Especially if he keeps playing in La Liga.

Has trying to break into the Italian squad helped his career at all? Would he have higher value if he was play for the U.S. and scoring goals for the first team?

The thing is, he's too young to simply just "break" into any national team squad. He could show up and be an impact player off the bench, or even play in some friendlies, but its highly unlikely he would get much PT in big games. Honestly, it would have been the same with the USMNT.

He has been playing well enough in Spain this year. I think he has 11 goals, which isn't bad for a young guy playing consistently. I think his league form will be what increases his value, and ultimately his PT for Italy. However, he would have gotten waaaaay more time with US than Italy. I would think that he would be a front runner for a starting spot up front for the US in 2010, but the same isn't true for Italy.

since we're on a poker forum, the answer is, it depends. In all honesty though, I'm not sure what effect it will have on his career. Carlo Cuddicini has had a very good career and there was a point where he was being considered for england because he hadn't been capped at the levels to tie him to a nation.

I think his decision will turn out to be a good one if he gets 50+ caps for italy, but, like 'tone mentioned, he'll have a very hard time getting caps for italy if he's playing in Spain as the Italian national team rarely puts players in their squad that don't play in SerieA


he's not too young at all, there have been plenty of players around his age that have broken into their national squads at his age, and IIRC Cassano had gotten some senior caps at around the same age as Rossi, and I know that Buffon was given caps at a young age for a keeper too


he certainly would be a front runner for a starting spot for the US in 2010, but I don't think he'd even get a look for italy, and quite frankly, it would probably be until WC2014 or Euro 2016 for him to even be considered for an italian spot

crap, hereford won. need help from elsewhere now, and brentford/grimsby won't supply it imo

How would he not be capable of getting playing time for the USNT? Which American strikers are better?

Hehe, well the thread is entitled Random.....

I know some Rochdale fans who will be disapointed with that result tonite. They dont seem to think they`d be able to get past Stockport in the play offs. What do you make of that?

And well done to Aldershot making it back.

Someone told me united FC got promoted again and are now only 3 leauges off div 2. Thats all we need.

We wouldn't play Rochdale before the final, and our record at wembley is less than impressive. I don't know tbh. I'd rather be playing Darlington than Wycombe in the semi though

I took Darlington to the Prem in FIFA 06 so I'll be cheering them on.

heh, I guess you are right.

When I think of breaking into a squad, I mean starting regularly, not just getting caps. Like for example Adu and Jozy have gotten a few caps, but they aren't breaking into the senior squad. A recent player that I think has broken onto the US team is Bornstein. I guess we have different definitions.

I think a player who is in the 19-22 range could easily get some caps. Unless said player plays for England, then its the same 27 year olds every game (HAHA)

nicked this out of another thread but it got me thinking. Are there any terms foreign fans use for American sports that wind up the US fans?

Stockport LOL, that explains a lot.

Lol yeah, I miss the Pilgrims spot on Soccer AM. "and he's pulled the offensive shooters uniform!!!!! In the PK area too!!!!!! Aannnd he's EJECTED!!!!!!!"

When I watch NFL on Sky though, they always use the US terminology and I do too when discussing it i.e "NYG were awesome on the road the end of the season", not "NYG were awesome away from home". And the oh-fense and dee-fense pronunciations. Weird.

Dunno. Basketball would be the one sport that's big in the USA but also popular around the rest of the world, and I'm not aware of an alternate English-language lexicon for the sport.

I really don't understand why people get so wound up about the term "soccer" being used in North America and Australia though, given that it's a contraction of the official name of the sport ("Association Football") and its original nickname.

I think it bugs people because its always been called football and then the Americans invent a new game which they call football and they start calling football soccer.

It is a bit insulting to the rest of the world. Its like calling Paris Madrid.

I believe it was some Limey chaps who started the "soccer" bit. Though perhaps the Yanks should call their game Ruggers.

American/gridiron football originated in the late 1800s as an offshoot of rugby football. It isn't that much younger than rugby or association football.

Australia and Ireland also have their own versions of football as well.

And Americans weren't the first people to call association football "soccer"; it was known as "soccer" very early on in order to distinguish it from rugby football. Seems to me that "soccer" is the most neutral term for the sport in an international context.

I certainly wouldn't be bent out of shape if people in Europe insisted on calling American football "gridiron"; it's just unlikely to happen because nobody outside of North America cares about it or ever has a reason to refer to it.

I've grunched this thread to an extent. On the Italian artist player front, can't believe I haven't seen Gianfranco Zola mentioned.

Also leads on to a question inspired by an article from Four Four Two; who is/was the best foreign player to grace the premiership? Article predictably went for Cantona, which is a decent pick, but it's Dennis Bergkamp for me, undoubtedly. Anyone else?

Bergie in 2nd after Cygan for me

I am an American, but I have heard of two.

Using a plural verb with the singulat city name. "Boston have a 3 game lead in the American league east."

Refering to a basketball game as a match. (I would guess this would be true for any sport, but I specifically heard it for basketball).

I think it is kind of funny how annoyed soccer fans get at this stuff.

None of this kind of stuff bothers US fans even a percentage as much as it bothers soccer fans.

Some people get annoyed, but Europeans act like you smacked their mother. Its really quite funny.

I definitely do the first. I think it's mostly a result of me having read a bunch of soccer stuff so I'm now never sure which is which.

I guess this is just a general difference between English English and American English, but I'll throw in another one:

Source: Phoenix, Miami agree deal for Shaquille O'Neal

Apparently headline writers in England are trying to conserve prepositions or something.

You would say, "The Red Sox have a 3 game lead in the American League East."

You could also say, "They have a 3 game lead in the American League East."

Boston also replaces "The Red Sox" so I don't see any reason to change have to has.

Anybody who gets bent out of shape by minor cultural/linguistic differences needs to smoke a J or something.