Will Eric Hassli play for Canada?

[Drew Shaw]

Hassli is in love with this city. Not just happy to be here; his actions and words are above and beyond the usual prudence of professional athletes in regards to their own fans:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/whitecaps-striker-eric-hassli-falls-in-love-with-vancouver/article2136046/

We don't know him that well yet, but the man looks genuine. He says he wants to play the rest of his career here. He has already tattooed Maple Leafs on his arm. He certainly has the talent to become one of the Whitecaps greatest ever players if he stays healthy, and more importantly, stays here.

Nobody has asked it, that I'm aware of, so I'm going to (so I'm officially taking credit as the first person in Canada to talk about) - are we going to see Eric Hassli suit up as a player for Canada? If he stays here and seeks citizenship, he could be playing for Canada by 2013. So, will he? Because he's clearly good enough to do so.

[Obinna]

I would surely welcome him with open arms....great player who can score and has skill.....I think he would be a starter for Canada

[Blackdude]

No. He's 29. He's going to be 34 when he'll be eligible for us if he stays in Canada.

[Keegan]

Hassli is in love with this city. Not just happy to be here; his actions and words are above and beyond the usual prudence of professional athletes in regards to their own fans:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/whitecaps-striker-eric-hassli-falls-in-love-with-vancouver/article2136046/

We don't know him that well yet, but the man looks genuine. He says he wants to play the rest of his career here. He has already tattooed Maple Leafs on his arm. He certainly has the talent to become one of the Whitecaps greatest ever players if he stays healthy, and more importantly, stays here.

Nobody has asked it, that I'm aware of, so I'm going to (so I'm officially taking credit as the first person in Canada to talk about) - are we going to see Eric Hassli suit up as a player for Canada? If he stays here and seeks citizenship, he could be playing for Canada by 2013. So, will he? Because he's clearly good enough to do so.

He can't play for us until 2016 if he starts the process now, he would be 35 by that time. I'd hope we have enough talent developed to push him out of any squad.

[Juby]

bit of a long shot, but if he's not married he might become a canadian in a couple years

[A_Gagne]

No. He's 29. He's going to be 34 when he'll be eligible for us if he stays in Canada.

damn it, ****in buzz kill...

[Drew Shaw]

He can't play for us until 2016 if he starts the process now, he would be 35 by that time. I'd hope we have enough talent developed to push him out of any squad.

I don't know the time line for citizenship and eligibility. 5 years?

[tyler453]

I don't know the time line for citizenship and eligibility. 5 years?

You have to have lived in Canada for three years total over the span of four years.

[Drew Shaw]

You have to have lived in Canada for three years total over the span of four years.

So you can't become a citizen until after the third year, or the fourth?

[tyler453]

So you can't become a citizen until after the third year, or the fourth?

It's once you've lived your 1095 days (3 years) over the span of 4 years. Any more than 4, then your not eligible for another year or something.

[Drew Shaw]

It's once you've lived your 1095 days (3 years) over the span of 4 years. Any more than 4, then your not eligible for another year or something.

Thanks for that information. So . . . May 2014 for citizenship, May 2016 under new FIFA rules. Yes, he'll be too old. Oh well. I thought I'd bring it up.

[finchster]

Hassli will be too old, Camilo is the only real possibly and by real possibly I mean with any chance of happening (which I still rate pretty low)

[Drew Shaw]

Hassli will be too old, Camilo is the only real possibly and by real possibly I mean with any chance of happening (which I still rate pretty low)

Probably true.

It wouldn't have entered my mind if it weren't for all the "Hassli loves Vancouver" articles that are cropping up.

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Football/North+America/MLS/Vancouver+Whitecaps

[The Observer]

You are all hypocrites. I'm sure many of you have ripped guys like ********** and Begovic for abandoning their home countries and playing for other ones. And now you are welcoming Hassli (French) to play for Canada, to which he probably has no bloodlines too. Yes I know he doesn't have a choice between France and Canada because as of now, he isn't considered for France, but he would still be opting to play for a country that is not his. For shame on all you.

ps. At age 34 could without a doubt play on our national team. If Radzinski could play till 34... Hassli would have no problem.

pp. for shame!

