LOL

Which is exactly what Giuseppe has chosen to do… so whats your point?

And here are my reasons why Rossi should wait a few more years (to be selected for the Azzurri) before deciding to play for the US:

1) He’s good enough to play for Italy; and Italy > USA (in terms of football atleast )
2) He can dream of winning a World Cup or a European Championship.
3) He has already played for the U-18 and U-21 Italy teams and so he already has a good understanding with players like Quagliarella, Aquilani, Pazzini and Palladino who will all soon be major players in the senior squad too.

If you think from Rossi’s point of view, and the USA’s, it’s pretty obvious who he should play for.

1. Playing on a team that has the 2nd best football history in the world
2. Playing with the greatest generation of same-country footballers maybe ever

Szetela 20 Spains La Liga (Rossi’s friend since childhood)
Adu 18 Portugal La Liga
Rogers 20 MLS
Bradley 20 Eredivisie
Altidore 18 MLS (offers from all the top leagues)
Ferrari 19 Serie A
Sarkodie 19 college
Bates 17 US Developmental Program
Spector 21 EPL
Edu 21 MLS
Nguyen 20 Eredivisie
Seitz 20 MLS
Lambo 17 US Developmental Progam (Everton bound)

Sprinkle that with players that are 22-23, Feilhaber, Kljestan, Johnson, Davies, Hill, Zizzo, McCarty, etc.

There is something special about playing for a country that has so much history. There is something really special about making history.

I actually like your comments about my article and can’t say I disagree with them. All of your points are valid. When I wrote this piece was right after Villareal bought him — and I was trying to appeal to an American audience.

Since then I’ve had a chance to learn even more about Rossi. I knew his father was smart, but I didn’t realize how smart.
Any smart person knows that if your kid has potential that you bring them to a team like Parma, Empoli, Atalanta or Brescia for development. If you go to one of the ‘big’ teams one’s chances of making it drop considerably. Rossi’s father was VERY SMART. He was also VERY SMART by bringing his kid to Manchester United, because he knows some Italian teams don’t give kids a chance to move up and Manchester United was more willing.

I will say I’m not against Rossi playing for Italy. I welcome him. He’s like me – an Italian whose parents were born in Italy.

I think if he picks Italy he should do it because it is what is best for his career. It is obvious that the development of soccer in Italy is centuries better than it is in the U.S.

The fact that he is still with the U-21 with Italy is positive in that he isn’t going to be rushed and have all these expectations on him. With the U.S. he’d be pushed into the first team, and naturally all the expectations would come along with it.

Yes, since the second half of last season at Parma and now Villarreal (all of 2007 – in other words!) he’s been brilliant but he wasn’t really going to break into the team during a campaign that had already kicked off (Euro 2008) and with competition in the attackers department from Toni, Del Piero, Gilardino etc.. He was also still a major player for the U21 team at the Euro Championships in the Netherlands – which took place this summer.

He’s time will come after this Euro campaign if his form continues – no doubt. I am 100% he will be named in the squad for that first World Cup qualifier for the Azzurri next year!

Every Italian (and half-Italian in this case) understands that a player who wants to represent the Azzurri in the senior team must go through the Azzurrini levels. He has just completed that, he’s not eligible for the next U21 Euro Champs in 2009, and will now be in the list of names that will be looked at when a senior squad is named.

For example, look at another promising Italian youngster – Alberto Aquilani. A lot of people wanted him in the squad much earlier than he was because of his performances for Roma and the U-21’s team. He wasn’t called up until after the World Cup in 2006 at the age of 22 (he’s unfortunately injured – so he’s out of the next match on Saturday).

The USA would’ve picked Rossi right now because he’s playing in a top European league and doing well, and because the US have a much smaller pool of players that the Azzurri have!

But he has made up his minds! And he will play for Italy. He moved to Europe, as the blogger said, at the age of 12 and he is not going to go back and play for the USA and travel between the two continents.

Also, quite a lot of posters since have said, he will get more money. Why? The national team don’t may wages? The clubs do – if he’s a top player he will move to a top club and will get plenty of money? Is that what a footballer should look at to play for a national team – i’m going to make more off-the-field money in another nation so I should go their? Just absurd! If that is the sort of person Rossi is, as an Italian, I would be quite happy for him to go to USA. We don’t want a “Beckham” in the Italian national team.

And about Freddy Adu – exactly how many games has he played for the US? I thought he was supposed to be the next big star. He might be earning the dollors, but if he’s not performing on the pitch (as you see with his sideway move from one MLS club to another MLS club), he’s not going to get into a Manchester United? Should Rossi follow his path?