by GIANFRANCO PANIZO
Vincenzo Bernardo has a decision to make.
Despite comments earlier in his career about wanting to suit up for the U.S., and contrary to some reports, Bernardo has yet to decide if he wants to play for the United States or Italy at the senior level.
In an exclusive interview with SBI, Bernardo revealed that his decision is far from made.
"I wouldn't say that I declared anything really," Bernardo said, referring to comments he made in 2007 on choosing the U.S. over Italy. "I was asked an important question that came when I was very young in my career. However, I do not regret anything I said regarding wanting to represent USA."
Bernardo's latest comments are sure to worry some American fans, who are all too familiar with drawing the short end of the stick when it comes to talented young players with dual citizenship. In 2008 alone, the U.S. lost two talented prospects, Giuseppe Rossi (Italy) and Neven Subotic (Serbia), to European countries.
Unlike Rossi and Subotic though, Bernardo has come out publicly and stated that his choice still remains in the hands of the U.S. Soccer Federation and U-20 head coach Thomas Rongen.
"My decision lies heavily on the U-20 cycle with USA," Bernardo said in an interview via email with SBI.
That U-20 cycle has not started well for Bernardo in 2009. In January, reports surfaced that Bernardo and three other players had been dismissed by Rongen from a U.S. training camp held in Sunrise, Fl. due to disciplinary reasons.
However, the latest disappointment came earlier this week when Bernardo failed to get called into the U-20 national team camp in Bradenton, Fl., home of the U.S. residency program. The 20-player team is making its final preparations for the U-20 World Cup qualifying tournament which starts in Trinidad and Tobago on March 6.
Bernardo would not disclose whether it was Napoli which prevented him from playing in the qualifying tournament or if Rongen decided to omit him from the team (A U.S. Soccer source told SBI that Bernardo was not chosen).
"I was told by the people around me not to comment on that question," Bernardo said.
Bernardo, who has his own website, also said that his ultimate short term goal is to play in the U-20 World Cup in Egypt in the fall.
"Today being almost three years older and more mature on and off the field, I've realized how important this decision is for me so I will take into serious consideration both options," Bernardo said.
"I do feel the same way as I did back in 2007, but I would say that I am more aware of the situation."
Bernardo is in no rush to make a decision. He has until his 21st birthday, May 22nd of 2011, to declare for a national team.
What do you think of Bernardo's comments? Shocked? Think the USSF/Rongen is letting another star-in-the-making get away? Do you see Bernardo suiting up for USA when everything is all said and done?
Share your thoughts below.
TK – post of the day.
for everyone that says, this kid is bluffing he’s not good enough, lets remember that in 2005 subotic was languishing on the bench at a bundesliga 2 side, subotic had talent that went unnoticed by the us, does bernardo have the same type of upside? is rongen the best we have at a u-20 level to judge that talent?
Recent comments from Rongen that he only wants players that are 100% committed to USA will not help. Young players have a lot on their plate, and they should not be bullied about. Perhaps Rongen just doesn’t have the ability to walk in their shoes.
Is he even good enough to have a “choice” to play for Italy? I mean he’s not rated nearly as high as Rossi or Subotic were at this point in their careers.
I’m calling his bluff, he can either go to Egypt with the US U-20’s or stay home summer. Those are his only “choices”.
Good for Thomas. He needs to pick the best team, not the kids with multiple passports who have the best agents and handlers.
Let’s focus on kids with skills in passing, not pouting.
You people don’t understand that if we start winning tournament like U17 all the way U20 and the Olimpic so the world start paying attention and respect to United State (USNMT) . Country like Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Look at Nigeria, Holland, other country that won all this tournament some of then haven’t wont the big one (World Cup) But country look at them with respect. So we can start loosing players that have talent, I not saying that coach have to give to this player as hostage to their need but we have to pamper them a little bit so we can secure in the future. Bob Bradley need to keep eyes on this new talent kid and start calling to secure them for the USNMT. No more Rossi, Castillo, Sobutic, and other that some will defect from our youth system. I think Cabrera will be the right coach for the U20. Start the new era will more Latino Flavor. He has a good eyes for talent either latino or Other culture.
TK’s post is the best post here. Good work.
Bernardo has a great PR man. I give the kid tremendous credit for that. This kid is hyped and doesn’t even play anywhere.
My message to Bernardo is to let your play on the field to the talking. The US is certainly open to you.. just go out there and find somewhere to play and prove you are good enough. That will take care of everything.
Two points:
I’m not sure when Ravi Uhba’s story was written, or when his interview with Bernardo took place, but I can say that Bernardo’s answers in the SBI article came on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Could things have changed for Bernardo since his interview with Uhba? Perhaps. Could he be posturing? Possibly.
