Fabian Johnson, a 1987 born in Munich, is the son of an American father and a German mother. His father is a basketball player. The former TSV Munich player, a defender, is also part of the German U-18 setup. Here's him in a team photo, middle row, fifth from the right: http://www.jungloewen.de/aj-frame.htm There is a better picture of him here: http://www.dfb.de/dfb-team/jugend/u18/maenner/team/e_johnson.html Along with Jeff Hughes (see elsewhere on the forum for a post on him) there are now two Yanks at 1860 and, according to the team, no others lurking about.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich but he's german, why post this guy on the yanks abroad thread. How about someone born and somwhat raised here. that to me is a yank abroad. just my 2 cents. thanks anyway for the post.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich The simple fact is that the law, as currently stands, doesn't let me decide who is and isn't an American. Fabian, as the son of an American, is an American. I suggest you take the matter up with Fabian's father or the USCIS. That's a smart-ass answer, I know... The bottom line is that I don't make any distinctions for these purposes. You are free to interpret the information as you see fit.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich By your definition then Freddy Adu will never be a Yank Abroad. If the law says they're American, thats good enough for me.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich Assuming he was born abroad, this is not true. He can become a citizen but must apply in less than a year. http://travel.state.gov/family/childcit.html
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich Freddy has lived in the U.S. for 7 years. What about Fabian? If the answer is, he hasn't lived here, I don't want him on the U.S. National team. I'm sure he's a great guy and all, but he's a German. Nothing personal. I don't think a kid born and raised in the U.S. of German-American parentage belongs on the German team, either. If he can't make the U.S. squad, he shouldn't consider the German team as his back-up alternative.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich At the end of day, its not going matter what any of us want. I wouldn't worry about it to much, most teams in the world has players now that have some 'derivitive' background, including the big guys. US is not the only one... Of course, Brazil doesn't (and doesn't need to!) as far as I know....
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich Thanks for this. I can't say whether Fabian has already done this -- I just have no idea. Also, does this apply to children born overseas to American parents BEFORE the act took effect? Were they previously granted citizenship as a matter of course? At any rate, I still maintain that "Yanks Abroad" is not "USMNT Abroad." I've always asterisked players who have played for other nations -- or, at least, I've tried to remember to do so. (Maybe I should go back and do that again to be sure.) People are certainly entitled to their opinions about who should and shouldn't play for the USMNT. I just don't happen to care what they are.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich HEY Guys, we haven't even seen this kid play, and if he was born and living in germany, well let him be german and not American. Just cause they play for another country in Europe doesn't meen their good!!!(Conor Casey) The US is developing good young players so let's keep US born people please!!!!
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich Quentin Westberg would also disagree with you. Born in France, never lived in the U.S. but has an American father. Currently number one keeper for the US U-20s and reserve team captain at his French club Troyes. "I've always wanted to play for the United States and I'm [expletive] proud as hell to put on the U.S. jersey. I love the country and my roots are there." Link
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich This and the other posts objecting to this thread are just too stupid. He has an American father and was born and grew up in Europe and he's playing in Europe (ala earnie stewart and Thomas Dooley). That arguably makes him a YA. Frankly, why don't we thank Dave for bringing some of the more obscure YAs to our attention. If you're not interested, skip it. Whether or not we've seen him play, as this poster points out, is wholly irrelevant to Dave pointing out that he exists.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich His definition was "How about someone born and somwhat raised here. that to me is a yank abroad." - by those standards Freddy would never be a Yank Abroad to him. If I were Fabian, I'd likely consider myself German. If I was Guisseppe Rossi I'd consider myself American and not Italian. If I was Freddy Adu, I'd probably consider myself American. However, if anyone can be classified American - then I think he qualifies.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich Zak Whitbread's career with the US just went down the tubes, according to some of your rulings along with Westberg's. Look, I see the point about only wanting to follow Yanks who were either born and/or raised here or who play for the US. But, it's a big world out there and I see this as kind of like DirecTV. I for one, like knowing who is out there and who is eligible to play for the US and is playing abroad, even if they don't do so or never will. Personally, I like knowing how Paolo Rossi is doing. I think there is something that we, as a soccer nation, can learn and benefit from in knowing that there are players out there who COULD play or could HAVE played for the US, but don't or didn't or haven't. It could mean that all we've learned is that we've grown as a soccer nation and aren't desparate for the likes of these new-era Thomas Dooleys. But IMO, that is important as it reminds us of our past and how far we've come. It could mean that we could do a better job of indentifying players to play for us and convincing them to play for the US instead of another country. It could mean that if we're desparate for a right mid we could still find one in Germany is say Leverkusen's Jemaine Jones, who has played for Germany's youth nats but could still play for our senior team under the new FIFA rules. But, that's just me (I'm an aggressive gambler). I think it's interesting so I read about it and follow these "quasi-Yanks." I'm glad Dave and others post these updates and little nuggets and hope they continue to do so. I respect and understand where others are coming from on this and my point is if you don't want to consider them a Yank, don't read about them. That's where the DirecTV reference comes in. My wife doesn't know the beauty of channel 613 but then again, I'm not making her watch it, either, just like she's not making me watch HGTV and the Travel Channel and all the shows about fixing your neigbors house for 10 dollars and eating in Montery on 2.95 a day and whatever. If you don't want to read about these guys, don't do it, just don't keep those of us from wanting to know about it from doing so.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich No. I have an opinion, but I draw the line at telling people how to lead their lives. Go ahead, if the U.S. coaching staff wants him, good luck to the young man.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich Earnie lived his first 9 years in the U.S., right? Like Freddy in reverse. I was born & raised in Seattle, my first 10 years. I consider myself a Seattleite, of sorts. My dad was born in Seattle a year after his Iowa-born parents moved Northwest. He did not consider himself to be an Iowan. That would be the difference.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich The legality of his citizenship aside, I assume he is eligible to play for the US on his ancestral lineage alone, according to FIFA. Am I not correct on this?
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich I want to read about this guy. Just because I don't think he's sufficiently American to play for a U.S. team doesn't mean that I don't want to read about him. Or that I don't wish him well.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich Sandon. You, of all ppl, shouldn't require a "sarcasm warning". My comment was tongue-in-cheek smartass as to say that JohnR and that aaron guy's comments were out of line IMO.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich "sufficiently American" ?? wow. an people wonder why I have 150+ posters on my ignore list
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich As are everybody's views about every subject on bigsoccer.com. Better shut the place down.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich Well I'm going to disagree with you here... I don't want Paolo Rossi ever playing for the USA National team. Sure he played well in World Cup 1982 for Italy, but I don't like that he was banned for 2 years in that bribery scandal. Now Guiseppe Rossi... I'm willing to give him a chance if he decides he wants to play for the USA.
Re: Fabian Johnson: '87 @ 1860 Munich I agree with you. I was just stating my opinion and that's all. I guess from my point of view, just because a kid has an american grandpa or whatever and has never really lived in the US or maybe for just a year of his life, probably doesn't speak english and doesn't know much about the US is not to me, a Yank Abroad! Although you're absolutely correct in that I don't need to read nor respond to the threads but I do anyway because that's what there here for. If Adu ended up in Germany next year and stayed there for a few years I would probably consider him a African Yank abroad!