Commerce City, Colo. - A few changes this past offseason has left the Rapids with options when it comes to potential new signings for 2012, including the possibility to bring in up to four international players.
Last December, midfielder Joseph Nane (Cameroon) became the most recent Rapids foreign-born player to receive his U.S. Residency status (Green Card), meaning he will no longer occupy an international player slot on the Rapids roster.
Two other international slots also opened up after the team declined to pick up the options of international defenders Danny Earls (Ireland) and Miguel Comminges (Guadeloupe). Neither player will be part of the upcoming preseason.
That means that only Caleb Folan (England), Jamie Smith (Scotland), and Josh Janniere (Canada) currently occupy international slots, leaving four wide open, including one that was not utilized last year. Folan is in the process of obtaining his residency status, which could delay his return to Colorado in time for the beginning of preseason training.
The other foreign-born players on the roster are either U.S. citizens or have obtained their green cards: Omar Cummings (Jamaica), Kosuke Kimura (Japan), Tyrone Marshall (Jamaica), Pablo Mastroeni (Argentina), Mac Kandji (Senegal), and Eddie Ababio (Ghana).
