This thread was suggested by others to keep the immigration debate off the rest of the boards. So anytime you find a kid who doesn't have citizenship or want to rant about it, here is the place no?
Great idea, was going to create a list myself on here for dicussion. Here are some of the players I have: 1988's: Steve Zakuani - Midfielder - Seattle Sounders - Citizenship - Choosing Congo [2010]: http://www.brotherlygame.com/2010/1...es-to-play-for-the-congo-is-danny-mwanga-next - Citizenship - Change of Heart - 2 Yrs Away from USA? [2011]: http://www.sounderatheart.com/2011/9/2/2400728/steve-zakuani-changing-national-team-affiliations 1989's: Caio Canedo Correa - Striker - Botafogo - Citizenship - Seltzer's saying there's a chance: http://www.noshortcorners.com/search?q=Caio Oskar Gasecki - Left Back - Borussia Dortmund II - Citizenship - Took Test? Hope he Passed: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/05/19/american-exports-gasecki-signs-borussia-dortmund Darlington Nagbe - Midfielder/Forward - Portland Timbers - Citizenship - Hoping to stay in USA to gain Eligibility: http://www.oregonlive.com/timbers/index.ssf/2011/01/mls_combine_does_darlington_na.html
1991's: Danny Mwanga - Striker - Philadelphia Union - Citizenship - Hopes to play for USA: http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/ne.../danny-mwanga-tony-tchani-andy-najar-us-radar - Citizenship - Eyeing 2014: http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/news/2010/08/mwanga-eyeing-usmnt-2014-world-cup 1993's: Andy Najar - Winger - DC United - Citizenship - USA or Hondruas: http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/ne...jar-wavering-soccer-future-international-play - Citizenship - Choosing Honduras: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/apr/5/dc-uniteds-andy-najar-chooses-honduras/ - Citizenship - Childhood Dream: http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1616...ar-playing-for-honduras-was-a-childhood-dream - Citizenship - Rooting for Best team to win???? [STILL NOT CAP TIED]: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/10/06/qa-dcs-najar-looking-forward-final-playoff-push Tamay Sanchez - Striker - Houston Dynamo Academy - Citizenship - He Gone: http://mlsinsiderblog.com/?tag=tamay-sanchez Maikon Orellana - Striker - Real Salt Lake Academy - Citizenship - Came to US at age 9: http://selectatalent.com/index.php/latest-news/98-maikon-orellana Christian Hernandez - Striker - Philadelphia Union - Citizenship - Debatable: http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/2617...announces-development-academy-awards-for-2010- - Citizenship - As Mexican?: http://academy.demosphere.com/teams/27484436/27485052-27484530/12290205.html - Citizenship - As American?: http://www.goal.com/en-us/people/united-states/56177/christian-hernandez
What do people know about this kid at Lonestar..............Kekuta Manneh. He made the U-15/16 Development Academy Best XI for the 2010-2011 season (with Mendiola, Fagundez, etc.) Has he represented Gambia in any way? Citizenship process started? Any hope on that one? Another player I'm really interested in is Ruben Luna, the homegrown signing for FCD. He's been called up by Mexico, but has never represented them. Does anybody have any inside info about where he is in the citizenship process?
Gedion Zelalem holds a green card, but seems intent on representing Germany at the international level. He is only 14 at this point though, so you never know.
