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Schmid: Schelotto staying, but he’s earned the right to leave if he wants

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                                                                                                                                                              Photo by ISI Photos

Columbus Crew coach Sigi Schmid hasn’t paid much mind to the various reports out of Argentina stating that Crew star Guillermo Barros Schelotto was going to leave Columbus to play for his hometown team Gimnasia de La Plata. He’s ignored the talk because Schelotto has maintained his desire to return to the Crew.

"He hasn’t come to us saying that he wants to leave," Schmid told SBI on Tuesday. "He’s under contract with us and we just sent him his P-1 visa so as far as we’re concerned he is coming back.

"I know there’s some pressure from his home club for him to go back and play there but he hasn’t expressed to us that it is what he wants to do."

Schelotto enjoys legendary status in Argentina for his exploits with Boca Juniors, and it is that career that Schmid feels gives Schelotto the right to go out on his own terms, even if that means leaving MLS after one year.

"If that’s something that he wants to do then that’s something he has earned the right to do," Schmid said. "He has earned the respect and the right to make that decision and we would respect his wishes.

"That said, he has enjoyed his time here and I believe he’s coming back."

Comments

  1. Don Garber’s decision to let each MLS team add one more foreigner will displace 14 American prospects from the 14 MLS teams. This will hurt the US National Team since there will be 14 less American prospects that will be developed in MLS. The more prospect there are to be developed, the more players contribute the the US National Team. Playing so many foreigners as hurt the England National Team.

    Keith Watkins
    Atlanta, GA

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  2. Crew need Schelotto and a whole lot more, see Schmid getting the boot if he can’t bring in some firepower and the Crew get off to a poor start

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  3. How much worse off would they be without him really? They are a dreadful team either way. He has no name recognition among the masses. Real MLS and soccer fans would notice, but we are not the fans that MLS is trying to win with these DPs. We will be here with or without him.

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  4. Schmid is handling the situation with class, and actually the only way they realistically could. If Schelotto really wants to leave, would it be in Columbus’ best interest to force him to stay? Schelotto, on the other hand, is being anything but classy with his off-hand comments to the press, and his dangling the possibility of returning to Argentina. But that’s what you can expect from a Bocaneise 🙂 (Never guess that I’m a River fan.

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  5. So basically you are living the life right now . . . just calling coaches, digging for info . . . man am I jealous. Please, let me be your sidekick.

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  6. I hope for the sake of the league that he stays, even if it makes for some tougher games for the Red Bulls. He’s a pleasure to watch.

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  7. This is definitely good news for us Crew fans! GBS is easily the best player on our team. I am glad to hear that he is staying but even if he leaves he did play really well for us and I won’t hold it against him if he leaves though I would hope that he wouldn’t break his contract to do so.

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  8. Whatever decision Schellotto makes, I think the Crew are handling this the right way, not pressuring him one way or another. If he leaves, then GBS is the one who’ll look bad in the eyes of Crew fans (I think) not the Columbus Crew.
    All that being said, I think GBS will stay.

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