The World Cup Graveyard is full of teams that didn't know when it was time to turn to younger players. You may be right. He may have one more cycle left in him, but the World Cup can be incredibly unforgiving if you are wrong and nobody can predict what his endurance, durability, quickness, etc., will be in three years. Most people like the Honduran team because of how they play and their fans and I count myself amongst those who hope they do well. I just see CONCACAF as a more treacherous environment than you do. It may be because you know something about Honduran soccer that I am not aware of. All I know is that there are plenty of teams that are gunning to knock down who ever is percieved to be at the top, and it is no picnic going to play those teams in their own countries - particularly Costa Rica, but countries like Guatemala or even El Salvador can catch you if you are not extraordinarily careful. Heck even Trinidad and Tobego or Jamaica have, on a bumpy field, pulled off some surprise results. Honduras is good. I just don't see any country's qualification (even the United States and Mexico) as automatic as you see it. Regardless, congratulations on getting Andy. He is in the right place for him.
Dude, I remember visiting the Honduras forum and YOUR FANS specifically were the one complaining about players needing to step up because of your lack of attacking options.
When did it become official that he is dropping the idea of playing for the USMNT? i don't see any links about it.
I disagree. As you mentioned, Alvarez is fast, but he is also considered to be weak technically in Italy. The US does not play with a traditional right winger, so who exactly would he start over? Dempsey or Holden? Maybe Chandler? I would take any of those guys over Alvarez in a second and again Nunes is just no where near good enough to play for the US.
There has still been nothing formal from Andy saying he's going to play for Honduras. However, last week, some of the more respected American soccer journalists reported that he's very close to making a decision and implied or came out and directly and said he's choosing Honduras. So that's what folks here are reacting to.
No we were complaining about the fact that a forward chooses not to step, we have attackers.. they just need to actually step up, kinda like Costly did before he got injured. We've been complaining if anything about needing a midfielder who can move the ball around. We only have uni-minded mids.. which is to either to attack or defend, and thank god to Amado Guevara he was able to link both, but since he's gone we don't have someone who can do that.
Has anyone read this yet??? Story on Najars journey here, stories from how he grew up, Tragedies, how there was suspicion of guys wanting to kidnap his brother, and how it led to them getting him out of there and transported to his family here!!! Read this, this is probably one of the best written articles like the Dempsey one on where he came from...... just really good! Worth the time. Who ever andy chooses.... god bless him! http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/sports/18735.html
http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_...o-discuss-national-team-decision-tuesday.html Looks like it becomes official tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 pm.
I just can't possibly imagine that he would come out and announce he's playing for the US. IT just wouldn't make sense. "I'd like to announce I will be waiting for the next four years to possibly play for the US team, and if not, well I can always go back to Honduras." So I'd put it at 99 to 1 that he picks Honduras.
yeah, sadly I feel the same way but then again...maybe he is going to announce that he got his citizenship, he has been in this country for 10 years or so, I wonder why he waiting so long, maybe he wasn't legal for much of that time.
I think Gyau is faster, maybe craftier. Najar is already battle tested in th MLS, so I would say stronger.
Does anyone else get the feeling that Honduras is his second choice and he's only choosing Honduras because the wait for US citizenship is so long and thus he's settling for Los Catrachos? And how do the Hondurans feel about being his second choice?
Have you seen Gyau? There is no way in hell that Andy is stronger than Gyau, and I LOVE Andy. Gyau is built like a tank. With that being said, going to Honduras is the right move for Andy, and I've been saying that openly since this whole debate began raging last year. Good for him, good for Honduras, and I'll continue to root for Honduras as a neutral.
I don't think there is enough to really know what is going on inside his head. We can all guess but at this point its just speculation and is probably colored by what we want to think he is thinking.
Just to make sure my post doesnt get lost on the last page. You guys have got to read this article on najar, his past, how he got here, and things that are revealed that make this an excellent read!
I wonder.. isntead of hats, there will be jerseys.. one for USA and one for Honduras.. kinda like National Signing Day telecasts... "And I Choose to play ball for the rest of my life with..."wears USA jersey", "proceeds to take off jersey with Honduran jersey under" "Honduras!" Like to see someone top the Isiah Crowell bulldog thing tho
Yea basically. Same thing came out though here but just not in english. Same story but in spanish which many of us translated for the non spanish speakers. First time I heard about the story how they got a private protection firm (DC United did) to protect his brother from kidnappers! Until he could I am assuming get some form of emergency visa to get him to the US?
I just had never seen it put in print and blatantly acknowledged that he was smuggled into the country. I'm kind of surprised that this hasn't generated some outrage from some angry anti immigrant groups. Maybe sometimes soccer being on the fifth page of the sports section is a good thing.