Also, regarding Rossi, while it is true that Rossi never played for the youth national teams growing up, he was still an American citizen and was born here and lived here until he was 14. Now he plays for Italy. If he isn’t playing for the United States given his history then he was lost. Not sure how that can be argued.
A talent scout apparently said that he was a less powerful version of Miccoli. Playing for Italy is not even an option for him and comparing him to Rossi is frankly insulting to the latter. While this may sound harsh, it bothers me when players fuel hype like this. Try proving yourself n the pitch as opposed to making thinly veiled threats with reporters. Does this kid seriously not know what it takes to play for Italy? Even Davide Santon has not been called up for the U21 side!
Who has seen him play?
and is he any good?
As someone else just said, this is contrary to a piece by Ravi Ubha on the US section of Soccernet, where he seems quite comfortable playing for the US and doesn’t ever mention switiching to Italy. He says:
“I want to win something big for the U.S. because we haven’t won anything. Even at the U-20 level we have a lot of talent, and I think we have the possibility of winning something very important, a World Cup or whatever. At the moment I feel the U.S. has shown me more trust as a player, and I just feel real comfortable wearing the red, white and blue.”
Its a good read. He has 4 goals and 8 assists in 15 appearaces for the Napoli Youth Team. Though did anyone else know that this kid is only 5’6? Pretty diminutive.
For those who are critical of U20 program or Rongen because of this kid, why don’t any of you have any opinion about what really matters, how good is this kid?
Anyone?
I’m still waiting…..
Is all Rogen Fault again, Please we need some good coach that has a good eyes for talent. Bob Bradley Please used El Salvador, or Trinidad Tobago games as to lock this players in the Senior National Team or are we going to loose a few more players..I freaking tired of this.
Maybe he meant San Marino, not Italy?
I’m not worried about losing him. US is just too large to keep every player with dual citizenship and every player with US citizenship and give them all the amount of playing time they want. Someone will always fall through the cracks. The kid isn’t even getting playing time at the club level so I’m not convinced yet that this guy is the next Messi/Subotic. All he has is a PR guy.
Ives,
I don’t understand why you keep saying US lost Rossi. He never played for US Youth teams nor said he will play for the USA.
you can read this and find yourself back at square 1
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/section?id=us&cc=5901
There are so many other things going on and you choose to write this schlock?
Players should have to decide earlier…they sign for clubs much earlier…why not the national team?
It seems to me that the more time as a youth that you spend in another country, them more you will feel like it is your real home. I suspect that is what has happened to Bernardo. The fact that he has an Italian background makes it even stronger.
Even if he is a good player, I don’t think it is worth reducing discipline in the US program to take on the talent. I think the reason why the US can win as much as it does has a lot to do with discipline, and adding one player who every other player knows didn’t have to maintain discipline would be horrible for the team. The marginal increase in talent that a player like Bernardo might bring isn’t worth the drop in team discipline.
Guys.. Bernardo isn’t even playing for the primavera side. There is no indication that his guy is even good. He isn’t playing anywhere. How do we know he is any good?
You guys kill me.
The kid has done nothing. He is not even close to Rossi’s accomplishments at this age and even NS was getting Mainz games before the U20 WC.
PR spin by his agent. The kid hasn’t played a minute for the Primavera team over there. 12 million fluff pieces and no substance at all.
His agent is doing a great job. TR handled the Neven situation stupidly…no doubt, but this is funny, and watching you little kids yell and scream is even funnier.
The PR machine has gone into overdrive when he wasn’t named to qualies.
Yeah, he’s gonna play for Italy. Not close to first team football, not a minute for the Primevera team (that excuse is the coach doesn’t like him – uh huh) and Italy is an option.
Haha. In what universe? Italy is as close of an option to him right now as Pluto is to the sun.
What a bunch of gull-a-bulls you all are.
Hilarious.
1.) No way in God’s name would this unkown punk ever play for the World Cup champion Italians.
2.) I could care less about him choosing Italy, but how about we STOP WASTING DOLLARS, RESOURCES, COACHING TIME, AND A SPOT FOR ANOTHER TRUE BLOODED AMERICAN PROSPECT for this wanker?
given that his own website refers to the fact that his knee is banged up (he played only a half in his last game listed for the New York Stars to ‘prevent damage to his knee” then maybe Rongen decided not to risk a slot on an injured player?
rongen redux. its happening again!
Play for Italy? dought it. Play for the US Mens team, maybe at best… The mens team has a playmaker who is under 20 and he cant find the field, who, it is pretty safe to assume is much better than this kid.
