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Call it a DREAM ON thread...

Interesting article about a player who was cut from his ODP team, but made Serie A a short time later. I don't necessarily endorse the Academy as an alternative, though:

Who is Gabriel Ferrari?
by Robert Ziegler 3/27/2007

Editor's Note: This interview was conducted the day before Ferrari scored the winning goal in the U20 MNT match with Haiti. The match report from that game is available in the U20 MNT subsection of Youth National Teams.


Just 18 years old, Gabriel Ferrari is one of the more compelling stories to arise on the American soccer scene in some time. The Manhattan native rose from virtual obscurity in the youth club ranks to a professional contract with Italian Serie A side Sampdoria, where he has been named to the first team matchday lineup several times and played in February as a substitute against Inter Milan in the Italian Cup.

This week he is gaining his first experience in the U.S. Youth National Team system as a member of the U20 Men's National Team. He is slated to start at forward Wednesday night for the squad here in Dallas against Haiti.

Ferrari took some time to talk with me at the team hotel on Tuesday. Following is how the conversation went.


TDS: You are sort of a classic example now for how good a player can come through the youth ranks and be missed by the system. Is the fact that you are making matchday lineups in Sampdoria kind of a vindication for you?

Gabriel Ferrari: I've spoken with my parents and family about how I was never really noticed here in America but when I went to Europe as soon as they laid their eyes on me they saw something. I don't know why that was. I remember when I was 13 trying out for the Eastern New York ODP team and I didn't make it. When I was 13 I was good, but I've gotten better as time has gone on so I guess that's part of it, but I really can't answer why I've never been part of a regional or national camp before. It's a pretty big mystery.

TDS: Were there some other opportunities with ODP after you were 13?

Gabriel Ferrari: I had made the team the year before and made it, but I didn't make the regional team. Then when I was 13 I tried out again for state team and didn't even make that. After that I kind of lost faith and hope in the ODP system to be quite frank. I didn't try out anymore. I had no interest. I had a lot of friends making regional and national teams and I just broke it off and kept playing for my club and school teams.

TDS: What clubs were you with?

Gabriel Ferrari: I played with BW Gottschee in Queens when I was 12. We won 3 state cups and went to a regional final which was great. After that I went to MetroStars which now is Red Bull, and I had a great experience there in winning the Y-League Nationals.

TDS: What was your training setup there?

Gabriel Ferrari: It was like most club teams. We would meet 2 or 3 times a week and have maybe a game or two every weekend.

TDS: Tell us about the period leading up to signing the contract with Sampdoria.

Gabriel Ferrari: I went to Holland to train with Vitesse Arnhem and Ajax. They both offered me contracts but there was a misunderstanding with some contractual stuff with my agent. My last day at Ajax we had a friendly game with Sparta Prague and I broke a bone in my wrist. So I had to come back to the U.S. and have surgery, and I had a cast on for 5 months. During that whole period when I was in rehab, I didn't play with a club team. I just trained myself. I would wake up in my apartment in New York and run down the West Side Highway, go to a field by Pier 40 downtown and practice by myself there, or my father would come by and we would do some stuff together.

I'm kind of lucky because I grew up living a year in Brazil where I played for Cruzeiro (at age 14), so I got a lot of different training. I was able to take something from Ajax, from Vitesse, from Cruzeiro and just put it all together and do it by myself.

So after that, my agent who was Italian said 'why don't we try to go to Italy?' because I have an Italian passport and it would be interesting. The first club that came up was Sampdoria. I went for the trial and after a week signed a contract because everybody was happy with what they offered. I actually tried out with a reserve team and that's who I started training with. After a week we played the first team and I scored. We played them again a week later and I scored again so I guess they felt they had something cooking so they put me into practice with the first team and ever since them I've been with the first team. I got into my first game in the Coppa against Inter at the beautiful San Siro Stadium.

TDS: As I recall it took a few minutes from when you stepped to the line until you got in the match. What were you thinking then?

Gabriel Ferrari: The first thing that came to my mind was that my family was watching in New York and how crazy they must be going right now. My mother told me later that as soon as I walked in everybody started screaming and that there were neighbors from the building coming out who thought something bad had happened.


TDS: So when you actually got onto the park, is it what you thought it would be?

Gabriel Ferrari: It was great. I wasn't actually that nervous, but it was overwhelming to see (Nicolas) Burdisso, the Argentine international, (Walter) Samuel. I actually had a little conflict with (Oliver) Dacourt (French international). So I'm playing against all these players I've watched while I was growing up. My father is a Boca Juniors fan so I switched jerseys with Burdisso, it was beautiful. I think I touched the ball 3 times in 10 minutes, but it was nice.

