OT: Johannsson chooses USMNT

Submitted by Drunk Uncle on

I'm not surprised this isn't a bigger story given US soccer fans are focused on the Gold Cup win and Holden's injury.

This kid (22 yrs old) is a nice player and probably would have been the starting striker for the Gold Cup. He scored a ton of goals in the Danish Superliga and 3 goals in 5 appearances at AZ Alkmaar last season. Link 

 

Leaders And Best

July 30th, 2013 at 4:17 PM ^

Iceland Football Association's response:

Statement from KSÍ – Aron Jóhannsson should play for Iceland

Statement from KSÍ regarding Aron Jóhannsson

Aron Jóhannsson is an Icelander born in the USA in 1990 where he lived in the first years of his life. Aron’s parents are Icelandic. Aron got his soccer education under the KSÍ umbrella, with Fjölnir, where he played all the junior years (with a short stay with Breiðablik) and then played for their full team, before joining AGF in Denmark on September 1st 2010.

Aron Jóhannsson played 10 international matches for Iceland U21 in 2011 and 2012. Of these 10 games 8 of them were in UEFA competitions and Aron was a starter in each of them.

FIFA allows players to changes national sides once if they fulfill certain criteria, even if they have played with junior national sides, as long as they have not played an official A team match. One of the conditions allows players to switch to a country they were born in if they wish to represent it.

Aron has for the past year been unable to answer a call-up to the Iceland National Team from the national coach due to injuries. During that same time, news filtered through that the US Men National Team coach was interested in the player. Aron has no link to soccer in the USA at all.

Yesterday a statement from Aron was published where he expressed his desire to play for the USMNT. The only thing that has been pointed out to KSÍ from an interested party, is that his income potential, as a USA player, is much greater, both in the form of grants and sponsorship, than if he were an Iceland player. It is simply so that an Iceland National team member must play for land and country and for that they get honor and glory.

It is the utmost wish of KSÍ that Aron turns back on his ideas to change national teams. Aron is an Icelander through and through who we need in the tough international competitions. Aron has already played 10 U21 matches for Iceland and his future belongs there. Hopefully the public and media will respond and challenge Aron to continue competing for Iceland. KSÍ has already requested for Aron to participate in the next national team match vs. the Faroe Islands on August 14th.

There is no logic behind Aron relinquishing his Icelandic soccer identity.

Iceland Football Association

http://www.soccerbyives.net/2013/07/statement-johannssons-commitment.html

 

mgobaran

July 30th, 2013 at 4:17 PM ^

Johannson scored all four goals in his team’s 4-1 win over Horsens on Monday, but it was the first three that made news around the world.

The 21-year-old scored in the 32nd, 33rd and 36th minutes, taking all of three minutes and 50 seconds to complete the feat.

DO WANT!

alum96

July 30th, 2013 at 4:18 PM ^

Cool - we'll see how he does this fall and next spring I hope.  On a related note I dont see any email indicating I have won the Mexico - US lottery for tickets this Sept but no email saying I havent. Anyone else?

RefriedVitamins

July 30th, 2013 at 7:52 PM ^

" Thank you for applying for tickets to the U.S. Men's National Team's upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Mexico on Sept. 10 at Columbus Crew Stadium.

Due to the large number of ticket applications received for this highly-anticipated event, U.S. Soccer will now inform applicants of their ticket request status by Friday, Aug. 2.

The Federation originally set a July 30 response date, but extra time is needed to review all the requests. The combined number of tickets applied for and purchased through presales finished at more than twice the capacity of Crew Stadium.

We apologize for the delay and thank you for your patience."

Moleskyn

July 30th, 2013 at 4:30 PM ^

I don't know anything about these guys, or how these things work, but the article the OP linked to said this at the end:

This could be the second dual-national coup for Jurgen Klinsmann and the U.S. in the last week. John Anthony Brooks reportedly accepted a call-up to the U.S. for an August friendly, and while that will not cap-tie, it is a sign that the young defender is ready to rebuff Germany's advances and suit up for the Stars and Stripes.

Rabbit21

July 30th, 2013 at 6:26 PM ^

Great news and good to add to Striker depth as Klinsmann doesn;t seem to rate McInerny and no-one but Jozy seems to have emerged.

It's a shame the Icelandic football association reacted the way they did, but perhaps they feel they have a chance at getting him back if they publically shame him(not entirely sure how that is suppossed to work).  

Leaders And Best

July 30th, 2013 at 6:40 PM ^

Do you really expect this kid to change his mind after you essentially called him a greedy mercenary and asked the country & its media to shame him into playing for Iceland? The first time I read the statement I thought it sounded like a bitter Ohio fan calling a high school football prospect a "traitor" for choosing Michigan.

HermanDaGerman

July 31st, 2013 at 7:41 AM ^

I think shaming might be the (only?) means here. Iceland is a fairly tight-knit country, to the point that people are listed in the phone book by their first names, so shaming might actually work. All MURICA-ness aside, it looks like he's picking the US over Iceland simply for his own gain (though he may simply be smitten with Klinsmann's dashingly good looks).

Short of paying him, how else would Iceland get him to play? Mind you, it's not like he has the chance to change his mind later, so it's now-or-never for Iceland.

HermanDaGerman

July 31st, 2013 at 7:54 AM ^

This kid's not exactly displacing Jozy up top in the starting lineup anytime soon.

Besides, before his injury, Rossi wasn't exactly riding pine.

The only difference between the two is the difference between Iceland, which will never qualify for a World Cup or European Championship, and Italy, which is virtually guaranteed qualification.

Drunk Uncle

July 31st, 2013 at 9:34 AM ^

I believe the difference is Klinsmann has personally asked him to join the team and has mentioned him in interviews...essentially expressing genuine excitement for the player. I followed the Rossi situation pretty closely and I don't remember him being a shoe-in for playing time. AJ slots in behind Jozy in the pecking order at striker. He will be a late sub in the WC and perhaps a starter in qualifying.

samber2009

July 30th, 2013 at 8:10 PM ^

USA 2 Iceland 0 

I count the 1994 Junior Goodwill Games when Gordon Bombay's USA squad upset Iceland. Fun times, man. Fun times. 

Oh that was a different sport and not real? Never mind carry on then.