This needs a comment.
Afterward, Donovan was dismissive of Rossi, saying, “If the guy doesn’t want to play for us, then I don’t really care about him.”
Really. Are we going to get our knickers in a bunch if Vedad Ibisevic scores against the team? Because Bosnia might be in the same group in the World Cup. And Ibisevic very well might score the winning goal.
It cuts both ways. Some players spurn their heritage and play for the country they grew up in. Think Adu. And some are like Rossi. Soccer is full of these examples. Algeria could have really done with Zidane and Samir Nasri’s help.
France, the same country that benefited from their participation chased Gonzalo Higuain, who chose to play for Argentina after David Trezeguet found no place under Raymond Domenech’s team. Trezeguet himself had the option of playing for Argentina. Maybe he should have. France could have won the 2006 World Cup. Germany’s scintillating attack which lifted a country’s morose expectations was built around Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski, two strikers of Polish extraction. At the same time, Poland went down ignominiously.
We can express feelings of deep disappointment without getting provincial. Sometimes soccer in the US is played in a deep vacuum.
4 comments on “Donovan’s poor sportsmanship”
completely agree.
these situations are too numerous to follow in lots of other countries.
i’m sure the American media doesn’t make it any easier by asking about it every time we play them, but let’s move on…and beat them.
What’s the big deal with what Donovan said? Rivalry is a huge part of sport, let alone soccer. Compared to the “trash talk” that typically invades international soccer, this is tame.
But even if it wasn’t, Donovan made no comment as to the rareness or commonality of the choices players like Rossi made. He also made no judgement of Rossi or Italy. He simply said, “If the guy doesn’t want to play for us, then I don’t really care about him”. Oooooooooo. Zing!
That barely even qualifies as sour grapes, let alone poor sportsmanship. There’s plenty to complain about regarding team USA, without making mountains from mole hills.
I think Donovan needs to worry more about the current US players and team and come up with a reason as to why they are playing so poorly. Players will come and go, but when you step on the field, you need to put up a much better effort then what they are showing.
I believe Donovan’s comments were an excellent and controlled response regarding Rossi.
I’ve always felt mix toward meetings towards Rossi. Should I cheer for the New Jersey native or boo the man who wears the Italian blue? As the game began, I was still undecided. His disheartening and great goal still failed to find a solution for my restless spirit. Then I saw his post goal celebration. It wasn’t his first goal for the Italian international team, he had scored against his country of birth. Yet, he raced away screaming out to the world his delight as his arms pumped wildly. Simultaneously anger began to boil inside of me. This modern day Benedict Arnold had chosen to excessively celebrate both goals that day. Most classy players, choose to not celebrate a goal against their former country or club (e.g. Keane against Liverpool or Deco against Brazil).
Then it clicked. This player wasn’t American at all, his poor sportsmanship helped explain why he had chosen to join the Italian National squad. He belonged to a team who may not have invented the dive, but had perfected it (ask Australia) and who’s style of play is the polar opposite of what’s wonderful of the beautiful game.
Fate led Rossi’s celebrations to conclude with him jumping into the arms of De Rossi, the man who shall forever remain in my mind as cutting one of our dearest player’s head – McBride.
Good riddance,
– César