Jones turns back on Germany to play for USA

[luckiey-starrz.livejournal.com]

Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones will not play for the German national team and will in future represent the United States.

The 27-year-old has made three appearances for Germany but since all three of his caps came in friendly matches, he is still permitted to represent another nation.

As well as holding German citizenship, Jones also has a US passport and has therefore decided to switch allegiances.

He informed the German Football Association (DFB) of his decision today.

"We have accepted Jermaine Jones' decision," said Germany coach Joachim Loew in a statement. "I wish him all the best for his sporting future."

Jones played against Austria on February 6, 2008, Belarus on May 27, 2008 and England on November 19, 2008, but according to the new constitution agreed by football's world governing body FIFA recently, this does not preclude him from a change.

And Germany will not try to block him from appearing for the USA in future.

"We have often emphasised how much we like to welcome many players with backgrounds of immigration into the Germany national team," explained team manager Oliver Bierhoff. "This reflects the development of society in our country, but we have always emphasised that anybody who wears the DFB colours must identify with the national team and Germany.

"If a player does not see things this way, then that is his decision and we respect it."

Loew recently awarded international debuts to Brazil-born striker Cacau and Mesut Ozil, who had the option of representing Turkey.

Jones' father hails from the USA, which accounts for his dual citizenship.

source

.....um...I mean, I guess Germany has a lot of midfielders, but so does the US? Any thoughts?

Comments

[sk8terac.livejournal.com]

haha got to agree with you on that

[technomat.livejournal.com]

Germany has been good at not getting children of immigrants to play for Germany, so that they play for their parents' home countries instead.

[blumenfeuer.livejournal.com]

I can't find an original source for the first claim under "controversies" here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jermaine_Jones), but he seems like a dick.

I don't want him. idgaf if he's better than MB/Rico/Edu, he didn't pick us originally so him and Edgar Castillo and whoever else can switch can fuck off.

[blumenfeuer.livejournal.com]

though I take it back if they were youth-capped (disregarding mexico) and that's it.

[luckiey-starrz.livejournal.com]

Yeah, like, people being capped in the youth team and then realizing they aren't going to get to play for the full team so they want to play with us so they can play, that's fine. But pretty much he's just throwing a fit because he didn't get to play. I hope Bob doesn't call him up, just to spite him.

[blumenfeuer.livejournal.com]

like if alvarez switches to el sal (though idt the rules allow for him) you know, that's fine. I'm not going to spite him because he worked on the youth level for didn't on the full. plus he still has family there and shit, which is more than jones can say, I guess.

[aemiliapaulla.livejournal.com]

Edgar Castillo was born in the US and betrayed you to switch over to Mexico. Jones was born in GERMANY to an American father who ditched him when he was a baby. I wouldn't blame him if he didn't have a lot of fuzzy feelings for his father's country.

[blumenfeuer.livejournal.com]

It's not really a ~betrayal~ - he's a dual citizen, he wants to pick mexico, say he'll play for them, whatever. the thing is, iirc correctly, he wanted to come into the us youth system after rejecting call-ups to go play for mexico which is a grade-a asshole move. and if jones doesn't have "fuzzy feelings" then perhaps he shouldn't be playing internationally for that country.

[hotelmirana.livejournal.com]

Wow, he sounds like a grade-A tool from that wiki page.

[x-morrissey.livejournal.com]

Is he a good player? The U.S. needs all the help it can get, they haven't been playing great recently.

[bismarcksotto.livejournal.com]

the guy is pretty tough defensive midfielder. Very little gets past him. This season, he has one of the best One-on-one ratios of the entire Bundesliga according to kicker magazine.

On the other hand, he's not very smart and known to be rather "physical". Player of that type are known as Treter over here - literally "kickers". He doesn't seem to have the best of characters, which may very well be a reason for Loew to forsake him instead of our other defensive midfielders (mainly Rolfes and Hitzlsperger; to a lesser degree Kehl and Frings, both of whom Loew seems to be very reluctant to call up anymore).


He's not a bad player. We do have better ones (I would pick any of the aforementioned over him, actually), but I'm not entirely sure if you guys do - no disrespect, but I haven't really followed the US team since '02.

So, if you're looking for a classic hardy destroyer in defensive midfield, this man is your guy.

Personally, I'm rather glad we got rid of him.


Would you, perchance, also be interested in a striker?

We still have one to spare. Creppy little bugger who goes by the name of Kevin and likes to wander off when unattended...

