This weekend was a memorable one for Americans Abroad as two recent MLS transfers made their European club debuts, while a few other Americans found the net.
Maurice Edu (pictured) made his debut for Glasgow Rangers on Saturday in a 2-1 win over Kilmarnock while U.S. Olympic teammate Jozy Altidore impressed in his La Liga debut for Villarreal.
Then there were the goals. Neven Subotic scored another, helping spark a three-goal comeback for Borussia Dortmund, while Jeremiah White and Charlie Davies also found the net for their clubs.
Here is how all the Americans Abroad did this past weekend:
ENGLAND
PREMIER LEAGUE
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Everton’s 3-2 win vs. Stoke on Sunday.
- Brad Friedel, Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play vs. Tottenham on Monday.
- C!int Dempsey dressed but did not play in Fulham’s 2-1 win vs. Bolton on Saturday.
- Jonathan Spector did not dress in West Ham’s 3-2 loss to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. He is suffering from a hip injury.
COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP
- Marcus Hahnemann started, played 90 minutes and made six saves in Reading’s 2-0 loss to Ipswich Town’s 2-0 loss on Saturday.
- BobbycConvey came off the bench and played 15 minutes for Reading.
- Jay DeMerit started and played 90 minutes in Watford’s 2-0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
- Frank Simek did not dress for Sheffield Wednesday. He is still recovering from ankle surgey.
- Eddie!Johnson dressed but did not play in Cardiff City’s 0-0 tie vs. Bristol City.
SCOTLAND
- Maurice Edu started and played 65 minutes in Rangers’ 2-1 win vs. Kilmarnock on Saturday.
- DaMarcus Beasley started and played 45 minutes for Rangers.
- Mike Videira did not dress in Hamilton’s 2-1 win vs. Aberdeen on Saturday.
GERMANY
BUNDESLIGA
- Neven Subotic started, played 90 minutes, drew a yellow card and scored a GOAL in Borussia Dortmund’s stirring 3-3 tie vs. Schalke 04 on Saturday. Subotic’s goal started a three-goal comeback for Dortmund.
- Michael Bradley dressed but did not play in BorussiaIMoenchengladbach’s 5-1 loss to Hannover 96 on Sunday.
- Steve Cherundolo did not dress for Hannover 96.
- Brian Arguez did not dress in Hertha Berlin’s 2-2 tie vs. VFL Wolfsburg on Saturday.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- Heath Pearce came off the bench and played 25 minutes in Hansa Rostock’s 2-2 tie vs. Mainz 05 on Sunday. Rostock came back from two goals down with goals in the 81st and 84th minute.
- David Yelldell started, played 90 minutes and made one save in TUS Koblenz’s 4-3 loss to SpVgg Gruether Fuerth on Sunday.
- Matt Taylor did not dress for TUS Koblenz.
- Grover Gibson started and played 33 minutes in Ahlen’s 3-1 win vs. Oberhausen on Friday.
- Gregg Berhalter and 1860 Munich play on Monday.
- Luis Robles dressed but did not play in Kaiserslautern’s 4-1 win vs. St. Pauli on Friday.
SPAIN
- Jozy Altiore came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Villarreal’s 1-0 win vs. Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.
- Giuseppe Rossi did not dress for Villarreal. He missed the match with an ankle injury.
ITALY
SERIE B
- Danny Szetela started and played 90 minutes in Brescia’s 1-1 tie vs. Bari on Saturday.
FRANCE
LIGUE 1
- Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in Rennes’ 1-1 tie vs. Le Havre on Saturday.
- Freddy Adu came off the bench and played 11 minutes in Monaco’s 2-0 win vs. Lorient on Saturday.
- Andrew Jacobson did not dress for Lorient.
LIGUE 2
- Quentin Westberg dressed but did not play in Troyes’ 2-1 loss to Clermont on Friday.
BELGIUM
- Oguchi Onyewu started and played 90 minutes in Standard Liege’s 2-0 win vs. KV Kortrijk on Satuday.
DENMARK
- Danny Califf did not play in FC Midtjylland’s 3-1 win vs. Ejsberg on Sunday.
- Jeremiah White came off the bench, played 21 minutes and scored a GOAL in AGF Aarhus’ 2-0 win vs. AaB on Saturday.
- Benny Feilhaber did not play for AGF Aarhus.
- Lee Nguyen did not play in Randers’ 1-1 tie vs. AC Horsens on Sunday.
