Danny Mwanga

Our current FIFA ranking also helps us get foreigners from low-ranking countries who might have aspirations to play in some of the upper-tier leagues in Europe. Some countries, like England, won't immediately grant a work permit for a foriegn national unless they're a member of a national side ranked in the top 75 in the FIFA rankings. So Mwanga, for instance, will have an easier time getting a WP as member of the USMNT (ranked 18th) than the Congolese Mens team (ranked 124th). A guy like Zakuani, however, would not have to worry about this since he already carries an EU passport. So that's another twist.

Doesn't refugee status usually mean a faster route to citizenship?

I don't know the specifics, but pretty sure Mwanga is in line to gain citizenship next summer.

Looks like it.

Just of curiosity, which sub-Saharan African countries DON'T qualify for refugee status? It seems like there are refugees in every one.

their are about 40 countries in Africa that are considered Sub Saharan, maybe 4-5 "qualify for refugee status"... its a high number, but not every country like you lazily believe

It's not the countries themselves, but the immigrants who can "qualify for refugee status." A refugee can technically still come from any country on Earth if they reasonably believe that they will suffer persecution because of their race, religion, or political opinion by returning to their country. Given what happened to Danny's father it would not be a shock to learn that his family was granted asylum. That would have allowed them to apply for citizenship regardless or their legal residence status. This might not be the case as we know that Danny has a green card.

thats fair, much better than what highburyforever tried to insinuate

If it makes anyone feel better I really like playing with him in FIFA 11. I think I might buy him for my team.

But every country is third world. And that's not my lazy belief. That's fact

No, it's even more lazy

Now you decided to move from insinuating their is conflict all over the region to something not at all related

Just let it go

But third world doesn't automatically equate to refugee status. Or was that even the point you were trying to make?

The term refugee has a very specific definition in international law. Asylum is granted for political reasons, not economic. Economic migrants are not refugees.

I bet you cannot define third world.

Rob U: How much longer do you have to go in the citizenship process?

Danny: Well I think I have to wait until 2012 to be eligible to get my full citizenship.

uh oh!

He'll be 21 by then and he likely would not have made the senior team by then anyway. If his career progresses as it looks like it might, this at least ensures that he'll probably stay in Phili at least until 2012 to ensure that his citizenship goes through before he jumps ship to Europe. Hell even if he decides to go out for the Congo U-21 team to get some international experience that doesn't preclude him from coming back to the US senior team if he wants to.

So why the uh oh?

If he played in an official competition for Congo before getting U.S. citizenship wouldn't that cap tie him? I think there were questions about a similar situation with Bryan Leyva and Mexico a while back.

It would prevent him from playing for the US, yes.

There is a new rule that would allow a player to switch if they haven't played for the senior team. It prevents a player from being cap-tied via youth international competition to a country that no-longer has them in their plans on their senior side. It also precludes friendlies from cap-tying a player.

This is the reason why Jonathan de Guzman is now openly considering declaring for Canada despite having played for Germany's U-21 squad. Jermaine Jones is another one who might be coming back to the USMNT bc of this new rule.

http://www.ussoccerplayers.com/usso...tillo-i-would-play-for-the-united-states.html

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=655353&cc=5901

Yes, but you had to have been eligible for the country you are switching to before you were cap-tied.

And I also believe it was the Dutch U-21 side he played for.

Damn, of course, Mwanga isn't a citizen yet. That's the part of the rule I'd forgotten. This is the part of the rule that's specifically designed to help the smaller, poorer nations that otherwise might lose players playing in wealthier nations with stronger FIFA rankings.

Yeah, I was thinking of Jermaine Jones when I said Germany.

As somebody already mentioned, there's the fact that if he plays for the DRC before he gets US citizenship, then he's cap-tied forever, like Bryan Leyva and Mexico.

Second, this is what I was afraid of. Everybody was all excited when there was a report that Mwanga would get citizenship by May 2011. However, we've seen these cases before and the time it takes to finish the process is ALWAYS underestimated. This delay isn't necessary the last one, either. Let's hope the timeline doesn't get pushed back further, but it certainly could.


Mwanga's chances of being Bakary Soumare 2.0 just increased.

mwanga is agressively pursuing his usa options...

his full intent is to play for the usa, and wants to do so asap..

nowak and club are helping him on this matter....

I hate to be THAT guy, but whats the proof here? Do you know the kid?

Mwanga told fans two days ago that he was split down the middle and wasn't making any decisions until after the season.