http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N145442040723-1629.htm Rafa Benitez is bringing him in the 23 man squad. Good luck to those of you that will be able to see him! And also does this mean he features in future first team plans?
Re: Zak Whitbread to Return to the states Wow, I'm sure it'll be great for him to be back home and see all of his old friends...
Re: Zak Whitbread to Return to the states Great news for Zak, but can we change the title? This sounds like a "Whitbread to MLS" thread.
Are you sure he's on the roster for the US tour? I don't see him... http://www.championsworld.com/championsworld_series/teams_detail.asp?clubID=15 Maybe the don't have the correct roster - anyone have info?
MAybe he felt insulted by the 15-minute comment and flew right back to England Seriously, though, where is he? As ninety_minutes pointed out, he is nowhere to be seen on the roster....
http://www.championsworld.com/championsworld_series/teams_detail.asp?clubID=2 On Man Utd's roster on the Chapions World site Ruud Saha Ronaldo Scholes Kleberson Danny Pugh who was sent to Leeds in the Smith transfer Eddie Johnson who is currently on loan at Div 1 team Ben Williams who i dont even think is owned by Man U anymore I would believe the Liverpool Official site before I believe the Champions World site.
Looks like he's right.... "Zak Whitbread sported the widest smile at Melwood when Rafael Benitez announced his squad for Liverpool's summer tour of the USA and Canada. " http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N145446040725-1608.htm
Can someone fill me in about the whole Whitbread situation because I see people alluding that he wasn't here very long, etc. Where was he born? Where did he grow up? What nationality are his parents? I know about him generally and all that, but I didn't know that he was not raised here.
IIRC, from previous threads about Whitbread, both his parents are English. He has American citizenship because he was born here while his parents were on vacation. I'm 99% sure he spent his time growing up in England, it sort of suprises me that he wants to play for the US instead of England.
Born in LA, actually spent most of his years between Thailand (IIRC - his dad was the coach there) and Liverpool. Most of us were thinking he would play for England because of his refusal to join our youth teams early on while he presumably was trying to develop for Liverpool, but since the U20 WC we've all had greater spirits about that.
Have you seen our left back situation? Have you seen England's? Who do you think he has a better chance of playing for in 2006 and beyond? Especially if he starts getting first team action, or is loaned and plays well.
Oh, I'm aware of this, my point is that his only connection to the US was being born here on while his parents were on vacation. I would think his English heritage and maybe ego would play a bigger role in his decision, that's all.
It wasn't a vacation. His father worked in the US for a while running a soccer school. http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsId=47135&itype=113&icategoryid=75
I got ya. Should have added this. Kind of remember an interview, before the Olympics, where he actually said that he felt that he had a better chance of playing in a WC for the US. Guess heritage went right out the window with that. At least if he does play for us he won't be pulling an Ailton. Of course, have to get that first cap, and you never know.........
Actually, he was born in Houston, and it was Singapore where his dad coaches and he lived before moving to Liverpool.
Re: Zak Whitbread to Return to the states A Yank with a really heavy British accent; he makes Brad Friedel look like he grew up in Ohio