marco ballotta wrote:A YOUNG Australian tagged "the next Mark Bosnich" by good judges remains torn between two countries despite playing for Greece in two under-17 friendlies this week.
Sydney-born and -raised goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis, who is on the books of English giant Liverpool, made his Greece debut in a 2-1 loss to Slovakia before being a second-half substitute in a 3-1 loss to the same side the next day.
Despite the defeats, the former Sydney FC back-up keeper impressed Greek management.
The Greek FA is keen to tie him up for the country where his parents were born and have also targeted young Sydney FC defender Nikolas Tsattalios, who has a Greek background as well.
However, Bouzanis, who has played for the Australian under-17s (Joeys), is coy about his international plans. "I haven't decided yet for which national team I'm going to play," Bouzanis said.
"I went to Greece to see the facilities, to talk to the trainer, to play in these friendlies, and I'll speak to my agent to finally decide.
"I've been a part of junior Australian teams, but I'm still at an age that I have time to choose between Greece and Australia."
Bouzanis, who will be 18 in October, said he would like to clear up the situation as soon as possible but has to be "careful I don't rush in to things".
Under world governing body FIFA's rules, Bouzanis is free to play for Australia or Greece but once he plays a full senior international he is tied to that country.
A product of the New South Wales Institute of Sport, Bouzanis played his junior football in Cronulla alongside his good friend Tsattalios.
For me he has played for Australia at under 17's end of discussion.
Don't agree with the way you can play for more than one international side through the age groups.
Its alright you kids had it easy. 19 yrs of age..pfft!
Back in the day, Greeks were wogs and that was it. "Go back to your own country" etc was shoved in faces constantly. These 1 eyebrowed hairy boys were never accepted as aussies. Now these rednecks demand us to be Aussies. It was only 10-15 yrs ago things changed. WTF?
Im 19 years old, born in australia, with Italian heritage. I went to a school with predominantly Italian and Greek kids, majority of which all would prefer to play for the country of their parents birth over australia.
It makes me sick to think that a place where you grew up, where your family is, where your home is, where you were educated, where you were taught to play football, and where your LIFE is; could all be disregarded for another country with distant links to you.
If Australia was at war with Italy, or greece, or any other country for that matter, would you go fight for them? Ofcourse not. Same applies for supporting of the national team.
If people continually migrate to australia, establish themselves here, make their homes here, only to disregard it, then not only wont we move forward as a football team, but as a country as well.
wow someone finally with sense. it pisses me off aswell. Im of italian heritage like you said. If people don't like it here, fuckkk off and go live somewhere else. Marco Ballota should pack his bags and leave lol
distant links???? so having most of your family there, speaking the language to parents is only a distant link?? Don't think so buddy.
I pack my bags and leave as often as i can, travelling aint cheap though
Im 19 years old, born in australia, with Italian heritage. I went to a school with predominantly Italian and Greek kids, majority of which all would prefer to play for the country of their parents birth over australia.
It makes me sick to think that a place where you grew up, where your family is, where your home is, where you were educated, where you were taught to play football, and where your LIFE is; could all be disregarded for another country with distant links to you.
If Australia was at war with Italy, or greece, or any other country for that matter, would you go fight for them? Ofcourse not. Same applies for supporting of the national team.
If people continually migrate to australia, establish themselves here, make their homes here, only to disregard it, then not only wont we move forward as a football team, but as a country as well.
wow someone finally with sense. it pisses me off aswell. Im of italian heritage like you said. If people don't like it here, fuckkk off and go live somewhere else. Marco Ballota should pack his bags and leave lol
distant links???? so having most of your family there, speaking the language to parents is only a distant link?? Don't think so buddy.
I pack my bags and leave as often as i can, travelling aint cheap though
I'm not saying you have to disown your heritage, i certainly dont. But they only way to move forward and develop as a footballing country is to remove this clash! If you go to the united states, and see europeans, asains, indians, whatever, they will all say they are american, and proud of it.
O TSIGGANOS wrote:Its alright you kids had it easy. 19 yrs of age..pfft!
Back in the day, Greeks were wogs and that was it. "Go back to your own country" etc was shoved in faces constantly. These 1 eyebrowed hairy boys were never accepted as aussies. Now these rednecks demand us to be Aussies. It was only 10-15 yrs ago things changed. WTF?
