Rossi explains decision to snub USA

[Scotty]

From Sky Sports:

The 19-year-old has already had been forced to make some difficult decisions so early in his fledgling career and none more so than that on his international status.

As an American-born Italian he has dual nationality, but turned down the chance to play in Germany for USA in favour of the world champions.

"I did have contact with the US squad," he admitted.

"They asked me to play and I knew there was an opportunity to get to the World Cup.

"But I also knew if I took that chance, I would never be able to play for Italy, which has been my dream virtually since the day I was born.

"I had to tell the USA the truth. I know it will be far harder trying to get in the Italian national team than the United States but I have absolutely no regrets about the option I have taken."
http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=404557&CPID=8&clid=1&lid=3&title=Rossi+wants+United+stay

[Adam Zebrowski]

until italy caps him, this story will not go away...

does anyone ahs a realtistic pecking order for italy for forwards in 2010??

[Nerazzuri]

does anyone ahs a realtistic pecking order for italy for forwards in 2010??

Well, for starters, Gilardino, Iaquinta, and probabbly Toni (he'll be the same age then that Inzaghi was this year) be in the mix, which takes three of the five spots (based on the five forwards they took for 2006).

Beyond that, those other two spots will likely go to someone playing in Serie A (since all 23 players did this time), not someone playing for a reserves squad in England.

Not only does Rossi not appear to be on the national team radar, he has never been called in to play for any Azzurri youth camps, so it would seem that he's not on their horizon.

[westsidepunk]

until Italy caps him or Rossi turns twenty-one, this story will not go away...

does anyone ahs a realtistic pecking order for italy for forwards in 2010??
Fixed your Post. :)

Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but he did play for an Italian Youth Team at some point correct? So he only has the option to change his mind until he is 21, then he is cap tied to Italy?

[Shaster]

until italy caps him, this story will not go away...

does anyone ahs a realtistic pecking order for italy for forwards in 2010??

Rossi is way down the Italian packing order. If he cannot make Italian U-21 roster (so far he didn't), his chance to be call up for Italy team is very slim. Maybe at his 28 birthday, he can get a friendly.

My thinking is that if he is not good to crack Italy side, he may or may not crack US side. We are also move into good forward group now. Apparently if the next coach abandons the stupid one tall target, one fast short runner, and stop to play with directional game, we may field two skilled tall guys, making your pick of out Johnson, Jaqua, Cooper, Altidore, etc.

So the competition is for playmaker, which we have Donovan, Nguyen, Adu, JV, Arvizu so far for this rule. Of course, Nunez is out of picture, but don't underestimate our young generation pool. I think that between our Latino pool and African pool, we may be due for one or two great talents now.

[westsidepunk]

Well, for starters, Gilardino, Iaquinta, and probabbly Toni (he'll be the same age then that Inzaghi was this year) be in the mix, which takes three of the five spots (based on the five forwards they took for 2006).

Beyond that, those other two spots will likely go to someone playing in Serie A (since all 23 players did this time), not someone playing for a reserves squad in England.

Not only does Rossi not appear to be on the national team radar, he has never been called in to play for any Azzurri youth camps, so it would seem that he's not on their horizon.
Maybe I am wrong, but I could swear he played with one of their teams at some point. If I only has time to dig through one of the million Rossi threads on this board I could find out for sure.

[Shaster]

Well, for starters, Gilardino, Iaquinta, and probabbly Toni (he'll be the same age then that Inzaghi was this year) be in the mix, which takes three of the five spots (based on the five forwards they took for 2006).

Beyond that, those other two spots will likely go to someone playing in Serie A (since all 23 players did this time), not someone playing for a reserves squad in England.

Not only does Rossi not appear to be on the national team radar, he has never been called in to play for any Azzurri youth camps, so it would seem that he's not on their horizon.

True. Also Cassano is on waiting list. That kid Pelle from Italy U-20 is good too.

[Adam Zebrowski]

so if rossi's select a nation date is looming and italy isn't interested...

then it's basically usa or wait for a call which might never come

[SueB]

Maybe I am wrong, but I could swear he played with one of their teams at some point. If I only has time to dig through one of the million Rossi threads on this board I could find out for sure.

Yes, he played for Italy in the Under-17 UEFA Championships.

[Shaster]

Maybe I am wrong, but I could swear he played with one of their teams at some point. If I only has time to dig through one of the million Rossi threads on this board I could find out for sure.

He made U-19 but never made U-21 which is an important step.

[art]

Fixed your Post. :)

Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but he did play for an Italian Youth Team at some point correct? So he only has the option to change his mind until he is 21, then he is cap tied to Italy?

Unless the rule changed again recently this isnt true, you are not cap tied to a club at 21 unless you play for the full national side. So this issue will likely come up again at some point, and who knows what change of heart might occur on Rossi's side.

(I think).

but then again, meh, it's his life, I'm not going to lose sleep over it. He needs to do what he needs to do, just like all of us.

[SueB]

He made U-19 but never made U-21 which is an important step.