[Free kick]

Hassli is not on the radar to play for France. Its the same with Camillo(for Brazil), Frey (Switzerland) or many other internations in MLS. japan, Croatia and several others have used Brazilians but in all these cases the player were not on the radar to play for their native countries. So they probably wouldnt have suited up for another country if their native country would have come calling when they were adults.

So your comparaison is not the same because their native countries dont need them as international soccer players. There was a player from Quebec sevral years ago (Vladimir Eduards) who, after never getting called up, commited to Haiti but nobody held it against him, he was already in his mid twenties. If some player in, say, the CSL, commited to a carribean country i woudnt call him a traitor and i am sure nobody else would. There wasnt that much of an out cry when Brett Hull decided to play for the USA after not getting called by Canada several times. You cant be turning your back on your country if your country has no intention of ever calling because they have an abundance of depth.

There more examples, there are several quebecers who play hockey for France or switzerland but no one wold hold it against them because they would never get to play for Canada. Its not the same when you turn your back to play for a country who is much weaker in the international game, moreso if you have lived that country for a long time.

The players you are referring to such OH and Begovic are/were needed by Canada. Big big difference, so there is no hypocracy in wooing players like Hassli, Camillo, or Frey to play for Canada.

[Bertuzzi44]

Hassli is not on the radar to play for France. Its the same with Camillo(for Brazil), Frey (Switzerland) or many others. japan, Croatia and several others have used Brazilians but in all these cases the player were not on the radar to play for their native countries. So they probably wouldnt have suited up for another country if their native country would have come calling when they were adults.

So your comparaison is not the same because their native countries dont need them as international soccer players. There was a player from Quebec sevral years ago (Vladimir Eduards) who, after never getting called up, commited to Haiti but nobody held it against him. If some player in, say, the CSL, commited to a carribean country i woudnt call him a traitor and i am sure nobody else would. There wasnt an out cry when Brett Hull decided to play for the USA after not getting called by Canada several times. You cant be turning your back on your country if your country has no intention of ever calling because they have too much depth.

There more examples, there are several quebecers who play hockey for France or switzerland but no one wold hold it against them because they would never get to play for Canada. Its not the same when you turn your back to play for a country who is much weaker in the international game, moreso if you have lived there for long time.

The players you are referring to such OH and Begovic are/were needed by Canada. Big big difference, so there is no hypocracy in wooing them to play for Canada.

^This.

IMO The Observer is wrong because the situations are completely different. OH, Begovic, Lensky, JDG2, etc were ALL approached by Canada to represent the Red and White. I'm not sure France if actively pursuing Hassli, because if they were, then yea, I'd say hand-off. But if he is not wanted/needed by France, then I would have no problem with him playing for Canada.

[ThiKu]

Observer....lay off the wobbly pops dude. Cuz that's the only explanation for your reasoning.

[Free kick]

Each of defections raises different levels of animosity for me. The Sydney Leroux case tops them all because she is living and training with a canadian club and has played for for the youth sides in canada. So canada and the CSA has invested in her development, so she ripped off Canada and continues to do so. Whereas the USA has done nothing for her deveopment. Thats pure and simple glory hunting. While all the known cases listed in this threads above raise ire, some do so less than others For me. The Jono case is one example because he has lived in Holland for very long time and a significant part of his life and he has been up front and clear in his intentions from the beginning. Whereas for many others its differrent, IMO, such as those who ended up defected to countries where they're only ink is parental ties, those are the ones that bug me the most.

[hectorj]

I think in my 15 years visiting this forum, I have seen this argument at least forty times. Scum like Greg Rusedski and Owen ********** abandoned their country for perceived greener pastures. They were wanted by Canada, but "felt more British". Hassli is not on the French radar and it is not poaching if the country you are supposedly poaching him from doesn't care. FIFA will make a mockery of the international game if they loosen up the rules even more. The UAE basically wanted a non-Arab team and luckily their proposal was shot down. The country in which the person was born should get first crack at them but if they bypass the player, the player could then apply to qualify under other means.