You don't think i still got teased at school and when i played sports? Im only trying to say that for the socceroos to develop into a top flight footballing team, then these distant allegiances need to be adjusted. I'd play for australia because this is my home, its where my family is, its the country my grandparents chose to establish themselves in. Im not saying forget you heritage, i love having italian heritage, but to move forward these cant take preference
O TSIGGANOS wrote:Its alright you kids had it easy. 19 yrs of age..pfft!
Back in the day, Greeks were wogs and that was it. "Go back to your own country" etc was shoved in faces constantly. These 1 eyebrowed hairy boys were never accepted as aussies. Now these rednecks demand us to be Aussies. It was only 10-15 yrs ago things changed. WTF?
You don't think i still got teased at school and when i played sports? Im only trying to say that for the socceroos to develop into a top flight footballing team, then these distant allegiances need to be adjusted. I'd play for australia because this is my home, its where my family is, its the country my grandparents chose to establish themselves in. Im not saying forget you heritage, i love having italian heritage, but to move forward these cant take preference
it might be distant heritage for you, for some of us its not so distant
O TSIGGANOS wrote:Its alright you kids had it easy. 19 yrs of age..pfft!
Back in the day, Greeks were wogs and that was it. "Go back to your own country" etc was shoved in faces constantly. These 1 eyebrowed hairy boys were never accepted as aussies. Now these rednecks demand us to be Aussies. It was only 10-15 yrs ago things changed. WTF?
No offence intended,
The 'redneck aussies' that bagged you have now grown up & moved on - how about you do the same?
Would you prefer the 'wog' mentality to stay???
Golden Greek wrote:You can't punish Sydney. it's in the FFA constitution.
O TSIGGANOS wrote:Its alright you kids had it easy. 19 yrs of age..pfft!
Back in the day, Greeks were wogs and that was it. "Go back to your own country" etc was shoved in faces constantly. These 1 eyebrowed hairy boys were never accepted as aussies. Now these rednecks demand us to be Aussies. It was only 10-15 yrs ago things changed. WTF?
No offence intended,
The 'redneck aussies' that bagged you have now grown up & moved on - how about you do the same?
Would you prefer the 'wog' mentality to stay???
Exactly right, we need to move forward!
TWG have stated that Verbeek ahs met with bouzanis anyway and he pledged his allegiance to the socceroos
"I spoke with him personally when I was in Liverpool about this situation. I told him to follow his heart, and as far as he is concerned, it is in Australia," Verbeek said.
"He said, 'because my family is there and everybody is there I am proud to be part of the Australian selection and possibly for the Olyroos at the Olympics'.
"He made a good impression on me, he is a nice guy. It's good."
Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek is convinced torn teenage goalkeeping prodigy Dean Bouzanis will pledge his allegiance to Australia.
The 17-year-old, who is signed to English giants Liverpool, grew up in Australia but has Greek parents.
He is a dual citizen and has represented the Olyroos at under-17 level and Greece at under-19 level.
The Sydney product has also been approached by Greek footballing authorities to discuss his future.
Verbeek has been in Europe checking in on Australian players ahead of four World Cup qualifiers in June and said he'd met with Bouzanis to talk the issue over.
"I spoke with him personally when I was in Liverpool about this situation. I told him to follow his heart, and as far as he is concerned, it is in Australia," Verbeek said.
"He said, 'because my family is there and everybody is there I am proud to be part of the Australian selection and possibly for the Olyroos at the Olympics'.
"He made a good impression on me, he is a nice guy. It's good."
Bouzanis has not been included in Graham Arnold's 17-man Olyroos squad which assembled in Townsville on Thursday, with controversial Central Coast Mariner Danny Vukovic and Perth Glory's Tando Velaphi taking up the two goalkeeping spots.
Bouzanis is not restricted to one country until he represents the national senior team.
Greeks are Greeks and Aussies are Aussies. I have nothing but respect in that fact. You cant call a national team a national team if you are ethnically Greek but playing for Australia because then it isn't a national team.[/color]
NATIONAL TEAMS are based on NATIONALITY and thus represent NATIONALIST'S, the rest can piss-off.
Nai Ego Eimai wrote:Greeks are Greeks and Aussies are Aussies. I have nothing but respect in that fact. You cant call a national team a national team if you are ethnically Greek but playing for Australia because then it isn't a national team.
