http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...581&call_pageid=968867503640&col=970081593064 "His team down a goal on the road, Jonathan de Guzman takes over. The long-limbed midfielder deftly exchanges consecutive give-and-go passes with a Feyenoord teammate in traffic and fires the ball inside the near post to tie the game. It's a shimmering play, all the more remarkable because de Guzman, barely 18, is the youngest player on the field. Last Sunday, a week after his tying goal against Roosendaal, de Guzman was voted man of the match as Rotterdam-based Feyenoord defeated powerhouse PSV Eindhoven to move into a tie atop the Eredivisie standings, the top soccer league in Holland. Already, wealthy English clubs Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal are reportedly preparing massive financial bids for the precocious midfielder. In the Netherlands, he has been compared to French superstar Zinedine Zidane." Globe and Mail http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20051215/SOCCER15/TPSports/TopStories "Jonathan de Guzman of Toronto has been turning heads in Europe since September, when he turned 18 and became eligible to play first-division soccer in the Netherlands. He has scored four goals and added three assists as a midfielder with Feyenoord Rotterdam, which is in a three-way battle for first place with PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar. Now, he's the focus of an emerging tug of war between Canada and the Netherlands. Both countries desperately want him to play for their national team."
In all honesty I can't see him playing for Canada... ever, but I hope he does. Its so much fun be a Canadian soccer fan.
Has he played any youth level A tough decesion for a young kid but for the Rouge sake hopefully he chooses Canada
No he hasn't played at any youth level. His older brother plays for Canada (Julian - Deportivo), but it is clear that his father wants him to play for Holland. In the end though it is up to Jonathan. He left Canada for Feyenoord when he was 12.
If he is good as advertise than he would be making a mistake to not play for the oranje in my opinion
Perhaps - but if he is good as everyone says then he could make a huge difference to Canada in terms of making the World Cup.
Leading Holland to a WC victory would mean alot more than just making the WC in Canada. I lived in Montreal for 6 years most people there do not even know the sport exist
I just want him to play for Canada as he will probably help our program. Unfortunately that probably won't happen. Such is the life of a Canadian soccer fan. Oh well....
And of course this has nothing to do with the fact that Canada hasn't made the World Cup in 20 years . You'd see HUGE interest if we made the WC. By the way, when were you in Montreal? The World Cup and Euro are always pretty big there and the Impact draw 11k a game and get regular coverage in pretty much every media. Not to mention fields everywhere and the most indoor complexes in North America.
That is due to the high immigrant population in Montreal I was there in the late 90's. Watched les Blues win their World Cup with hundres of supporters.
Maybe Canada would actually have a midfield if people would stop jumping ship. De Guzman brothers, Hargreaves, Stalteri Thats a decent mid, too bad Hargreaves plays for England and the younger De Guzman probably will end up playing for Holland.
Exactly. I don't understand these kids' mentality. Instead of playing to make Canada better, they just go the easy route and play for whomever is on top already, instead of going through the growing pains and stuggles of a team that isn't so good right now, but could be if their best players would actually play for them.
As a USA fan, I feel bad for you guys cuz you already have a Rossi situation with Hargreaves and it would be lame to have another with Jonathan De Guzman. Hopefully his brother will persuade him to play with Canada. Canada has a good future and the new MLS team in 2007 will help. Will Johnson and (name?) Hainault are good young players that will help in the next qualification campaign.
Stuff like this really pisses me off. I know he's technically eligible for both countries but soccer aside, does he feel more Canadian or Dutch? That's the country he should play for. He can still choose Canada but judging by the article in the Toronto Star today, I'm not holding my breath. I felt the same way when Hargreaves jumped ship. De Guzman and Hargreaves aren't even immigrants who later came to Canada, they were born and raised here. Wouldn't they feel any satisfaction from leading Canada to the World Cup? How is our national team supposed to get any better this way?
Quick answer, is the Men's Nat team is not going to be better anytime soon. Seriously though, Hargreaves and Saltieri made a soccer decision to play in different countries took the easier route to play elsewhere than to try to make a difference in Canada. It is really sad. With an MLS team and the World Youth Championship in 2007, many young Canadians will find it more appealing to play in and for Canada in the future. It will take time though.
You probably meant to type somebody else's name there instead of Stalteri, as he has around 50 caps for Canada already.
This makes me kind of made. He feels Canadian and proud to be Canadian, but he might not play form Canada. How does that work? He wants international success?? Not all players, who were stars on their club, had the same success on the international level. Look at George Best. A star on Man U but didn't have much success for Northern Ireland. Playing for your country should be an honour!!!
I agree with you wholeheartedly, after reading the articles i felt a bit steamed about the whole thing...so much for sucess at the 2007 WYC
Different situation. First, Hulls' mother was/is American. Second, Hull spent his early years in the US growing up while his father was playing for Chicago et al. Thirdly, Canada could have selected him for the world juniors but decided he wasn't good enough at the time (which he wasn't). Jonathan DeGuzman has no family roots in Holland. With a Philipino father and Jamaican mother, i can't believe he's even considering Holland to tell you the truth. It's one thing for Hargreaves to play for his fathers homeland, but this situation is almost mercenary like....Holland will become public enemy no. 1 in my mind if they poach JDG2
Let's hope he comes to his senses and picks Canada. He could do what Gretzky did for hockey did in the US.
Hargreaves was born and raised in Canada and didn't leave until 16. He's not English. His dad is English. He's Canadian. Hargreaves bothers me just as much as de Guzman would if he left.