Student in Irish Team?

[Arbuckle]

What was the deal with this student yankee feen who came on as a sub for Ireland on Wed night?
Where did he come from, how did he manage to get a game for Ireland?

[Forsberg]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lapira

[liam2me]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lapira
came to the attention of Irish boss Steve Staunton through his uncle, Michael Lynam, who works for the FAI

fucking says it all doesn't it

[Forsberg]

fucking says it all doesn't it

I don't see the problem with it to be honest.

22 goals in as many games this season in NCAA. He obviously has something .

Why not give him a shot?

[liam2me]

I don't see the problem with it to be honest.

22 goals in as many games this season in NCAA. He obviously has something .

Why not give him a shot?
not exactly a high standard of football, wouldn't cut it at prem level, and if he wouldn't cut it there then he shouldn't be playing for ireland

[Forsberg]

not exactly a high standard of football, wouldn't cut it at prem level, and if he wouldn't cut it there then he shouldn't be playing for ireland

Eh.. the majority of the squad out there are players that may never play at that level . He's got more chance than a lot of them at making it.

You'd be surprised about the quality of ball played at College level in the States as well . It's pretty decent. I'm sure Amadeus would back that up

[liam2me]

Eh.. the majority of the squad out there are players that may never play at that level . He's got more chance than a lot of them at making it.

You'd be surprised about the quality of ball played at College level in the States as well . It's pretty decent. I'm sure Amadeus would back that up
put it like this, west ham have an academy as such over in america, there are very few american players who are good enough to make it for west ham, if those american players aren't good enough to make it for west ham, and this kid isn't good enough to make it for america so has to use ireland as his back-up, what does that say about him/ireland?

[Forsberg]

put it like this, west ham have an academy as such over in america, there are very few american players who are good enough to make it for west ham, if those american players aren't good enough to make it for west ham, and this kid isn't good enough to make it for america so has to use ireland as his back-up, what does that say about him/ireland?

Who said he's not good enough to make it for America? You're making assumptions there Liam

From what I heard from listening to Newstalk over the past couple of nights is that he's pretty highly rated and has decided to declare for Ireland . It's not because he wouldn't make it with the States. In fact he's being looked at by some European teams so he may forsake the MLS draft . He's pretty much the most highly rated young player in the States.

[liam2me]

Who said he's not good enough to make it for America? You're making assumptions there Liam

From what I heard from listening to Newstalk over the past couple of nights is that he's pretty highly rated and has decided to declare for Ireland . It's not because he wouldn't make it with the States. In fact he's being looked at by some European teams so he may forsake the MLS draft . He's pretty much the most highly rated young player in the States.
well, not being funny, i know for a fact he's not the most highly rated american young lad, the most highly rated young lad a 16 y/o called jack mcinerney (sp?), and his mother is deffo american, (this irish lad qualifies through his irish mother)

look i haven't seen him play and i could be proven wrong, i hope i am for irelands sake, but i think his selection is more to do with who his uncle than his skill

[drinkfeckarse]

At the end of the day, he only got a game because we were over there and that in itself is a disgrace. Makes us look totally unproffesional and demeans the value of an international cap.

Just proves again how much of a gobshite Stan is.

[Roman Abramovich]

At the end of the day, he only got a game because we were over there and that in itself is a disgrace. Makes us look totally unproffesional and demeans the value of an international cap.

Just proves again how much of a gobshite Stan is.

at 22 ian wright was an amatuer and learning his trade to be a full time plasterer....

give the guy a break........and i hate stan. what was the risk? its a fuckin stupid tourney thingy to play in the first place. what wuld be more gobshitey? playing him or bringing kevin doyle all the way to the states at the end of his first year in top level football.

[drinkfeckarse]

I don't have any issue with how good he is or what level he plays at. The fact is he only got a game because we were over there and that's a fcukin joke.

