The only way to represent Guam is to be a US citizen since that is the only national citizenship they have. The players must also have a connection to Guam under FIFA rules -- born there, parents/grandparents born there or lived on Guam continuously for at least two years. When Guam competes, they fly their own flag and have their own hymn.
okay I was wondering about that because when Guam played Iran in the WC last year, people were making a big deal about the Star Spangled Banner playing in Tehran, but I guess they have their own anthem then.
A bit on Justin Meram and the Iraqi national team: http://www.espnfc.us/club/columbus-...sc-despite-pain-of-not-answering-iraq-call-up "I feel the weight of millions of Iraqis, wanting for me to play," he said. "That's tough, and I love my country and love how much the fans support me wherever I go, whether I'm playing in MLS -- Iraqis come out to every [MLS] stadium basically with flags and are cheering -- or if I'm in Iran or Saudi Arabia, wherever it may be. But I don't have any regrets because this was a decision I thought long and hard about, and I had to make ultimately the decision that was best for myself and my family. I had no regrets on my decision, and it isn't a permanent thing. We'll see in the near future how it all unfolds."
Jesse Gonzalez for Mexico's Gold Cup squad?: Mexico suddenly has a lack of up-and-coming GKs. Would you call Gonzalez up for the Gold Cup? https://t.co/QPSFeVS3qF— Eric Gomez (@EricGomez86) April 17, 2017
Jesse Gonzalez still leaning Mexico: http://sbisoccer.com/2017/04/still-...sse-gonzalez-feels-more-mexican-than-american Speaking to AS, Gonzalez said he views himself as Mexican and hopes to someday represent El Tri on the senior level. Gonzalez was born in North Carolina and raised in Texas but has played for Mexico as a youth international. “I feel more Mexican [than American]. My whole family is Mexican and I am proud to be Mexican,” he told AS. “Of course I would play with the Mexican team and hopefully I get the chance.”
Isaac Brizuela is rumored to be on Mexico's Gold Cup squad: http://www.marca.com/claro-mx/futbol/seleccion-mx/2017/05/12/5915191de5fdead33e8b45ab.html
Darren Randolph called up for Ireland: 📣 @FAIreland manager Martin O'Neill announces a 37-man squad for the June fixtures!▶️ https://t.co/hxD3zvSwr8 #COYBIG🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/dcljL1iMr6— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) May 15, 2017
Gerson Mayen starts for El Salvador against Honduras tonight in RFK: ¡Así enfrentamos a @FenafuthOrg ! 🇸🇻🆚🇭🇳-Villalobos-Tamacas-Mancía-Domínguez-Barahona-García-Mayén-Cerén-Renderos-Pineda-Zelaya— La Selecta (@LaSelecta_SLV) May 27, 2017
Bjorn Johnsen called up for Norway: Just got the call up for Norway. Life long dream of playing for 🇳🇴! Thanks to all that had helped me along the way.— Bjørn Maars Johnsen (@BjornMaars) May 30, 2017
Kei Kamara called up for Sierra Leone: Kamara, 32, is set to join Sierra Leone ahead of the Leone Stars' June 8th clash with Kenya in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Kamara most recently appeared with Sierra Leone on Sept. 3, 2016 and scored the team’s lone goal in its 1-1 draw in an Africa Cup of National Qualifier with Côte d’Ivoire. Kamara has collected 25 career caps and has scored five goals with the Leone Stars. https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/post/2017/05/30/three-revolution-players-called-international-duty
Will Johnson and Tesho Akindele called up for Canada friendly: https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017...referral&utm_content=News&utm_campaign=Unpaid
Not sure why, but a bunch of "Jesse Gonzalez is committed to Mexico" stories are popping up: http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-...epresent-mexico-rather-than-the-united-states https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...lez-fc-dallas-united-states-mexico/102354798/
Darren Randolph starts in goal against Mexico in New Jersey: XI @MovistarMX de @FAIreland: Randolph, Christie, Keogh, Duffy, Egan, Horgan, Hourihane, O'Dowa, McClean, McGoldrick y Murphy.— Selección Nacional (@miseleccionmx) June 2, 2017
It looks like USA Today just decided to do a feature on Jesse (it's a nice story) and the wires/ESPN picked it up, perhaps mistakenly thinking there was news there. I suppose one might choose to read deeply into the tea leaves of his father's statement to the effect that he might at least answer the phone if Arena called, if one were so inclined.
