I sort of understand that, although I don't feel it at all.I started a post about why I want homegrown players to succeed and then felt I did the response no justice. Unless, you've grown up in the area (pretty deprived) and tried to go through the ranks to represent your local team - you have absolutely no idea of what it means. I've recognised the good and ****e primary schools in the borough, the feeling when you wore your primary school colours, the players who could rip you apart (not only in footie but other sportsday events during the Haringey district sports) and your efforts were to represent your borough (which I did) and by any such luck - a local team (Leyton Orient were the cool club). So any chance you moved on up through the ranks was a dream come true - we all knew who was doing that (Chris Bart Williams during my days, and we all respected him and admired him for being the local lad who actually made it). It is such an effort! So for me; Andros represents that effort and is someone who I relate to as a local lad and be it someone who tried to get to this team some 20+ years ago. He also represents the local diaspora (being mixed-race, half Greek-Cypriot).
I relate to my local-area more than I relate to this country; that includes all the ****e I hate (I do get a little hung up on nouveau-working class who in my opinion are non-community and lesser law following)...
He is sh1t tonight admittedly
I consider the area I grew up the way I do being English - an incredibly unfortunate accident of birth.
I'm Spurs by choice. The 90s gave all of us more than enough reason not to be, but we all stuck with that choice. Just like I chose to live in Chichester - I feel a lot of affinity for those who've also made that choice, much like I do Spurs fans.