News: Age limit on players switching nations is removed

Discussion in 'FIFA and Tournaments' started by EstebanLugo, Jun 4, 2009.

  1. vancity eagle

    vancity eagle Member+

    Apr 6, 2006
    good, this will only make things more interesting.
     
  2. lpporto

    lpporto Member

    Mar 25, 2006
    Rio de Janeiro
    Club:
    Vasco da Gama Rio Janeiro
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    I don't like it at all. To me, FIFA should make thinks more difficult to those players. For example: Rafael, the brazilian right-defender who plays for Manchester United have a Portuguese Passport. He has never been to Portugal but Queiroz, former United assistent coach has already invited him to joing Portugal Squad. This is ridiculous.

    To me, a player should be allowed to play for other countries only in a very few situations like:

    1 - At least one of his parents was born in that country.
    2 - He moved there when he was younger than 16.
    3 - Is living in the country for at least 10 years
     
  3. vancity eagle

    vancity eagle Member+

    Apr 6, 2006
    your beef has nothing to do with this new rule. Perhaps you should be asking why he has a Portugese passport.
     
  4. lpporto

    lpporto Member

    Mar 25, 2006
    Rio de Janeiro
    Club:
    Vasco da Gama Rio Janeiro
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Of course it does.

    I think the rules are making easier for players to play in diferent countries. That was only one example. There is no reason why should Amauri play for Italy, Deco and Pepe for Portugal, Marcos Senna for Spain, Eduardo Silva for Croatia, Roger Guerreiro for Poland and so many others. They were born and raised in Brazil. They lived abroad for a couple years and the national team are trying to make a big lobby so they get a native passport.

    When ask about the Italian Athem's lyrics Camoranesi once said: "I don't even know my country athem's lyrics, why should I know tha italian athem?". For those who don't know, he was born in Argentina.

    Otherwise, in the end it will be just like a club competition. Whoever has more money hire a player from another country.
     
  5. vancity eagle

    vancity eagle Member+

    Apr 6, 2006
    your missing the point , this new rule enables those who have a connection to another country to be able to play for them after 21 even though they played for another countries youth team. I have no problem with that.
    YOUr beef is with players who have no connection to a country becomming naturalized,(ie Senna, Eduardo, Roger Guerriro) and I have a beef with that as well. It is not good enough IMO for someone to play for a national team just because they play in that teams league.
    This new rule has nothing to do with your beef, it deals with giving the options for players with direct links to a country to play for them after playing for a different youth team. (ie players like Nasri who is of Algerian decent would be able to play for Algeria had he not been capped by France at senior level) This is totally different than Senna playing for Spain despite having nothing to do with Spain.
    If left to me you would only be able to play for a country if you were born there, parents were from there, or were a citizen before playing soccer professionally. I don't want to see a Brazilian on every team in the world, I think it is absolutely ridiculous, and countries like Germany and Spain as strong as they are should be ashamed of themselves.
     
  6. almango

    almango Member+

    Sydney FC
    Australia
    Nov 29, 2004
    Bulli, Australia
    Club:
    Sydney FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    I think something that some posters forget is that for someone who has played at a junior level for their country they can only switch if they were also eligible to play for the country they switch to at the time they played. For example, a player who represented Nigeria at Under 17 level in official competition cannot move to Australia, become an Australian citizen and then play for Australia unless he was eligible for Australian citizenship when he first played for Australia. Its only players with links to both countries that can switch.
     
  7. lpporto

    lpporto Member

    Mar 25, 2006
    Rio de Janeiro
    Club:
    Vasco da Gama Rio Janeiro
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Well, you are being more specific than me but that's it. The rule about the age is not my biggest concern, but decisions like this show that FIFA is moving foward to give players more beneficts to play for other countrys, having any relanshionship with it or not.
    This age rule itself is not even that important. I agreed that any player who is somehow directly related with another country could play on their national team no matter what age he decides that. It's the general direction which FIFA is moving that concerns me most
     
  8. almango

    almango Member+

    Sydney FC
    Australia
    Nov 29, 2004
    Bulli, Australia
    Club:
    Sydney FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    A lot depends on the circumstances of the country. There was a time when Australia fielded many naturalised players, but at the time Australia had a very large migration programme and there were many migrants moving to Australia for reasons other than football. Some turned out to be good enough to play for Australia, but then they weren't naturalised just to play football and they all built new lives in Australia after their football career finished. People like this are a different case than those who become naturalised through the barest qualifications, then play international football straight away and then leave the new country as soon as they get a better offer never to return, but sometimes its hard to tell the difference between the two until after they get dropped from their new countries team.
     
