Quote:
Originally Posted by Red370
It always amuses me that with a country 10 times the size of most, we manage to field a hodgepodge group of kickball players. But man we can play some basketball like a motherfvcker!
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This is key. In the United States, kids come up aspiring to be professional Basketball, Football or Baseball players. No one really takes soccer seriously in this country from a young age, which is what European and South American nations have on us. When you're young in this country, kids may play soccer recreationally, but its never really taken seriously. For young men in the US, soccer is often viewed as not being masculine. I know I used to be made fun of because I played soccer in HS. I was literally harassed by football, basketball and track players at my school for playing soccer. It's unfortunate, really. Until football(soccer) is ingrained in this country's culture as deeply as any of the other big sports (football, baseball, basketball, hockey, lacrosse), this country will never be competitive on the world's stage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red370
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I really hope for his sake these quotes were taken out of context:
He wants £400k a week.
The No.7 shirt and captain’s armband.
A guarantee that he will *always be the club’s highest paid player.
Before even playing on the team he wants the captain's armband?? Always be the club's highest paid player? This is so unfortunate because Ronaldo is supremely talented. Regardless of talent level though, no one player is ever bigger than the club. Period. Messi isn't bigger than Barcelona, Rooney isn't bigger than United. This arrogance from Ronaldo is part of the reason why Fergie let him leave United. Fergie will never let any one player think themselves to be bigger than the club. Not Becks, Cantona, Giggs, and not Ronaldo. Based on this article, it's evident from this article he feels he is too good to play for a lowly Premier League side like City, and he wants a king's ransom to come back to the Premiership. To him, Cristiano Ronaldo is bigger than Manchester City. This only adds pressure on himself and he will be expected to deliver titles to Eastlands. Again, I hope for his sake, he said this jokingly to a friend and it was taken out of context and the story is being blown out of proportion.
On a side note, part of the reason I admire Leo Messi so much is because of his incredibly humble and grounded attitude. Messi is never in the papers, never claims himself to be the best ever or anything of the sort. He just goes on playing his football, winning titles, and leaving our jaws attached to the floor. World Class on and off the field.