Australian Dual Nationals 🇦🇺🏳️

[HonestSpursFan]

I wonder if this is Volpato's path

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Milan and Roma legend, born in Savona, Italy to an Egyptian father, only 32 caps for Italy in 12 years (2012–2024). If he picked Egypt he’d have been at the World Cup. However, he has an argumentative advantage that Cristian Volpato doesn’t: he was born and raised in Italy and never played outside Italy other than his loan spell at Monaco and a brief stint at Shanghai Shenhua thanks to being a victim of the CSL’s failed money-making player-buying scheme (similar to the SPL today but with less money). Cris was born and raised in Sydney and only moved to Italy to play football so he’s literally rejecting the country that made him.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Milan and Roma legend, born in Savona, Italy to an Egyptian father, only 32 caps for Italy in 12 years (2012–2024). If he picked Egypt he’d have been at the World Cup. However, he has an argumentative advantage that Cristian Volpato doesn’t: he was born and raised in Italy and never played outside Italy other than his loan spell at Monaco and a brief stint at Shanghai Shenhua thanks to being a victim of the CSL’s failed money-making player-buying scheme (similar to the SPL today but with less money). Cris was born and raised in Sydney and only moved to Italy to play football so he’s literally rejecting the country that made him.

I think you'll find that his stint in China was one of the many reasons for the lack of Italy call ups... I dont blame him for not choosing to represent Egypt. like Ange famously once asked, why do football people in this country seem simply content with qualifying for a world cup?

Sharawy may not have plaid a minute in 2014 or even Italy qualfied for 3 in a row yet he is infinitely more lilely to have had a chance to win a world cup than Mo Salah EVER did...

 

[Kitwally]

He was only in China for 18 months and he still played for Italy while he was playing in China. He’s 33 and played senior football in the Serie A for 15 years, so he’s had a lot of chances to impress but still only 33 caps. Good on him for trying, but probably not quite good enough. As you’ve said earlier, the World Cup isn’t necessarily the ultimate for many players, the Champions League is. Some (many?) of them also regard the Euros as being above the WC.

 

[grazorblade]

Good question. I have 30-40 players I track because I believe they are eligible for the Australian set-up, many of which are under the age of 20. Coincidentally I am cross-checking that list with Football Australia for accuracy. Some of the names that are playing at a reasonable senior level that may or may not be known to those on this forum:

Melos Bajrami (24, defender, currently in Albania top tier)
Tomislav Glavan (21, forward, currently in Austrian second tier)
Charlie Cummins (20, midfielder, currently at Exeter City)
Ayom Majok (22, forward, currently in Malta top tier)

Obviously guys like Ayman Gulasi, Markus Walker and Cillian Tollett are frequently mentioned here.

Thats great the fa are working with you to track these players

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

He was only in China for 18 months and he still played for Italy while he was playing in China. He’s 33 and played senior football in the Serie A for 15 years, so he’s had a lot of chances to impress but still only 33 caps. Good on him for trying, but probably not quite good enough. As you’ve said earlier, the World Cup isn’t necessarily the ultimate for many players, the Champions League is. Some (many?) of them also regard the Euros as being above the WC.

Oh yeah, I agree going to China was definitely not the only reason but I remember reading an article at the time that it really got under the Italian's noses... Always liked him at Milan but injuries killed the kids career mainly...

 

[HonestSpursFan]

He was only in China for 18 months and he still played for Italy while he was playing in China. He’s 33 and played senior football in the Serie A for 15 years, so he’s had a lot of chances to impress but still only 33 caps. Good on him for trying, but probably not quite good enough. As you’ve said earlier, the World Cup isn’t necessarily the ultimate for many players, the Champions League is. Some (many?) of them also regard the Euros as being above the WC.

What are you talking about? Every player’s ultimate dream is to win the World Cup. Billions of people watch the World Cup. While a billion may also watch the Champions League too, they don’t really compare.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

What are you talking about? Every player’s ultimate dream is to win the World Cup. Billions of people watch the World Cup. While a billion may also watch the Champions League too, they don’t really compare.

??? Winning UCL is an achievable dream for the best players, winning a world cup quite often isn't purely because of where they were born...

 

[LFC]

What are you talking about? Every player’s ultimate dream is to win the World Cup. Billions of people watch the World Cup. While a billion may also watch the Champions League too, they don’t really compare.

every pro sportsperson has A or the Dream - only so so few make it.
Do you really think it plays in many minds they didn't get there ?
IF you are on the fringe always of selection yes I get it but millions are not - they enjoy their well paid playing career and watch/wish their NT the best.
Alot of small talk situations like Volpato - move on fellas seriously, they have, you set your path you move on hardly look back.