He actually did not play for the U-19s last year, but they crashed out of Europe in the first qualifying round and were mostly playing friendlies the rest of the year. He did play a few games with the U-18s the year before that. He may not even get called up to the U-21s this year because the eligibility pool this year goes all the way back to '84s, so he'd be one of the youngest. But maybe next year. We'll know more when Italy calls up their first new U-21 team since this summer's U-21 UEFA tournament for an August 15 friendly.

[Shaster]

so if rossi's select a nation date is looming and italy isn't interested...

then it's basically usa or wait for a call which might never come

Look on Rossi's case, you can see the following things:

1) Rossi is like many of US born or very young immigrants, such as Reyna, Ramos, Nunez, Mastronei, Feilhaber, etc, who honed their skills in USA but with summer/winter times spend in old countries. So with our population of immigrants there are must be a very big pool of Latinos and Africans who either have some good earlier skill develpment (such as Ramos, Adu, Charles Renken, etc.) or picked up their skill in a non-typical US soccer envirnment--Reyna, Rossi. I read that Argentinians marvelled the lacking skill fo US National Team and wondered why we are not digging into this gold mine .

2) Then what Rossi had is better than Reyna, etc., was his 12-16 spend on Pamas. But right now the US youth clubs in same area (such as Dallas Texans) are picking up right now. So our youth is this age group is damn good now.

3) Then we have a gap filling at Bradentan for 16-18. Of course, the number is small and the coach is stupid to not pick up better talents or we can do better, but it is still work for those can-miss.

4) Now at 18, get in an European club or MLS will make sure we are not losing too big step.

So I feel that we may produce about 5 or 6 talents in same level as Rossi. We would not miss him.

[ttrevett]

So if he played for the Italy U-19's, is he then by default cap-tied to Italy once he turns 21?

For arguements sake, if he had never played for a youth team, turned 21 and had both citizenships, but was not on either teams radar (meaning he had not decided to play for either team) until 23, could he play for either country?

[Henry Porter]

At this point I wish Italy would just cap him or tell him it ain't going to happen. It's going to be really crappy for 2 of the 3 parties involved if he never gets a cap from anyone.

[Craig P]

It has been established that Rossi played for an age-group Italian team in an official competition. Therefore, according to the rules, he is provisionally cap-tied to Italy. He can exercise a one-time, irrevocable change of associations to the U.S. (the other team he was eligible to play for at the time of his U-whatever Italy cap) prior to his 21st birthday, as long as he does not appear in any "A" international match (including friendlies) before then. As of his 21st birthday or an appearance at the "A" international level for Italy, his cap tie becomes permanent.

[Casper]

So if he played for the Italy U-19's, is he then by default cap-tied to Italy once he turns 21?

For arguements sake, if he had never played for a youth team, turned 21 and had both citizenships, but was not on either teams radar (meaning he had not decided to play for either team) until 23, could he play for either country?

Bingo. For, instance, I remain eligible to play for England.

[Craig P]

So if he played for the Italy U-19's in an official competition, is he then by default cap-tied to Italy once he turns 21?
Yes (with the added bold text). And he can only change to the U.S., and such change is permanent once made.

For arguements sake, if he had never played for a youth team, turned 21 and had both citizenships, but was not on either teams radar (meaning he had not decided to play for either team) until 23, could he play for either country?
That's correct.

Prior to the rule change, he wouldn't even have the option to switch now -- the U-whatever appearance would have permanently tied him to Italy.

[Shaster]

He actually did not play for the U-19s last year, but they crashed out of Europe in the first qualifying round and were mostly playing friendlies the rest of the year. He did play a few games with the U-18s the year before that. He may not even get called up to the U-21s this year because the eligibility pool this year goes all the way back to '84s, so he'd be one of the youngest. But maybe next year. We'll know more when Italy calls up their first new U-21 team since this summer's U-21 UEFA tournament for an August 15 friendly.

Ya. You're right. I mean to say that is U-18, and he was snapped for U-19 which includes Arsenal's Lupoli (sp?) which invalided the notion that youth coach didn't call oversea players. That was also the reason for Rossi' USA-switch rumor.

I don't think his skill level (combine with his size) is at top of Italy U-21 pool. Of course, I could be wrong.

[MightyMouse]

Fu#k Rossi, I don't want ANYONE who doesn't want to play for the US 100%. He may sing a different tune in the future but I don't care. When our new national team coach gets in then some kids that are in the same position as Rossi, being able to play for another country, might think twice. I really hope we get Klinsmann on board as the man is a legend in some circles and very respected. Given how Rossi doesn't even leave the door cracked open, or even seems to care about the US national team, I don't want his ass to ever wear our jersey for he will disgrace us as Regis did. The only reason I even liked Regis, aside from the fact that he was a good athletic and skilled player, is that he wanted to play for the USA... BUT for the wrong reasons. Regis only wanted to play a world cup, and so he did, but the man is about as American as Toyota, supplied a job in the US but really Japanese.