Shway Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 On 1/13/2023 at 10:21 AM, Shway said: Am I the only one who only wants to follow/care about his career once his decision is made? Some suggested I was stupid for this thinking, but we've been burned 1 too many times for me to be that naive of the facts. Nello, Obinna, narduch and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obinna Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 30 minutes ago, Jack1997 said: Sorry, I’m confused I might’ve just missed something but what are we talking about? The prospect of Koleosho playing for Italy or USA in the U20 world cup, which has been rumoured by @Footyeh The stuff about Koleosho playing for Spain is pure conjecture, as we have no evidence yet he's eligible, though he may be due to residency. Spain never qualified for the U-20 world cup, though. Italy and USA seem to be the top choices for him to play more international youth soccer. His mom is an Italian-Canadian by the way, hence the eligibility there. The Nigerian eligibility comes from his Dad, who is African American. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shway Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 7 minutes ago, Obinna said: The prospect of Koleosho playing for Italy or USA in the U20 world cup, which has been rumoured by @Footyeh The stuff about Koleosho playing for Spain is pure conjecture, as we have no evidence yet he's eligible, though he may be due to residency. Spain never qualified for the U-20 world cup, though. Italy and USA seem to be the top choices for him to play more international youth soccer. His mom is an Italian-Canadian by the way, hence the eligibility there. The Nigerian eligibility comes from his Dad, who is African American. So let me be clear he has Canada, USA, Nigeria, Italy, and Spain. Good lord Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obinna Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 13 minutes ago, Shway said: So let me be clear he has Canada, USA, Nigeria, Italy, and Spain. Good lord You got it. FIFA eligibility standards have become a bit of a joke when a player can theoretically claim representation of 5 different nationalities on 3 separate continents. It makes a mockery of what it means to represent your country. ray and dyslexic nam 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinceA Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 2 minutes ago, Obinna said: You got it. FIFA eligibility standards have become a bit of a joke when a player can theoretically claim representation of 5 different nationalities on 3 separate continents. It makes a mockery of what it means to represent your country. ?? I mean he didn't choose to have ancestry in 5 countries. Approve My Account Pls and johnyb 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obinna Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 3 minutes ago, VinceA said: ?? I mean he didn't choose to have ancestry in 5 countries. Oh yeah for sure. And by all means he should look into all angles to see what suits him best. I am just making a general observation. No criticism of Koleosho here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shway Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 1 minute ago, Obinna said: You got it. FIFA eligibility standards have become a bit of a joke when a player can theoretically claim representation of 5 different nationalities on 3 separate continents. It makes a mockery of what it means to represent your country. I mean it's tough, and I personally wouldn't consider it a mockery especially as being a second gen Canadian. Who's to say he doesn't feel connected to ALL those countries. Your ancestry is your ancestry. My son is Canadian, Jamaican, Guyanese, and Filipino....has been to each country and will continue to visit....and if he shows any early promise in his footy skills, I'll send him to live with my brother in London lol. I would be damned if someone said he isn't _______, because it's like saying he's not my son. maplebanana, johnyb, Obinna and 4 others 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InglewoodJack Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 1 hour ago, Shway said: Some suggested I was stupid for this thinking, but we've been burned 1 too many times for me to be that naive of the facts. I follow guys like him and Jebbison from afar- at distinct points in time they seemed close to playing for us, more so than other duals, but I’m gonna need more commitment before I start following Sheffield and Espanyol on FOTMob if that makes sense. QBCS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obinna Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 1 minute ago, Shway said: I mean it's tough, and I personally wouldn't consider it a mockery especially as being a second gen Canadian. Who's to say he doesn't feel connected to ALL those countries. Your ancestry is your ancestry. My son is Canadian, Jamaican, Guyanese, and Filipino....has been to each country and will continue to visit....and if he shows any early promise in his footy skills, I'll send him to live with my brother in London lol. I would be damned if someone said he isn't _______, because it's like saying he's not my son. I feel you. Similar boat with my child. Canadian, Nigerian, Japanese and Korean, though the last of those may be tougher to secure. But yeah, on an individual level, I agree. Hard to say to someone you are not part of xyz nation. At the same time, when I take a bird's eye view, I see an international landscape that has become watered down. This includes nationalized players especially. Think of all the Brazilian-Chinese who gained Chinese citizenship to help grow Chinese football (and satisfy their own career aspirations). Whether or not they feel Chinese, they developed elsewhere (Brazil in this case) and bring an entirely different playing style to an otherwise homogeneous team. It's an odd situation, which is interesting in a way, and not doing any real harm. I guess I prefer things to be tightened up, generally speaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unnamed Trialist Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 (edited) I'd be very surprised if no one from the Spanish federation had ever asked about his Spain eligibility. Just saying. I realise the Italian passport enabled him to be in Spain since maybe age 12-13, so he may not feel the need to get Spanish citizenship. But a guy who's spent his preteens in the States, holidays in Canada and the last 6-7 years in Spain--I am not so sure he would reject an offer. There are young guys on Espanyol who are from Moroccan parents and are playing for Spain. Omar El Hilali, who was just loaned to the Swiss league, took out Spanish nationality recently but he was born in Morocco. Edited February 23, 2023 by Unnamed Trialist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottawafan Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 Why don't we just wait and see what he decides. Kent 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Chuck Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 (edited) Named to the U19 Italian National Team with upcoming U19 Euro qualifiers, which would cap-tie him at youth level to Italy. As