 

[Kitwally]

What are you talking about? Every player’s ultimate dream is to win the World Cup. Billions of people watch the World Cup. While a billion may also watch the Champions League too, they don’t really compare.

I’m not so sure about that. Are you? As passionate and patriotic fans we love the World Cup but it’s well-known by players and fans that the UEFA Champions League is usually a higher standard of football than the World Cup, even before the dilution to 48 teams. Professional players generally want to test themselves at the highest level against the best other players/teams. The World Cup often does not have all of the best players in the world there and the international teams only play together several times a year and not every week like clubs do so their combinations/teamwork/understanding isn’t as good. Yes, players are proud to represent their country, but in most international games they aren’t playing against the world’s best players/team. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Arsenal, Man City, Bayern, PSG or Juventus would probably destroy every team outside the top 10 FIFA-ranked teams, ok maybe just the top 15 FIFA-ranked teams if you’re being generous.

 

[melbcityguy]

??? Winning UCL is an achievable dream for the best players, winning a world cup quite often isn't purely because of where they were born...

Isn't that a bigger accomplishment then to win a world cup??

 

[grazorblade]

Dall'Australia a Pescara a 14 anni, poi alla Roma per un milione: chi è Antonio Arena

L'estate scorsa i giallorossi hanno vinto la concorrenza di Como e Juve per prendere dal Pescara il talento italo-australiano, arrivato in Italia a 14 anni da Sydney. E ieri è arrivato il gol in Coppa Italia

www.gazzetta.it

Italy sounds confident, but no direct quotes from Arena yet. Does imply that football Australia is making contact which is all they can do (though they should make it regular and strategic)

 

[Herringbone]

Dall'Australia a Pescara a 14 anni, poi alla Roma per un milione: chi è Antonio Arena

L'estate scorsa i giallorossi hanno vinto la concorrenza di Como e Juve per prendere dal Pescara il talento italo-australiano, arrivato in Italia a 14 anni da Sydney. E ieri è arrivato il gol in Coppa Italia

www.gazzetta.it

Italy sounds confident, but no direct quotes from Arena yet. Does imply that football Australia is making contact which is all they can do (though they should make it regular and strategic)

We need a good news story after all the losses latelt

 

[Somebloke]

 

[Veritas]

Australia must move on from its obsession with dual nationals

 

[grazorblade]

Australia must move on from its obsession with dual nationals

I get frustrated when I hear people say we win as many as we lose

If there is battle between a big football country and a weaker one, the stronger one usually gets their man which gets their man

In our case we got that with Scicluna and we probably only get volpato if they aren't good enough for Italy.

its all good to say we only want countries with buy in, but how do we know the players that stayed have buy in since they weren't ever good enough to be called up by a powerhouse.

It is also a chicken and egg problem to say we should make our country more attractive, because we need the players in the first place to get there.

In the end we have to do our best to win players and produce players, but I do think the system sucks

 

[JS96]

Australia must move on from its obsession with dual nationals

I find it ironic that we've actually brought in those with the weaker Australian connection. Souttar, Boyle and Karacic among others with ties you'd say are a long shot at getting them, though within the rules.

Meanwhile those born and trained up in Australia chose elsewhere.

 

[JS96]

I get frustrated when I hear people say we win as many as we lose

If there is battle between a big football country and a weaker one, the stronger one usually gets their man which gets their man

In our case we got that with Scicluna and we probably only get volpato if they aren't good enough for Italy.

its all good to say we only want countries with buy in, but how do we know the players that stayed have buy in since they weren't ever good enough to be called up by a powerhouse.

It is also a chicken and egg problem to say we should make our country more attractive, because we need the players in the first place to get there.

In the end we have to do our best to win players and produce players, but I do think the system sucks

I simply don't have the energy to create a pic with all those involved with the caption 'gotta cap em all'

 

[JS96]

Oh ffs and I've simply chosen the first YouTube result which plays the pokemon song in multiple languages including Croatia. Perfect for the thread!

 

[libelous]

There won’t be any dual nationals allowed to represent Australia when Pauline becomes Prime Minister only dinki di’s and preferably white. We will become a mono ethnic country again.
Of course descendants of ten pound poms will be exempt.

 

[grazorblade]

There won’t be any dual nationals allowed to represent Australia when Pauline becomes Prime Minister only dinki di’s and preferably white. We will become a mono ethnic country again.
Of course descendants of ten pound poms will be exempt.

Might get confused trying to deport my mothers side of the family to Prussia