NORWAY
FIRST DIVISION
- Troy Perkins and Valarenga play on Monday.
SECOND DIVISION
- Adin Brown did not play in Aalesunds’ 2-1 loss to Ham-Kam on Sunday. He is out for the season with an injury.
- Clarence Goodson did not dress in IK Start’s 3-2 win vs. Nybergsund on Sunday.
- Joe Lapira started and played 76 minutes for Nybergsund.
- Kyle Veris did not dress in Hodd’s 6-1 loss to Bryne on Sunday.
- Jay Needham dressed but did not play in Alta’s 2-1 loss to Sogndal on Sunday,
- Cam Weaver started, played 68 minutes and drew a yellow card in Haugesund’s 1-1 tie vs. Sandefjord on Sunday.
SWEDEN
- Charlie Davies started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Hammarby’s 2-1 loss to Kalmar on Sunday.
MEXICO
- Jose Francisco Torres started, played 75 minutes and drew a yellow card in Pachuca’s 5-2 win vs. Chivas de Guadalajara on Saturday.
- Jesus Padilla{dressed but did not play for Chivas de Guadalajara.
- Marco Vidal came off the bench and played 37 minutes Indios de Ciudad de Juarez’s 2-1 loss to Chiapas on Saturday.
- Daniel Hernandez did not dress for Chiapas.
- Michael Orozco did not dress in San Luis’ 2-1 loss to Club America on Saturday.
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If there are players I forgot to list feel free to list them below. Please remember that I’m trying to focus on first divisions and, in some cases, second divisions, so keep that in mind when suggesting players for the list.
Share your thoughts on how the Americans Abroad did this past weekend in the comments section below.
Rossi, Subotic. BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWw
Infantile behavior and complexes from US soccer supporters. Perhaps it’s time to grow up. The US is a recipient of the brain drain in other countries. When US soccer becomes a good place to belong to, perhaps it will benefit from soccer drain from lesser countries. It has happened in other sports where the US benefits.
This is just speculation:
I don’t know Rossi’s family. I don’t know what his thinking is.
But if my dad ask me to do something I would definitely do it. If my dad hinted at something he would like me to do, I would more than likely do it. Even if it was maybe not my choicest plan, I would do it.
Why? Because I owe him! He has provided more for me than anyone.
How many of us owe our parents?
If Rossi’s dad even in the slightest way hints/suggest that he wants him to do something, then he had better do it.
Even if that means it will cost him. Even if it is against his own will.
His father first gave. Now it’s time for the son to give back.
What father wouldn’t be proud of his son playing for his homeland?
If any of you were born elsewhere and you had great affinity to your birth place, would you send your kid to play for your homeland?
Anyone know what is going on with Will John, former Kansas Wizard? Heard he was chased out of Randers. what happened?
i talked with Jonathan Spector at a bar in Arlington Heights and he said October he was headed back to England to start training. He said that he was doing rehab in Chicagoland
So about this Rossi guy…
It’s not Rossi’s fault that the USSF cannot develop more world class striking talent, and for all the talk about how “he owes” the country that “developed him” well that is just baloney. His #1 coach and trainer was his Italian immigrant father and not the USSF or the soccer system in this country.
He’s been playing for the Italian national team from the U-16’s on up. Was he really ever going to pick the United States? I don’t think so. Which is why I’m so shocked that people are still bent out of shape about this. He obviously had made up his mind well before his 21st birthday.
That said, the guy was born in NJ and until he renounces his USA citizenship and becomes an Italian citizen, he is an American playing abroad.
I’m not saying everyone has to like it, but those be the facts.
“if Carlos Llamosa, Adu, Preki, etc.. are American why cant that guy be?”
Posted by: andres | September 15, 2008 at 05:43 PM
Llamosa was never going to start for Colombia. In fact he left Colombia to make a better living “cleaning bathrooms in the Twin Towers.” Adu got a visa and never played with the Ghana Unders. He stuck with what he knew the USSF. Preki was never going to make it into the Yugoslavia teams playing in the US indoor leagues and MLS at the time. The only players that were in Rossi position were Hugo Perez and Tabare Ramos. Ramos might have been able to play for Uruguay but he did grow up here in Jersey. Perez the same thing as Tab, but I don’t think he ever really thought he would play at that level. Rossi on the other hand could play for his country of birth but chooses to be part of a “legacy” that is not really his. He wants to be considered this Italian phenom, but he just another Jersey Guido who is probably as American as De Niro or Pesci. Take that clown off the list already. Its a shame that He, Altidore, Donovan, Adu, Redken, Rogers, Beasley could be the most creative set of players in the history of American Soccer.
