Top Stories

Dual-nationals Tesho Akindele, Julio Morales won’t feature in upcoming USMNT friendlies

JurgenKlinsmannUSMNT3-BrazilTraining2014WorldCup (Getty)

By FRANCO PANIZO

Jurgen Klinsmann will be taking a look at some new faces when the U.S. Men’s National Team takes on Chile on January 28, but Tesho Akindele and Julio Morales won’t be among them.

Akindele and Morales are currently in their first camp with the U.S., but will not be suiting up for next Wednesday’s match against Chile and will likely also miss out on the home game against Panama on Feb. 8. Morales previously played for Mexican youth national teams and must therefore file a one-time change of association in order to represent the U.S.

“Obviously (Akindele) can’t travel with us to Chile, nor can Julio because they need now the one-time switch,” said U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. “We’re not pressuring that, we’re not pushing them. We said, ‘Take all the time in the world because once you make that decision, it’s a lifetime decision.'”

(UPDATE- Klinsmann’s comments about Akindele were made in error. Akindele does not need a one-time change of association to play for the United States, but the paperwork to have FIFA recognize his American citizenship has not gone through. Therefore Akindele will not appear in the upcoming friendlies.)

While there is no rush on Klinsmann’s end for Akindele, 22, or Morales, 21, to decide who they want to represent internationally, the U.S.’s busy calendar year could give the attacking players more of an opportunity to see time in friendlies or competitive matches.

The CONCACAF Gold Cup will be played this summer, but not before a slew of exhibition matches. Klinsmann is making a point of looking at young talent, especially with the 2016 Olympics fast approaching, and FC Dallas’ Akindele and Tepic’s Morales could earn longer looks in more competitive environments if they choose to commit to the American cause.

Recruiting dual-nationals is something U.S. Soccer has done a good job in recent years, as it has gotten the likes of Julian Green, Gedion Zelalem and Mix Diskerud to pledge their international allegiances to the U.S. Akindele and Morales could be the latest to do so, but that will not guarantee them a place in the increasingly-competitive American squad.

“I think we’re doing well in that because we are honest,” said Klinsmann. “We leave it up to the players and their families to make that decision. We tell them how we run things, how we organize it. We are also honest where he is in the whole player pool. We have a lot, a lot of competition.

“Hopefully Tesho and Julio will go with us, but no matter what they decide, they have to make it right for themselves.”

For now, Akindele and Morales will continue to integrate themselves into the U.S. set-up. After all, they are just some of the youngsters that Klinsmann has called in to learn the ropes from the more experienced regulars on the team.

“I think it’s going very smooth, because the older guys help them to feel comfortable, to feel at ease, and to enjoy it,” said Klinsmann. “Obviously, they are very challenged physically because of the tempo, the speed that we play every little session in, but they handle themselves fine. I think this has always been a big plus for the American team, that they make it easy for new players to come in and feel welcome, and to feel a part of the group right after a couple of days.

“I think that’s what happens now with these younger players. They feel accepted, they feel respected, and they spend a lot of time together. Therefore, I think it’s a nice thing to do with this January camp to help this younger group to grow into the next level.”

Comments

  1. Canada has lost so many players to other international options that it has weakened that country’s team considerably. Begovic, Fernandes, Hargreaves, de Guzman, and Bunbury come to mind. Add to that list Akindele, Hoillet, and Vitoria, players who could join today but have not, and it becomes very obvious that Canada would have been a CONCACAF power and would likely have been at the World Cup in Brazil. At some point it would be nice if players with options chose a lesser option (strenght in numbers?), but I really wonder if that will happen.

    For players like Akindele and Morales, there is certainly a risk. Just look at the very large number of US players who cannot make it into theUS team due to great depth and competition. That’s great for the USMNT, but not so much for those players on the outside looking in. Even Bunbury must now fight to get invited back into the US player pool, let alone make the team, while for Canada he may have been a regular part of an improved team particularly if other players with choice chose Canada.

    Reply
    • The problem is that even with all the guys you listed, Canada still would never qualify for the world cup so any players with other options choose those other options.

      Reply
      • I wonder. The team from the last qualifying round was not that strong, but it lacked just one better player per “position”. Bunbury for Rickets, Begovic for Hirschfeld, Vitoria for Hainault, Hoillet for Jackson. You get the idea. Canada may not ever catch the US, but certainly with three or four additional quality starting players, which, in turn, strengthens the bench, they can overcome Honduras, Costa Rica, or Panama, and perhaps Mexico on a really good day.

      • “The problem is that even with all the guys you listed, Canada still would never qualify for the world cup so any players with other options choose those other options”

        I would not be so sure.

        The Canadian management set up is a cluster but if they had gotten that aspect together , that is a pretty impressive list of players.
        Hargreaves at his peak and healthy was a better player than anyone currently in the USMNT pool.

        The first step is for them to decide if they want a winner in this sport.

    • For Morales, it’s not a huge risk. It’s unlikely Mexico would ever call him in. And if he’s at the level that Mexico is interested, he’s good enough for regular US consideration.

      Reply
  2. I don’t know if they should have fence sitting prospects in camp. It’s one thing if they are committed and waiting on paperwork that may not come in time. It’s another thing if they could be playing for Canada or Mexico next month. You don’t want to hand people the “playbook” and then they decide the wrong way.

    Morales was born here and Akindele has been here since age 8. We are a talented team and it is a risk, but for Morales I doubt Mexico’s senior team is presently interested, and for Akindele playing for Canada is IMO a dead end. He would guarantee more regular callins no matter how his career goes by picking Canada, but he would also all but guarantee he would never play in a World Cup.

