By AVI CREDITOR
After a light training session ahead of Wednesday's friendly with D.C. United, Clarence Seedorf was among the few AC Milan players that met with the media before departing RFK Stadium for the day.
Brazilian snubs Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato were not made available to the media, which was instructed to not bring up the World Cup if speaking to the Selecao stars.
Seedorf, however, did not hold back on a few topics, including how the team can get motivated for a friendly in the United States after a long, trophy-less season.
"We're not motivated," the 34-year-old Dutch international said. "We are professionals, and we're going to try to entertain the people, and that's the most important thing. Motivation is low because it's the end of the season, and we don't have anything else to play for except the people.
"You won't see the best of the best in this game. To do that you need to be in Europe during the season when everybody's top fit and highly motivated. This is an exhibition game to give the people a chance to see AC Milan up close. The people know exactly what type of players we are and the level of AC Milan normally, but expectations shouldn't be too high."
He also touched on topics like AC Milan teammate Oguchi Onyewu and his thoughts about potentially joining Major League Soccer:
About Onyewu as a player:
"We haven't trained together that much unfortunately, but enough. Oguchi has a future. He has the right mentality."
About Onyewu agreeing to play a season for AC Milan without pay:
"This says a lot about the person, and I think he's a great person and a great athlete with great potential. He just needs time to adapt himself well and grow, but somebody who wants to learn like him will grow fast."
About if he would join MLS:
"I generally consider all options in life, but at this point, it's not an option. But you have to keep doors open always."
About kicking off AC Milan's American tour:
"It's good to be here. It's always good to be back in the States. It's a nice stadium, good pitch, I'm happy."
About AC Milan's potentially tumultuous offseason:
"We've got a lot of things going on, but its not our headache for the moment. The club is running those issues."
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D.C. United officials said that 22,000 tickets are already sold for Wednesday night's contest, with more walk-up sales anticipated.
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Aside from Seedorf, Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato, other players on AC Milan's roster for its tour include Mathieu Flamini, Filippo Inzaghi, Alessandro Nesta, Massimo Ambrosini and Dida, The team's summer tour also includes matches with the Chicago Fire and Montreal Impact.
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What do you make of Seedorf's comments? Will you be attending any of AC Milan's matches in North America?
Share your thoughts below.
Seedorf would fit well with the Galaxy
Who is coaching Milan on this American tour? Leonardo is gone and Allegri hasn’t been officially confirmed. Of course this was arranged months ago, but now it feels stupid to play any games before they announce their next manager. If they had the new guy in charge he could use these matches to get in grips with the team and so on.
Well, I guess they get some money and hope to get more American fans.
How is that arrogant? If AC Milan brings their first team and if they somehow played for real, they would blow out DC United and score in double digits.
Clearly, you’ve never been to stadiums around Italy or other countires in Europe. Typical spoiled American sports fan.
RFK is a Taj Mahal compared to some of those ratholes
I’d love to see him play here, but I also suspect that he’d be a big flop as a DP. I’m not sure he has the work ethic or patience to adjust to MLS. Our best DPs have been hard-working and intensely competitive. I just don’t know whether that’s really Ronaldinho’s game right now.
I’m surprised people aren’t being more critical. He’s essentially saying “we’re professionals so isn’t it obvious that we’re not excited about playing your backwater football team.” It may be honest, but I think that arrogant attitude explains why Sampdoria got within 3 points of stealing third place. I bet if we invited them we’d probably see a better game.
I think people overestimate the quality of a lot of stadiums in Italy, and in Europe generally.
Yeah… that kind of killed his credibility for me
I spoke with Seedorf once at a press conference in Cape Town…He was assisting in a plan to build a football centre in Mannenberg, in the Cape Flats. Quite a class act–but he sure knows exactly what the people want to hear with those cookie-cutter comments.
They are? How so?
I don’t understand why these Euro teams are here right after their season ended. It doesn’t make sense and it’s not very exciting to be honest.
He doesn’t rate Onyewu though… : )
Pires is French… Making fun of the French is liking breathing…Necessary and natural.
“not an option right now”
Are you kidding me? The guy is 34, if he’s thinking of waltzing over here when he’s 38 I hope he never comes.
I’m grasping on the idea that DC United is wining and dining Ronaldinho. He is exactly what we need and would easily become the best DP in MLS. But I digress… it seems more one legged Jaime is in my future.
haha yes, can’t agree more.