No don’t keep Rossi on. I don’t care about the prick at all. Why should we care about him? He is not American in the Football world. Just like Deco is not Brazilian. He could be playing for the US right now and be starting. He is one of the reasons why the US doesn’t have good options at forward (he doesn’t want to play, somebody has too). Does Italy really need him? Doesn’t Italy produce enough forwards as it is? Italy will always produce enough good players that I don’t see him playing for Italy in the way he wants too. Take him off the list. And to all the Rossi lovers, I wish him the worst from right here in Hudson County.
Totally agree with Matt’s well-laid out argument, because in the world of soccer you are either with us or against us. But Ives, you know we’re just giving you a hard time. We’ll still come and enjoy the site no matter what you do.
Maybe Ives can start a special Villareal update every Monday now that Jozy is on the team that “accidentally” gives Rossi updates.
Hello Ives,
Thank you for this site, you’ve done a great job.
I just wanted to pipe in on Neven Subotic. As I read the Fifa regulations, FIFA would consider Neven Subotic to currently be a member of the last national team he played for. So as far as I understand he would be considered an American Youth International unitl he chooses to switch national teams and is able to meet the requirements to do so.
Therefore, Neven Subotic is literally an American in the eyes of Fifa. I also believe that he has an American Passport. Therefore, Neven should be included on Americans Abroad.
As for Rossi, since he has chosen to play for the Italian National Team, which means that FIFA would consider him to be Italian, maybe he shouldn’t be on this site.
However, it is Ives site and considering Rossi’s American background and American passport, he is an important advertisement for American soccer. Therefore, I think Ives is making a smart decision.
If for example Rossi becomes the best Italian national team striker, then that would make American soccer look really good. Italian nationalists would probably shite themselves.
Again thanks for the site Ives.
The only logical standards for admission to Yanks Abroad is a) eligibility to play for the US national team and/or b) desire to play for the US national team. A) is obviously the necessary condition, and is what excludes Hangeland, Jones and Rossi. But I would accept including eligible players who do not want to play for the US (like Subotic), because there is still a possibility they’ll change their mind.
Rossi, however, does not pass either standard. He can no longer play for the US and he clearly did not want to (which doesn’t matter because he lost his eligibility).
Including Rossi at this point is simply illogical, because if you include him there really is no reason to include Hangeland, Jones, Castillo, and others. How long he spent in America doesn’t matter; you can always claim a certain period of residency is necessary, but will always be subjective. In fact, that he lived here so long should only make his decision more infuriating. If he spent his entire life here why did betray the USSF and its fans? We all know the answer: selfishness and glory. I’m sure he claims other, more wholesome reasons, but the fact of the matter is if he doesn’t care about us, why should we care about him?
The 25% of people who want to hear what he does every week can go look for themselves; it’s not hard to find Villarreal box scores or recaps.
I thank you Ives so much for this piece every week. Any american playing overseas is of great interst to me. I don’t care if it is semi pro in the Faroe Islands. Thank you for taking the time to give us a one stop update site especially since Yanks Abroad became so undependable about updates etc.
Thanks again Ives.
once again-does anyone have an update on Spector’s hip or Simek’s ancle?
We need these guys healthy and playing for the sake of the national team asap.
PS- I wish we could not go over and over on the Rossi thing. He has made his choice- he had 2 legitimate options and he decided on Italy. He owes us, the U.S., nothing. Hr owes,however, his parents everything and that is the direction he went so good luck to him.
Being born in New Jersey didn’t stop Tim Howard, Michael Bradley or Jozy Altidore from putting on the Stars and Stripes.
When Italy plays the USA next, and if Rossi actually gets called in, he will be the enemy and deserved of many strong challenges.
Charlie Davies needs a move up out of Sweden if he wants to prolong his career and national team playing. A move to Holland, France or even 2nd division Germany is better than now.
Hmmm 2nd division of Norway and France doesnt really seem important, only 2nd division that matter would be England or Spain/Italy.
2 American players starting for Rangers. Mercy me, great days ahead.
Carlos Bocanegra seems to be adapting quite well to the French league 🙂 I wonder how he likes Rennes compared to Fulham. How long is his contract with them?