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From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Thu Nov 18 2010 - 13:47:35 EST
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/9205364.stm
Page last updated at 14:27 GMT, Thursday, 18 November 2010
Almeria's Henok Goitom considers playing for Eritrea
By Phil Minshull
BBC Sport, Madrid
Swedish-born striker Henok Goitom is considering switching his
allegiance to play for Eritrea, the country of his father's birth.
Henok, who plays for Almeria in the Spanish first division, notched up
13 appearances for Sweden's under-21 side during 2005 and 2006.
Many people thought he should have been included in Sweden's squad
that went to the World Cup in Germany four years ago.
He eventually got his senior call up for Sweden in March last year but
did not come on to make his debut, so he is still eligible to play for
the land of his father.
"I now have to have a serious discussion with the Swedish coach (Erik
Hamren) about whether or not I have options of playing for them this
season," Henok told the Spanish sports daily Marca earlier this week.
"If not, then I'll look at the situation, but I've already talked to
my parents about playing for Eritrea."
"My father has also been in touch with the country's president (Isaias
Afwerki) about me getting Eritrean nationality and I don't have a
problem with that," he added.
Henok has been considering a change of direction since the start of
the season, when he started wearing a shirt with his name written in
Tigrinya rather than Spanish.
"It was my cousin's idea, actually, and then I talked with my dad
about it. My old language teacher fixed the letters for me, so that
you could put them on the jersey. I did it to demonstrate that Eritrea
is part of my heart," he said.
"I've been to Eritrea on only two occasions and football there isn't a
primary objective because people have to work hard to have a roof over
their heads and to eat, things that we take for granted in Europe. But
next summer I want to return there again to visit my grandmother and
cousins."
Henok has never been a prolific scorer, and has yet to score in the
league this season, but has often been the service provider for his
fellow strikers at his various clubs, including his Almeria team mate,
the Nigerian international Kalu Uche.
Eritrea are currently in 165th place in the Fifa rankings and 44th out
of the 52 African national teams.
They did not enter the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tournament.
The Red Sea Boys' last official game was at the Cecafa Cup against
Tanzania in Nairobi last December, which they lost 4-0, although they
beat Somalia 3-1 in their previous outing.
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