Paul Kennedy of Soccer America reports that US national team right back is apparently leaning towards playing for Germany.It was a bad news day on the national team front out of Germany. Former U.S. national team defender Tony Sanneh tweeted that German national team coach Joachim Loew was going to FC Nuremberg -- Sanneh's former club -- to meet with U.S. national team right back Timmy Chandler and the "rumor" was that Chandler was going to play for Germany. And out of Hoffenheim came the news that another promising German-American, Fabian Johnson, was sidelined with a herniated disk in the neck.
How solid was Chandler's commitment to play for the USA became a matter of speculation when he did not play at the Gold Cup, choosing instead to rest after his first Bundesliga season at Nuremberg.
If he had played at the Gold Cup -- an official competition -- he would not be able to change national teams.
Sanneh noted that, if true, Loew's interest in Chandler would stem from the fact that Germany, loaded at many positions, is thin at right back, Chandler's position.
And Sanneh also added that the USA will have no opportunity to "cup-tie" Chandler until next summer. Germany's next major event is Euro 2012 in June.
Sanneh later added that "this twitter stuff is dangerous." (There were no reports Wednesday out of Germany about Loew's "official visit" to Nuremberg.)
How solid was Chandler's commitment to play for the USA became a matter of speculation when he did not play at the Gold Cup, choosing instead to rest after his first Bundesliga season at Nuremberg.
If he had played at the Gold Cup -- an official competition -- he would not be able to change national teams.
Sanneh noted that, if true, Loew's interest in Chandler would stem from the fact that Germany, loaded at many positions, is thin at right back, Chandler's position.
And Sanneh also added that the USA will have no opportunity to "cup-tie" Chandler until next summer. Germany's next major event is Euro 2012 in June.
Sanneh later added that "this twitter stuff is dangerous." (There were no reports Wednesday out of Germany about Loew's "official visit" to Nuremberg.)
Johnson, who joined Hoffenheim from Wolfsburg and started the first five games of the 2011-12 Bundesliga season, was injured at practice on Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined for about a month.
That would keep him out of the action for the U.S. friendlies on Oct. 7 and Oct. 11 -- if he was eligible for selection.
Johnson didn't play for the USA in its recent friendlies against Costa Rica and Belgium because no FIFA application to switch national teams has been approved. Johnson previously represented Germany at the 2009 U-21 European Championship.
(Players who represent one country in an official youth competition can later make a one-time switch if they were eligible for the second country at the time they played for the first country.)
Johnson has struggled with injuries over the past couple of years. He suffered an ACL tear in March 2009 and has been bothered by Achilles' tendon problems. He played just 16 games for Wolfsburg after moving up from Division II 1860 Munich.
That would keep him out of the action for the U.S. friendlies on Oct. 7 and Oct. 11 -- if he was eligible for selection.
Johnson didn't play for the USA in its recent friendlies against Costa Rica and Belgium because no FIFA application to switch national teams has been approved. Johnson previously represented Germany at the 2009 U-21 European Championship.
(Players who represent one country in an official youth competition can later make a one-time switch if they were eligible for the second country at the time they played for the first country.)
Johnson has struggled with injuries over the past couple of years. He suffered an ACL tear in March 2009 and has been bothered by Achilles' tendon problems. He played just 16 games for Wolfsburg after moving up from Division II 1860 Munich.
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