TDS: What feedback are you getting from coaches at Sampdoria now?

Gabriel Ferrari: Basically they tell me to be patient. I'm the youngest guy in the roster and there are a couple of other young guys waiting as well. There is a forward, Fabio Quagliarella is one of the best in Italy and is with the Italian National Team right now, so it's going to be tough to get a spot. I'll just be working and waiting patiently. In the middle of the week the Reserve Team has a game and so I can get a 90-minute game every week.

TDS: When you are not playing are you a soccer junkie in terms of watching?

Gabriel Ferrari: Definitely, I always watch. My mother is Brazilian and my dad is Italian-American so we're all crazy for soccer. We're always watching.

TDS: What Italian team did your dad support?

Gabriel Ferrari:He's a Milan fan, but I can't say I'm a Milan fan. Now I just like any team that plays a beautiful brand of soccer.

TDS: If you were a scout for another team how would you describe yourself as a player?

Gabriel Ferrari: Speedy forward with good technique who has a good knack for scoring and good vision of the game. I look up to players like Ibrahimovic and Henry. I don't know if I play like them but that's who I try to simulate on the field. I like 1v1 opportunities.

TDS:Do you end up playing with your back to the goal very much in Italy?

Gabriel Ferrari:Yes, quite a lot. When I was in the United States I always felt I needed to improve a whole lot in that area. After 5 months in Italy I think I have improved so much because of how good the defenders are. They are the best defenders in the world.

TDS: What about this first experience with the U20 national team. What has this been like?

Gabriel Ferrari: First of all, just to get called up it was kind of like a dream come true because it hadn't happened before. It was so nice. Now it's really nice to get to know all the guys and play in the game Sunday (against SMU) where I was lucky enough to score 2 goals. It's been a great experience.

TDS: Is training with this group similar or different to training with Sampdoria?

Gabriel Ferrari: It's a little different because over there I'm with the full professionals and they are older men with a big presence. But over here the speed of game and the way we play isn't that far from the Serie A team that I'm in. Players here are technically good and play fast. I definitely saw in the 1st training session that they know how to knock the ball around very well.

TDS: I guess from what you are saying now you are just moving on and not worrying about what didn't happen (with regional and national team callups) before

Gabriel Ferrari: The Italian U19 team called me up for camp as well and there was a question if I would hold some grudge against the United States for not noticing me or this or that, but in the long run the past is the past. I even think maybe I wasn't ready before, but I'm ready now and let's just go forward.

I only heard through the grapevine so correct me if I’m wrong. The board is considering “selling out” to CESA and changing the name and structure of the Summerville Soccer Club. I currently coach two micro teams with two children playing at the club. The board (as of today) has failed to communicate any issues the club may be experiencing to the majority of the parents (if any) in the micro programs. It seems to me that someone’s personal agenda, legacy or burn out is more important than the players and history of the SSC.

I have a question.

Why? Why hire CESA?
What is the problem? Why go to CESA? The current board has failed to identify the problem……………. or if they have, they haven’t shared it with the general public.

A basic business practice is to first identify the problem. Don’t make hasty decisions without first understanding the pain!! Then collect the data. Do we understand the problem we’ve identified? What pain is associated with this problem? Then allow the data to assist in making an intelligent, well-informed decision.

If the problem has been identified and the data has been collected, then share it with the team????

Todd K. Frank

Sound as though you have not been attending the SSC membership meetings. SSC has done a great job putting information on their web site. If you feel that this is the wrong direction for SSC then please visit their web site and as a member get the word out to all the general members about the upcoming vote on 28 May.

Every member should have received a card in the mail about the upcoming vote..Received mine a week ago..

I received the card in the mail about the May 28th meeting. From what I’m hearing, there are other meetings being scheduled to address this topic? If so, who is being invited? Where are the invitations for these meetings? With all due respect, the way to ensure the outcome of a vote is to only invite the people that support your ideas.

Todd K. Frank

Hope this helps.

Look at number 6 in particular...


