Hashim Amla is again of Indian origin (Indian Muslim) his ancestral roots I think are from Bharuch, Gujarat.

This debate extended to football too, there was a suggestion that top Indian origin Brits playing in first / second division being called to represent India. Michael Chopra was offered and he kind of accepted. Dont know what happened after that.

Nasser Hussein was born in India wasnt he?

anyway, no great loss

Yes, Chennai, India. Father of Indian origin, mother English.

[Boycs]

Shaped up to be a spinner too until he got the yips

[Going South]

define support!
1. if your team is so jinxed you would say to all that you support the other team hiding your inner feelings. you even abstain from talking, watching, chatting about game.
2. master jinxers like raja would always hail the other team in an effort to jinx them and often succeeds.
3. there are genuine cricket fans who love the game so much that any performer would be appreciated, win does not matter. rare!
4. there are odd balls who support losers from day1 & day2 of a test match even if their home team got upper hand just so that the test match gets played full 5 days. similarly in any one sided limited over match where first team gets a huge target or gets out cheap, the other team get their support.
5. lastly there are religious haters who would support a team of their religion over the country they live as for them religion is above the country.

which category are you???

[Katto]

In my case, the older I get, the less I care. Just want to see a good game.

[raja]

define support!
1. if your team is so jinxed you would say to all that you support the other team hiding your inner feelings. you even abstain from talking, watching, chatting about game.
2. master jinxers like raja would always hail the other team in an effort to jinx them and often succeeds.
3. there are genuine cricket fans who love the game so much that any performer would be appreciated, win does not matter. rare!
4. there are odd balls who support losers from day1 & day2 of a test match even if their home team got upper hand just so that the test match gets played full 5 days. similarly in any one sided limited over match where first team gets a huge target or gets out cheap, the other team get their support.
5. lastly there are religious haters who would support a team of their religion over the country they live as for them religion is above the country.

which category are you???

Well, am not sure I try to jinx a team when it's playing BCCI or England.

I genuinely what that team to win.