You don't seriously think he'd have had a call up if we had the tournament over here do you!? Demeaning the value of playing for your country is what Stan has done here. "Ah sure we're here now, invite him over and I'll have a look. Ah you're not too bad I suppose, I'll give you ten minutes so"

I have a problem with anything that makes us look inept and this is yet another episode of Stan showing how far out of his depth he is.

[steve sanders]

i dont have a problem with it as such but it's a bit rich not bringing roy o'donovan along citing the competition for strikers as the reason, then giving this guy a chance.

did anyone see him play? was he any way handy?

[RonnyB]

i dont have a problem with it as such but it's a bit rich not bringing roy o'donovan along citing the competition for strikers as the reason, then giving this guy a chance.


Thats my only problem with it. O'Donovan is scoring loads of goals in his league & is at least a Championship level player. If this young American fella deserves a chance so does O'Donovan.

[AmadeusDC]

Already discussed here.

http://www.peoplesrepublico fcork.com/~peoplesr/forums/showthread.php?t=105 956

I'll post again what I said

22 goals in 23 NCAA Division I games is SOME FUCKING RECORD!!!! Probably led the nation with that. 11 match winners as well! My experience playing here leads me to believe that stats like that would see him walk on any of the EL teams so that's about where Roy is at.
The guy was state player of the year and an All American in high school. Definitely one of the main prospects when he declares for the MLS draft with a resume like that. Also, his record would be about where Brian McBride was as a college player and McBride is a very consistent premiership performer these days. Sure it might go pear shaped but while in America give the kid a chance and they might have unearthed a real gem here. -AmadeusDC-

I'm going to do a bit more research on this kid and see what I can dig up.

Oh and guys as a player who played with half these City players in some form or another growing up (club, college, 5-a sides, city and college team trials in Dublin etc.) and who trained with the City U-21's for 3-months before taking a scholarship can I just say that the standard in American colleges is MUCH higher than people think. Plenty of good Irish players have come out here and done very well but I've not heard of an Irish kid with a record like this. Notre Dame aren't the best team in the country, they don't even seem to be an attack minded team and yet he got a goal a game, including 11 match winners in 23 games!! At 5'7" in all liklihood he must either have bags of pace or be a sublime talent technically to have achieved a goals/games ratio like that. And Liam while I have the upmost respect for West Ham's youth set up, the fact that they are not interested in a college aged player doesn't mean he may not be up to scratch. The top English youth set-ups rarely if ever take a player after 16 or 17 unless he's come up with another pro club. American players especially come with the stigma (rightly or wrongly) that they haven't the technical ability if they arrive after that age. As Roman said, Ian Wright didn't make it till into his 20's, I think the same can be said for Les Ferdinand and in France Youri Djorkaeff and now Franck Ribery were both late bloomers.
Ok, this kid might never turn out to be great but it wasn't a full strength Irish squad and at the level he appears to be at he is worthy of at least a chance in a scratch squad. Roy wouldn't have made it in a full strength squad either. While the way Staunton found out about him did make me cringe, I am positive that the top NCAA DI scorer in the country was on the American's radar. In this case it's a Notre Dame kid and many of their students and alums would still be fierce proud of their Irish roots. He probably saw a chance to play with the squad of his Mother's country and went for it. We welcomed McGeady doing the same. Anyway, like I said I'm going to do a bit more research and see what comes up. -AmadeusDC-

[exileonpatrickstreet]

give the guy a break........and i hate stan. what was the risk? its a fuckin stupid tourney thingy to play in the first place. what wuld be more gobshitey? playing him or bringing kevin doyle all the way to the states at the end of his first year in top level football.

ehhh, kevin doyle scored the goal in that game

[AmadeusDC]

ehhh, kevin doyle scored the goal in that game

I think he's just making the point that bringing a probably exhausted Doyle all the way to the states to play a few experimental games after a grueling end to the season is a bit dumb.

-AmadeusDC-

[AmadeusDC]

12th ranked team in the country
2 guys had 18 goals
2 guys had 17 goals
He had 22 goals and more assists than 3 of the 4 and equaled the other with 6.
I’d venture a guess that he definitely led the country in game winning goals.

