Arturo Alvarez To Play For El Salvador

You mean the country he wants for only the last few months or so.

That is basically a whim on his part. So why should FIFA make an exception to their rules by catering to it?

And since when is the FIFA World Youth Championship "meaningless"?

No.

That's stupid.

Really stupid.

And you didn't read my argument.

Stating things like that is really confusing people to what I am trying to say.

1. I am not saying FIFA should make an exception for Alvarez. I am saying FIFA should change the rules.

2. Compared to the World Cup or World Cup Qualifiers every other International competition is worthless. Period.


What I am trying to say is this should be the rule:

If you had citizenship from 2 (or more) countries when you played your youth internationals for country A, and you have never had a full senior international cap from country A, you should be allowed to switch to country B.

That is not a massive, world changing law.

And it would not allow France to have every African player. Read what I am writing.

Arturo didn't have Salvadoran citizenship when he played in US youth internationals. He was born in Houston and has lived here his whole life. In fact, he only recently obtained citizenship. So your rule still wouldn't apply to him.

But there's no need for your change. It already exists. You just have to be younger than 21 to make the switch. I guess what you're suggesting is that the player could make the switch at age 30 if he so desired (as long as he didn't have senior caps). I understand what you're saying, but don't think it's necessary.

Nobody will every be able to tell me Arturo Alvarez didn't know when he suited up for the US in a FIFA competition, that would cap-tie him when he was 21. Everybody knows that. Internet slobs like us know that. There's no way Arturo and his representatives don't know the first rules of eligibility. He suited up for the US, because he wanted to play for the US. Now he's trying to plead ignorance, but nobody should buy it. This is just like Subotic trying to switch to Germany, when everybody in football knew he wasn't eligible. The rules are the rules. And they're basically pretty clear.

By the way, my Salvadoran friends don't want him. They feel that he only wants to play for them because he isn't good enough for the US. (Which is true).

http://www.multiplecitizenship.com/wscl/ws_EL_SALVADOR.html

Just nitpicking here but if either of his parents were El Salvadoran citizens he was a citizen at birth.
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Thank you for reading my statements. I guess we just disagree about the rule!

He didn't pursue a chance to play for El Salvador until it became clear that the U.S. had a better, younger left wing player in Robbie Rogers. That's it. No sympathy here. If he wants to play international football, then he just needs to develop a better attitude and the ability to do anything at all with his right foot.

Honestly - I'd be willing to be that you (and just about every BS poster that participated heavily in the numerous eligibiltiy threads on this forum) are more informed about these eligibility rules than most players and most player representatives.

Certainly more informed than representatives that are working for a player making, what, $60 k a year? Just because they're professional players doesn't mean they have Ari from Entourage and his team managing them.

Ari is Vinny's agent. E is his manager. Neither is particularly good at his job.

Thanks - but the point I was trying to make is that MLS players aren't making the kind of jack that allows them to have "representatives" or "people".

So...they're more like Drama.

I agree with you they probably don't have the best agents but come on...we know the rules and we're not professional soccer players with international aspirations.

Alvarez knew the rules too. So did his agent. To believe otherwise is really an exercise in sticking your head in the sand.

I agree. Ari just bows down to Vinny and gets a hard on when he's in his presence. He thinks Vincent is God. E is just a nob. He bows to Vinny, too but in a different way. Vinny knows he sucks but is loyal to home-boy. Gotta respect that. They what separated for what 1 episode and Vinny had to bring him back because of the guilt. Turtle's the man. Definitely my favorite. He's such a slapdick, mooching, tag along who knows his role in the group. I think he's the truest and most honest to Vinny. Plus, he gets major points for pullin' in Jamie-Lynn Sigler---yummy!! I think she and Jerry Ferrara are actually an item, too if what I read was true a few months ago.

I'm fully aware of what the articles state but that not my issue here. My opinion only applies to multi eligibility due to decent and not naturalization. The current rules should still apply to naturalized citizens.

Of course 21 is an adult age to make decisions but toddler-preschooler years in terms of playing for club or country in most cases. Some youth players may not yet develope to warrant a call up by a senior side on or before 21 yet would be at the mercy of that senior side to be picked up thereafter once tied with official youth caps. It is only my opinion that these players are only tied by official senior caps -regardless of age and youth appearances- rather than a predetermined age set by FIFA. If you have disagreement with this notion, thats certainly welcome as long as you are aware of what im actually proposing.

