who is this guy? it says here: http://ussoccerplayers.com/exclusives/378484.html that zach whitbread will be starting for liverpool's first team and that he's american. how come i've never heard of him before? any chance he can become involved with the USMNT???
This issue has been discussed before. He has US Citizenship, but doesn't want to be called in as he seems to want to be capped by England instead.
He's just been concentrating on his pro career and will play for the U20 team: http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/NationalTeams/20030814191040/view
He has been playing in the middle or on the left at the back. He has featured briefly in two of Liverpool's pre-season matches, but I would doubt he would break into the first team just yet. However, Liverpool are a little thin in both the left back and centre back positions so you never know. He stated he wanted to get into the full squad before committing to anything internationally. Now that he is in and has a number assigned to him, he is going to join the Rongen squad, looks like a commitment to me. I would think he will be a first choice Liverpool reserve player which is actually a very high standard of football. Learning from the likes of Henchoz, Hyypia, not to mention Phil Thompson (Reds assistant coach) will surely be a boost too.
agreed... and he will probably see cup action or get loaned out to a d1 squad this season. he has also been praised publicly numerous times by the front office in liverpool and is considered a major prospect.
Holding out internationally untill now was probably the best choice for Whitbread. I really think it would of been hard for him to make LFC's 1st team if he had been missing training due to international play. However, I'm elated to see him committ to the US. It kinda of gives me chills to think about all these exciting young players we have. I really invision the US winning a World Cup in 8 years or so.
I doubt that he will be loaned out. Liverpool talk like he will play this season, if only in place of injuries or cup ties. In any case, we'll know within the next couple of weeks.
Zak's father.... but he did not get into Liverpool because of his father. It seemed it was the other way around(it is hard to believe, right?).