  9. BarryfromEastenders

    Staff Member

    Jul 6, 2008
    This rule will harm teams that try to bring players through their youth teams to benefit their senior team.
    So it's all to the help of countries that actually do nothing for these players.

    I don't have a problem with players changing nationality but if these players really wanted to play for other nations then they have enough time to declare before they are 21 anyway.
     
  10. CACuzcatlan

    CACuzcatlan Member

    Jun 11, 2007
    San Francisco, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    List of players that may now switch their NT

    With the new ruling removing the age limit on selecting a national team, who are some of the players that are eligible (and likely) to change their NT.

    1. Arturo Alvarez - He wanted to play for El Salvador, but FIFA said it was too late. Now he is eligible to play for them and I think he will.
     
  11. AllWhitebeliever

    AllWhitebeliever Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jun 4, 2006
    On the injury table
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    New Zealand
    There are two FIFA rules that will prevent abuse of this system.

    1.) A player has to play in that country for 5 years and also be naturalised before he can be selected and represent that country.
    ----->5 years is a decent length of time because they miss one World Cup and it is a long time for a professional soccer players careerwise.

    2.) Once a player has represent a country's national senior team, he can no longer represent another country's national senior team.
    ----->* I however I would like an exceptions for those who are a politically cannot go back to their original country for obvious personal endangerment. There should be some amendment to that policy.

    The advantage would go to the weaker countries and would lift the international quality across the board. I can think of a few players who should be given a chance to represent their country because they are good enough for that country and have come into form and in selectors eyes.

    If they were ex-youth internationals and were not in form to be consider during the one years window in 2001 but now find themselves as serious contenders, then this removal of the age limit is great and stimulates competition for places.

    Lots of ex-youth internationals took their chances to represent a country's youth team because of the superior youth programme compare to the other country and opportunities to achieve higher level of competition by exposure at young age. Why punish them?

    But if they are not as good for the full senior national team of that country, then if they are good enough for another country by naturised right or birthright or whatever, then why shouldn't that country have their best players available? Internationals games should have the country's best players playing.

    Personally I like to see the CAF teams to benefit this from this, in time for the next World Cup and do some serious damage for once.
     
  12. glennaldo_sf

    glennaldo_sf Member+

    Houston Dynamo, Penang FC, Al Duhail
    United States
    Nov 25, 2004
    Doha, Qatar
    Club:
    FL Fart Vang Hedmark
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Qatar is going to have a field day!
     
  13. glennaldo_sf

    glennaldo_sf Member+

    Houston Dynamo, Penang FC, Al Duhail
    United States
    Nov 25, 2004
    Doha, Qatar
    Club:
    FL Fart Vang Hedmark
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    eh, no.... that's me in the Busan Aquarium, S.Korea.

    .... although I do like the way that guy thinks....

    :D
     
  14. Lusankya

    Lusankya Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 14, 2007
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    I don't get it, why Germany is mentioned here as bad example. Are you still angry because of Sean Dundee (who never played for the NT) or Paolo Rink (I thought his Grandgrandfather was German)? :eek:
     
  15. lpporto

    lpporto Member

    Mar 25, 2006
    Rio de Janeiro
    Club:
    Vasco da Gama Rio Janeiro
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Germany has e very restrict policies about giving the german passport away. Podolski, Klose, Kuranyi are all sons of germans and lived there for most of his life. When it comes to Paulo Rink i think he is Brazilian. A grandgrandfather is too far away for him to play on the NT.

    Portugal in other hand in the opposite. I have seen people who are considered Portuguese because one of their grandgrandgrandgrandfather was. People who has never been in Portugal, might not even know what color is the Portuguese Flag and yet have a portuguese passport.
     
