He's Honduran, but has lived here since he was 13 and he's the best player on DC United at age 17. He's got a chance to be really, really good. Maybe a true OMC. He's better than Freddy Adu was at this age. Anyone know what his status is? Can we get him in our player pool?
I haven't watched a DC United match this year, can anyone else back up the claim that he is the best United player this year?
He has looked good but not anything better than "is fighting for a starting spot on the U20s" level. Best player on DC isn't exactly a ringing endorsement.
He's very good. But Bill Hamid is the better rookie and may well have a higher ceiling albeit as a goalie. Most of the regulars, although much older, such as Pontius and Santino Q are better.
yes Najar is good but the real silver lining to the dark cloud that is DCUs season so far - is that the academy training and development system is starting to pay off ... Najar is a local product as is Hamid. If every MLS team can find three or four of these gems and develop them properly it will be a long term benefit to the US nats for those players that are eligible and are of sufficient quality. Please dear God let us not compare him to Freddy Adu .... let him develop properly without hype and overwhelming expectations. Maybe he will be a real great player - or maybe not.
Seems like he's Honduran and his mostly likely choice would be to play for Honduras. Also how do you project 17 year olds? If a US born kid was looking good in the Honduran league and had lived there 4 years, would he be called a traitor if he tried to play for Honduras? This kid belongs to Honduras, unless he 'feels American' on the soccer pitch to steal a phrase from Rossi
I disagree. I can't compare him to Bill, because he's a GK. However, I would take Najar over Quaranta right now, in a heartbeat. And he is at least on par with Pontius. Quaranta is surviving on his name mostly at this stage. Najar already puts in more work off the ball than Q, on both ends of the field. And unlike both Q and Pontius, the kid can also dribble at players with speed and actually beat them from time to time. I'm not saying he is Messi, but I think you undersell him.
Najar is basically everything a US coach admires, with his work on the ball, and his chase and fearlessness to go in 'head on' into tackles. He tackles like a MAN, shoulder to shoulder, slide tackles with no fear, but also when behind the ball dribbling, he has the smoothness and elegence of a latin american pro. He dribbles very well, knows how to use feints and tricks like some of the best youth players at his age NOT IN MLS, but in europe or latin america! He is above the average youth player making it right now in MLS. This is the goal that made this thread: http://www.dcunited.com/blog/2010/06/najars-open-cup-winner Its the last goal, and worth the watch. When's the last time a 17 year old did something this special in MLS? I hope USA can get him his citizenship so we can win him over honduras!!!!!!!!
Its entirely possible we could "Rossi" this kid as we're certainly Italy to Honduras's US . And as to whether hes a traitor, well that would be for the Catarachos to work out. He developed into a pro in this country under one of our clubs and is presumably a citizen/legal resident. I have no qualms about taking him or lobbying for him to play for us.
It certainly wouldn't hurt US soccer to ask him about his intentions. I have no idea if he's even begun the citizenship process. In the end this will probably a situation like Bakary Soumare's. Najar could wait five years to play for the US (or however long it will take him to get citizenship)...............or play for Honduras now. The length of time is key here. If it's one year, then we could get him. If it's five years, then we don't have much of a chance......because I suspect Honduras is going to be knocking on his door very soon.
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/us...toid=d84d6811264a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD You May Qualify for Naturalization if: You have been a permanent resident for at least 5 years and meet all other eligibility requirements. See the “General Path to Naturalization” link under “Citizenship by Naturalization” to the left. http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/us...nnel=86bd6811264a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD Eligibility Requirements To be eligible for naturalization under section 316(a) of the INA, an applicant must: Be 18 or older Be a permanent resident (green card holder) for at least 5 years immediately preceding the date of filing the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization Have lived within the state, or USCIS district with jurisdiction over the applicant’s place of residence, for at least 3 months prior to the date of filing the application Have continuous residence in the United States as a permanent resident for at least 5 years immediately preceding the date of the filing the application Be physically present in the United States for at least 30 months out of the 5 years immediately preceding the date of filing the application Reside continuously within the United States from the date of application for naturalization up to the time of naturalization Be able to read, write, and speak English and have knowledge and an understanding of U.S. history and government (civics). Be a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States during all relevant periods under the law --- Uh, am I missing something or shouldn't he be eligible for US Citizenship in less than a year? Because he has a Green Card, according to this article. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...s-native-comes-through-dc-united-youth-system
i am a naturalized citizen, and let me just say that he's getting really close to be qualified to play for the US if he so desires. since he's been here at age 13 (now 17), he's already got 4 years. another year and he can start filing papers to become naturalized. the wait for paper work, interview, and taking the oath is probably less than 6 months (if i remember correctly). so after all said and done, he could dress for the US before he turned 19. edit: ohh, and he seems like a kid with lots of potentials. but give him time and see how he pans out over the next 5 years.
On the world scale? The starting point is asking if they're starting on one of the better teams in the world's top three leagues. If so, there aren't many players who have better potential. If not, are they getting playing time with those teams? If not, how good is the pro team team they are playing for? Going so on down the line, making notes on which players have already established that they're destined for a better team soon, forms the basis for the hierarchy of potential. Our players have been breaking out earlier since the mid-2000s, but our thinking on what age a great player normally establishes himself as a professional is still at least a few years later than in most other countries.
What are his parents' long term potential in terms of living in the States? What does he want to do? If Najar feels like playing for his native Honduras, I wouldn't have a problem with that, nor would I if he wants to play for his newly adopted country. Good luck whatever you decide to do Andy...
all of these guys doubting his abilities obviously havent seen him play a minute.. especially the guy with the comment about the u-20's.....
I practice immigration law in Orlando. Right now it is taking about 4-5 months to complete the naturalization process assuming no issues arise down here. I'm not certain of the time period in the D.C. area but its likely comparable. Assuming he has been a lawful permanent resident since he was 13 he may submit his application 3 months prior to the 5th anniversary date of his obtainment of permanent residency. All things considered, it would appear likely he could be naturalized within about a year (depending, again, on when he got his green card).
I should note that he could naturalize faster depending on the status of his parents. If they are eligible to naturalize now and were to do so he would automatically become a USC based on the naturalization of his parents prior to his birthday.
Interesting! Thanks for the info NBlue! He very well could become a US citizen just to play wtih teh US U20s. I remember talks of how the U-xx Teams of Honduras were calling him up when he was just an academy player, playing for DC. He still can change his affiliation if he wants, it isnt until he gets a real cap for honduras is this game over.
Let's see how Guiseppe Najar does in September and October when the legs start to get heavy, the tackles get a little rougher and the keepers are first string. It's a little early to anoint this kid the future of anything except for being the butt of locker room pranks. Edit to add that DC United fans, more than anyone should know better after Convey, Quaranta, Mapp, Arguez and now Hamid and Najar
Story on him on ESPN: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5219888/ce/us/future-us-soccer?cc=5901&ver=us