I have in the past mentioned players who had been initially missed by ODP such as Claudio Reyna, Brandon Manzorelli (Villareal) Gabriel Ferrari (Sampdoria). Although not related to ODP, I came across a few more players of interest and thought it might be worth starting a new thread in case any kids out there need some motivation to keep on trying. I'll repeat the information on the above a little later, but for now here's some interesting info from another forum supplied by a good source, the Chicago Socker's dad:
Paul Scholes (Manchester United) and Steven Gerrard were also mentioned as potentially being overlooked.
From an article on the Manchester United Youth Academy in the Daily Telegraph:
And
Benny Feilhaber currently appears to be the best player born in Southern California in the late 1980s, and nobody found him (FSM: Benny is on the US MNT, plays for Hamburg SV in the German Bundesliga, was a walk-on at UCLA).
Andy Johnson (Everton) was cut by a 3rd division youth team when he was 15, and now he's one of the top strikers in England. Roy Keane (Manchester United) was cut by his youth team at age 15. Kaka (AC Milan) wasn't offered a professional contract until he was 18, two years after he was eligible to be signed.
Andy Johnson (Everton) was cut by a 3rd division youth team when he was 15, and now he's one of the top strikers in England. Roy Keane (Manchester United) was cut by his youth team at age 15. Kaka (AC Milan) wasn't offered a professional contract until he was 18, two years after he was eligible to be signed.
From an article on the Manchester United Youth Academy in the Daily Telegraph:
Les Kershaw (ManU Academy director) worked with them (Beckham, Giggs, Butt, Scholes and the Nevilles) and is passionate about giving tyros time to blossom. "How many clubs would have taken Scholesy on at 16?" mused Kershaw.........
"At 16, we could play Scholesy for only 20 minutes a game. He couldn't run. He was a little one. Had asthma. No strength. No power. No athleticism. No endurance. 'You've got a bleeding dwarf,' I remember somebody said to Brian Kidd [the then youth-team coach]. 'You will eat your words,' said Kiddo. If Scholesy had been at a lesser club, they would have got rid of him and he would probably not be in the game now. We stuck with Scholesy, a wonderful technician. How many caps did he get? Sixty-six?!"
"At 16, we could play Scholesy for only 20 minutes a game. He couldn't run. He was a little one. Had asthma. No strength. No power. No athleticism. No endurance. 'You've got a bleeding dwarf,' I remember somebody said to Brian Kidd [the then youth-team coach]. 'You will eat your words,' said Kiddo. If Scholesy had been at a lesser club, they would have got rid of him and he would probably not be in the game now. We stuck with Scholesy, a wonderful technician. How many caps did he get? Sixty-six?!"
http://www.football-rumours.com/news29_nov06_19.htm
.......... he admitted yesterday that he struggled through his schooldays, failing to make it into the England Under 16 team and being rejected for the FA Academy.
......Gerrard said: I was lucky because even though I didnt make it to the FA school at Lilleshall, my parents and the coaches at Liverpool kept complete faith with me until I developed more physically.
.......... he admitted yesterday that he struggled through his schooldays, failing to make it into the England Under 16 team and being rejected for the FA Academy.
......Gerrard said: I was lucky because even though I didnt make it to the FA school at Lilleshall, my parents and the coaches at Liverpool kept complete faith with me until I developed more physically.
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