Will do research on these prospects in the next week: 1994's: Richard Sanchez - Goalkeeper - FC Dallas Academy Raul Mendiola - Midfielder/Forward - Los Angeles Galaxy Academy Kekuta Manneh - Striker - Texas Rush Peguy Ngatcha - Striker - New England Revolution Academy 1995's: Logan Bunbury - Striker - Minnesota Thunder Academy Jonathan Scherzer - Midfielder - TSV 1860 Munich U17 Diego Fagundez - Midfield/Forward - New England Revolution Matthew Tilley - Defender - Los Angeles Galaxy Academy Daniel Selpukhin - Goalkeeper - Los Angeles Galaxy Academy Daniel Leugner - Left Back - TSV 1860 Munich U17 Christian Rodriguez - Midfielder - DC United U17 1996's: Edan Mendoza - Striker - Georgia United U16 Tomer Britton - Midfielder - Boca United Zachary Herivaux - Midfielder - New England Revolution Academy John Wingar Jlopleh - Winger - Baltimore Bay Chelsea U16 1997's: Gedoim Zelalem - Midfielder - Olney Rangers Jeremy Ebobisse-Ebolo - Striker - Olney Rangers Mukwelle Akale - Midfielder - Minnesota Thunder Academy 1999's: Edgardo Obregon - Winger -
Solid work there Creighton. I'm reasonably bullish on Mwanga. Zakuani seems to be willing to wait if the wait is reasonable. I don't know what he's status is seeing as he played in a friendly for the Congo. Considering what we've seen out of AFrica recently (Togo anybody), maybe nobody noticed. Ahaha. Najar is gone no question about it. Nagbe seems to be a really unrealistic option as I think somebody said he doesn't even have a green card yet. Is he willing to wait four to five years or whatever it is? That'd be dedication, but then, I'm not sure I'd want to play for Liberia.
http://www.fcdallas.com/news/2011/02/fc-dallas-signs-goalkeeper-richard-sanchez Position: Goalkeeper Height: 6-3 Weight: 197 DOB: April 5, 1994 Hometown: Dallas, Texas Birthplace: Mission Hills, Calif. Citizenship: Mexico/USA Acquired: Signed as FC Dallas’ sixth Home Grown Player on Feb. 18, 2011 Richard Sanchez is still eligible to make a one-time switch to the US if he so chooses. As far as I know...................
Long shot.........but still eligible for the one-time switch in the Subotic-manner. You never know. Of the 6 homegrowns that FCD has signed, 3 are US eligible (Hernandez, Ulloa, Top), one is a dual citizen yet to be cap-tied (Sanchez), and one is cap-tied to Mexico (Leyva). The 6th is Luna, who isn't a US citizen yet. But I'd be really interested to find out where is he in the citizenship process (if anywhere). He's been called up by Mexico's U20's but has never represented them.
Zachary Herivaux - Midfielder - New England Revolution Academy Haitian and Japanese... his father is Haitian and he visits Haiti often. real gifted midfielder. Eligible for USA and Haiti.
In the context of youth national teams, Zakuani wouldn't theoretically be eligible for any, as the cut-off for the Olympics is '89s.
good point, i just figured he was one of those players we are all interested in that has citizenship problems. I see what I can dig up on the rest of those dudes in the next week. Plus I will be sure to add some new names.
But if he doesn't have to get a green card, it's likely going to be a minimum of three to four years from that point.
By the way, I don't know if this is the right thread, but Andy Najar's younger brother Christhyan Najar, 16, a DC United Academy player, scored a goal in DC United's reserve team's 1 - 1 draw with Red Bull reserves. http://www.dcunited.com/news/2011/10/reserve-league-new-york-red-bulls-1-dc-united-1 My guess, from what has already been published, including the long article about Andy in Washingtonian Magazine, is that, if Christhyan turns out to be any good, he will end up playing for Honduras, although I don't have any kind of inside information in this regard.
The issue with daniel Leugner is that i believe he has a American Samoa background. He will only be an American citizen if one of his parents is an American citizen. Its the same issue with Matteo Di Gennaro at Parma FC and Andrea De Angelis at Torino in Italy.
But American Samoans do have work and residency rights already, meaning a large part of the naturalization process is already taken care of. edit: But yeah, it might mean nothing if he's already over there. edit 2: Also, American Samoans do have US passports that say "This dude is an American national but not a citizen" on them. I imagine FIFA is not cool with that given the citizenship requirement, but worth stating.