  16. AllWhitebeliever

    AllWhitebeliever Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jun 4, 2006
    On the injury table
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    New Zealand
    Re: List of players that may now switch their NT

    If they have already played for a NT they still can't change to another. Includes being in the Olympic teams apparently. That rule has not changed and is unlikely expect maybe they have political asylum clause later on for exceptional circumstances.

    This age limit rule is for the former youth internationals.
     
  17. CACuzcatlan

    CACuzcatlan Member

    Jun 11, 2007
    San Francisco, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: List of players that may now switch their NT

    I should have said switched affiliations. I guess the Olympics count because they are an actual competition and not friendlies?

    In case you haven't heard, there is one more to add to the list.

    Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones has informed the German Football Association that he will play for the United States. Jones has played at youth levels for Germany and in friendlies, but not in any competitive matches, so he is eligible to play for the US.
     
  18. zasal911

    zasal911 Member

    Sep 1, 2000
    Re: List of players that may now switch their NT

    does this mean Canada still has a shot at Jonathan de Guzman??
     
  19. AllWhitebeliever

    AllWhitebeliever Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jun 4, 2006
    On the injury table
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    New Zealand
    Re: List of players that may now switch their NT

    Not likely until there is some clarity about the Olympic status. i understand that if you played for the Olympic team then that is your country that you can only play for. But having it at U21 with no over 21s technically opens it all up. But nothing has been said about that though.

    There no chance after Jonathan de Guzman had played for the Hollands olympic team. If he had not been on the field, then he may have a case to change to Canada.
     
  20. HSEUPASSION

    HSEUPASSION New Member

    Apr 16, 2005
    Duck, NC
    Re: List of players that may now switch their NT

    The Olympics don't count, as such, Holden could still play for Scotland. If Jonathan de Guzman never played for Holland in a World Cup, World Cup Qualifier, European Championship, or the Confederations Cup, he can play for Canada.
     
  21. sinner78

    sinner78 BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 7, 2001
    Re: List of players that may now switch their NT

    Another stupid ruling.
    Cricket has turned into a farce with players constantly shifting between teams.
    The only teams who will like this rule are teams like scotland and ireland who will pick anyone who are remotely connected to them via ancient ancestry.
     
  22. scmcbride21

    scmcbride21 New Member

    May 9, 2006
    United States
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: List of players that may now switch their NT

    I would just like to add continental qualifiers count as well.
     
  23. EstebanLugo

    EstebanLugo Member

    Mar 18, 2007
    N of your DB
    Club:
    Millonarios Bogota
    Nat'l Team:
    Colombia
    I say we keep tabs on the switches made because of this rule to see if it's really the earth-shaking many are making it seem to be.

    The list has started today with one confirmed switch:

    Jermaine Jones (Germany ----> USA)

    Whoever knows please put other potential switches.
     
  24. AllWhitebeliever

    AllWhitebeliever Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jun 4, 2006
    On the injury table
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    New Zealand
    Re: List of players that may now switch their NT

    Bugger I have to dig up the old regulations and compare them to the recent ones, just to be sure.

    OK, I have been through the process before years ago but I'm showing my age here.

    Any "A" international matches that Jonathan de Guzman has represented for Holland means that he cannot play for Canada. This includes any friendlies arranged in accordance with FIFA and the two representive associations. An "A" international match is one which both associations puts out their first representative team and is included for rating points for the FIFA ranking system as well as following FIFA requirements for the match set up and fee payment. This includes any friendlies of "A" status.

    Now here's the tricky part. In practice, some olympic teams play "A" internationals friendlies because they request for the "A" international status even though they are a youth international team (U23). Simply because they cannot afford to have a senior mens team at this is their most senior international team. But in order to have "A"status international, the other association has to agree with the "A" status along with FIFA. Sadly, this has caught out certain former youth internationals who may want to switch but can't because their pre-Olympic friendly game against lowly Olympic team was classified as "A" international.

    Sorry, but I was going by memory from my part of the world and the old regulation which since clear up in the recent regulation. Olympic matches was classified as an "A" international match in years gone by.

    It is unlikely that Jonathan de Guzman has that problem being in Europe as most teams there does not have that financial burden and restriction.

    But you never know, depends on FIFA match records. If it is down as an "A" international, he cannot switch.
     

Share This Page