FAQ's Regarding Proposed SSC Changes
The following Frequently Asked Questions are an attempt to provide correct and current information regarding the proposed changes to SSC management. If there are any other questions please feel free to contact a member of the SSC board

1. How did we end up with the CESA model as the suggested direction for SSC?

Answer: The executive board at SSC spent the last year examining several options to improve the quality and consistency of the soccer programs offered SSC. The goal was to offer excellent soccer for all ages and levels in the Summerville area. We wanted players to have outstanding programs in their own backyard.
In an attempt to provide these excellent programs we began a two month long search for a new Director of Soccer Operations. The job description was extremely large and after interviewing many good applicants it became very obvious that what we were expecting was too much for one candidate to provide.
After the search for a sole DSO was unsuccessful, we considered other established programs in an effort to improve our own. It was during this time that the board agreed that CESA’s program was best in line with the goals and values we were searching for.

2. What is the arrangement with CESA?

Answer: Currently the SSC executive committee has agreed to engage in a 3-year soccer program management contract with Pearce Tormey and Andrew Hyslop of CESA.

3. Who made the decision to work with Andrew and Pearce?

Answer: The Executive Committee is charged in the Bylaws to hire the DOC and to manage the Club. After examining and discussing the possible options for our future direction a vote of the full executive board took place. The full thirteen member board met and overwhelmingly (10-1-2) voted to engage in negotiations with Pearce and Andrew. Subsequently, the Executive committee agreed to a 3 year commitment to Andrew Hyslop and Pearse Tormey in a management agreement in the areas of business management, coach, player, and team development.

4. What is the ultimate goal of this arrangement?

Answer: The ultimate goal is to incorporate the CESA model into our soccer program for the next three years. This guarantees excellent soccer programs that will survive personnel and executive Board member turnover.
The executive committee has also suggested that SSC change their name to “SSC doing business as CESA Charleston” and to change the colors from blue and white to red, black, and white.

5. Does that mean that SSC is gobbled up by the CESA umbrella?

Answer: According to SCYSA rules, SSC must remain its own club separate from CESA. The bank account is a SSC bank account and all money collected is used to operate this club only. No money is paid to any other CESA club. Also, the SSC board will consist of 7 people: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Registrar, Secretary, and two members at large. It is always our goal (if we can find willing volunteers) to fill the board with involved Summerville parents that will still guide and direct the future of the club.

6. Who owns CESA? Is it non-profit?

Answer: SSC plans to do business as CESA Charleston if the members agree on 5/28. In that case, we retain our same non-profit status.

7. What types of specific things does CESA want to do that are different from what the Summerville Soccer Club does in terms of coaching, training and recruiting coaches as well as making SSC more professional?

Answer: The biggest change at SSC is that the soccer programs will now be run using a system. This will provide consistency across the board for every team in every age group. On the field, the average player should notice a more organized program with fewer headaches.
Pearce and Andrew will assist the executive board in securing a full-time DOC and part-time assistant DOC to be available anytime to attend to soccer issues at the club. Duties will include monthly communication meetings with coaches as well as coach assessment. The DOC will also be available to answer questions and concerns from the parents about the soccer at SSC. Parents will no longer have to wait for a coach or volunteer board member to get out of work and return their call to get their questions answered.
Coaches will notice support across the board whether they are volunteer or paid. Volunteer coaches can expect some training before they begin with their team. Paid coaches are required to meet licensing standards and are encouraged to work on higher licenses with the club’ support. Coaches are expected to help run clinics for other micro and recreation teams at the Club.

8. How will my fees change when we begin using the CESA model?

Answer: The SSC board worked extremely hard to keep fees in line with what our parents paid last year. Registration fees for all levels of play will remain exactly the same except for recreation soccer which will decrease. The training fees can be expected to go up but each age group that trains can expect to add an extra month to their training season. Some levels of play can expect to add an extra day as well. When the additional training that is provided is priced out per session, it is actually cheaper per session of training than last year. Uniform fees will remain the same as well.

9. I was told (and from what was included on the postcard that was mailed out) that the meeting May 28th will allow parents to decide whether or not to change the name (to SSC doing business as CESA Charleston) and the club colors (to red/black/white). Is this change at our club really necessary?

Answer: If we would like to continue with the CESA model and to continue working with Pearce and Andrew, yes, it is necessary. CESA is a “brand” that is attached to the system being implemented. Overall, it is not uncommon for soccer clubs to merge or split and to change their names and/or colors in the process. This does not mean that we did not heavily consider the beautiful history that exists at SSC. However, the board has realized that to grow stronger we must change. There is great concern for the future of the club if we continue on the way we have been doing business the last several years.

It seems that the original title of this thread accurately captured the truth of the situation. This is clearly more than a simple consulting agreement whereby Tormey and Hyslop provide expertise to SSC. CESA-Charleston is born!