Chicago star looking at international options http://www.turfmonster.com/articles/?ID=4&ArticleID=932
As much as I like the idea of Ralph being in the USMNT fold, I still believe he'll have better chances to actually play for Jamaica, and since he's already played for them once (friendly or not), as a purist, I think he should play for the country he grew up him. I hope this doesn't come back to bite me in the ass when Ralph scores the GWG to knock us out of the hex!
Besides, what do we know of his status? Green card? How long? If he doesn't have the card, it'll be 5+ years before he can become citizen unless he meets some of the very specialized qualifications to expedite the process. In other words, if he's good enough to play for Jamaica next year, expect him to be capped tied there.
"Ralph is not tied to any nation," said Ralph's agent Patrick McCabe of First Artist. "He has one appearance for Jamaica in a friendly last year." I thought a player was committed to a country as soon as he put on that country's jersey. Do friendlies not count?
As long as he doesn't play in a FIFA sanctioned tournament (Gold Cup, etc) or qualifying round (World Cup Qualifiers, etc), he's free.
Everyone PLEASE stop getting your hopes up. Despite what his agent may say, Damani is still a Jamaican citizen and he WANTS to play for Jamaica. They will give him a call soon (before WC qualifying starts in January) and this will all be a moot point ................. http://www.barnburners.com/news/03/0724.html Ralph For Jamaica Rookie sensation Damani Ralph was optimistically guarded when asked whether his peak form, earning him this week's MLS Player of the Week award, would lead to his first Jamaican National Team cap. "Hopefully after the Gold Cup is done Jamaica will have a few friendlies and give me a call," said Ralph. "Coming from Jamaica I know it's a very long line of forwards. If it comes I'll be happy but if it doesn't, it won't be a surprise." Ralph feels that he's always just barely missed his chance to play for his country, "Every time I was about to crack into the junior team, I'd get too old and wouldn't be able to play." Ralph appeared for the full senior team last summer, but the game was not an officially sanctioned FIFA international. "I started that game and got a couple chances but missed them. We won 2-1," added Ralph.
This, OF COURSE, has already been beaten to death. Ralph is a Jamaican, not an American, citizen. Marrying an American does not help him become a US citizen (unless, as Nancy says, his spouse-to-be fits into certain highly restrictive categories that allow Ralph to ignore the 5 year residency rule). I doubt that DR could become a US citizen before the 2006 WC if he tried.