a 2004-born player he would be eligible for Italy U21s through 2027 https://www.figc.it/it/nazionali/news/i-convocati-del-raduno-prima-della-partenza-per-la-fase-élite-in-germania/ Edit: on the roster he is only one of two players not based in Italy, so they are making an extra effort to include him. The other player has made his Bundesliga debut for Werder Bremen. This is on their official website but no sign of it yet on Koleosho's Instagram Edited March 3, 2023 by Canadian Chuck Obinna, grigorio, johnyb and 4 others 2 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic94 Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 From a career standpoint, it makes sense. It gives him the best background, and the most exposure along with the most opportunities. Let’s be real here, in 4 years he won’t be an Italy youth he will be with Canada or USA. also, if he’s still an Italy youth at that point it’s likely he won’t even crack our roster honeslty. So much will change in the span. DeRo_Is_King 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unnamed Trialist Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 Well good for him. I'd rather see him there than in the States. Simplifies his international travel. Proves the maternal bond is strong. Also shows ambition, toughest national program to get into of his options. He's had a very inconsistent season so far. Obinna, Jack1997 and johnyb 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertuzzi44 Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 Someone remind me how active Canada's U20 team is again? Unnamed Trialist 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Chuck Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 Italy qualified for the U20 World Cup so he could make that team too. But playing for their U19s this month will already be enough to need a one-time switch to play for Canada. No guarantee he will play in those U19 matches though. On the surface he doesn't have particularly strong ties to commit to any one nation. Spent childhood in the USA but didn't live there for too long. Has family ties to other countries like Canada, Nigeria, Italy but never lived there. Spain is where he developed most as a player but he may not be eligible yet or they haven't invited him. So it makes sense he would try to push his limits with the most prominent program that wants him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soccerpro2 Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 8 hours ago, Bertuzzi44 said: Someone remind me how active Canada's U20 team is again? It doesn't exist. LeoH037 and Unnamed Trialist 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obinna Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 (edited) What does this mean for the USA, I wonder? He tried our setup first, then he was going to try the USA, then decide between them or us. A senior call to the USMNT never came, then this opportunity presented itself, and he took it rather than playing for the USA in the same tournament. I don't know how I would feel if I were a USMNT fan: Relieved he is not with Canada? Concerned he chose Italy over the USA for the U20 WC? Concerned he voided his chance to play anymore youth games with USA? Probably they are treating this with a "meh" attitude, mainly because he has been inconsistent and hasn't locked down a role with the Espanyol first team, but I think him no longer being able to play with the USA is the only change here. He can still come into USMNT or CMNT senior camp, just no USYNT camps. That strengthens our chances relative to the states, but both of our chances go down simply for the fact he's wearing the colors of Italy now. Maybe he can attend a senior super eagles camp next, just to say he truly explored all of his options! Edited March 3, 2023 by Obinna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unnamed Trialist Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 Says "careful, he has 4 nationalities and could go for the fifth". Only 5th would be Spain. johnyb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 8 minutes ago, Obinna said: What does this mean for the USA, I wonder? He tried our setup first, then he was going to try the USA, then decide between them or us. A senior call to the USMNT never came, then this opportunity presented itself, and he took it rather than playing for the USA in the same tournament. I don't know how I would feel if I were a USMNT fan: Relieved he is not with Canada? Concerned he chose Italy over the USA for the U20 WC? Concerned he voided his chance to play anymore youth games with USA? Probably they are treating this with a "meh" attitude, mainly because he has been inconsistent and hasn't locked down a role with the Espanyol first team, but I think him no longer being able to play with the USA is the only change here. He can still come into USMNT or CMNT senior camp, just no USYNT camps. That strengthens our chances relative to the states, but both of our chances go down simply for the fact he's wearing the colors of Italy now. Maybe he can attend a senior super eagles camp next, just to say he truly explored all of his options! He went to a US youth camp first. Obinna and Unnamed Trialist 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obinna Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 4 minutes ago, narduch said: He went to a US youth camp first. Yes for sure and I should have mentioned that for clarity. narduch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obinna Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 According to the last comment he could still play for USYNT. Grain of salt stuff though, obviously: Brian with an updated tweet Update.. I understand that Luca Koleosho, as of now, is not set on playing for Italy's U-19 team in any of their upcoming UEFA U-19 games. He will attend the Italian training camp for 4 days and then decide to focus on either USA or Italy for upcoming youth tournaments. johnyb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footyeh Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 He was called into the January senior matches for US against Serbia and Colombia but withdrew for personal reasons. I don't know which way he's going for sure, but I still think he chooses the US for U20 world cup and he's just going to Italy camp to feel it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InglewoodJack Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 I guess this is good for us- he plays for our NT, but US’s U20s. This basically forces the US to call him up to their senior team before we do, which they’ve shown to be reluctant to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic94 Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 16 minutes ago, Footyeh said: He was called into the January senior matches for US against Serbia and Colombia but withdrew for personal reasons. I don't know which way he's going for sure, but I still think he chooses the US for U20 world cup and he's just going to Italy camp to feel it out. What’s this upside on this guy ? Are we talking a world class talent, a Ziyech ? Or are we talking MLS DP level ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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