11/23/24
February 07, 2006
16 year old Adu to Chelsea?: Freddie Adu can't even get into the starting line-up for DC United yet Chelsea might sign him?
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY to soccer at 10:22 AM - 21 comments
Rossi is an amazing player; why doesn't he want anything to do with the nat'l team?
posted by markovitch at 10:51 AM on February 07, 2006
I've read that Rossi wants to play for the Italian national team (although born in the US, he also holds an Italian passport).
posted by Boot at 11:13 AM on February 07, 2006
I'm new to following the EPL, but am I wrong in deducting that Chelsea is at least as much about the "show signing" as actually making their side better? Whoever's making the decisions there just seems to have more money than sense, and is going for the headline signing over the sensible building-block approach. (Not that you can argue with their success so far, but at the rate they're burning cash, they had better win every tournament they qualify for, and a few more that they don't.)
posted by chicobangs at 12:02 PM on February 07, 2006
I believe Rossi has already played for Italy under 19's.
posted by Fat Buddha at 12:17 PM on February 07, 2006
I hope that's as far as he goes with Italy. Then the next red-blooded Yank with delusions of grandeur might not make the same mistake and the US will reap the benefits of having a talented player with pride in his native place. Wait, that wasn't sour grapey enough: Fuck Rossi, I hope he tanks.
posted by Hugh Janus at 12:42 PM on February 07, 2006
It's important to have an eye for the game.
posted by Bill Lumbergh at 12:46 PM on February 07, 2006
Here's a decent article on Rossi and his divided allegiances.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 12:53 PM on February 07, 2006
Freddie's game is not geared toward the British style of play.
posted by nowandthen at 12:54 PM on February 07, 2006
What do you mean, nowandthen?
posted by worldcup2002 at 01:56 PM on February 07, 2006
You know what if he wants to go over there and get swallowd up by the abosoulute best of the best as far as the soccer world is concerned, let him go and see where he is in 2 years
posted by stolenbase7 at 02:11 PM on February 07, 2006
chelsea better sign him. even though they already have a stacked team, they could use a rookie plyer that has some unbelievable skills.
posted by siouxhocky at 02:49 PM on February 07, 2006
I couldn't see that article Tex, it 404ed, but a few weeks ago I know that Arena said he wanted Rossi in the mix for the next training camp when the Europe-based players will be involved and its the final competitions before naming the 23. Guess he has to make a decision, you can play for another country as a junior but step on the field for a senior national team and you're tied for life. Adu will be going to Europe, the only question is timing. I wonder if Chelsea would sign him and then loan him right back to DC United which is more or less what happened with Landon Donovan before he arrived at San Jose.
posted by billsaysthis at 03:47 PM on February 07, 2006
You gotta reset your privacy settings, bill. It's just a soccernet article and comes right up. And MLS responds to the Adu story here.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 03:52 PM on February 07, 2006
Face it, if the USA claim Adu, then it's only fair that Rossi plays for Italy.
posted by salmacis at 05:31 PM on February 07, 2006
you can play for another country as a junior but step on the field for a senior national team and you're tied for life I think these days any official 'age' internationals (like the U17 and U19 WCs and their qualifiers) mean you are tied, unless you go through a very lengthy appeals process. Tim Cahill had to do this to play for Australia after he turned out for Samoa as a 15 year old in a very minor tournament in the Pacific. Born in Oz, his father is an Aussie, his mother is Samoan.
posted by owlhouse at 06:08 PM on February 07, 2006
Good point sal.
posted by squealy at 06:09 PM on February 07, 2006
I think these days any official 'age' internationals (like the U17 and U19 WCs and their qualifiers) mean you are tied, unless you go through a very lengthy appeals process. Not in the U.S. or CONCACAF, I'm not sure about the rest of FIFA. Unless you've played for the full national team, you can play for another country of ancestry, under the rules that apply. And sal, who said anything about fair?
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 06:52 PM on February 07, 2006
Face it, if the USA claim Adu, then it's only fair that Rossi plays for Italy. But much less likely, considering the competition for national team spots.
posted by Hugh Janus at 01:57 PM on February 08, 2006
Sal, when did fair ever come into these decisions? Hugh, if Rossi's good enough to challenge for a striker slot at ManU he's good enough to challenge for the same on Italy. Not necessarily make it but at least challenge.
posted by billsaysthis at 03:08 PM on February 08, 2006
Yes, he's good enough for a footnote, but with that caliber of competition I'd be surprised if he played. But like I said, my negativity is motivated by only the sourest of grapes.
posted by Hugh Janus at 11:40 AM on February 09, 2006
Chelsea will sign him and then ship him off "on loan" to a second tier premiership or championship side for a few years. If he starts a single game for Chelsea before he turns 20 I'd be shocked. Peter Kenyon wants to crack the US market and what better way than to sign the best young US player. The argument could be made, though, that the best young US player is Rossi at ManU. Too bad Rossi wants nothing to do with the US national team.