BY ADAM SERRANO
The Honduran national team is trying to do everything it can to make sure that it doesn't lose teen phenom Andy Najar.
In a Honduran publication, U-20 head coach Javier Padilla announced that he will tryand bring Najar into the Honduras set up for the U-20 World Cup. Padilla also stated that he did not know of any other nations inquiring about the national eligibility of the 17-year old midfielder. The Catrachos begin the drive for the tournament qualification in December.
This is the second public statement by a Honduran coach about Najar in less than a week. Honduran head coach Juan De Dios Castillo announced last week during a press conference for the Catrachos match against El Salvador that the D.C. United midfielder is being watched for the next World Cup Cycle. Castillo later elaborated that he expected to call Najar in shortly.
The 17-year-old has repeatedly stated that he was focusing on his club career with D.C. United and that his national team choice would be decided in the future. A green card holder who could potentially become an American citizen in three years, Najar could wind up holding off a national team decision for some time.
Think Najar will choose Honduras? Hope that if he joins the U-20 team that he reneges, ala Subotic? Should he wait for U.S. Citizenship?
Share your thoughts below.
You guys realize that this kid is 17? He would be a high school junior right now. No need to rave about he is just ok, he will only get better.
Something about this doesn’t make sense then. Does he even have a green card yet? If so, there is no reason he wouldn’t be able to leave and re-enter the country.
Wrong. They do matter.
Read Buy My Book’s post. If Najar had a US passport right now and played for the Honduras U-20’s he wouldn’t be tied. But he does not have a US passport so representing Honduras at that level will get him tied down. It seems for example that Jermaine Jones had US and German passports when he played for Germany.
Well actually, my mother became a citizen 3 years ago and we decided to move forward with the process (paying the fees and stuff) because we heard from Immigration attorneys and stuff that there were different requirements that would be put in place, the fees for one would raise significantly and the test no longer is as easy as before. So I know they did make it difficult for Permanent Residents to become citizens, not sure if they’re going to make it harder in the future, but it’s tougher now than say 5 years ago
Well this puts a different spin on it now doesn’t it?
Adam Serrano,
you almost totally misrepresented the gist of that article. Honduran U20 coach Javier Padilla says he’d like to use Najar but the article lists the reasons why that is unlikely.
According to the article the foremost reason is that Andy Najar’s immigration status does not allow him to leave the US for a foreign country and then re-enter.
The author of the article asks coach Padilla twice about Najar but it doesn’t sound like it was the coach making a pro-active lobbying effort to get Najar on his team. The coach admits he hasn’t even spoken directly with Najar, just w his representative.
Padilla wishfully says he hopes Najar’s patriotism, as an Honduran, will make up his mind for him. Padilla then says that WHEN he is called up Najar will have to make up his mind about which country to represent.
This article sounds primarily like the
i agree. i guess we’ll see what happens.
you were probably there when Al Gore invented the internet also right?
As MensreaJim said – they matter unless someone has only played international friendlies at youth level.
8 months ago, there was an article on Guardian Online in which the writer promoted the idea that N`Zogbia could still play for England. I made a small research and – knowing said FIFA rule – argued that this was not the case, because N`Zogbia was not eligible to play for England at the time he represented France at youth level. But my comment was ignored by other readers.
Two weeks ago I got so annoyed that no English journalist (and the English FA) failed to understand that Mikel Arteta was ineligible to play for England that I decided to post a few comments on Football Weekly in which I made it clear that someone should phone FIFA and they will tell you that Arteta doesn`t qualify for England. A few days later the English press reported on the eligibility issue. And somehow I have the feeling that my comments triggered it off…
3 goals in 20 games for an attacking player is OK at best.
He’s got some talent sure, but right now there is no way in hell he’s even a speck on the USMNT radar.
Even out wide we have plenty of guys in the MLS and abroad performing better than Najar.
I get a feeling people are doing an “Adu” again. He’s 17. It’s his first real season. He’s just a kid with promise so far. They’re a dime a dozen. Let him develop his game without any crazy pressure or else this has Adu el Dos (the hondurian version) written all over it again.
Don’t care what country he chooses but we have to stop the habit of making any kid with a little skill the next Pele in this country…
This is between Najar and Najar, no one elses opinions matter EOD
3 goals on the wing as a 17 year old is pretty damn good. It’s not just that, when you watch him, he’s got a lot of talent out wide, a position we’re not exactly loaded in. I’d love for the kid to wait, but wont be mad if he’s in the Honduras set-up. My gut is he may wait it out a bit, but eventually accept a full Honduran National Team call-up.
