http://www.laprensahn.com/ediciones/2007/09/04/seria_una_linda_oportunidad I found this article from this morning in Honduras about Juan Obelar, a Uruguayan player in Honduras who became a Honduran citizen and is being called up to play for their national team. In it, it says "Ayer, GOLAZO llegó a su apartamento; aún no conocía las intenciones de Ferrari, quien también quiere que Luciano Emilio, delantero del DC United ex del Olimpia y Real España, adopte la nacionalidad hondureña." Or, in English, Yesterday Golazo arrived at his apartment; still not knowing Ferrari's intentions, who also wants Luciano Emilio, forward from DC United and ex Olimpia and Real España, to adopt Honduran nationality. So will we see Emilio play against the US for WC qualifying? Curious, I kept searching, and found this: http://www.laprensahn.com/ediciones/2007/09/04/estoy_contento_lo_pensare wherein the same paper interviews Emilio. It's long, and I will summarize for you right now what it says really quickly because I don't have time to translate it. It says the paper surprised Luci that Ferrari wants Luci to be nationalized and get a call up. There have been rumors since 2002 that they would approach him about becoming Honduran, but he never had any contact with the federation. He is flattered, and surprised. He says he has a lot of admiration for Honduras, but at this time is not ready to say yes or no (remember they called him and surprised him to start with). But he said he will think about it. They ask him what it would take, and he talks about his family, and then the paper says "Lucigol, aquit te necesitamos." Or Lucigol, here we need you. Yadda yadda yadda - dreamt of playing for Brazil.... But then "Tengo posibilidades de jugar en Europa en diciembre y quiero dedicarle más tiempo a mi familia. También puedo seguir en Estados Unidos; esto lo tengo que pensar muy bien". WAIT, WHAT???? I have possibilities of playing in Europe in December and I want to dedicate more time to my family. I could also continue in the US, and this is what I have to think about. POSSIBILITIES OF EUROPE??? Ugh.
I can't blame the man for having ambitions, but I'd kinda like to hold on to him for another year at least. Then, if possible, we'd have to look for a Brazilian player worse than him.
Maybe DC is going to go win at Tottenham again in December. -- If he gets a good chance over there, it'd be hard to pass up. Though I wonder to what level club a "good chance" would be.
I have a hard time believing that a 28 year old forward with no national team pedigree is going to get big offers from Europe. Luciano played club football in the Bundesliga for two seasons for Cologne, and it didn't work out there. Of course, it depends on what he's after. If its all about the money, any offer in Europe will be better than what MLS offers. Edit: And, if Luciano can somehow become Honduran, why couldn't he become American too?
hell, he'd go straight to a starting role as a forward on that team! We have so few forwards in the US that we had to start 2 midfielders up top against Sweden.
Well he could, but I think due to his palying time down there, he's closer to being a Honduran citizen then he would to being a US citizen. I think there are plenty of Brzilians without a national team pedigree that get good offers in europe.
I can't imagine a team would take him on after only one quality season here. Maybe after '08, he'll still be 29 after all, McBride went later and he's still chugging away.
OK, here is the translated text for all you anglophiles. San Pedro Sula. Emilio took advantage of the holiday in the US to pass the time with his wife Elenice and his 11-month old Honduran daughter Emely. The telephone rang in his house and GOLAZO surprised him with news: Rafael Ferrari wants to nationalize him so that he can play on the National team. The Brazilian Luciano Emilio of DC United, ex Olimpia and Real España, was affected. He couldn’t believe it. The call from the Bicolor has been rumored since he placed for Real España and Olimpia from 2002 to 2006. “I was never contacted by the Federation. I am happy because they remember my work. I am surprised, this is a shock and I am not prepared for the news.” He scored 88 goals in Hondurans and has brought 14 with United in MLS. In Honduras, the opinions are divided about his possible call-up. “My feelings for Honduras are very strong, but I am not ready to give a positive or negative answer. I will have to think about this seriously,” he said. What will he need to accept the call? “I have to listen to what Rafael has to say, the National team plans and talk with my family. We have a lot of plans, such as traveling to Brazil for a tour. This could change all of our plans.” Lucigol, here we need you. His words “I always dreamed of wearing the jersey of the Brazilian national team. When the talk of this opportunity started, I always thought that it was in recognition of what I had accomplished.” “I understand the situation with the Honduran national team, that the people want to see them in the World Cup. But I have to think about it.” “I am grateful to Ferrari because he showed confidence in my work. The time will come when we will talk about this.” “Surely I would succeed with the national team. If I go, I will do good things, with everyone.” “The fact that my daughter is Honduran gives me a special fondness for Honduras.” “I have opportunities of playing in Europe in December and I want to dedicate more time to my family. I can also continue in the US; I have to think about this.” Reactions “If we are going to nationalize someone, it should be a Casillas or a Ronaldinho. It does not seem to me that we are calling those