Maybe they are trying to make it easier for when the team moves. Hard to make the argument that DC is still the face of the league.
That’s a little conspiracy theory for you. The truth is DC has not done a very good job of transitioning from the older generations to the younger generation. They have a bunch of very young and very old players and not too much in the middle.
I didn’t get that. I doubt he knows too much about Onyewu considering how much time he was away from the team this year. He was trying to give a decent quote for the media.
Actually, a great athlete and a great person with a lot to learn about playing at the highest level is the exact same way I would describe Onyewu.
They are going to kick the crap out of DC United. What the heck is going on with this team, anyway?
So DC does have soccer fans….good to know.
Ok–I wasn’t railing on KC. I am a Midwest guy myself and I love Kansas City–best barbeque in the country.
I was only saying that Pires, Henry, and global and European stars would likely not consider playing in a city like Kansas City. They don’t want to take time to get to know the city–they want money and glamour, and all they know is New York and L.A. (maybe Chicago).
When he was here last summer, through their friendly tours, he was one of the only Milan players willing/able and enjoying making himself available to the media.
Great guy and as many have echoed, a class act.
Fantastic suggestion.
Not only is his play exactly what the league needs more of, true #10’s, but you didn’t mention the ” B-Word “.
(blanco)
I think that’s a common stigma but most professional athletes that have plied their trade in KC for one or two years, often remain living there well after their careers are over.
It’s a great place for family due to the high character and welcoming nature and like any variation of professional athletes, not all want the glam and glitter.
I tend to disagree with what you took from his comments.
While he did sound less ” frank “, I think it was more due to his lack of knowledge of him as a player and him still attempting to be positive and respectful to his national media.
That’s what I took personally. Am I guilty of Rose colored glasses, though?
Kansas City is a nice place, though I know people live to rail on it here. Going against popular belief, there is stuff to fo there.
Kansas City is going to have a tough time recruiting anyone.
Notice that the one place where Seedorf wasn’t frank was in talking about Onyewu — he didn’t seem overly impressed to me.
Response from Clarence: “I am only interested in a beautiful city.”
This isn’t directed at you, I. Taliano, but I am not sure why everyone appreciates Seedorf’s brutal honesty, but rails on Robert Pires’ honesty. Those two said what they are thinking and what I assume many professionals are thinking when they come to MLS.
You won’t see Thierry Henry in Kansas City. It just. won’t. happen.
A consummate professional on and off the field. What a player and ambassador for the sport. Clarence, the MLS will be a better league with you. Name your city….
Shame about his comments re: coming to play in the States.
I would love to see him be a part of the next wave of DP’s. He would do great in Chicago!
Wasn’t there a rumor he was heading to Dallas a couple of years ago? I wonder what DC United will think when they actually see a real two-way midfielder.
It’s all about money – $.
A great, great player. I personally think his accomplishments and talent can compare to almost any player over the past 20 years. I always enjoy watching him play.
Refresh my memory…why is a team that just finished a long season doing a tour this soon after that season is over?
Refreshingly honest…this is the sort of thing that must be said to help the growing American soccer public continue to mature so as to appreciate quality and class.
In a world of athletes who only ever speak in formulaic sports cliches, Seedorf is a total breath of fresh air. Smart, articulate, and honest; too bad more athletes (in all sports) aren’t more like him.
Good question. Touchy subject for them, so I guess they figured they would take them to a nice country, relax a little and let them do their thing without being pestered by the media abou the WC…I think Milan realized at the last moment that we are much more soccer-literate than they expected…we know all about their WC drama!
The Dutch are always interesting to hear
except for this part…”It’s a nice stadium”
they being Pato and Ronaldinho
“media… was instructed to not bring up the World Cup if speaking to the Selecao stars” …. have they at least issued a statement on that topic?
Appreciate his straight talk. I wish we saw this more often.
“we are professionals” such a classy player Seedorf is.
Thats what Del Piero should have said to the media instead of giving excuses on why his side lost
Gotta appreciate Seedorf’s honesty.
Seedorf is great behind a microphone. I heard some matches he did a while back as a broadcaster and he has a real future. I think ESPN will pick him up. He is obviously a straight-forward cat, which is refreshing at times. At least he wasn’t giving any false expectations about the idea of playing here next season.