Tam Update

[George_]

It looks like Tam has been loaned out to Rapid Bucharest.

Lets hope he gets some playing time...

http://www.novasports.gr/soccer/anational/default.asp?aid=199866

[Guest Ed]

Thanks for that George. Good luck to Tam. One of my favourites.

[Keegan]

Oh Tam, the forgotten man

How hard can it be to make him eligible for Canada!?! So what if he relinquished citizenship??? Surely there is an exception hes played for us!!

[jpg75]

Confirmation in Romanian:

http://asport.ro/fotbal-intern,liga-i,rapid-l-a-imprumutat-pe-tam-nsaliwa-de-la-aek-atena,113679

From the translation it seems to indicate that Rapid think his contract is expiring in the summer (which contradicts that George said he was signed until 2011) and then hope to sign him permanently.

[VPjr]

Oh Tam, the forgotten man

How hard can it be to make him eligible for Canada!?! So what if he relinquished citizenship??? Surely there is an exception hes played for us!!

Nope, no exceptions, especially for a guy who was not born in Canada and then decided to throw his Canadian citizenship in the proverbial trash bin. Unfortunately, he needs to become Canadian again and that will require meeting residency rules.

From what I've heard, CSA has invested a fair bit of $ on lawyers to try to find a way to bring him back but I dont see it happening.

[Juby]

...but...he's...cap...tied...grrrrr

[VPjr]

^ but he's no longer a Canadian, legally. And that trumps everything.

Had he been born in Canada, it is not an issue

[TheKottonmouthed1555362307]

^ but he's no longer a Canadian, legally. And that trumps everything.

Had he been born in Canada, it is not an issue

so is he eligible for a different national team again. As he has nat caps with us senior ones. So it would seem he can't play anywhere internationally if I'm interpreting the rules.

He became a Canadian got his senior cap to solidfy his allegiance to canada internationally then gave up the only thing that allowed him to play for us, so in my mind he souldn't be allowed to play internationally unless he becomes a Canadian again. Only way that happens is if he gets a lucractive contract from TFC, Vancouver or Impact

[Cheeta]

^ Yeah, well. I used to think it was unfair that even though he was cap-tied to Canada, it was unfair to deny him eligibility to participate in international soccer just because his circumstances have changed. But the fact of the matter is that he isn't denied the opportunity to play international soccer. Even though he can't play for Canada, because he no longer holds Canadian citizenship, and he can't play for Germany because he doesn't meet the residency rules for "new' citizens even though he has a German passport, he's still eligible to play for Malawi, the country of his birth.

Funny creature FIFA. You can play for a country you've never been to just so long as your parents or grandparents have some attachment to it, but if you're cap-tied to the country you grew up in (even though you weren't born there) that matters naught if your citizenship is revoked.

Think of it. Marc Bircham is held up as an example quite often. He'd never been to Canada. His parents had never been to Canada. Yet because his grandfather was born here (and returned to England before dear old Gramps was of school age) Mr. Bircham was eligible to play for Canada citizenship or no. But a fellow like Nsaliwa, who'd been cap tied under FIFA statutes, changes citizenship and finds himself only eligible to play for a country he left at so young of an age that he could hardly remember anything of it.

Funny creature FIFA.

[SthMelbRed]

Where did you hear that he's eligible to play for Malawi? As far as I know, once you've been capped at senior level, you cannot play for any other country, no matter what.

[jpg75]

Tam cannot play international soccer for anyone right now. The only country he'll ever be able to play for is Canada (thanks to his appearance in the 2002 GC), and the only way he can play for us is to regain his Canadian passport.

[Admin]

If gay marriage is legal, perhaps someone from the forum should step up?

[jpg75]

There's gotta be a few female V's lurking out there...

[Juby]

There's gotta be a few female V's lurking out there...

still he's right, with gay marriage being legal and this being mostly a sausage fest it could get done! And if you caught him 'cheating' you'd probably get a pretty penny in the divorce *joking...unless someone actually did it, then way to take one for the team hahaha*

[Tuscan]

still he's right, with gay marriage being legal and this being mostly a sausage fest it could get done! And if you caught him 'cheating' you'd probably get a pretty penny in the divorce *joking...unless someone actually did it, then way to take one for the team hahaha*

Wow we really are desperate aren't we

[VPjr]

^uh...yeah?? Tam's good but not THAT good.

and jpg has it right....Tam is captied to Canada but cant play for us until he gets a new passport and I don't see the govt bending rules for a "new" Canadian who chose to give up that citizenship. I'd personally be disappointed if they did, from a purely ethical standpoint.

[Rivaldo]

I don't see the govt bending rules for a "new" Canadian who chose to give up that citizenship.

Why not? They did for Samuel Dalembert. He has a good reason for not living in Canada. He had to leave to pursue his career.

[VPjr]

^ But Sam never renounced his Canadian citizenship. That is an important factor that people seem not to appreciate.

Dalembert never had his Canadian citizenship in the first place and he most certainly did not have it and then threw it in the trash in order to get another country's citizenship. That is essentially what Tam did. I don't blame him necessarily (if that is what he thought he needed to do in order to advance his career) but those decisions have reprecussions.

I know for a fact the CSA has exhausted all sorts of avenues to try to get Tam back in the fold but his decision to renounce his citizenship and inability to fulfill the residency requirement are working against him and I get the sense the Feds don't feel a need to fast track/bend the rules for a guy who felt it was more important to toss his Canadian citizenship for the German one. I don't think they much care that he had to do it to advance his short footballing career.

[Rivaldo]

But Sam never renounced his Canadian citizenship. That is an important factor that people seem not to appreciate.

Legally, I think it's easier to resume Canadian citizenship if you've held it previously. As I undertand, the issue is still that he doesn't want to give up the professional advantages that come with an EU citizenship and Germany won't allow him to keep it if he acquires another.

[Obinna]

in a hypothetical situation, where tam is signed by the Whitecaps for their 2011 MLS season, how long would he have to live in Vancouver until he can play for us again?

[canucklefan]

If I'm not mistaken, 5 years.

EDIT: if he signed for Montreal Impact, it would be 3 years.

[Rivaldo]

The requirement is:

has been a permanent resident in good standing for at least one year prior to the application.

but the Minister could waive it. Residency requirements have been waived before.

[loyola]

The requirement is:

but the Minister could waive it. Residency requirements have been waived before.

Yes, but that's where the fact he threw his citizenship to the bin is important to the Feds who are looking at his file.

[Rivaldo]

You guys are vindictive. He didn't "throw his citizenship to the bin" for his "short footballing career." He made a decision to help his career and he may not have understood the full consequences of the draconian German citizenship laws. I'd be happy to have him back if the citizenship issues can be worked out.

I'd be surprised if the Minister wouldn't waive it if asked by the CSA. He has a good reason and it's been waived for other athletes.

[loyola]

You guys are vindictive. He didn't "throw his citizenship to the bin" for his "short footballing career." He made a decision to help his career and he may not have understood the full consequences of the draconian German citizenship laws. I'd be happy to have him back if the citizenship issues can be worked out.

I'd be surprised if the Minister wouldn't waive it if asked by the CSA. He has a good reason and it's been waived for other athletes.

Sorry for offending you but the "throwing to the bin" comment is just an image, an expression.

I understand that waiving requirements has been done before but let's just say the facts in Tam case aren't sympathetic:

First, he's given Canadian Citizenship. Then, for career advancements he let it go. And now, he isn't even living in the country anymore, we should give him back his Canadian Citizenship for him to be eligible to play International soccer.

I would like to see him back but I have very little sympathy for his case. He should've known better if he wanted to keep playing international soccer.