Najar should play for his mother country. He was born there and raised there until the age of 13. IMHO, he should not be allowed to play for the U.S. Similarly, Rossi should not have been allowed to play for Italy. I believe the rules are too lax and allow for possibility of corruption to take place between agents, players, national teams and clubs. Brazilians are already becoming naturalized by confederations hoping to catch lightening in a bottle.
Youth teams count, as long as it’s in an “official competition”.
That’s why Subotic couldn’t play for Germany.
Art. 18 (this is old, and the 21 years old requirement was the big change last year)
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/01/09/75/14/fifa_statutes_072008_en.pdf
So green card = moral obligation to this country? Interesting.
There is too much flawed logic in here, but let me just say that if I went to another country – let’s say to work – I’d probably try to get the equivalent of a ‘green card’ there. However, that would be to have less hassle and not some higher order moral duty to that country. And I would not see it as ‘citizen in waiting.’ Heavens.
Hope this is a troll, because it took me a good 40 minutes to decipher this writing.
The simple truth is: Honduras needs all the prospects it can get for their national team’s future, whereas looking at the big picture for the US, Najar doesn’t seem indispensable at all. Honduras has less population, less players playing abroad, less players to pick and choose from period. They need to get all the Najars they can to see if any can help them. The US, not so much. We’ve got options in numbers that we don’t need to chase after a 17 year old MLS rookie who’s not remarkable.
If every guy scoring 3 goals in 20 MLS games is suddenly on the USMNT radar, it’s a pretty ridiculous situation.
My mum’s from England and she’s held her green card for over 25 years with no intention of being a US citizen. Green card just means legal alien.
But the u20s don’t matter – correct? It’s on when you reach the men’s team?
Legit question, not being a smart arse : )
Well, I guess the good news is that if he accepts the call-up and renders himself ineligible to play for the U.S. (before he’s eligible for the U.S.), we won’t have to endure interminable debates about whose fault it is that the U.S. “lost” him.
Giuseppe Rossi…. Oops!
I’m salvadorian born there and everything a big us fan. I noticemost hispanics would choe there country over us I asked a lot of people to get different point of views and seems scarey cause I was te only one saying he should play for us. I been in this country my whole and any hispanic that are here should be graceful this country gives you so many things and chances. That our home country doesn’t Najar should play for usa. For so many reasons most central america countrys are such a mess its awful living there so much suffering for him and his family to gt a chance in this country should mean a lot to him. Ill do w.e to serve this country I it wasn’t for this country me and ma family would be in el salvador suffering.
Yup.
The US don’t need to block average players like Najar and Yura from playing for their home countries. Say Najar or Yura were tearing it up at Man U, well then it changes things. But the USSF has bigger problems then chasing around non-US MLS prospects to try and tie them down to the Nats. We’ll win some, we’ll lose some. For every Rossi or Subotic, they’ll be a Jones or a Dooley.
We can’t go crazy and start crying every time we “lose” a potential prospect to another country. It happens everywhere. I mean even great federations with renowned youth development like France lose out on major stars: Drogba (lived in France since he was 5). Argentina lost Trezeguet to France, as well. And many many more examples through the world…
It happens, let’s get over it and go with players who REALLY want to play for the USA.
A boy doesn’t have much choice when his parents decide to move, whether within the same country or to a new one. I would wish the right for an American living abroad to play for the US if he chose to; thus I would extend the same right to a Honduran living abroad to play for Honduras.
“Nonsense” pretty well describes your entire post.
AGREED….
USA is always trying to poach players, just because they went to university there, or some other reason. In the end, they will probally get 1 cap, and never play again.
Good thing yura made the right decision, and didnt wait!
This rule was soley implemented for players who dont get noticed by there national team, considered surplus or are disregarded so to speak. So they play for another national team that they CAN make, and ARE eligible for.
Jermaine Jones, KP Boateng, Amauri, excetera, excetera, excetera
Jones
Yes, if he plays for Honduras before he becomes eligible to play for the US, he won`t be able to play for the US in the future.
