Sorry if this article was posted somewhere else. http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/art...745Z_01_L30776341_RTRIDST_0_SOCCER-DIGEST.XML
I think Rossi and his dad have enough sense as it is. I'd much rather work for a spot on the World Champion's roster than take the easy way out and play for the US (who will win nothing even with Klinsmann!).
Rossi can't even play for Newcastle United....how the fcuk is he going to be selected by Italy...?? I'll answer my own question....he isn't.
He may never play for Italy. Does that mean he should take the free ticket and play for the USin qualifying against power houses like Honduras, Guatemala, and Panama with Mex thrown in there once or twice a year??
That would have been a huge loss to have Benny go with another national team....it's good to see that he's loyal to the country of his (parents') birth. With Rossi - I used to be a bit miffed that this guy was so set on playing (begging for a bench spot) for Italy, but similar to what england66 said, if he can't even break on into the substitutes bench for Newcastle's games (how many appearances does he have so far on his loan?), then maybe he's not so hot. If he wants to pass on being a starter for a decent team that would take him to 2-3 world cups, possibly a few Copas, maybe a Confed. Cup or two in his career for the chance of getting the occasional call-up for a great team to play in b-rate friendlies and against more powder-puff European teams in Euro Cup & WC qualifiers, then he's more than welcome to go for it. Well, he's young still, and has plenty of time...I guess if it becomes clear in the fall of 2008 that he won't be figuring at all in Italy's WC 2010 qualifying campaign (no chance for Euro 2008, but I think that goes without saying), then maybe he'll have a change of heart. (hey, I did write one sentence about Feilhaber!! )
No he should do it the hard way and qualify against Slovakia, Faroe Islands, and San Marino with maybe an Ireland or a Belgium thrown in.
well, due to the utter incompetence in the US forward pool ... he probably could have walked right on to the '06 WC squad and played against minnows like Italy, Czech Republic and Ghana. that's if (1) he would have committed soon enough, (2) not pissed Bruce off in the process and (3) shown the ability to, you know, kick the ball in the ocean from the deck of an ocean liner.
Glad to see that Benny is dedicated to the cause. It's good when we have players that can contribute to the first team on a big side who are vying for international spots (i.e. not Rossi).
No one has commented on Wicky's injury. He was one of the two players ahead of BF at the start of the season. This should put Benny back in the starting lineup for a while.
You're all assuming there is a free ticket to play for the US? Like england66 said: He can't get off (or even on)the bench at Newcastle...
Brazil won't be a problem as long as he plays in Germany. If he goes to Italy or Spain however, it could become an issue, especially since he plays a position Brazil is not especially traditionally deep in.
brazil blames most of their misfortunes in the last world cup on using too many players from the european soccer system instead of their own. Wow only on big soccer could someone make an uninformed message and others run with it as if it was the truth. So im thinking that any player the brazilians use would have to go through their youth system and at least spend a little time in their top flight for that player to get selected onto their national team.