I saw that Giuseppe Rossi from New Jersey managed to get to Manchester United via Parma FC in italy. Does anyone know the route he took to get hooked up with Parma in the first place - open tryout, scouts from Parma spotted him in the US, his dad knew the coach etc.etc. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks John
He came from Clifton, NJ. I played with him for years and at a young age his Dad made him go over to Italy, where they are from. His dad has major connections everywhere in soccer, and im sure that boosted his career, although he deserves every bit of recognition that he gets.
I could be wrong, but his father is his high school team coach. That team includes his good buddy--Danny Szetela. Like many other fathers, his dad brought him to Italy during the summer vacation time to train and he was picked up by Parma at 13 and moved there. He played regional ODP, but since US only starts to get U-15 National team recently (the first one includes only one player we know right now--Eddie Gaven), so he never represent US for national youth team. Under his father's pressue, he played for Italian youth team. The problem is in the future--if he is good for Italian National Team, he may just play for them and not for USA. But if he is not good enough for Italian National Team, then he probably is not good for US team either.
I'd like to think you are right, but I have my doubts. No Italian examples are popping into my head right now, but I think players like Hasselbaink (nowhere near Holland's 11), Ailton (has he ever played for Brazil?), or Micoud (second choice for France) would fit in rather comfortably on our squad.
When I played with him, he was on my statewide team playing three years up. He was 12 years old playing with above average 15 year olds and dominating. He never made it to high school in America, but his dad did coach the high school team. He quit to take his son to Italy. He always was very demanding of his son, so I am not surprised if Gueseppi didnt have a say in the matter of where he wants to play.
We need to get Spector and Timmy working on him. Just a little bit every day, and then bam, Bruce calls him up. If Spector and he become good friends I can see him going against his dad when he's older.
You never met the man. I, like every other American, would be ecstatic to see him play for us. But honestly, I think there is a better chance of Freddy Adu starting in goal in 2006.
Dad or Son? I know Italy has started a non-italian before but someday Rossi will have the oportunity to choose for himself without his dad standing over him. I have no idea what he will do on that day but I will support and root for him no matter what.
If this time, sure. But Rossi time is 2010 time. If in that time, we don't have players in par with Italy, then the Project 2010 is a failure. Heck, all Italian sport media declared that the 2002 is the last chance for everyone else (beside USA) to win a World Cup after they saw the USA vs. Italy friendly.
Well then, the Italian media has a gift for hyperbole. I, too, hope that in time we will have talent that compares with that of Italy, Brazil, Argentina, Holland, and France. But I don't think anyone realistically thinks its going to happen in 2010. But then who would've picked Greece to win the Euros this year? There will be plenty of chances to win the World Cup. Anyway, I've never seen Rossi play, but the Italian back line has got to be one of the toughest jobs in the world to get. I got one. Cudicini. Has he ever played for Italy?
Obviously something happened if his Dad agreed to let Rossi move from Mother Italy to the huns of Anglo-Saxony? Otherwise, why wouldn't the kid go to another Italian team? As far as I recall, Parma let him go because of the coffers drying up due to the default of Parmalaat.
Seems like Man U has a lot of young players who cost nothing or next to nothing that can play and will be moved on...for a fee...Spector, Cooper,Richardson, Eagles come to mind...
I think he has 2-3 times. The talk on the internet is that because he plays in another country he doesn't get the rep that he should. I think they called him in 2 years ago after there was more internet talk about him playing for England. It was all talk and nothing ever came of it (in fact, Carlo said no chance he would play for anyone other than Italy.) Shortly afterwards, he was capped.
If the kids were not signed to a pro deal, they were free to move from their "parent club" to the highest bidder. The only compensation required was a ubiquitous "education costs", which is an arbitrary sum set by FIFA to repay for someone's time in a youth academy. In some occasions, this is akin to paying Leonardo DaVinci a few bucks for the cost of paint he used to conjure up "Mona Lisa".