I think I understand what you're saying, i.e., that youth nat appearances shouldn't end up cap tying someone if they don't switch by age 21 because, at age 21, the player may not know which, if either, senior team is going to end up wanting him. My thought on that is that such a player should not waste the resources of either nation's youth soccer programs, nor should they deprive a truly dedicated representative of the applicable nation from representing his country in a youth-FIFA event by taking his spot. In other words, if you're under 21 and only want to play for a particular country if that country's senior team wants you, then you have no business participating in that country's youth national team program. You should just wait for the senior team to come a-callin'.

I think what I read in the Spanish press (somebody please correct me if I'm wrong) is that although Arturo was definitely eligible for Salvadoran citizenship, he had never submitted the paperwork to become one until very recently. (I'll go back and look for that article).

Anyway, it's all a moot point.

The more interesting question for me is the following: By trying to switch allegiances to El Salvador, has he also killed all chances he had of the US calling him up in the future. I mean, this kid does have talent. Only a year ago people were questioning why he wasn't included on our Olympic qualifying roster (a result which probably led to the Sallies decision for him).

Do we think US soccer coaches and staff would hold this against him, if he proves he deserves a call up to the USMNT? Personally, I don't think so. Ugo Ihemelu recently went to a Canadian camp, and travelled to a game against St. Vincent with them. When Bob needed a body to replace the CB casualties at camp cupcake, he brought in Ugo.

We'll see.

Could someone update the thread title? I almost thought they approved his request and he would play for ES after all.

No.. his request was denied.. it is blatantly against the rules and was a open and shut case

Hence my request for a thread title change...

IN the ES forums they keep talking about how their federation is still appealing the decision. And of course, they have ZERO chance of winning these appeals. So I guess from their point of view this isn't 100% over.

What's silly is the amount of anger in the ES forums about the US "stealing" Arturo from them. Considering how the kid has never lived in ES, never played in or for ES, and didn't want to even play for ES until last month, I find it all kind of silly.

Who knew there was such a thing.

Here it is:

http://www.elgrafico.com/index.php?dest=true&art=23133

Apparently Alvarez began the process to obtain his ES passport on January 16th -- not even two full months ago.

Check out the article that I translated a few days ago for this thread.

They're basing their entire appeal on the wording in the FIFA letter they received:

In a letter that was sent to FESFUT and Alvarez, the FIFA commission on player statutes says that because Arthur participated "with the U.S. team in games of an official competition, more specifically in qualifiers for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, it appears that he is not in a position to be eligible to represent El Salvador, as set out in article 15, paragraph 2 of Regulation of Application of the FIFA Statutes."

However, this notification is, according to FIFA, for informative purposes and "without affecting any decision that could be taken in this case or a similar one at a later stage," for which Alvarez said he is willing to make a new appeal to be able to play for El Salvador.

[...]

"It strikes me that now FIFA says that the letter is for informative purposes. I don’t understand why they leave the possibility open and do not tell us at once in legal terms whether Arturo can play for El Salvador or not," Calvo reproached.

It seems to me that FIFA is basically saying this to the Salvadoran Soccer Federation: "Although the case hasn't gone through an actual judiciary process, the rules are clear, so it's better not to waste your time."

While I agree this is moot (not trying to be controntational)

Getting passport =/= Citizenship (But i do not know specific El Salvador rules)

For a person born in America(or anywhere) to Irish parents you are an Irish citizen at birth. It doesnt matter that you don't get your passport until you are a teenager. The passport is just a formality.

Honestly - who do you think spends more time on the internet, dicking off and researching inane bullshit about soccer - your typical 15 poster a day Bigsoccer member or a 1)a professional soccer player and 2)a sports agent.

Alvarez knows the rules now. So does his agent. That they knew the rules back when he first played is another story entirely. Personally I think he, like many posters here, so vastly overrated his own talent that the idea he would have fail to make an impact on the US national team never entered his mind.

I wonder what FIFA has to say about that................

You undoubtedly need to go to Ireland and fill out a bunch of forms to become an "official" tax-paying, voting, draft-eligible, passport carrying Irish citizen. And you gotta probably take some sort of "oath" like we do in the US. Am I right? I know exactly what you're saying regarding eligibility for citizenship. The same is true for people born in the US with Mexican parents (Edgar Castillo or Jesus Padilla for instance). They are eligible for Mexican citizenship even if they never set foot in the country.

Anyway, the whole thing is silly. He's not eligible for El Salvador. And hasn't been for two years now.