Gotoku Sakai, now at Hamburger SV

The article refers to him as a right back and looking back at some of the boxscores from last season that is where he played. For example:
http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/...llung_vfb-stuttgart-11_1-fsv-mainz-05-30.html

Transfermarkt has him being a LB but ambidextrous
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/gotoku-sakai/profil/spieler_103310.html

 

This should be a sign to Klinsmann. At least give it a go. What do you have to lose?​

 

Your right. Pissed off with japan, germany might not call. Open spot for united states and we would treat him for what he is a bundesliga level wing back who will always be in our 23.

 

I thought japan didn't allow dual citizenship?

 

Meh, this sounds more like he is trying to put the Japanese Fed under pressure to do something, not like he wants to actually play for another country.

 

That wouldn't revoke his US citizenship i don't believe.

 

If it's a possibility, he's certainly a talent worth fighting for.

 

These rules are always strange in practice. Japan forbids dual citizenship, but they also don't have any jurisdiction over who is, and is not, an American citizen. So a guy like Sakai might be Japanese only in the eyes of Japan, but Japanese-American in the eyes of the US.

In practice, I don't think Japan is marching dual nationals down to the embassies when people turn 18, forcing them to renounce citizenship. On the other hand, if a guy like Sakai did something to flaunt his dual-national status, like abandon the JNT for the USMNT, that might be an attention-grabbing headline that would get him into hot water.

 

Do we have any reason to believe that he'd consider playing for the US?

 

Do we have reason not to bother asking him?

 

Got his first cap for Japan today in a friendly against UAE.

 

Does this cap tie him to Japan now?

 

Nope, only official competitions such as WC Qualifying do that. He is still eligible to switch.

 

isn't he already cap-tied from playing in the Olympics?

 

Provisionally cap-tied, yes. He would need to file the paperwork with FIFA to switch to the US. (Moot point, really, if he's getting senior team games.)

 

I believe the Olympics are considered an official youth competition. He would, as mentioned above, have to file his one-time switch (but I've been wrong before).

 

When Japan face Iraq on the 11th he'll more then likely get cap-tied to them.

 

Was the squad that was called in for the last friendly an A team?

 

http://espnfc.com/us/en/gamecast/statistics/id/340066/statistics.html?soccernet=true&cc=5901

He's on the bench in their WCQ vs. Iraq.


-He went unused. Let the speculation continue.

 

Made the bench but didn't play in today's Japan friendly vs. Brazil. http://espnfc.com/us/en/gamecast/statistics/id/355995/statistics.html

 

http://espnfc.com/us/en/gamecast/statistics/id/340074/statistics.html?soccernet=true&cc=5901

officially cap-tied to Japan

 

Sakai could soon become at least the second dual-national to play for another country in a World Cup. (Was the first Neven Subotic in 2010?) Miguel Ponce and Isaac Brizuela could also join the list for Mexico, but have yet to actually play. Beitashour has yet to play for Iran as well.

 

Espinoza played with Honduras in 2010.

 

Hey cool, I didn't know there was a YA thread on Gotoku. More frequent updates on the Japanese Abroad forum:
http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/2012-14-gotoku-sakai-vfb-stuttgart-ger-el-thread-r.1972939/

Unfortunately for him there's a good chance he might not get off the bench in Brazil. He came in with a minor knee knock and was held out of all the warm-up friendlies - unless something happens to Nagatomo, he's rooted to the bench. In particular Gotoku isn't a guy you would sub in to solidify your defense.

His club career at Stuttgart has gone decently. Similar player to Fabian Johnson - two-footed, excellent with the ball, nice crosses and passing skill, athletic, plays all four wide positions. Bad defender - if he improves in that aspect he could move on to bigger and better things.

Random: Gotoku has 3 brothers. Older brother Gohi is a heavyweight judoka, younger brother Noriyoshi is a central midfielder on loan from Albirex Niigata (Gotoku's old club) to Avispa Fukuoka in the 2nd division, and yet another brother Goson is an 18-year-old defender at Albirex, spending time in the 3rd division with the "J-League Under-22 Selection". None of them are Yanks, though.

 

Question about Japanese citizenship that maybe someone can help with. I keep hearing that if you are a dual Japanese citizen under a certain age you have to chose at that certain age to either renounce one of your citizenships (that word sounds funny) and either go Japanese or not. If this is true how is it enforced? I mean what is stopping someone from telling the Japanese sure I'll renounce my citizenship with country X and then not actually going through the proper channels to do so.

The whole concept of citizenship is just really funny in general considering it only applies to who you want to recognize you as a citizen. Like in the instance above Japan may consider you Japanese only while the country you held dual citizenship may still consider you a citizen as well as a Japanese citizen since they do allow dual citizenship.