[luckiey-starrz.livejournal.com]

So, if you're looking for a classic hardy destroyer in defensive midfield, this man is your guy.
We have 4 of them, actually. Bradley, Clark, Edu, and Mastroeni.

[bismarcksotto.livejournal.com]

Right - then I don't know just what the hell... - nevermind, we're talking about Jermaine Jones here.

I'm starting to wonder if your association actually offered him a spot on the NT or this is a one-sided attempt from Jones to kick Loew in the shin.



Of course - Bradley! That lad from Gladbach. Please do excuse me but I completely forgot about him.

[blumenfeuer.livejournal.com]

both, it seems: http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=17942510&postcount=50

[bismarcksotto.livejournal.com]

ah, interesting. many thanks for pointing that out to me!

rereading his statement regarding the Mannschaft (and remembering very well the original German version) - I'm quite glad we got rid of the homophobic foul-tempered honorless bastard for good. ;)

[blumenfeuer.livejournal.com]

I may not be able to watch mine if he gets capped.

[bismarcksotto.livejournal.com]

I'm feeling with you.

But you're still relatively lucky. Imagine, just for one short, painful moment, how it would be to have Wiese lobbying for a spot between your goalposts.

No be eternally happy that you only "got" Jones. ;)

[luckiey-starrz.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, it still baffles me why Bremen haven't found a new keeper yet. I mean, seriously, whyyyy>

[bismarcksotto.livejournal.com]

well, it does pain me to say this, but he's not as infernally bad as he used to be anymore. Rather the opposite.

Not as good as those German legends of old, but not a whole lot worse than all other contenders for the national goalie-spot.

He still DOES have a foul character, tho, so I hope Jogi will never let him have his will.


Otherwise I would be hard pressed not to watch my beloved lads anymore...

[blumenfeuer.livejournal.com]

I'd rather we pull Mike Sorber out of retirement than play him.

[nightkate.livejournal.com]

Otto! There you are! I was missing you *glomp* :D

[bismarcksotto.livejournal.com]

Well, hello there! *glomps back* ;)

Ah, you know, live kept me busy - Uni and all *sigh* good thing the football season is over. I'd hardly be able to get everything done otherwise.


But it sure is good to be back if news are as excellent as this (Jones very soon never ever being able to play for Germany again no matter what)...

[sk8terac.livejournal.com]

this is odd...
same with the fact that mikel arteta could play for england if he wants to.

[luckiey-starrz.livejournal.com]

Him and Almunia both. How hilarious would that be?

[poptastiche.livejournal.com]

good. i think he's a twat and i don't want to see him playing for germany. as a matter of fact, i hope he doesn't play for the US either.

when schalke were playing badly and the fans jeered them: "(It doesn't) make any fucking difference (what the Schalke fans think) at the end of the day." which is a nice attitude.

[blumenfeuer.livejournal.com]

did he say something about how there were hopefully no gays in the bundesliga? I don't know enough german to search, but his wiki page says that.

[bismarcksotto.livejournal.com]

yes, that one is another Jones-classic.

[waterinmylungs7.livejournal.com]

So he couldn't hack it in Germany and now he chooses to play for America. What bs. Seems like a douche to me and it doesn't help that my boyfriend is talking about how he finally has a reason to watch our national team, cause he thinks this guy's such a good player. Hope he doesn't play.

[vivajenn.livejournal.com]

Huh. Interesting. I'm pretty unsure about this. :\

[nightkate.livejournal.com]

Lol, all I can think of is what a tremendously stupid idea to get him into the Nutella ads. They should effing get Andi Hinkel back to wear that cowboy suit

PS: Where's Otto? ;)

[n720.livejournal.com]

as a full on German fan.. I have to say

[amytess.livejournal.com]

Playing in those Nutella ads really seems to be a curse... ;)

I'm quite irritated by the things he said about the other players. So I'm really happy he won't play for Germany again.

[nightkate.livejournal.com]

I read some of that stuff, too. Oh dear.
Every other player gets his time on the pitch because they're just nice guys who don't argue and he does not because he's such and underdog. *yawn* Act your age.

[n720.livejournal.com]

"There are only two players in the national team who dare say anything - (Michael) Ballack and (Torsten) Frings.
"All of the others are of a lower calibre."

source (http://www.sportinglife.com/football/overseas/germany/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=international_feed/09/06/13/SOCCER_Ger-Germany_Jones.html)

omg what the hell. I'm glad he's gone.