How do they define Basque?

[aloisius]

What criteria do the Basque teams use to determine which players are Basque? Do you have to have a Basque last name? What if only your mother is Basque? What if your forefathers moved to Bilbao from Seville 100 years ago but you were born there, do you have the chance to play for Athletic?

[Bilbao2Brooklyn]

What criteria do the Basque teams use to determine which players are Basque? Do you have to have a Basque last name? What if only your mother is Basque? What if your forefathers moved to Bilbao from Seville 100 years ago but you were born there, do you have the chance to play for Athletic?Great question, this will be a long post.

I will fully respond asap.

[Persian Luis Figo]

Great question i'm also interested in this and looking forward to your post Bilbao2brooklyn ;)

[Bilbao2Brooklyn]

I posed this question to my friend from the Basque Country and here is his response:


Hi b2b, I think the concept of the question it´s a bit wrong since to play for Athletic you don´t necessarily have to be basque as long as you have been formed in a basque team, as it´s the case of the first team players Ezquerro and Aranzubia (La Rioja) or our coach Valverde who played for Athletic and was born in Cáceres with no basque relatives...to give some examples.

You don´t have to have a basque name, neither your mother have to be basque or your parents moved to Sevilla... If you aren´t born in the Basque Country to play for Athletic you have to be formed in a basque club OR exceptions being made to people of the diaspora who demonstrate a clear connection with Euskadi as Maite Zabala as we talked about.

Of course it´s more logical (let´s say there´s a greater probability) that people with a basque name, a basque mother, or a basque family who moved to Sevillahttp://www.xtratime.org/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif will on a certain moment decide to go to Lezama to make Athletic´s trials, since those are people that will have a high percentage of probability of being Athletic supporters, no?

So you dont have to be a Basque as ethnically we think of Basque, but you do have to have a connection to either a Basque Club.

For example, you can be a Nigerian(to pick a nationality), but start as a youngster in a basque club and you can play for Athletic.

Hope that helps.

[Quango]

Thanks for the clarification B2B. Just curious which other Basque clubs have had similar policies in the past. If I remember correctly, Real Sociedad used to have similar recruitment policies. Q

[AmericanKopite]

Good info Bilbao, Thanks. Another question can an ethnically Non-Basques sign for the Athletic youth sides or would they have to be signed by another Basque side first?

Some other Basque questions.

What clubs are considered "Basque" clubs?

Is Real Sociedad Athletic's biggest rival?

Do Bilbao have an English language website by any chance? The fact that they have this exclusive transfer policy really intrigues me because it is so different.

Thanks

[Bilbao2Brooklyn]

Good info Bilbao, Thanks. Another question can an ethnically Non-Basques sign for the Athletic youth sides or would they have to be signed by another Basque side first?

Some other Basque questions.

What clubs are considered "Basque" clubs?

Is Real Sociedad Athletic's biggest rival?

Do Bilbao have an English language website by any chance? The fact that they have this exclusive transfer policy really intrigues me because it is so different.

Thanks1.Athletic lower programs do take on non basques. evidence of this is Mario Bromejo, current top scorer in the second division, he was an Athletic player in his junior days. He is not Basque.

2. Basque clubs:there are numerous, but from the upper levels there are real sociedad, alaves, eibar, osasuna...any many, many other smaller clubs

3.Real Sociedad is their biggest rival imo. though they do have particular dislike for Atletico, and of course barca an RM.

4.they have an excellent english website
www.athletic-club.net (http://www.athletic-club.net/)

[Bilbao Lion]

For example, you can be a Nigerian(to pick a nationality), but start as a youngster in a basque club and you can play for Athletic.


I'm not too sure about that. In the 50's there was a player, Miguel Jones, who was ecuatorial guinean and was formed in Athletic's youth system. I think he played one or two games with Athletic and then moved to Atlético de Madrid due to "incompatibilities" with the club's policies, which was a pity, because he was a very good player and loved the team and the city (he still lives in Bilbao). Anyway, I guess back then there was a more strict vision of who was basque and who wasn't, probably that wouldn't have happened nowadays.

[Bilbao2Brooklyn]

I'm not too sure about that. In the 50's there was a player, Miguel Jones, who was ecuatorial guinean and was formed in Athletic's youth system. I think he played one or two games with Athletic and then moved to Atlético de Madrid due to "incompatibilities" with the club's policies, which was a pity, because he was a very good player and loved the team and the city (he still lives in Bilbao). Anyway, I guess back then there was a more strict vision of who was basque and who wasn't, probably that wouldn't have happened nowadays.
I think back then, sadly, it was stricter.

Several players on athletic roster are considered "non-basques" with ezquerro as a popular example.

[PYordan]

Northern La Rioja is traditional Basque land. Ezquerro is considered a Basque according to the Athletic fans I know.

I've seen a black player who I think is in the youth system at Athletic, but I don't think the fans would receive him very well on the first team, which is unfortunate. I've talked to Bilbao fans about this, and some of them get really mad at the idea of a black player at Athletic, even if his dad was Basque and his name was Mohamed Etxeverria or something.

I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't have any problem with this, of course, but unfortunately, I feel like some still would.

[vomiton]

Yep interesting question,I´m supporter of Real Sociedad,We had the same policy of Athletic until (end of 80´s or begins of 90´s I´m not sure) North-Irish John Aldridge was signed.After that we only can sign foreigners and no Spanish players,We were criticized in Spain for that, IMO with all justice,or all Basques or then all the nationalities, until the last president signed the asturian Boris.

Answered the question of Aloisius,when we had the old policy,for us played Cuyami,a black player from Guinea Ecuatorial(old Spanish Colony) but former in the youth system and other example,Oscar de Paula was born in Badajoz.

Btw at the moment Osasuna not is a Basque Club ;),Navarra has his own "National" team but is curious that people from Navarra like Urzaiz denied play with them for play with Basque country