He won the Herman Trophy (best college player) this year.
Previous winners in the last 20 years: Claudio Reyna, Brad Friedel, Alexi Lalas and Tony Meola, Alecko Eskandarian (current U.S. international),

He also won the Soccer America Magazine Player of the year
Previous winners in the last 20 years: Claudio Reyna (twice), and Ben Olsen (already capped 35 times for the U.S. and player 18 games for Nottingham Forest in 200-2001). Alecko Eskandarian (current U.S. international), Also a Liberian international and a kid who was at Getafe in Spain for a while.

These are just the guys who won the award, there are crap loads of excellent American and foreign players who never got near it. Also for a player to win the MVP awards in the states and not be on one of the very top or winning teams takes some going!

Still worth a shot in a scratch squad if you ask me.

-AmadeusDC-

[liam2me]

12th ranked team in the country
2 guys had 18 goals
2 guys had 17 goals
He had 22 goals and more assists than 3 of the 4 and equaled the other with 6.
I’d venture a guess that he definitely led the country in game winning goals.

He won the Herman Trophy (best college player) this year.
Previous winners in the last 20 years: Claudio Reyna, Brad Friedel, Alexi Lalas and Tony Meola, Alecko Eskandarian (current U.S. international),

He also won the Soccer America Magazine Player of the year
Previous winners in the last 20 years: Claudio Reyna (twice), and Ben Olsen (already capped 35 times for the U.S. and player 18 games for Nottingham Forest in 200-2001). Alecko Eskandarian (current U.S. international), Also a Liberian international and a kid who was at Getafe in Spain for a while.

These are just the guys who won the award, there are crap loads of excellent American and foreign players who never got near it. Also for a player to win the MVP awards in the states and not be on one of the very top or winning teams takes some going!

Still worth a shot in a scratch squad if you ask me.

-AmadeusDC-
not being funny, but the fact you have to explain who those guys are, rather then us knowing automatically kinda speaks for itself

[Roman Abramovich]

ehhh, kevin doyle scored the goal in that game

talk about missing a point!!!

[AmadeusDC]

not being funny, but the fact you have to explain who those guys are, rather then us knowing automatically kinda speaks for itself

Claudio Reyna
Brad Friedel
Alexi Lalas
Tony Meola
Ben Olsen (probably should be known, World Cup and all that)

Well if you haven't heard of the first 4 for starters you can hand in your football fan pass and stick to the GAA and Rugby where I'll happily admit you know more than me (I've little interest in either).
Also, one of the things hurting American players is that going to Europe at a young age is quite risky for them yet European clubs don't like to take older players. Generally it's not the blue collar sport in America so these kids don't have to put all their eggs in one basket by flying off to England at 13 or 14 "hoping" they make the grade. In short, it's not the only thing they've got. Think about how many failed pros there are in England for everyone that made it. Guys with nothing once the football dream was over. Instead these yanks can stay in America, play away, probably get a full scholarship to somewhere like, Duke, Virginia or Notre Dame and then decide to try play pro with a great degree already in the bag.
Anyway, I don't want to get into this any more. Opinions are like assholes and all that. It's my view that when we are here anyway, he is worth his place in a scratch Irish squad. These games were to be for experimentation anyhow. I have played in the states (with two U.S. U-21 internationals and with former youth players from AC Milan, Manchester United, Portsmouth, Rangers, Villa, Newcastle, a kid from Lillishall etc. and we weren't at Notre Dame's level) and been on the same team as 2 or 3 of the other current Irish players and a load of the U-21 internationals. My family also have half a dozen season tickets at City so I've seen the lads even more often than I've played with them but clearly because you work in the bar at a football club you're better positioned to speak. Let's just leave it at "In my opinion" from now on shall we. -AmadeusDC-

[exileonpatrickstreet]

talk about missing a point!!!

