Hmm...with "how to become a us citizen .gov" and the "I'm feeling lucky" button on Google, I was sent right to a page. But I did find this: http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/citizenship/citizenship.html Which might be of help to some BigSoccer posters who don't seem to be able to read at beyond 5th grade capacity.
Look Damani Ralph has been playing great for about 4 or 5 months now. The article states that "Arena and the USSF have not even approached Damani yet about beginning the process of becoming a US citizen. This is stated directly by Damani's agent. I like Bruce in alot of ways but he makes alot of mistakes too. LIke during qualifying for the World Cup when we had a perfectly healthy Wynalda not being called up when we were short handed at the forward spot and ended up losing 3-2 againt Honduras at RFK. Not giving Taylor Twellman more chances at the forward spot to this point like Wynalda states in a recent article. Is Wynalda wrong to question Arena too? Look all I am sayign is that Damani could very well end up being snatched up by some British club this off season and he could end up becoming a English citizen and end up on the England national team. That could happen every easily too. I understand that it takes a while to get a US citizenship. I am shocked that has not even been approached for the possibility of such. A phone call, a letter, anything. Bruce is a good coach but he is arrogant sometimes. What is he gonna do?? Wait until Man U offers MLS 4 million for him and he is gone?? The first thing they will do is try to get him to become a English citizen. I guess Wynalda and I are in the same court about questioning Arena and the rational for his action or inaction.
Uhm. Last I checked we finished top 8 in the World Cup. Since when did Damani "flavor of the month" Ralph become the savior of US Soccer? Really?
Soccer America reports in its most recent issue that Ralph does not even have a green card yet. Even if he marries a US citizen, he is not eligible for US citizenship for at least 5 years. The Fire will have to free up a SI slot for him when he turns 23. Ralph is going to play for Jamaica. End of story.
Uhm. Last I checked England finished top 8 in the World Cup. Since when did Damani "flavor of the month" Ralph become the savior of British Soccer? Really?
Yeah, Nancy, that's nice and all. But since Bruce has done nothing to help American soccer, he needs to beg Damani to become a citizen because the kid has been hot for two months. Why is it the coach's burden to chase down every player who might be playing well and might have an outside chance at playing for this country and encourage them to be a citizen? Especially when that coach pretty much blew away expectations in the last World Cup. The responsibility lies with the player, not the coach. So, Steve, it isn't Bruce's arrogance. It's your ignorance.
I sort of agree-but your point about what Arena did in the last WC...I don't think that's really relevant. I think he does have a responisbilty as a coach to evaluate talent, and exercise what may be defined as "competitive advantage." I haven't read the whole thread, but did anyone bring up David Regis expedited citizenship: http://www.canoe.ca/SoccerWCPreMay21Stories/may13_reg.html Whether it ever comes to this-if Ralph even rates as a Nat-all fair points. But Steve's point I think is fair as well re: Arena. I think it comes with the territory/responibilty of being a big-time, national team soccer coach.
I was going to say paired with a Norton, but I'd be showing my age... Ray, David regis was a different case under a different coach...the same coach who experimented with guys like David Wagner and Michael Mason. Regis turned out a bit better then they did, though... Didn't we go though pretty much this same discussion a year or two ago about Craig Zaidie???
So you're saying that Bruce hasn't evaluated Ralph's talent? Have you talked to Bruce about that lately? All we know is that Ralph's agent - and we HAVE to believe an agent - says Bruce hasn't called Ralph. maybe Bruce has looked at him, talked to his former top assistant, who just happens to be Ralph's coach, and made an assessment. Maybe he hasn't, but I just love it when people assume that Bruce Arena spends his free time sitting on his couch, eating Doritos and watching Springer instead of doing his job. Just because he hasn't called Damani Ralph personally to discuss his citizenship status doesn't mean he hasn't taken a look at the situation. My reference to the last WC was that Bruce has shown that he will evaluate all available talent. He had Cunningham and Mastro in his sights before they had citizenship. Who's to say he isn't keeping his eye on Ralph? But that doesn't mean he has to be responsible for Ralph becoming a citizen. That's my point. People like Steve think that Bruce needs to do everything for these adults. He doesn't. He needs to coach soccer. If Damani Ralph is so interested in representing the U.S., he can get his own self to through the citizenship process. A perfect example of why Sampson - who overreached and alienated his players in the process - is not with the program and Arena - who treats his players like adults and makes them be responsible for themselves - went to the WC quarters. Forgive me if I think it's beyond the natural responsibilities for a coach - any coach - to hold the hand of a guy, who has lived in the country for five years and is a question mark at the international level, through the citizenship process.
] No, can't say that I have. Really, my point is not to be as harshly critical as Steve is of Arena, but more expressing the feeling that when a player like Ralph pops up as he has this year, the questions that he raised are fair-even if they are a bit overwrought. Do I think Bruce should hold player's hands as you suggest? No, but I do think that if a player's talent is such that the coach needs to grease some wheels...well, I have no real problem with that-other countries have done it. As I said, I have no idea if at the end of the day, Ralph even rates as a Nat, but his recent form, makes these sort of questions inevitable.
Its Steve's arrogance (he knows better than Bruce) and his ignorance. The idea that Bruce doesn't have at minimum indirect (through Sarachin) information on what the player wants is just laughable. But when people start saying he'll become an English citizen and play for England...
But how's he going to get one if he's not a citizen? This whole thing is goofy. Ralph has played 20 or so games in MLS, and he's done well. Good for him, I wish him the best, etc., but it's ludicrous to think that Bruce Arena is going to start trying to hijack the citizenship process based on less than a full season.
The questions are inevitable. The assumption that a national team coach - who has a good friend coaching this guy's club side - isn't keeping up with his progress is nothing short of stupid. People who think that they are more on top of what's happening in MLS from their couch than Bruce Arena deserve to be called stupid. Face it - Pat McCabe is just trying to earn his 10 percent and boost Damani's profile. Just because some suckers here buy it doesn't make it gospel.