I wouldn't be that worried. I am pretty sure the best will pick Germany afterall just like Ozil. Btw Leitner did the same thing in reverse. Didn't he play for the Austrian U17 before opting to play for Germany? I am sure that this kids are being make sure they know what the advantages are for playing for Germany instead of their their parents countries.
I feel kinda sorry for those kids having to make such a decision at such a young age. It cannot be easy. How much can you know at that stage in your career and development about how good you'll become?.
Young Thilo Leugers (who's been at the Twente academy since he was 11) made his debut for Twente proper last night v PSV. He was played out of position (as a left back) but he did quite well.
Toprak has opted to play for Turkey http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/..._Auch-Toprak-zukuenftig-fuer-die-Tuerkei.html
It shouldn't matter about how good they think they will become, they should pick their NT because of how they feel they belong, Either German-Turkish or Turkish-German.
Of course it matters. Would be kinda funny if the Turkish NT one day field a team full of players born and raised in Germany.
Then, if they are good enough, they will play for Germany, if they aren't, they'll play for Turkey... EDIT: By the way...time for a new thread??? Oh look - we can hijack this one already on progress. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1578276 Mods could change the title to: Mario Götze: Because Özil, Müller and co are so summer 2010 - Youth NT Thread.
Through the air via Messerschmitts. Seriously though...the DFB is producing so many players for Turkey that you will see a good number of German born players playing for their NT in a few years. I am sure Galatasaray and the other power clubs like Besikas and Fenerbache have decent enough youth academies as well but it will be interesting to see the place of birth for a Turkish fielded line-up several years from now.
This may be naive but I don't think anyone in their situations can feel 50/50, I'm sure they would have had their own personal experiences that would make them feel "more German" or "more Turkish".
You don't have to look into the future, you can also take the present or the past. WC 2002, Turkey's greatest tournament ever: Yildiray Bastürk, Ilhan Mansiz, Ümit Davala and Tayfur Havutcu. From Herne, Kempten, Mannheim and Hanau.
Toprak denies http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/..._Auch-Toprak-zukuenftig-fuer-die-Tuerkei.html Anyone remember this? I think he'll only decide for Turkey when he really doesn't see any chance for an invitation by Germany anymore. I think he should wait and be patient. Before his accident he looked like the most talented of all the defenders and he should give himself some time. I'm sure though that seeing how hard it is for players like Hummels and Höwedes who play for top clubs and internationally to get called up is discouraging in a way.
Which is why I said it must be hard to know at that age if they're good enough . I don't know. AT least to me it seems perfectly possible. And what if someone feels, lat's say, a little more German, but doesn't think he'll have a chance in the German NT?.
Work that much harder so you can get a chance for the German NT. Because if you feel more German then you shouldn't settle to represent another country that you don't truly feel you belong with just for the sake of playing NT football. But that's just my opinion.
any news on Marius Duhnke? I remember he was one of the hottest offensive allrounder from Bayern youth. But I dont recall seeing his name mentioned here again. Has he declined?
That's a "career" that turned out somewhat weird: http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/...sereko-offenbar-in-thailand-festgenommen.html Now in jail in Thailand.
According to the article; In Thailand, Nsereko was at some resort in Pattaya where he spent about 25,000 euros in a matter of weeks. When he no longer had available funds, he faked a kidnapping to extort ransom money from his family. He is said to have demanded a transfer of 3000 Euros. His worried family in Germany called the police and he was arrested. :facepalm:
This post is from Sep 2009. It is a bit sad that for some of those players, the high hopes have not been realized. Savio Nsereko, Deniz Naki, Sören Bertram, Reinhold Yabo, Christopher Buchtmann, Shervin Radjabali-Fardi, Shkodran Mustafi, Bienvenue Basala-Mazana, Alessandro Riedle, Marco Terrazzino, Pascal Breier, Shawn Parker, Marius Duhnke - most of those players will be lucky if they can carve out a living in a third tier league.