In a 3-1 loss: The @ThreeIreland Man of the Match is Darren Randolph. #COYBIG pic.twitter.com/qtdbq9hiED— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) June 2, 2017
The Philippine Men’s National Team is set to play Tajikistan in the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 Qualifiers scheduled on 13 June 2017 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The following 23 players are called up for the match against Tajikistan led by head coach Thomas Dooley: Amani AGUINALDO (Global Cebu) Fitch Johnson Daviz ARBOLEDA (Stallion Laguna) Misagh BAHADORAN (Global Cebu) Jeffrey CHRISTIAENS (Ceres Negros) Kenshiro Michael DANIELS (Kaya FC-Makati) Dominic Liam DEL ROSARIO (Ilocos United) Patrick Phillip DEYTO (Global Cebu) Kevin INGRESO (Ceres Negros) Hikaru MINEGISHI (Global Cebu) Jim Junior MUNOZ (Ceres Negros) Nicholas O’DONNELL (Global Cebu) Manuel OTT (Ceres Negros) Iain RAMSAY (Ceres Negros) Camelo TACUSALME (JPV Marikina) Antonio Miguel UGARTE (Kaya FC-Makati) Dennis VILLANUEVA (Global Cebu) Nathanael Ace VILLANUEVA (Meralco Manila) Luke WOODLAND (Ceres Negros) James Joseph YOUNGHUSBAND (Meralco Manila) Philip James YOUNGHUSBAND (Meralco Manila) Mike Rigoberto OTT (Angthong United) Javier PATIÑO (Henan Jianye) Daisuke SATO (Iasi) The same players will also feature in the international friendly match against China PR on 7 June 2017 at the Guangzhou Tianhe Sports Centre Stadium in Guangzhou, China.
Well, it looks like Arena called... #USMNT preliminary Gold Cup roster: Goalkeepers and defenders. pic.twitter.com/wnqgAnHFDd— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 4, 2017 And, contrary to what Stuart Holden said, he wouldn't need to play in the Gold Cup to be cap-tied. He would have to file a one-time switch to play for the USA and that would tie him to the US forever.
I guess those "committed to Mexico" stories were floated in order to try to pressure the US to call him up?
The funky thing about a one-time switch is that you have to get information on your playing career from the losing fed before you can file it with FIFA. With such a short window to the Gold Cup, it's a risk to wait until that preliminary roster is in before asking for that (foot dragging can be quite popular). You wonder if that was the first FMF learned about his likely departure.
GK Jesse Gonzalez would need to petition FIFA for switch, which would tie him to #USMNT, regardless of whether he played at Gold Cup.— Paul Kennedy (@pkedit) June 4, 2017 I wonder if this has been filed already, or at least been started.
Kyle Bonn says the Jesse Gonzalez struggle isn't over yet... http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2017/06/04/mexico-us-fight-for-jesse-gonzalezs-committment/ You would have thought allowing his name to be put on the 40 man roster would be an act of bridge burning. I guess we'll have to see. The one-time switch is the key.
Does he have to play in the Gold Cup for the one time switch to take effect or just make the roster? I'm assuming the latter.
Bonn seems to think there's no chance that Mexico will name Jesse to their Gold Cup roster: "Should [the US] call Gonzalez up for the Gold Cup [final roster], he's theirs." I'm not entirely sure Mexico won't call him up. I'd agree it's unlikely, though -- they have a bevy of veteran Liga MX keepers who (for better or for worse) they prefer at this point, and in case they do pick a younger keeper, it could be Lajud of Tijuana, who was favored over Gonzalez for their most recent U23s. One interesting scenario that could play out is if the US names him to the final GC roster, he accepts, and Mexico doesn't name him to their provisional or final GC roster...but intentionally drags their feet on providing info for the one-time switch.