Aivar Pohlak, who leads the Estonian Football Association, stated that midfielder Soufian Gouram’s choice to pursue opportunities with Germany’s youth teams deserves respect, while noting the player would have bolstered Estonia’s senior squad. Although Gouram opted for Germany instead of accepting a call-up from Estonia, he has not yet made an official appearance for any German national team.
Approximately a month prior to Germany emerging as an option, Pohlak had dinner with Gouram in Berlin. According to the association president, Morocco had also presented an offer, though he declined to reveal the specifics of their private discussion. Pohlak noted that from a footballing standpoint, it was necessary to ensure the player understood the regulations and grasped the ramifications tied to each potential decision.
Pohlak explained that under FIFA regulations, a pathway might still exist for Estonia to select a player who initially represents Germany at the under-20 level, provided that individual does not subsequently play for the senior German national team. He suggested that Estonia ought to keep this scenario in mind for comparable situations moving forward.
The president admitted to experiencing a sense of personal and professional disappointment, characterizing Gouram as a very agreeable young man who would have significantly contributed to the national team. While he trusts that Gouram successfully achieves his goal of making Germany’s senior squad, Pohlak remarked that he would regret it if the athlete failed to experience top-tier international football, adding that Estonia would gladly welcome him back should he regain eligibility.
Furthermore, Pohlak mentioned that the association refrains from using distinct persuasion tactics toward individuals possessing Estonian heritage or children of non-citizens brought up in Estonia regarding national team representation. Instead, the organization simply maintains communication with athletes and demonstrates interest whenever they become eligible for selection.
SOURCE NAME: balticfootballnews.com
Source: balticfootballnews.com
