Chicago Fire defender and native of Mali Bakary Soumare is enjoying a dream season in just his second year as a pro and his goal is to eventually be on the field for the U.S. national team rather than just in the stands. "Right now I'm a Malian citizen but I'm hoping to get my (U.S.) citizenship," Soumare told SBI last weekend. "As soon as I get my citizenship, if I get called by the U.S., it's a no-brainer. That's the route I'm going. I just have to wait and get my papers done." Soumare, who moved from Mali to Paris, France before settling in New York City, is having an MLS Best XI-caliber season and believes he is a year away from receiving his citizenship. Once he does, the 22-year-old plans on working his way into the U.S. national team mix. -Soccer by Ives This is a great pickup for the USMNT. No one can say he shouldn't immediately become the 3rd option at CB once he's elgible for the natties' pool. We should cap him right away. Who knows? Maybe this will get Subtoic to come back home too.
In other recent news George Bush wins the election!!!! H.W. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=708594&page=9
Not to dis you or anything but theres already a thread on this, that I started two days ago-its under the main usa men page
1) Let him get his citizenship first. 2) I'll say he shouldn't be our #3 choice CB. Less than two seasons of MLS experience is not going to cut it at this point.
Have you ever heard me pining for Subotic? In fact, I've stated that I won't judge him right now (in terms of depth chart, now and 2010) until I see him play.
Anyone would be better than the two cones (GOOCH and BOCA). Those guys are as worthless as a Bradley with a head coaching title. By the way, I sure hope Eddie Johnson finally gets his shot at some minutes for the Nats. gawd.
what about a guy who has one season in the second div. in germany and three games with dortmund, and really doesn't want to play for you.
He did play for under 17s, but he doesn't want for USA, then he shouldn't be 'Yank Abroad', basically, he rejects the USA and just used US for his European comeback.
How can you be cool with Soumare wanting to play for the US, when all you did was spew nonsense about Dos Santos and Nery Castillo, who were actually born in Mexico? You're a hypocrite.
Soumare was raise in the USA, made his career in the USA. He has understanding of American Culture. Nery Castillo, was an accident in mexico, both Uruguayan parents, raise in Uruguay, a product of Danubio youth system ( Uruguay's best player producters ). Nery Castillo is stranger to mexican culture and history. I never said anything of Dos Santos, Dos Santos has mexican accent and mexico has black population. If it sounds and acts mexican = mexican. I personaly have no problem with non-natives playing for their new home nation; if they lived and were raise in that nation. There's a different between immigrant and international player. I did have a problem with Regis playing for the USA. Regis didn't speak english, care less for USA, used the US for to play World Cup, Regis never lived in the US.
Not like it will make a difference in your eyes but Nery Castillo was born in Mexico therefore he is mexican. As to whether or not he feels mexican, well I don't know him personally so I don't know how he feels and anything that is said regarding the matter is mere speculation but he obviously felt some sort of connection to the country of his birth when he turned down Uruguay and Greece to play for Mexico. Regarding Soumare, the kid is pretty good and has the tools to be an asset on the national team so I say good for him and hopefully Bob will keep him in mind.
Actually, he never turned down Uruguay, Carrasco invited Nery to train with under 23s and Nery got piss-off because he felt good enough to play, instead just train with the team. I got no problem with Uruguayans playing other national teams, but to call Nery "mexican"...hahaha Listen to his accent, Nery doesn't eat beans and hot sauce, or say; "pinche guay". One reason why I became pro-USA; it was because of Clavijo and Tab Ramos.
Nery was called up about four years ago for a series of friendlies with Uruguay's senior national team and once I find the links I'm gonna post them here but it's common knowledge by now that he turned down both the Olympic and senior national teams of Uruguay and Greece's senior team. Edit: "The player, born in Mexico and who also carries both (Mexico & Uruguay) passports, had not shown any kind of interest in playing for Uruguay, even though Coach Juan Carrasco had him in mind for these games." Nery Castillo turns down Uruguay Soumare carries a bit of an accent, does that not make him an American? An accent and mannerism don't make you Mexican and if that's how you judge people then you have some serious issues. I love how you twist facts in order to squeeze them into your arguement.
I'm not really going to get involved in what appears to be a scuffle between a Uruguayan American and Mexican American (apologies if I got that wrong), but I will just reiterate what I said in a previous thread. Players like Adu, Mastroeni, and Feilhaber are American regardless of their birthplace, which many Americans tend to view as rather arbitrary in regards to national identity, since the connection it establishes between player and country is based on little more than lines on a map. If Soumare sees himself as an integrated part of our community and identifies most with our culture and values, he has every claim to being considered American that any other player of ours has.
That's exactly my point. Who are we to decide how someone feels towards a country that provided them with an opportunity to be the best they can be? There's no way of measuring how "american" someone is and I bet that alot of immigrants would love to play for the US because by being here, their quality of life has increased and doors have been opened. It's the same in Mexico or Spain or England. Like I said, Soumare can be an asset although the US seems to have enough depth at CB. Can he play LB or RB? How about CM?
I know the kid has Uruguyan and Italian blood. I know he grew up in Uruguay and probably feels really close to that country. But, he was born in Mexico and when it came down it, he chose to play for the country of his birth, in essence, he's the opposite of Giuseppi Rossi. I was born in Mexico to Colombian parents and sometimes when I'm around family, the paisa accent creeps up but that doesn't mean I don't love the country where I was born or respect my heritage. The fact that Holden or Mastroeni or Adu weren't born here and carried accents for the early years of their lives doesn't mean they're not as American as Brad Pitt or Obama. Eating tacos or saying "guey" after every sentence doesn't make you Mexican just like not all Americans eat hot dogs and burgers and are overweight. It's a silly way of measuring national pride. People like Soumare are what make this country great and if he feels American on the inside there's no reason to question him by saying he has an accent or doesn't look the part.