View Full Version : Ugo Ihemelu: Playing for Canada?
Clint Eastwood
11 Jun 2008, 01:09 PM
http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=3209
Canadian coach Dale Mitchell is expected to announce his 18-player roster for the two-match series against Saint Vincent & the Grenadines on Wednesday 11 June. Mitchell has invited 20 players for this mini camp, most of whom participated in the two recent friendly matches against Brazil (31 May) and Panama (4 June). Defender Ugo Ihemelu of the Colorado Rapids is the lone new player in camp.
Ihemelu got his first "cap" for the United States on January 29, 2006, against Norway. However that was a "B" international.
Anybody care?
I don't.
cleansheetbsc
11 Jun 2008, 01:16 PM
NOOOOOOOOO! Not Ihemelu. I'm the first on this thread to say Bob Bradley is an idiot. Fire Bob Bradley now!!!!
mike4066
11 Jun 2008, 01:20 PM
How is he even eligible for a Canadian passport?
Also isn't he too old to even switch, no matter a "B" friendly or not?
Clint Eastwood
11 Jun 2008, 01:30 PM
How is he even eligible for a Canadian passport?
Also isn't he too old to even switch, no matter a "B" friendly or not?
I believe he was never capped on the youth level, and that US "cap" essentially never happened. A "B" friendly is the same in the eyes of FIFA as a couple of guys playing in the park. It has no meaning.
He's eligible for a Canadian passport, but don't remember how.
He was born in Nigeria, so I don't know what the story is.
Anyway, he would probably (who knows) be nothing more than a bit player in the US program.
mbar
11 Jun 2008, 01:30 PM
There was a time (4 years ago) I thought he had an outside chance of being a USMNT player. Then I watched him play more.
Scorpion26
11 Jun 2008, 01:47 PM
Well that is good for him then he will get a chance to play international games. Canada is starting to improve also and I am hoping they make it to the WC2010.
Allez Les Rouge ~ Canada Je t'aime:D
USvsIRELAND
11 Jun 2008, 02:11 PM
Good for him!
Hopefully he will strengthen Canada.
Clint Eastwood
11 Jun 2008, 02:28 PM
Good for him!
Hopefully he will strengthen Canada.
But not toooooooooo much.
It's weird. You can really see a difference in the way people reacted to Rossi playing for Italy versus Ugo for Canada.
Rossi never played for us on any level. Ugo actually played for the US (in a way), and is now switching sides. You'd think people would be upset about this, but nobody really cares.
The level of talent the two players possess has a lot to do with it I guess. But people were telling Rossi to go die in a fire (that traitorous bastard, and etc.).
russ
11 Jun 2008, 02:42 PM
But not toooooooooo much.
It's weird. You can really see a difference in the way people reacted to Rossi playing for Italy versus Ugo for Canada.
Rossi never played for us on any level. Ugo actually played for the US (in a way), and is now switching sides. You'd think people would be upset about this, but nobody really cares.
The level of talent the two players possess has a lot to do with it I guess. But people were telling Rossi to go die in a fire (that traitorous bastard, and etc.).
They didn't have their own army of apologists saying that OF COURSE Rossi would prefer Italy over a useless soccer country like the US,and that he wasn't really a product of US soccer anyway.
That pissed me off way more than Rossi's decision.
SUDano
11 Jun 2008, 02:56 PM
But not toooooooooo much.
It's weird. You can really see a difference in the way people reacted to Rossi playing for Italy versus Ugo for Canada.
Rossi never played for us on any level. Ugo actually played for the US (in a way), and is now switching sides. You'd think people would be upset about this, but nobody really cares.
The level of talent the two players possess has a lot to do with it I guess. But people were telling Rossi to go die in a fire (that traitorous bastard, and etc.).
Trying to compare 2 separate seemingly comparable situations with very different specifics isn't really comparable at all. Don't let the details get in the way of an opinion. Rossi was born in the US and lived in the US until his early teens taking advantage of our countries benefits socially and athletically and did in fact play Youth soccer and ODP soccer. And that in our country that is playing for established feeder systems to our national teams. Obviously playing for our U15 team 6 yrs ago really wouldn't have added up to a hill of beans anyways. He is a forward and was a very good player then and has turned into a great player who almost any national team would benefit from including the US which is ranked 21. So it matters. Now contrast that to Ihemelu. A player who to my knowledge never lived in or took advantage of Canadian culture. He was born in the US and has one Full Cap in a 'B' friendly. I do not know if he played for our youth teams. Ihemelu plays Defense and is not of the quality of Rossi. He is playing for a country who in fact has less soccer culture than the U.S. and is ranked 60 in the world. It doesn't have a Big Soccer culture like we have here on this board so the off the cuff internet vitriol won't be there for obvious reasons because it really doesn't matter that much. So that in my mind explains why the difference in responses between the two.
Papin
11 Jun 2008, 03:10 PM
Ugo apparently immigrated from Nigeria to Canada first. He and his family then moved to the States after that.
onefineesq
11 Jun 2008, 03:25 PM
Why would we be mad about a guy who moves on to other options when he sees that he is not wanted? That's not even remotely comparable to the Rossi situation. Should he have sat around on his hands and begged Bradley and the rest of the coaching staff? Good for him. He was not going to get time here, so he did the right thing by chasing his dream where he had a chance.
PhillyQuakesFan
11 Jun 2008, 03:30 PM
Exactly. Rossi was born and raised in the US, Ihemelu wasn't. Also it's pretty clear Ihemelu would've preferred to play for the US if he was good enough (or else wouldn't have accepted the call-up for that "B" friendly).
metroflip73
11 Jun 2008, 03:32 PM
Ugo apparently immigrated from Nigeria to Canada first. He and his family then moved to the States after that.
Oh, so that explains why he is eligible. Makes sense now.
Craig P
11 Jun 2008, 03:35 PM
It's weird. You can really see a difference in the way people reacted to Rossi playing for Italy versus Ugo for Canada.
It has to do with whose choice it is. We would very much prefer that we get first refusal on our "homegrown" players. Ugo appears to be surplus to requirements, so it's not a big deal if he moves on to another country where he has a shot at playing.
I personally am at peace with feeling this way.
mcnaulty21
11 Jun 2008, 03:42 PM
Good luck to him.
Doesn't really affect us though.
superdave
11 Jun 2008, 04:02 PM
The level of talent the two players possess has a lot to do with it I guess.
Ya think? :rolleyes: :eek: :D
Lloyd Heilbrunn
11 Jun 2008, 04:18 PM
Ihemelu got his first "cap" for the United States on January 29, 2006, against Norway. However that was a "B" international.
I thought the US did not play official "B" internationals?? See the LD goal record thing.....
cleansheetbsc
11 Jun 2008, 04:28 PM
Trying to compare 2 separate seemingly comparable situations with very different specifics isn't really comparable at all. Don't let the details get in the way of an opinion.
France just called. They want David Regis back.
Soccerprep
11 Jun 2008, 04:40 PM
all of you call it a "b" friendly, but it was not. all of the goals scored in the game and all of the caps are registered as "A" international games.
http://www.mysoccer.com/ussf6/m0129.php
He has one cap for the US National team, but this is similar to the Chris Armas situation. Same situation if Joe Lapira wanted to play for us. Just because he has played for Ireland does not mean we can not have him back.