And 9 times out of 10, "heartfelt" means where can I reasonably expect to go that gives me a reasonably good chance of making the 23 for a WC (and possibly Euro) cycle or two for the best possible team. If I felt 50-50 about the USA and a second tier Euro like a Serbia, I'd probably pick the Euro despite better endorsement possibilities in the USA. Less travel + high profile qualifiers for the WC and Euro + 2x the chances to play in a major tournament. If we're talking third tier, then USA is an easy choice no matter the "affinity."
Well, the number one priority for most pro athletes is to maximize their income during the very short time they are at the top of their game. It's a harsh business to be in and the ride can end at any moment. The second objective can be fame or - for those financially secure for life - other pursuits. Clearly, Fußball or calcio is much bigger in their relative nations that soccer is in the US. A national team player is even bigger than an NFL star (with the NFL being the most popular US sport, according to TV ratings and the generated revenues). Rossi and Subotic wanted that fame, recognition, accolades, etc and, to some extent, it's hard to blame them. The other side of the coin, however, is that for Rossi, shifting his priorities could have meant millions in endorsements from the biggest US companies far beyond those in sports apparel. Instead, foolishly, he made an emotional decision. And that's what the agents and the lawyers are for. 18 year old kids know crap and 18-year old kids with gym teachers as fathers probably know even less. Being a specifically Italian star was important for his dad and that thirst for fame passed onto his kid and that was a decision largely ignorant of the financial/economic aspects of the game. Come to think of it, it was not a good decision from any angle at all.
I think you are overestimating how much endorsement money Rossi could have made if he chose us. It is not like Donovan or Dempsey are racking in endorsement money.
Cassano really? I was looking forward to teasing an Italian friend that they were using a Yank to score goals for them in Brazil.
No, no,no.... I Agree with Sidefootsitter... If one looks at it as if he had played with USA in the previous WC and we had advanced past Ghana-who knows how much further along we could have advance with him as a starter- The whole team would have made a substantial amount of money in endorsements...I would venture to guess that the starting striker would probably make a lot more.
You're right. This could have DEF helped marketing soccer and the growth of the game in this country but lay all that on him. Dude followed his dream. Might not be positive about it but basically you're saying he was ignorant and stupid to not choose the decision that rewarded himself with $$$ and yet he chose the more competitive path which many would have cried about had he chosen the US.
Exactly. I'd imagine even ZLATAN would get more endorsements in the USA than either Donovan or Dempsey (had he come to MLS)
Donovan is doing well for himself. Dempsey isn't there but Rossi could have been big. The kid has a wholesome face and is fluent in several languages. Oh ... and one more thing (says Lieutenant Columbo), the kid is a top notch player and has been for the better part of the last decade. No, that's not what I am saying. Not even close. He had a chance to maximize his earning potential and he chose a path based on emotion and not discernment that is required in business. His desire to represent Italy in major events was always going to be a tough sledding because Italy has historically had a tremendous amount of attacking talent (and only an occasional willingness to use it). Much better players than Pepito - ever heard of those Totti and Baggio dudes? - have been shunned by the Italian national team managers. With the US, he would have been a shoo-in.
This is true, but at some point someone might consider how much money is enough money. No one knew for sure he was going to pan out enough to earn the money he has, but he's played 10 years now earning between $1 million and $5 million each year he's played, and clubs contracts are typically net of tax. If you're not happy with $10-20 million sitting in an investment account somewhere, then you probably won't be happy with however many millions more with endorsements. If your dream is to win a world cup (or a Euro), and you've already got all that cash, you can't really put a price tag on that.
But, when he was 18 and sitting on the bench at Newcastle, the prospects of making $5M/Y weren't all that rosy. It's like when Freddy Adu appeared on "Pardon my Interruption" in 2006, Tony asked if he would consider playing for Ghana. And Freddy said, ~ "Whichever national team wants me the most". Precisely at that time, the marketing director for Pepsi had a really bad heartburn. Then someone called Freddy's agents and began to scream, "WTF? WTF? WTF".
well, i suspect all of us have made "poor" business decisions in order to prioritize something else. we are not, after all, purely business creatures. you takes your chances. sometimes they work out, other times they don't. in rossi's case, he shot for the moon in the footballing sense, perhaps risking (knowingly or not) a larger long term payday. it hasn't worked out for him yet in the (international) footballing sense, but he hasn't done badly in the payday sense by most standards.
Hmmm. Second world cup in a row where an American #9 did his knee, thought he was fully recovered, but didn't make his national team. The last guy certainly wasn't ready.
Don't really care about the whole Rossi saga anymore. I think my initial disgust with him was based primarily on the nightmare of seeing a Jersey boy score a brace against the US in a major tourney, the Confed Cup. I don't hate him for choosing Italy, but I don't feel sorry for him getting cut twice by Italy either, I simply have no emotional tie to the player. I do feel bad that he has had soo many injuries, but that comes with sport.
Much better than those who carry this contagious hatred for him and love to see him fail. It's easy to hate, harder to love. I don't much care for him but I wish him a return to success. Unfair share of injuries. He was committed to Italy years before he was a talent. It is annoying to see an American play for a foreign nation but blame FIFA and Italy (any Italian by blood is Italian whereas Balotelli born there has to wait until 18 til he can get citizenship)
There were different ways he could have handled celebrating his goals against the US. I don't really have a problem with the fact that he chose Italy, but the way he went nuts after scoring in the Confed Cup was not very classy.
I think it was rather odd Rossi was not included. To the naked eye, just watching on TV, he was showing absolutely no signs of a long injury lay off. He was brilliant to begin the season and picked up right where he left off when he returned from injury. 14 goals in 17 matches. That speaks for itself. I feel for Rossi. I really do. I've never stuck my nose up at him or never disliked him for the choice he made. According to Prandelli he had conversations with Rossi telling him, right off the bat, he was not going to be included in the 23 and was lucky to be included in the preliminary roster. Prandelli, apparently, said if it was due to the injury. So........if Prandelli already had his mind made up, why did he bring Rossi into camp and why did he play in the friendlies?? Seems counterproductive. Oh well...... not much Rossi can do expect continue to score goals for Fiorentina. I am by no means mad at Prandelli just a little confused by his smugness at Rossi's exclusion. The wasn't his last chance. Rossi will be 31 in 2018 which is prime age for Italians who often play until they are 40!
They probably did some sort of stress/strength tests on him and discovered that his leg/knee wasn't up to 100% visavis his other leg/knee and concluded that it was still an injury risk a la Stu. Of course, he may been useful as a late-game sub at 15-20 minutes per game anyway but .... Prandelli really has a very solid reputation among coaches and, with him extending his contract for two more years with the Azzurri, grandpa's tantrums were also very poorly advised because, unless Italy falls flat on their collective asses in Brazil, there goes Pepito's chance for the 2016 Euros.
BTW, Italy played a friendly against a pretty decent Fluminense side yesterday (it was missing Fred, who's with Brazil, and a couple of other starters... Italy's lineup was experimental as well, as Prandelli took more than 23 to Brazil). Ciro Immobile (whose name can be sung as the opening verses of "Santa Lucia") had three goals and two assists ... and the assists were of the FabJ vs. Nigeria variety ... each a sidefootsitter. Now, sing along - Ciro Immobile, l'astro d'argento Placida è l'onda, prospero il vento
how good is this Immobile kid? and how common is that name in Italy? Can't imagine the English equivalent "Not movable" as a surname.