Podolski's dilemma
By Zergonipal
@Zergonipal (807)
Poland
June 10, 2008 4:24am CST
What would you do in his situation? He wasn't quite happy when he shoot those 2 goals to Poland, couse he is a patriot after all. It isn't typical for soccer player to be sad when he wins. He have a great paid job that he just couldn't have in his own country, but he have to fight with his own countrymans. How would you feel in such situation?
... and this is just a top of the iceberg. He have a family here in Poland too and our very very smart minister of education (what the hell, he even doesn't have right to talk about this!) tells President that he demand to cancel Podolski's Polish citizenship! This is insane! I am trully sorry of this wonderful and talented soccer player, couse such stupid things affects his live directly. He even put on Poland's team shirt after the match to show everyone that he feel like a Polish man, but most of newspapers are calling him somekind of traitor. I am really pissed about all of this. For me he is more like a hero than traitor. Please, share with me your opinion about it.
2 people like this
5 responses
@imbrod (268)
• Croatia (Hrvatska)
10 Jun 08
He looked as if he's about to cry when he scored first goal.
I don't blame him; the ethnic minorities citizens of some country feel that way.
Take a look at Croatian team players: Some of them are born and raised in Australia, Germany... but they play for Croatia, not the country they were born in and they live in.
So Podolski could play for Poland for the same reasons.
3 people like this
@imbrod (268)
• Croatia (Hrvatska)
10 Jun 08
Edit: I just noticed in your post: He has a Polish citizenship? So how come he can play for Germany?
In that case, minister is right: you can't have 2 citizenships and use them as it suites you. Make up your mind - be Polak and play for Poland or be German and play for Germany.
3 people like this
@Zergonipal (807)
• Poland
10 Jun 08
Maybe he could but you must consider the pays. He is earning in German representation far greater money than he would ever earn in Polish reprentation... and he really have a future there. I don't think that he could be successful in the Polish team if I can say such thing. If I would be in his place probably I would do the same thing. It's beautiful that he can show that he cares about his country even if he is playing for the other one.
2 people like this
@Zergonipal (807)
• Poland
10 Jun 08
I've made there a mistake in the topic, hehe. He have german citizenship ofcourse only. I meant that minister wanted him to be oficially called a traitor for what he've done at deny his nationality. Call him 100% German not Polish man. Sorry for such stupid mistake.
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@Zergonipal (807)
• Poland
10 Jun 08
I believe that this is true. Thank you for responding.
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@jayperiod (870)
• United States
10 Jun 08
I didn't think he looked sad to win. He is a German citizen, that's the only way he could play for Germany. As for him wearing a Polish team shirt afterwards, it's common for opponents to switch jerseys after the game. The jersey that he wore was from the defender that he had battled with for most of the game. I think he and Klose, another German from Polish birth, were excited to play against Poland and wanted to win.
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@Zergonipal (807)
• Poland
10 Jun 08
I'm sure that he wanted to win and I'm glad that they did. Especially when Podolski hited both goals. I wish them both (Podolski and Klose) many goals in the future. I can't wait for Germans next match.
2 people like this
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
•
10 Jun 08
It is his choice to play for Germany and to do that he must be a German citizen. These days in Europe you do not have to be a citizen of a country to earn money there.
I think if Podolski is upset he should renounce his German citizenship and become Polish again but from my point of view he does not look like he wants to.
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@Foxfire1875 (2010)
•
10 Jun 08
I'm not an expert on eligibility of players for national football but in the UK you have to be born in the country you play for. I have noticed countries getting round this by granting citizenship for players not born in the country they play for.
I don't know if Podolski was born in Poland or if his parents were but his choice is Germany and nothing will change that. I doubt money has anything to do with playing for Germany as most international teams pay very little compared to clubs.
This is what I found on Wikipedia and it clearly said Poland didn't want him. I've put in bold the statement that he wanted to play for Poland. Basically it is Poland's on fault that they don't have him playing and should leave the poor guy alone.
[i]In late 2003 after couple of impressive performances in his first few Bundesliga games, Polish media suggested then-Polish national team coach Pawel Janas to check Podolski out, as he was still eligible to play for Poland. Janas ignored the request stating in one of the press interviews that "as for today we have much better strikers in Poland and I don't see a reason to call up a player just because he played one or two good matches in the Bundesliga. He's not even a regular starter at his club." By that time Podolski was still interested in representing Poland, but as the season progressed more and more German media started to suggest to call up the striker to their national team. When his full potential was finally unveiled, he had already been persuaded to represent Germany. At the end of the season Köln were relegated, but Podolski impressed so much, that he celebrated his debut for Rudi Völler's Germany on June 6, 2004 in Kaiserslautern against Hungary with a late substitute appearance. He had become the first second-division player since 1975 to break into the national team.
[/i]
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@Zergonipal (807)
• Poland
10 Jun 08
If he want to be a German player he can't... and in Polish team he won't earn so much cash.
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@Zergonipal (807)
• Poland
11 Jun 08
This is really very interesting. Thanks for posting it here and BR price for you!
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