Actually I told everyone that Arteta would not be allowed to play for England under the current FIFA rules but I was not taken serious until it was confirmed by news reports a few weeks later. It is the same rule that prevented Neven Subotic from playing for Germany…
“A green card holder who could potentially become an American citizen in three years”
What is this based on? Typically, one can apply for citizenship five years after receiving a green card. His agent suggested that he got his green card shortly before signing with DC, so that means about a four and half year wait still. And this is all assuming that he doesn’t move to Europe in the next couple of years.
Either way, it seems likely to me that he will be capped by Honduras long before he has US eligibility.
AGREED….
USA is always trying to poach players, just because they went to university there, or some other reason. In the end, they will probally get 1 cap, and never play again.
Good thing yura made the right decision, and didnt wait!
This rule was soley implemented for players who dont get noticed by there national team, considered surplus or are disregarded so to speak. So they play for another national team that they CAN make, and ARE eligible for.
Jermaine Jones, KP Boateng, Amauri, excetera, excetera, excetera
Jones
It is hard to think he will hold off as long as he has too in order to obtain US citizenship. 3 years is an eternity to a 17 year old.
Wait, I thought Najar came up through the DC United *youth* program. Is that really a Honduran program?
Incorrect! When you get a Green Card that means you want to reside in the United States without continuing to applying for visas over and over again. Looks at the card it’s not a citizenship waiting card, it’s a resident card. Many people who have been long time residents of the United States don’t ever become citizens.
Ok Glenn Beck.
A great thing about the USA is that’s it’s a land of liberty and free choice. Since you seem to be such a patriot, then leave Najar the right to choose the direction he wants his international career to go.
If he wants to play for Honduras, well you can’t blame him for it.
If a person is here legally and has a green card and permanent residency then it’s 3 years provided they are at least 18. I think the push from Hondurus is that he’s nearing his 18th B-Day and could gain US citizenship sooner than later
I meant 20 games
I’m not sure why everyone is so big on this kid at this point. People seem to think he should get called up to the senior team or something right now.
He’s got some upside, but right now he’s just a 17 year old MLS player with 3 goals and 1 assist in 2 or so games. Nothing to write home about yet.
Anyhow, he’s not even American yet and we can’t really force him to choose.
…..or, the US could develop their own players instead of depending on other countries to do half the job.
Najar is a product of Honduras and should play for their National Team. If the US doesn’t like it then they need to fix their weak developmental system and make this a moot point.
Speaking as someone who chose to this country legally, when you ask for a greencard it is with the understanding that the goal is citizenship. It is 5 years waiting and proving that one is worthy of it. Najar has already decided to become US citizen. His moral obligation is to this country.
He may elect to be dual citizen also. He has options. But he should not commit to Honduras unless B. Bradley turns him down. The rest is politically correct nonsense.
i think the point he is making is the amount of time it takes a legal resident to obtain citizenship. it’s a very long process.
not going to even butt in on the politics, just thought i would try to clear that up. at least how i read his comment.
Najar should wait to play for the US. He should be grateful that the US has given him and his family a better opportunity for life, and chance to start his
pro soccer here.
Yeah if Honduras was so great then why would he and his family left there in the first place. USA !
If a person is here legally, it still takes quite a while to get citizenship (something like 7 years?). A player might not want to miss years and years of playing internationally. Ives talks about this all the time. The point is the laws aren’t going to make an exception for a talented player.
http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/
The laws haven’t and won’t get tougher on those in the States legally, just illegally. Najar is here legally.
Not to be political but I thought I’d clear up the errors in your sidebar.
wtf are you talking about? Your attempt at a political statement makes absolutely no sense.
This.
Choosing which country to represent is a personal choice. Let’s leave it at that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s
I’ll be the contrarian and say “good for him!” He is not a US citizen and is getting a chance to play for the country he is a citizen of.
Sidebar: This is a side effect of our immigration/citizenship laws getting tougher and will become more common. I happen to not like the tougher laws but that is besides the point, this is a reality from them.
Can’t renege if he appears in the age group tourney, as he is only a citizen of Honduras right now.
He should do what he wants. His story–especially in light of what has happened to other Central Americans migrating through Mexico lately–is amazing and he has the right to represent whomever he wants. His “duty” to DC will be met when they sell him.
I obviously want him to play for us, and I’m sure he’ll take that into account.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Uhm, Since Najar is not currently eligible for the US, if he plays for the Honduras U-20 he will forever be bound to them under the new rules, right? He has to have US eligibility at the time of playing for the Honduras U-20 to ever make the switch, as this is what kept Artetta from being on the England team.