with the same level,” said Wilmer Cruz, ex-forward. “It seems to me to be a good idea to national Obelar and Luciano; they are player who would support the national team very well.” Alberto Chedrany, national coach. “It looks like the coaches are bad jokers, reducing the Honduran product. Honduras is a country with enormous raw material.” Chelato Uclés, national coach. Invading the national teams Nationalizing a player to play on the national team is not out of this world. Among the famous cases are Mauro Camoranessi, born in Argentina, who plays for Italy. Gerald Asamoah is from Ghana and plays for Germany. In Mexico there are the Argentines Gabriel Caballero and Guillermo Frano, as well as the Brazilian Naelson Zinha. In Honduras the Brazilians Denilson Costa and Marcelo Ferreira were called up by Bora in 2005. Some examples Zinha plays for Mexico, Marcos Senna for Spain, Deco defends the jersey of Portugal, Francieudo dos Santos is a Tunisian star, and Alex Santos makes a difference in Japan. Other quotes “I agree with calling Luciano and Obelar because I don’t see Hondudrans who give 100% to the national team. They <edit: the Hondurans> only do it for the money. The foreignters that come to our country should be included.” Sammy Chinchilla “If they called other Brazilian forwards of lower cuality like Marcelo Ferreira, then they should try Luciano. Not that we don’t appreciate our young players, but they can use the support.” Jorge Peña “It would be good to naturalize Luciano, I think in Honduras there are no forwards like him. For me, he is the best forward in the history of the National League. Go Luciano!” Adonay Rodríguez “I won’t feel proud if theyc all him and we classify for the World Cup with foreign players. They won’t feel the same in the heart as a gol scored by Bennett or Pavón. They would be players without souls.” Marvin Duarte “I am from Montreal and have seen the change in Honduras, and I think that it’s the best idea that the directors of Honduras have had. Futbol is the most competitive when you include the naturalized players. Why do you think the US his higher ranked?” Edy Cruz “They can use the call to Luciano to the national team as an incentive for our players who win two games and then are running on empty. I think that when they see the competition with Luciano, some will be recharged.” Fishing Chiwin “The dream of all the catrachos is that Honduras will return to the World Cup. For a lot of people, it is a bad idea, but we need to do it. Luciano is a good player, he has good qualities and has won the hearts of the catrachos.” Carlos Mata
I think people are misreading "going to Europe" to mean "Going to play in the Champions League for a big team." He may have opportunities to play for a side in Liechtenstien for all we know. Europe is a pretty big place, with lots of futbol, and he doesn't say anything about the level of a team he may have in mind..... I think it is safe to say, though, that Barcelona is not knocking on the door.
I don't see how you could assume that. Especially since he's already spent time in Germany, it's not unreasonable to assume that some coaches and scouts over there would have kept up with his career. I mean for Christ's sake if Josh Wolff can sign in Germany ... And 28 is not so old, especially since he already speaks some German and there won't be any culture shock for him. And if you look at most German rosters, you'll see dozens of Brazilians who had never had any national team experience. I mean Brazil is not the easiest lineup to crack. Usually getting capped by Brazil means you'll be playing in the Champions League before too long.
As a general rule, it doesn't take a "big offer" from Europe to be a "bigger offer" than an MLS offer.
There is another article in Honduras here It says Coach Ferrari will travel to the US to try to convince Lucigol to become Honduran. It also clarifies (I wasn't sure about this before) that his wife is Brazilian, but his daughter was born in Honduras. I wasn't sure if his wife was from Brazil or not. Other than that, there isn't anything new and they recycle the quotes from the earlier story.
In the useless information category, there is yet another article saying Luciano would play for Honduras (seems like every month or two a story comes out, Goff squashes the rumor, and it goes away for a while). http://www.radioamerica.hn/sitio.cfm?pag=leenoticias&t=Deportes&id=3772 Luciano desmiente llamado a Selección hondureña, luego de mencionarse en medios estadounidenses 8 de julio de 2008 12:39:47 PM CDT Radio América. El delantero brasileño Luciano Emilio del DC United, quien en varias temporadas militó para Real España y Olimpia, dice estar listo en caso de un llamado a la Selección mayor de Honduras, pero tampoco se desespera por ello. En los medios de comunicación deportivos de los Estados Unidos, suena que Luciano podría jugar para la bicolor Nacional, pero el delantero desmiente que este en tramites de nacionalización y que halla recibido algún llamado. Luciano Emilio, en estos momentos es uno de los grandes del fútbol de la MLS, en este mes lo nombraron como el mejor jugador. The Brazilian forward Luciano Emilio of DC United, who played for Real España and Olimpia in various seasons, says he is ready in case he is called to play for the Honduran national team, but is not desperately waiting the call. In the sports press in the US, it sounds like Luciano could play for the bicolor national team, but the forward dismissed the rumor that he is in the midst of paperwork for nationalization and that he has already received a call. Luciano Emilio, at this time one of the best players in MLS, was named player of the month.