    Reply
    • I hear you, but I think exposing them to a camp and getting to know the guys is a strong selling point that’s worked in the past. It sounds like other national teams don’t welcome new players with open arms like the USMNT does and that JK uses this to sell USMNT to players with options.

      Plus, I don’t think we’re giving them such vital information that they’ll be able to gain some sort of advantage next time we play MX or Canada.

      Reply
      • Fans of a team generally say “we” when referring to the team. It doesn’t imply that they are actually on the team. #TrollFail…..

    • “You don’t want to hand people the “playbook” and then they decide the wrong way.”

      This is not the NFL.

      By your logic the Barca guys and the Real Madrid guys should avoid each other when Spain has a camp.

      For example with Morales, I doubt there is anything the USMNT can do to surprise Mexico.and vice versa.

      Reply
  3. These guys grew up here and should absolutely play for the USMNT. Don’t think we have much to worry about with Tesho unless he has dreams of never qualifying for the world cup.

    Reply
    • The chances of him playing on the senior team are slim. Maybe with the Olympic team, but if he wants to actually play he should go with Canada (see Teal Bunbury)

      Reply
      • I’m sure he rates himself a little higher than you do. Just because you can point to Bunbury doesn’t mean that will happen to him. Plus, if Bunbury plays well he could still be in the USMNT picture.

  4. According to an ESPN article FIFA still hasn’t decided if Tesho is eligible to play for the US. It looks like he just recently got his US citizenship. On his part it seems he’s reluctant to file a one-time switch, which makes sense. With Canada the chances of him being a starter are pretty good. With the US it’s not guaranteed that he would even be with the national team after these friendlies if his performances are sub-par.

    http://www.espnfc.com/team/united-states/660/blog/post/2254731/tesho-akindele-gets-a-feel-for-life-with-jurgen-klinsmanns-us

    Reply
  5. I think Jurgen is a bit misinformed.

    Tesho doesn’t need a one-time switch (unless we don’t know about some Canadian competitive youth cap), but he hasn’t met the FIFA requirement when a player acquires a new citizenship. FIFA says a player has to live in a country 5 years when acquiring a new citizenship as an adult. Tesho hasn’t turned 23 yet — that happens in March.

    That’s probably why Tesho won’t be available for the friendlies.

    Reply
    • Boyd, Green, and Johnson did not live in the US for 5 years – I think you may be confusing U.S. citizenship rules (ie. Diego Fagundez’s situation) with FIFA requirements.

      Reply
      • No that is a FIFA rule. I think those guys were US citizens before they were 18? Otherwise maybe there is some other loophole we don’t know about.

      • The FIFA rule is that if you are a citizen and have lived in a country for five years as an adult you can play for them. That’s why Diego Costa can play for Spain.

      • Sorry, boys and girls, but I have done my homework on this (and on the laws & rules around US citizenship). Here’s the applicable paragraph in the FIFA Statutes:

        7 Acquisition of a new nationality

        Any Player who refers to art.5 par. 1 to assume a new nationality and who has not played international football in accordance with art.
        5 par. 2 shall be eligible to play for the new representative team only if he fulfills one of the following conditions:

        a) He was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
        b) His biological mother or biological father was born on the territory of
        the relevant Association;
        c) His grandmother or grandfather was born on the territory of the
        relevant Association;
        d) He has lived continuously for at least five years after reaching the age of 18 on the territory of the relevant Association

        This was the rule added somewhere around 2009 to fight the problem of Qatar immediately naturalizing a flock of Brazilians.

    • Any Player who refers to art. 5 par. 1 to assume a new nationality and who
      has not played international football in accordance with art. 5 par. 2 shall be
      eligible to play for the new representative team only if he fulfi ls one of the
      following conditions:
      a) He was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
      b) His biological mother or biological father was born on the territory of the
      relevant Association;
      c) His grandmother or grandfather was born on the territory of the relevant
      Association;
      d) He has lived continuously for at least fi ve years after reaching the age of 18
      on the territory of the relevant Association.

      Reply
    • However……..A Player who, under the terms of art. 5, is eligible to represent more than
      one Association on account of his nationality, may play in an international
      match for one of these Associations only if, in addition to having the relevant
      nationality, he fulfi ls at least one of the following conditions:
      a) He was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
      b) His biological mother or biological father was born on the territory of the
      relevant Association;
      c) His grandmother or grandfather was born on the territory of the relevant
      Association;
      d) He has lived continuously on the territory of the relevant Association for at
      least two years.

      Reply
      • Understand that that paragraph is referring to someone who already possesses a 2nd citizenship (usually at birth). Someone who *acquires a new citizenship* as an adult is subject to the 5 year rule.

      • Tesho *acquired a new nationality* when he naturalized as an adult a few months ago. That should mean the 5 year, rather than the 2 year rule.

    • If a Player has more than one nationality, or if a Player acquires a new
      nationality, or if a Player is eligible to play for several representative teams
      due to nationality, he may, only once, request to change the Association for
      which he is eligible to play international matches to the Association of another
      Country of which he holds nationality, subject to the following conditions:
      a) He has not played a match (either in full or in part) in an Offi cial
      Competition at “A” international level for his current Association, and at
      the time of his fi rst full or partial appearance in an international match
      in an Offi cial Competition for his current Association, he already had the
      nationality of the representative team for which he wishes to play.
      b) He is not permitted to play for his new Association in any competition in
      which he has already played for his previous Association.

      Reply

Leave a Comment