As we start another 4 year cycle, there will be players who will become USA citizens within the cycle. In other countries citizenship is much simpler. For example if a grandparent was a citizen, you are a citizen. It is what it is and with 310 million people in this country, we cannot complain. The time line from Green Card holder to citizen takes from 3 to 5 years plus some extra time for processing. If married to a citizen it is 3 years, otherwise 5 years. So it doesn't make sense to even discuss anyone who is first getting a green card now. Getting back to soccer, so who in MLS or elsewhere is a green card holder. On RB, there is Danleigh Borman. He played U-xx for South Africa but never played for their full nat team. He is a starter for RB most of the time, and although he is not an all-star, he plays left back which is a perennial weakness for our nats. I hope other names can be added.
Danny Mwanga will be at our near the top of this list, given our desparate need fo forwards who can finish.
Yura Movsisyan is a green card holder and should have his citizenship within a year or two: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1091697 Danny Mwanga is an MLS rookie for the Philadelphia Union who has been in this country for awhile, and shouldn't need too much more time at all to be a citizen
Patrick Nyarko holds a green card and could be very close to citizenship but he's said previously he would only play for Ghana. Can't find the link.
too bad it takes too long. I really think uncapped guys that have been in MLS like Morales, Conde, Zakuani could challenge for spots on the game day roster for the US nats. Conde especially
Indeed. He has been someone I have been high on. Reminscent in some way of Edu but taller and a little more offensive minded. Perhaps a bit faster.
He told the Washington Post that he would prefer to play for Honduras, but sometimes people change their minds. And nobody doubts that he has the potential to be USMNT-quality.
Hopefully Armenia doesn't come knocking for Movsisyan, Euro 2012 qualifiers are just around the corner.
It's the same thoughts I had of him. He is a version of Edu and I do think he would be an ideal player for the US to go after. It will be tough for him to get a crack at starting but off the bench type player for the US should be a good role for him. I believe Edu and Bradley will grow their partnership to a higher level that will be a good core to build around in my opinion.
Does Steve Zakuani have a green card? Tchani, Mwanga, Najar are obvious choices we should also keep a close eye on.
Zakuani would be excellent as we lack any true wingers outside of Donovan and Dempsey. Sure Torres and Holden CAN play out on the wing but that's not their natural position. Zakuani said he'd like to play for the Congo in the future like his brother but it seems like he probably will not get a call up. Anti-MLS snobbery is prevalent amongst African countries. Thomas Rongen or whoever is in charge needs to have a sit down with Zakuani and explain that if he wants to play in a World Cup his chances are MUCH better by choosing the US than Congo which traditionally has struggled. He may have sentimental reasons for wanting to play for Congo but if he knows he could become an "American Hero" rather than just another player for the Congo he might choose the US. He's still young and impressionable.
It's true that we don't have any wingers like Zakuani. The guys we play on the wings now play a completely different style of game than he does, so if he does choose to play for the USA, I'd be happy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sébastien_Le_Toux According to his wikipedia page he says that he'd be willing to play for the US
True. We need to take action. I'm establishing a big soccer thread for women willing to marry these guys to get them green cards. Whose got a sister willing to volunteer?
Rodney Wallace On the list because he plays left back He's somewhere along in the naturalization process
That really doesn't answer the question, but I think he is getting his citizenship. I know Movsisiyan will be eligible in 2013 with optimal conditions, so as long as he's started his process about the same time Yura has, we may also see Le Toux in 2013 too.