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Afternoon Ticker: Dortmund warns United over Subotic, Diarra also on the radar and more

Neven Subotic 2 (Getty Images)

By FRANCO PANIZO

Add Manchester United to the long list of teams that will have to wait for Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic to become a free agent.

Reports out of Europe claim United is the latest club interested in the blossoming defender, but Dortmund club executive director Hans-Joachim Watzke said the club has no intention of selling Subotic

A former U-20 national team player for the U.S. and current defender for Serbia, Subotic himself has claimed he is not thinking of a move and is enjoying life with Dortmund.

Here are more stories from Wednesday:

United eyeing Diarra

Manchester United spent several years fending off Real Madrid's attempt to land Cristiano Ronaldo before finally giving in. It looks as though Alex Ferguson is ready to return the favor.

Manchester United is reportedly interested in Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra as part of its summer revamping. Diarra has established himself as a key figure for Real Madrid as a central midfield anchor.

Zimbabweans to protest North Korea visit

North Korea is planning to prepare for the World Cup in South Africa by training in bordering Zimbabwe in May.There's one problem: a Zimbabwean opposition group does not want them there.

The opposition group, ZAPU (Zimbabwe Africans Party Union), is against North Korea training in Zimbabwe because of the Asian country's role in the massacre of approximately 40,000 civilians in the 1980s. Despite the hostility towards North Korea, ZAPU does not plan to take any violent action against the team if the team does train there, citing that it's not right to assault a group of young players for what happened in the past.

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Is Subotic destined for a bigger club this summer? Think firing Leonardo is a good choice for AC Milan? Should North Korea train elsewhere?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. G. Rossi wasn’t named to Lippi’s 29 man camp. my point exactly.
    Your response was tough guy but not to the point.
    If Rossi chooses the US he is on the cover of everything in the US right now and would be getting some commercials and to the point he’d play 180 mins no doubt this summer. Instead he’s in the outside looking in.

    At this moment maybe he didn’t make the right choice.

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  2. Who did we lose to Mexico? Only one I can think of is Edgar Castillo, and he came back before getting cap tied.
    On the other hand Michael Orozco could have tried to make it in Mexico, and José Torres only decided to play for the USA when it looked like Mexico wasn’t going to give him a shot, so those 2 are wins for the US.

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  3. He would have gotten all that attention? As an American soccer player?? Seriously?

    No. Outside of World Cup time he’d be an after thought. And not a very well known one at that. Being on the Italian national team will get you far far more fame domestically than being on the US team, clearly. So if fame was an issue in making his choice, then he made the right one.

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  4. Agreed.

    Exactly how does a national team coach leave someone off the U20 23 man roster that 18 months later was starting in the Bundesliga? Then add to that he openly says the kid doesnt got it.. or something to that effect. US Soccer incompetence is how.

    Rossi probably spoke Italian before English. All in all though I think he’s made a big mistake. His Italian team minutes are FAR from assured.. even in 4 years. He woulda been on the cover of all US sports magazines and commercials if he was a true American.

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  5. Word. Subotic was a USER but Rossi WAS A TRAITOR. I mean, Wow. just grow up here for 13 years and than go play for Italy,

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  6. Even though he will never play for our National team I will always root for him. He shows that a world class player can come from our academy(he played at Bradenton at one point).I don’t blame Rongen for leaving him off the U-20 team and I don’t blame Subotic for playing for Serbia.

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  7. Ridiculous. You have no idea what his family situation was like growing up. No clue. If it were my father’s dream for me to play with X team — where I would have more difficulty finding playing time, mind you — I’d like to think I’d take that into account.

    Re: Subotic, he’s young, sure, but he’s the second best central defender on BVB (or will be soon.) That’s not a slight — Mats Hummels is going to be a Mannschaft regular. With the depth they have (also Felipe Santana, who is good) I’d have no problem with them selling Subotic for some king’s ransom and turning it into more depth elsewhere.

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  8. “So he’s either a daddy’s boy who would do anything to earn his dad’s respect or he’s a bandwagoner.”

    I prefer the term “shameless, opportunistic whore.”

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  9. i will stand out, stand up, stand tall, stand in the rain, stand on ceremony and even stand for the occasioanl abuse of my girlfriend, but i will never stand corrected.

    that being said, as a United States and Manchester United fan, i don’t want Subotic anywhere near Old Trafford, talent or not. Let him play with G. Rossi at Chelsea or Arsenal.

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  10. The only thing we should get for “discovering” him is a slap across the face for then pushing out, what would be, our best central defender coming into the World Cup.

    That’s alright, a quick toggle of the ole’ Fifa 10 puts things right with him and Rossi…

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  11. Yeah, but look at what we’ve got. Scotland should have just as much claim to Holden as we have to Rossi.

    If Adu had panned out we wouldn’t be able to complain about any lost players as got him via an immigration lottery at age 13.

    I’m just glad we’re not losing as many players to Mexico anymore.

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  12. Plus with the break-down of Yugoslavia there was quite a bit more nationalistic spirit amongst their nationalities.

    Meanwhile Rossi is playing for Italy because 1) His father

    2)They’re better then the US.

    So he’s either a daddy’s boy who would do anything to earn his dad’s respect or he’s a bandwagoner.

    Or most likely he figured it would help his pro career to have Italian associated with him more then American. Using every advantage to promote your earning ability, what could be more American then that?

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  13. I know the history, and I still dislike him immensely.

    Rongen probably could have handled the situation better, that’s for sure. But, forchrissakes, one bad thing was said about the kid and he pouts and bolts. Sounds like he was looking for one reason to leave, anyway. Do we need that kind of crybaby on the team? Screw him.

    I’m more upset about Rossi (or I was more upset – I’m over it now). That putz was actually born here after the USA gave his parents a lifeline. Subotic was born in Yugoslavia – had more of a reason not to play for us.

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  14. I hope Michael Bradley goes to Milan for two reasons:

    1. Milan are starting to get old and they’re one of my favorite teams.

    2. It’s Bradley’s dream to play there.

    3. I’d like to see how Bradley would work with Pirlo.

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  15. If we had Subotic, Rossi, and a healthy Jermaine Jones right now…we’d have a helluva side heading to South Africa. I know Rossi was a lost cause, but still…

    Didn’t we lose someone else to another country recently? Geeeeez.

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  16. Why do we still care about Neven? Just curious… stop the bitterness. Don’t like the kid and honestly couldn’t give two S**** if he didn’t want to play for us.

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  17. AC Milan President is spot on about Leonardo being “TOO STUBBORN” as manager. However, I’m not convinced this appeals to Oguchi Onyewu who once again be coached by a new manager eager to make an immediate impact.

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  18. Berlusconi says he’s too stubborn… Milan is an aging, over the hill team. Keeping the team as it was this season was being stubborn.

    As for Subotic – good luck in Machester. Never believe a word he says and if United want you, they get you. The US youth program should get a knock on fee for discovering that guy.

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