[Drew Shaw]

You are all hypocrites. I'm sure many of you have ripped guys like ********** and Begovic for abandoning their home countries and playing for other ones. And now you are welcoming Hassli (French) to play for Canada, to which he probably has no bloodlines too. Yes I know he doesn't have a choice between France and Canada because as of now, he isn't considered for France, but he would still be opting to play for a country that is not his. For shame on all you.

Your false comparison of Hassli with people who have actually been considered by multiple national teams has already been addressed by Free Kick. Try to follow fairly simple concepts: if you can't, don't comment on that which you can't understand. He's correct, you are incorrect.

Any person who tattoos maple leafs on his arm has more passion for where he is living, and where he has chosen to live, than all these slinkers and stinkers who are born in Canada, yet harbour secret hopes of playing for wherever their parents were born.

[Drew Shaw]

I think in my 15 years visiting this forum, I have seen this argument at least forty times. Scum like Greg Rusedski and Owen ********** abandoned their country for perceived greener pastures. They were wanted by Canada, but "felt more British". Hassli is not on the French radar and it is not poaching if the country you are supposedly poaching him from doesn't care. FIFA will make a mockery of the international game if they loosen up the rules even more. The UAE basically wanted a non-Arab team and luckily their proposal was shot down. The country in which the person was born should get first crack at them but if they bypass the player, the player could then apply to qualify under other means.

I don't have a problem with people playing for countries they move to and become citizens of - that's the way citizenship works. If OH had moved to the UK, lived there for 5 years, and THEN got selected by England, I doubt anyone would be talking about him. Also, if a person happens to be born in Qatar while his (Canadian) parents work there for two years, I think he should be able to play for Canada, if his parents move back and raise him here after that job ends. But I don't think that people should just be allowed to play for their parents countries if they have no connection there (like OH didn't: the only player for England who had never lived in the UK. Pathetic). And, of course, the whole Qatar thing is ridiculous, and makes a mockery of "national teams".

For me it's not about trying to poach - I initiated this thread and discussion because Hassli has tattooed maple leafs on his arm, and is clearly in love with Vancouver and Canada. That's my first criteria. From there the conversation goes to age and eligibility. Passion for country first - eligibility second, in my opinion.

I didn't start this thread about Camilo, for example. He's 23, so if we were into mercenary poaching, that's who we'd be talking about. I'm not. I hate those who defect from Canada, and I want to see national teams (including mine) consist of their citizens - people who wear the national jersey with pride because "Canadian" is what they are, and what they feel.

I don't want players from elsewhere who are good and "happen to be playing here" to be considered for Canada. But I do welcome someone like Hassli, who moves here, and then tattoos Maple Leafs on his body while genuinely telling everyone he meets that he is in love with the country. He has displayed more "love" for this country than a lot of people born here, and if that's the case, then he has as much right to be considered Canadian as anyone else who immigrates here, and who we cheer on in our colours.

Unfortunately, it's all moot, since he'd be too old once the eligibility and citizenship requirements were met. But at least I learned that by asking the question.

[Guest darowaan]

Its really hard to talk about this sort of thing on more then a case by case basis. I think if Hassli were younger or closer to becoming a Canadian citizen then i would welcome him. But him becoming a Canadian citizen would be the key part here. Then he is not some player deciding to play for a country he has barely ever been just because his family is from there, he instead is someone who cares about this country and calls it home.

I do not want to see Canada going around and poaching players but if a talented player moves to Canada and then is proud to call it home and wants to play for our national team that is perfectly fine by me. FIFA is making it far to easy for players to just pick where they want to play and it has nothing to do with what country they actually call home in many cases. The rules should be getting tighter and not looser for this. In fact i think you should have to go through an application process to play for any country that is not your own or that you are not a citizen of and in that process should have to show that this is the only way you will play internationally and that you are not just picking the best team possible.

[Incroyable]

How about we get Richard Eckersley to play for Canada.

[James]

How about we get Richard Eckersley to play for Canada.

So he can drift out of position for the national team too? Even if he were Canadian, I can't picture him on the depth chart. A "B" team sub?

[James]

What would worry me about Hassli playing for Canada, is his temper. I think typical CONCACAF reffing would eat this guy alive and he'd get more cards than goals.