USA ‘Signs’ Germany International
The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced that the switch in nationality of Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones’ to the USA national team from Germany has been approved by FIFA.
Jones, who turns 28 on November 3, hasn’t been able to play since summer due to a a hairline fracture of his left shin and has not played in the Bundesliga this season. He made three appearances for Germany, as a substitute against Austria on Feb. 6 last year and against Belarus on May 27, 2008, then playing the first half against England last Nov. 19. He is being permitted to change because the three games in which he represented Germany were friendlies.
Jones grew up in Frankfurt am Main. His father is an American soldier who was stationed in Germany. As a child, Jones lived in Chicago and Mississippi in the U.S. before he returned to Germany with his mother. Before signing for Schalke, he played for Bayer Leverkusen and his home town club, Eintracht Frankfurt.
Because he won’t be ready to play for USA in its European exhibitions against Denmark on Nov. 18 and another unnamed opponent four days earlier, the first and only game Jones will be able to appear in for USA before World Cup training camp will be on March 3, the last international fixture date for Bob Bradley to give him a run out before the World Cup.
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Both former Germany mid-fielder Jermaine Jones and former Mexico deffense Edgar Castillo have been approved by FIFA to now play with the USA. As 22 yr old Edgar already appeared with the US on November 18, 2009 in Copenhaigen in a “FIFA regulated” friendly mathch against Denmark. Hopefully Jones will now get the chance of his life to play with the stars & stripes jersey in early January or February 2010. Enough time just before the South Africa 2010 World Cup.
ABT,
this is a total gamechanger, jones is a thousand times better than any of our holding middies, he’ll be our best field player the second he steps on the field
i know how he’ll use him…starting holding mid behind MB, the second Jones is healthy, no brainer
wow.
well, don’t know how he will stack up to the already crowded U.S. midfield. there is also the chemistry issue. too bad he won’t be available for this next friendly, so we can see how he would work out. i’m less inclined to “try him out” when we’re in the actual World Cup matches….. any idea on how Bradley might use him?