Anibal Godoy and Florian Jungwirth receive green cards, no longer occupy International roster spots for San Jose Earthquakes

San Jose Earthquakes general manager Jesse Fioranelli revealed today that both Anibal Godoy and Florian Jungwirth have received their U.S. Green Cards granting them permanent resident status in the United States. With green cards in hand, both players will no longer take up International Player spots on the team’s 2018 roster.

“I am glad to announce that both Florian and Anibal have their green cards,” said Fioranelli via Facebook Live. “We knew this a couple weeks ago.”

According to last year’s MLS roster rules and regulations, each club can have a maximum of eight players on its roster that count as internationals. Heading into 2018, the Earthquakes had 10 players on their preliminary roster with such designations, including new off-season signings, Joel Qwiberg, Magnus Eriksson, and Yeferson Quintana. Getting Godoy and Jungwirth green cards decreases that number to 8 players, safely at the limit imposed by last year’s league rules, and Fioranelli indicated that there might be more to come.

“There are a couple others in the pipeline,” he added.

Freeing up additional International roster spots would allow the Earthquakes to make a move this summer to sign a Designated Player level foreign player, much like they did last season in signing Valeri “Vako” Qazaishvili. Another, perhaps more urgent, reason to help other players receive their Green Cards sooner than later is that Fioranelli needs a spot for a player he hopes to add to the roster during the current MLS transfer window.

The Quakes GM went on to address the team’s current crop of MLS SuperDraft selections, notably first round selection defender Paul Marie, but did not say definitively if any of the four picks had signed contracts.

“I am also glad that our draft picks are well introduced, one of which is Paul Marie,” said Fioranelli. “We are sorting out the last details regarding his eligibility, but that is going to be done in the next couple of weeks.”

Marie, who was born in France, was not listed as counting as an International Player leading up to the draft, so his current status in this regard is potentially what Fioranelli was alluding to as the eligibility issue. Second round selections Danny Musovski and Mohamed Thiaw, as well as third round pick Kevin Partida, have had a strong preseason with the Earthquakes, but an formal announcement as to whether any or all have been signed to MLS rookie contracts was not forthcoming.

Fioranelli made a point to thank the club’s associate director of player personnel, Vassili Cremanzidis, for his instrumental work in helping Jungwirth, Godoy, and the other unnamed foreign players move forward in applying for and receiving their green cards. The current front office has been much more proactive in this regard than the organization was in previous years.

“We have been compliant already for two weeks,” said Fioranelli, “and I think the league is also happy at how we have approached it with them.”

Roster Update:

Anibal Godoy and Florian Jungwirth have received their U.S. Green Cards and will no longer occupy International Player roster spots for the 2018 MLS season.

San Jose Earthquakes 2018 MLS roster (as of February 27, 2018)

Goalkeeper (3): Matt Bersano, JT Marcinkowski (HG), Andrew Tarbell.

Defender (9): Francois Affolter (INT'L), Jacob Akanyirige (HG), Harold Cummings (INT'L), Florian Jungwirth, Nick Lima (HG), Paul Marie (UD), Jimmy Ockford, Yeferson Quintana (INT’L), Joel Qwiberg (INT’L).

Midfielder (13): Eric Calvillo, Fatai Alashe, Magnus Eriksson (DP, INT’L), Luis Felipe, Gilbert Fuentes (HG), Anibal Godoy, Jahmir Hyka (INT'L), Kevin Partida (UD), Valeri “Vako” Qazaishvili (DP, INT'L), Shea Salinas, Tommy Thompson (HG), Chris Wehan, Jackson Yueill (GA)

Forward (5): Quincy Amarikwa, Danny Hoesen (INT'L), Daniel Musovski (UD), Mohamed Thiaw (UD), Chris Wondolowski (DP)

(HG) = Homegrown Player Signing, (GA) = Generation Adidas, (INT’L) = International Player, (DP) = Designated Player, (UD) = unsigned MLS SuperDraft pick