Football nº 10

[DJDonegal]

It's also moderately obnoxious that Rossi played for Italy, considering he was born and raised in the States. But I guess it does one's career more good to play for Italy than for the US.

But Rossi has been playing for Italy since the U-16s - long before he would ever know if he could be good enough to play for a team as successful as Italy. It could be that his career wouldn't pan out in promising fashion so his only chance of international football depended on a call from the US, but it's clearly something he always wanted to go for.

In related news, FIFA has now said that if someone over 21 has declared themselves for a national team, but never been chosen for a competitive match for the senior team, they can switch their allegiance. So players like Kevin Nolan who played for England U-21 can now play for other countries they qualify for - like Ireland.

I'm trying to find an internet source as I read this in a magazine.

Nice. I thought his dad would teach him the mother tongue, but oh well. Especially odd as something like 60 percent of Germans speak English fairly well, but I guess footballers aren't known for being the most studious.

I've found that compared to some other European countries (Scandinavians and Dutch in particular) the Germans aren't that great at English. I put that down to them dubbing movies instead of using subtitles. Although the comment on footballers not being studious is a fair one. :P

[Celtigo]

But Rossi has been playing for Italy since the U-16s - long before he would ever know if he could be good enough to play for a team as successful as Italy. It could be that his career wouldn't pan out in promising fashion so his only chance of international football depended on a call from the US, but it's clearly something he always wanted to go for.

In related news, FIFA has now said that if someone over 21 has declared themselves for a national team, but never been chosen for a competitive match for the senior team, they can switch their allegiance. So players like Kevin Nolan who played for England U-21 can now play for other countries they qualify for - like Ireland.

I'm trying to find an internet source as I read this in a magazine.

I've found that compared to some other European countries (Scandinavians and Dutch in particular) the Germans aren't that great at English. I put that down to them dubbing movies instead of using subtitles. Although the comment on footballers not being studious is a fair one. :P

I think comparing anybody to the Dutch and Nordics is a tall order. When I was in Germany for the 2006 WC I was surprised at how many people spoke English well. But I was always in big or medium sized cities.

[Alcibiades]

But Rossi has been playing for Italy since the U-16s - long before he would ever know if he could be good enough to play for a team as successful as Italy. It could be that his career wouldn't pan out in promising fashion so his only chance of international football depended on a call from the US, but it's clearly something he always wanted to go for.

My feelings exact. It does us no good to pine over Rossi. He's always been in the Italian system and has every right to make that choice.

I didn't see the game today. But from what I've heard the Americans played well, but were hard done by with the officiating. I'm going to try to catch a replay later. But if solid play and demonstrated improvement are what we're looking for out of this tournament, then there are some positive signs from today (near as I can tell by the ESPN txt updates read from work).

[Horza]

I've started a new thread over here as we appear to have overloaded the threadviewer-thingy

[Jon AS]

As I recall from 2006, there were two brothas on the German national team. David Odonkor (a mulatto) and another player who was the a first generation immigrant or the son of two immigrants from Africa.

Oh yeah, I forgot Gerald Asamoah upthread. He was born in Ghana but moved to Germany with his family when he was a kid.

Nice. I thought his dad would teach him the mother tongue, but oh well.

His father left the family when Jones was very young. Apparently they only reestablished contact last year.