[U.S. SOCCER] Jermaine Jones, a 27-year-old midfielder who has played in 96 German First Division games, has stated his desire to represent the USA and should eligible despite having played for Germany, thanks to a change in FIFA's national team eligibility rules. If Jones plays for the USA, he will follow the footsteps of Tom Dooley, who was also the son of an American serviceman and a German mother. Dooley played for the USA at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.

Jones told German news agency SID that he spoke with U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley, the son of U.S. coach Bob Bradley, when Schalke 04 played Michael Bradley's Borussia Moenchengladbach this past season.

 

"At our game in Gladbach, Michael Bradley sasked if I had a desire to play for the USA," Jones told SID. "I told him I would very much like that. But I thought that because I played for Germany's U-21 team it wouldn't be possible. But with the new FIFA rulings, I know that it can still work."

U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati told the New York Times:

"We are not sure if the rule change is immediate, could happen in 60 days or what. We've known about Jones, and Bob [Bradley] and I have talked with his representatives. But that was before the rule changed. We could benefit from this, but the details still need to be worked out."

Jones played three times for Germany's full national team, but they were all friendly games. Jones has scored six goals in his 96 Bundesliga appearances for Schalke 04, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen. He's also made 53 appearances (with 10 goals) in the German Second Division.