The latest on Szetela's Roma move

As you know by now the Herald News was the first to report that Clifton native Danny Szetela had reached an agreement with AS Roma on a transfer. Here is an update on the deal:

AS Roma is set to sign Danny Szetela to a three-year contract worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.2 to 1.5 million, which doesn't include the housing and car he will also receive from the Italian club. The details of the move have been finalized and, at this point, all that remains is for Szetela to fly to Rome to sign the deal.

As for the AP report stating that MLS was still a serious player in talks with Szetela, don't buy it. MLS was never going to come close to offering anywhere near what Roma offered but Szetela's representatives did still meet with MLS as a courtesy. It should also be noted that Szetela leaving for Italy during the summer transfer window is still a possibility, assuming Columbus and Roma can reach an agreement on a small transfer fee. I thought Szetela would stay for the rest of the 2007 season but that isn't a guarantee at this point.

If you're wondering why there were denials about a deal following the Herald News report, part of that had to do with Roma not wanting word of the deal to leak out before having Szetela signed to a contract. This was due in no small part to arch-rival Lazio also being in the running for Szetela. As it stands, Lazio did not come through with a comparable offer.

That is all for now.

Comments

[Dannyc58]

What was OBL?

[Ives]

OBL was just an error, not some secret code. Sorry Danny.

[Dominghosa]

*Sniff* I smell a "Write the Abbreviation."
OBL --Overly B*tchy Lady?

[Michael F.]

Adu, Altidore, Danny, I couldn't be happier our US born players are going on to a higher level. But MLS must be starting to get worried on some level...

[Chicago Millonario]

Adu, Zizzo, Feilhaber, now Szetala, and soon Altidore...it's been a great summer for the US.

I wonder how delusional MLS fanboys will spin this one...

[Ives]

OBL- Ouch, Beckham's Leg

[Steve W]

Really pleased with this move. Good, young players are going to suffer by staying in MLS.

I'm sure MLS wants a league of Donovans, but as someone who wants our talent to reach its potential I'm glad Danny is off to Rome (even if he'll struggle to break into the starting XI).

[Steve Mika]

Great news Ives! Especially him not going to Lazio. I can never root for a side with such a history of racism and Di Canio's freaking Nazi salutes.

Roma's a good move for him, although I doubt he's in their immediate plans...

[Dannyc58]

Haha, Ives. You caught me! I thought it was a conspiracy!

[Joe in ND]

Steve-

Don't be so quick to talk up Roma and talk down Lazio. Both clubs are troubled with their own problems. Roma's supporters have had some notorious incidents of their own and have been racist. Lazio has some Nazi supporters in their camp. Neither team is good in my book. That's why it's good and bad, the Italian league is good yet it continues to suffer scandal. Maybe not the greatest place to send young players.

[Braden]

Great reporting Ives! Thanks for keeping us all aware of what's going on. It's one of the main reasons why your site is the first I check when I hear any yank rumour.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

I wonder how the MLS is going to deal with issues like this (younger talented players leaving)? Is this better for American/Canadian Footie on the whole? Will they push up paychecks in an attempt to keep them here/draw in new talent (including coaches etc)?

[Paul Lorinczi]

Good scoop Ives :thumbsup:

[Moneyball]

Wait, they're giving him a car? That sounds like a terrible idea.

Having spent a semester in Rome, I would much rather face a team full of Kovalenkos, Mastroenis and late Stoichkovs gunning for my bone marrow and cartilage than drive on the Grande Raccordo Annulare.

Also, if an Italian driver bumps into you, sometimes they will get out of the car, flop on the ground, and pretend they were the one who was hit. Gotta be careful out there.

In seriousness though this is great. As a Serie A fan, it will be nice to see how young American (precluding Mr. Rossi) talent can match up.

PS. I'm not sure where you're getting all this "Nazi" stuff in relation to Lazio. Perhaps you were looking for "fascist". Not to get too technical or scholarly, these aren't quite the same thing. Research a little.

[tk421]

Beckhams playing.

Elevates the play on the field already. Man has some beautiful passes.

[Jeff]

I am very much against the Lazio fans are nazis sentiment!

Forza Lazio!

[Jim]

It is good to be 20, a soccer player in Italy, make 1.5M with a housing and car allowance, good luck Danny and congratulations! Now get some games and play on the National Team.

[Felix]

Szetela with AS Roma, this is so awesome!! He has the swagger too to fit in perfectly with Francesco Totti and AS Roma. There's still questions left though, will he immediately be loaned out to get him first-team action, will he be playing in the reserves? Will he go now or not until the January transfer window, and if it's not until January, what happens with him in between the end of the MLS season and January? Either way, this is exciting time for US Soccer.

[Mike]

At least his time in Columbus has prepared him for the position he will occupy in Rome: the bench.

[shaj]

the dc united game was amazing. rfk was rocking. everyone wearing a beckham shirt. barra brava being loud and ridiculous. smoke bombs everywhere. crazy drummer dude. plus dc united is actually a good team so it was v entertaining.

[kpugs]

Wow I can somehow SMELL the anti-Italy bitterness here. Amazing. I don't care how much you dive, that doesn't win a world cup.

Also, I am NOT at all defending racism here--but often Italian Ultras are so crazy they are assumed to be racist when they are just crazy.

I'm not referring to any particular club and I'm DEFINITELY not ignoring or forgiving racist chants. I am basically just saying I keep my ear to the ground and haven't heard that AS Roma are a breeding ground for racist fans.

I could easily be wrong here and if I am I apologize.

[kpugs]

P.S. As I said during the U20 WC, how stupid must they be in Columbus?

This kid shows all of the quality he has to be a true center mid, attacking, defending, great tackling, great vision, great passing. All of these things were in the scouting report when he signed to MLS.

AND THE CREW WERE BENCHING HIM AND PLAYING HIM ON ONE HALF OF THE DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD. Pure genius. Maybe he WOULD have signed a 2 year deal this season if they bothered to, you know, KNOW ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT THEIR PLAYER. Idiots.

[SUPERTODD]

I think these summer transfers of our young talent to Europe reflects upon our domestic league's lack of ability to develop young players. The US has made strides in every aspect of the game, except we aren't producing top flight coaches. Look at the hash Novak made of Adu's development. Did Szetela ever improve in his time in Columbus? If we ever want to win a World Cup we are going to have to find a way to improve our coaching methods and find somewhere other than the college game to give those coaches experience.

[AaronB]

Kpugs, you don't know the story. Don't act like you do. Danny spent most of his Crew career injured or playing for the U20.

From foos on BS:
"2004: 8 games, 4 starts, after joining the team midseason.

2005: 16 games, 13 starts. He was unavailable for 3 games for the U20 World Cup, and NINE games with concussion effects.

2006: Broke his foot in April, missing 16 games. Two weeks after returning from that injury, he hurt his knee and missed the rest of the season."

SUPERTODD
"Did Szetela ever improve in his time in Columbus?"

Sigi said pretty early that he wanted Danny to improve his short game which was sorely lacking when he played for the Crew. I heard that most people we mostly impressed with his short game at the U20 WC.

[tex]

Can't start in MLS but because had a couple of good games against other kids at the kids world cup he gets a deal with Roma. I'm certain we've heard the last of him now...only reserve matches and then back to the USA and the A-league.