Rongen gets a lot of flack unfairly over Subotic. But, Subotic wasn’t good enough 2 years ago. Now, he made a meteoric rise in quality in his last year with Mainz, but he wasn’t good enough in 2007.
IS this dude any good? Has anyone seen him playing?
And how exactly does Bernardo think he’s good enough to play for Italy in a position where there are players like Fernando Forestieri, Davide Di Gennaro, etc. waiting in the wings? Those two are far more special players and yet can’t even get minutes for the U21 team!
Thankfully, we advanced to the point where we shouldn’t just be calling in players to lock them up. Maybe, just maybe, they’re not as good as the other players in camp?
Maybe he’s a pain in the ass and disciplanary problem. Unless i see a player play many times, i’m going to give the coach (and his staff) the benefit of the doubt when it comes to player selection. They see and interact with the players far me than us out in internet land.
Finally, I haven’t read that Italy is banging on his door for a junior call-up.
Did anyone else check out his webpage? It’s full of nothing but pics of him in the US uniform.
I hope he’s good enough to make our u-20 squad but not good enough to play for Italy–until he’s no longer eligible for Italy that is!
I echo the sentiments of most, Rongen seems to be the common denominatior in these situations. While no player should hold a coach’s decision hsotage, Rongen seems to be an alienating figure. Time for USSF to shake the status quo and get rid of him
Is it a coincidence that all these guys come out of New Jersey? I think not!
Interesting, because there was an ESPN article this week that says the exact opposite of this article.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=622679&sec=americansabroad&root=americansabroad&cc=5901
I think its just politics as usual.
This does indeed sound like bad news, but my only concern is that younger players that have dual citizenship will start to hold the USSF hostage with their eligibility. It could become a case where players will start to tell US coaches, “Play me or else”, which wouldn’t be good for the program in my opinion. I personally don’t think Rongen is that great of a coach, but I also don’t agree with him being pressured by players to just add them to the national team, if maybe they don’t deserve to be called up.
Get rid of Rongen. He is about to cost us another talented player, just like he did with Subotic. What is it the Federation sees in this guy? What has he ever won? What players has HE ever produced? If he costs us a true No. 10 Italian playmaker, we’d need to ship him back to the Netherlands ASAP!
Who is this guy, and does he even have a legitimate chance to play for Italy?
Rongen has to go.
As FC Uptown notes, he is the common denominator in each of these situations.
He pissed of Subotic and now this.
C’mon Sunil, can his ass.
I know the disciplinary actions affected Bryan Arguez as well, but he got called up by Rongen. So it appears to be beyond behavioral issues.
How much do any of you know about him? Do you think just b/c he plays in Italy he’s 1 – deserving of being on the U20 team and 2 – going to be a star
There are plaenty of young american kids going over to europe these days out of HS and even before it… they won’t all become superstars… don’t be ignorant here – you have to trust the coaches at some point to do what’s best for the team and its players to succeed.
This article was the first I ever heard of Bernardo. Should I care? My only concern is that the USA seems to be losing players at the U20 levels. What’s going on? What is driving these players away?
AltiCooper, I feel the same way.
Tough to compare this one to Rossi who was clearly never really interested in the US. However, if Rongen can be blamed for losing Subotic and Bernardo by not calling them for major tournaments, its time for him to go.
The point of the U-20 is to develop players for the senior NT. Losing major players with dual citizen is not going to help there.
Let’s get off Rongen’s back on the Neven Subotic issue. Subotic is a big baby and obviously held a grudge. He needs to get over it!
The real question here is can this kid play? That should be the ultimate question cuase if he can’t play for us (Subotic thing aside becuase Serbia vs. Italy big difference) then how in the world is he going to play for Italy. Anybody got insight into that? I hope he picks us but and that he can play. But if he can’t he is not suiting up for nobody.
So how many players is USSF going to let Rongen drive off before they do something about it?
Hey Vinny – are you reading this? Yes – I think you are putting the pressure on Rongen and good for you.
Let’s see if we can push all the way back to Holland…
Were you, Naz and Mookie out chasing girls after curfew or just knocking back a few beers?
What is Rongen saying about this? He seems to be the common denominator in each of these situations.
If he’s not called in for the U-20 World Cup, then Rongen needs to be fired. I hate for it to sound like one thing will decide Rongen’s fate. But he did screw up when he didn’t call in Subotic, will he really get off the hook again if he doesn’t call in Bernardo?
That sucks, but at the same time we can’t let players basically dictate who is called up. I find it hard to believe Subotic wasn’t good enough for the last WC team though, so I tend to think Rongen is an idiot…
Not again…