hard to imagine gressel would choose to go overseas and play when he could make $130,000 playing in ml...wait how much?!
Isn't Atlanta intend to offer him a new contract? He just needs another MLS season. What is much worse there are at least 3-4 months between the approval and the Oath of Allegiance, that will probably put him behind the schedule, not even mentinioning always surprising FIFA approval time.
Yes. It sounds like he wants them to move faster as they are using the upcoming CBA negotiations to drag their feet a bit.
Well, fortunately, the WC in 2022 is in November. No FIFA approval really required. The good thing is that once he's hit the 3 year mark, political pull can push that process to be faster than the norm.
Gressel has already commented that Berhalter and the Federation have already been in contact with his agent about navigating the process.
It means someone at US Soccer does care whether Gressel gets his citizenship. Or did you mean find someone who cares at the state department?
I don't believe in their competency, and especially, considering that something needs to happen no earlier than 2.5 years, seems just pure talk.
You asked if someone cares enough not if they are competent enough. That said, there are plenty of players that have been helped in the nationalization process by the USSF. It's one area where there seems to be a good track record. Let's not pretend otherwise nor do I think anyone will assume that this means they are competent in other areas.
Checked with a friendly immigration attorney. According to him one can be helped to avoid mistakes, but it's almost impossible to accelerate the process besides that. May 2022 is immovable date, after that the average wait is 10 months, in some states more in some less. In Georgia less, closer to 6-7. He is sceptical.
Yes, the 3 year statutory wait isn't going to change. Congress is the only one who can move that and they aren't likely to do anything. My point was that the process *after* that can be pushed a little faster with some administrative/political pull. Every government agency is susceptible to pressure from the POTUS/Congress to act on specific cases faster. It's possible the attorney knows the obstacles to this path better than I. Even dropping the Georgia processing time by half with high-up pressure would seem to be doable.
Having gone through this with family, avoiding mistakes is significant. Each mistake costs you a few months.
Jesus Ferreira confirms he has US citizenship now (despite the previous "confirmations"): Jesús Ferreira announces he’s obtained his US citizenship. 🇺🇸👀 pic.twitter.com/dNnZibAFzJ— MLS Buzz (@MLS_Buzz) December 16, 2019
And he's been called into the January camp in Qatar. Still waiting for the FIFA waiver: The problem with getting him fully involved is that he was still not a citizen of the United States. That happened last week on his 19th birthday but Ferreira is still not able to play in an official game [f]or the United States until he gets a waiver from FIFA’s residence requirements (for naturalized citizens of a country). That process is underway. http://www.americansoccernow.com/articles/a-look-at-berhalter-s-youthful-usmnt-january-camp-roster
Well, it looks like they got some friendly scrimmages in place for this camp. He'll probably see the field. Congrats Jesus, and welcome to the fold. We have been looking forward to this.
personally i think we should have players in who aren't passported yet -- but on the cusp -- or who are making nationality decisions, or ones whose schedule might permit some training but not a game ie people on winter breaks. i like game tape and winning is nice, but they should kick ferreira's tires even if he can't play this specific friendly. it's a short cut on next time even if ineligible this time. and who knows, maybe we get a letter sooner than we thought. my antipathy is only if a player talks like he wants to explore interest elsewhere. at that point then i care that his passport or nationality switch isn't final and/or his loyalty is questionable. then you don't deserve the fast track.
Jesus Ferreira has passed the last step in being eligible for the USMNT: Jesus Ferreira’s FIFA waiver to be immediately eligible for the #USMNT has been approved, per sources. Can play Saturday and compete for U.S. Olympic team if selected for qualifying.— Paul Tenorio (@PaulTenorio) January 31, 2020
From SBI: Once Ferreira notified U.S. Soccer of his decision on Monday, the federation began the process to apply for a waiver to the FIFA statute which requires naturalized citizens to have lived continuously in the country five years after their 18th birthday. Though Ferreira is just 19 years old, he was able to apply for a waiver that considers cases where players did not move to the country purely for personal soccer reasons. That waiver was granted on Friday, clearing him to play on Saturday, and making him eligible for selection for all future international competitions, including Olympic qualifying in March. I found it interesting because: 1) FIFA can move that fast? 2) It's funny that he would even be considering Colombia after all he went through to be eligible for the US. 3) It's not like it's a one-time switch. He won't be cap tied to the US.
Yep. There is also nothing about the waiver process that would likely cause it to be cap tying (AFAIK).
Just think through the logic here. I could play for Colombia already but haven't. I prefer America but to play here I have to wait 5 years from the passport. But I can ask for a waiver. Gets waiver. Is already in camp and about to start if you believe the reports. Has previously been in YNT camps for us but presumably not made the team and played the games because of the passport. Nominally he could pull a Dest but everything about this sounds like he's in the bag. If he wanted Colombia it would already be done. Dest has reminded people that friendlies don't cap tie, which bears knowing, but people with a chance to play for us, who parse the distinctions that far, are probably very rare and would likely -- as Dest did -- be open about what they were doing. If but to signal to the other team keep me in mind. I don't hear such signals here. Plays here. Was in YNT camps here. Didn't split time with other countries. Isn't equivocal. Actually, I think Dests will be rare because who is actually going to want to go to camp with both, or even threaten it while in one camp. I thought he should be sent home for saying in our camp he wasn't sure if he was Dutch instead. A bright player would make this decision before setting foot in camp. But this is an American talking, people usually switch to us -- eg Boyd -- rather than switch away.
1) FIFA moves really fast on this. They've turned it around in a day or two before. Part of the reason is that it's very transparent what they were trying to prevent -- basically keeping wealthy nations from buying Brazilians that couldn't quite make the national team. So most players get a waiver -- it's the default answer. But if suddenly 26 Brazilians move to Qatar and are granted sudden, immediate citizenship ... then they don't get the waiver. 2) I don't think Columbia was really in the consideration set from what I've heard. More of "I will keep my options open." There was no reason to ever commit before being naturalized. 3) I'd be very, very shocked if he one time switched to Columbia.