Rossi OUT!

[Newcastle]

ROME -- [b]American-born forward Giuseppe Rossi [/b] and AC Milan striker Marco Borriello have been dropped from Italy's World Cup team.

Coach Marcello Lippi also sent home goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, defender Mattia Cassani and midfielder Andrea Cossu upon announcing his final 23-man team Tuesday.


Midfielder Mauro Camoranesi remained in the squad despite injuring his left knee during training Tuesday.

Team physician Enrico Castellacci said Tuesday that tests revealed no tears in Camoranesi's meniscus, adding that "he should be back in a few days. ... We're hoping to get him back for the first game against Paraguay."

Italy opens the World Cup against Paraguay on June 14.

Camoranesi will likely miss friendlies this week against Mexico and Switzerland.

Nine players remain from the team that won the World Cup four years ago in Germany: Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta, Camoranesi, Daniele De Rossi, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Alberto Gilardino and Vincenzo Iaquinta.

Fabio Grosso, the left back who converted the decisive penalty kick in the final against France four years ago, had already been cut two weeks ago after being named to the preliminary 30-man squad.

Lippi never even considered picking Antonio Cassano, the talented but temperamental Sampdoria forward, or Mario Balotelli, the controversial 18-year-old Inter Milan striker.

Italy has been training in Sestriere at 2,035 meters (6,670 feet) since May 23 and will depart for South Africa on June 8.

The roster:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari).

Defenders: Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa), Leonardo Bonucci (Bari), Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan).

Midfielders: Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan).

Forwards: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli).

[bullets13]

Aww... I almost feel bad for the guy. 

[ForeverADog]

Ha serves him right! USA! USA! USA!

[rip2506]

Trader :D Could he have made our squad?  I feel dumb asking that question but I have never seen him play.. To busy watch Ronaldinho went I get a chance to catch Milan.... I do not even care if they win the game..I just want to see the flash of greatness one more time.

[Bon_Mot]

Not only would he have made our squad, he'd be one of the "untouchable" starters along with Howard, Donovan, Dempsey, and the coach's son.  I'm pretty sure any of the Azurri's top 30 outfield players would probably start for the USMNT immediately.
Not really sure about the Milan reference.  Rossi plays in Spain at Villareal.
And I chuckled at the news, but I don't know if I consider him a traitor (or trader for that matter).  He always stated that his goal was to play for Italy.

By the way, Benny Feilhaber was born in Brazil.  Stuart Holden was born in Scotland.  And for the Italians, Camoranesi was born in Argentina.

P.S.  I just read the news release at the top of the page.  That is confusing.  Borriello plays at AC Milan, not Rossi, but I can see how that sentence can be misleading.  Also, if Rossi would have made the team, he would have been the ONLY non-Serie A player on the roster.


P.P.S. If you want to get mad at someone, get mad at this guy: Nevin Subotic.  This guy played for the US U-17s and the U-20s but then threw a tantrum when one of the coaches got mad at him: 

"Well, Rongen certainly said some discouraging and false things about me. Never in my life have I heard that a high level coach publicly criticizes a player. Professional coaches do that one-on-one with the player. I find this disappointing, because a few months later after Rongen said I was not good enough for the U-20s, I played a very good season and started getting calls from various countries [U.S. included] for the full men's team. I still don't know what he saw in the other players, and what he didn't see in me."

He'll be representing Serbia at the World Cup this year...

[Newcastle]

heck yes he would have made the squad!!!  and I still feel if Bruce Arena would have given him a little attention it would have made his decision a little tougher on which country to play for...after all he wore the US jersey on the U-17 squad...but his family roots are STRONG italian...let me go back to the original comment, he (as Bon stated) would have been an absolute lock for the starting 11...

[bullets13]

the two strikes he hit against the US in the federations cup made me sick to my stomach.  it would sure be nice to have another player who is able to score from outside of the 18.

[Newcastle]

[quote name="bullets13000" post="809061" timestamp="1275657435"]
the two strikes he hit against the US in the federations cup made me sick to my stomach.  it would sure be nice to have another player who is able to score from outside of the 18.
[/quote]

thanks for reminding me of that...i just threw up in my mouth!