duh. yes. my bad

[liam2me]

Claudio Reyna
Brad Friedel
Alexi Lalas
Tony Meola
Ben Olsen (probably should be known, World Cup and all that)

Well if you haven't heard of the first 4 for starters you can hand in your football fan pass and stick to the GAA and Rugby where I'll happily admit you know more than me (I've little interest in either).
Also, one of the things hurting American players is that going to Europe at a young age is quite risky for them yet European clubs don't like to take older players. Generally it's not the blue collar sport in America so these kids don't have to put all their eggs in one basket by flying off to England at 13 or 14 "hoping" they make the grade. In short, it's not the only thing they've got. Think about how many failed pros there are in England for everyone that made it. Guys with nothing once the football dream was over. Instead these yanks can stay in America, play away, probably get a full scholarship to somewhere like, Duke, Virginia or Notre Dame and then decide to try play pro with a great degree already in the bag.
Anyway, I don't want to get into this any more. Opinions are like assholes and all that. It's my view that when we are here anyway, he is worth his place in a scratch Irish squad. These games were to be for experimentation anyhow. I have played in the states (with two U.S. U-21 internationals and with former youth players from AC Milan, Manchester United, Portsmouth, Rangers, Villa, Newcastle, a kid from Lillishall etc. and we weren't at Notre Dame's level) and been on the same team as 2 or 3 of the other current Irish players and a load of the U-21 internationals. My family also have half a dozen season tickets at City so I've seen the lads even more often than I've played with them but clearly because you work in the bar at a football club you're better positioned to speak. Let's just leave it at "In my opinion" from now on shall we. -AmadeusDC-
honestly haven't heard of the last 3, and that really does say it all

[Forsberg]

honestly haven't heard of the last 3, and that really does say it all

Oh dear.

[exileonpatrickstreet]

honestly haven't heard of the last 3, and that really does say it all

oh jesus

[the puerto rican feen]

Alexi Lalas - did he not play in Serie A in the 90's, current head of LA Galaxy

Tony Meola - Was the goalkeeper for the US in Italia 90, also played in England for a little while, can't remember the club though

[AmadeusDC]

Alexi Lalas - did he not play in Serie A in the 90's, current head of LA Galaxy

Tony Meola - Was the goalkeeper for the US in Italia 90, also played in England for a little while, can't remember the club though

Yep, Lalas was a very visible U.S. player in the 90's. I think he scored in the infamous Yanks V's Planks game around 1993 when they beat England. Did alright during his time in Italy (not easy for a defender in that league) but never highly rated in England because Shearer beasted him at Wembley after he talked some crap before the game. *Note* getting destroyed by Shearer around this time was anything but uncommon. I remember a certain Gary Pallister amongst others consistently having fierce problems with Big Al. Anyway, how he hasn't heard of him I don't know especially in light of the Beckham move. I mean the guy was on Sky Sports News almost every day for about a month!
Tony Meola was the U.S. keeper in both 1990 and 94. He was a pretty quality keeper and blazed the trail for the likes of Keller and Friedel who came later. He was also the world's most capped player at one point I believe. Olsen is a current U.S. International who saw playing time during the World Cup of all things. Liam says he has never heard of the 3. I would expect most knowledgable footie fans to know most if not all of them but fair enough............ he probably shouldn't be so opinionated on matters he's not familiar with though. I don't come out and shout about players on the Cork Hurling panel or the tactics Munster Rugby should use. -AmadeusDC-

[dotty]

Yep, Lalas was a very visible U.S. player in the 90's. I think he scored in the infamous Yanks V's Planks game around 1993 when they beat England. Did alright during his time in Italy (not easy for a defender in that league) but never highly rated in England because Shearer beasted him at Wembley after he talked some crap before the game. *Note* getting destroyed by Shearer around this time was anything but uncommon. I remember a certain Gary Pallister amongst others consistently having fierce problems with Big Al. Anyway, how he hasn't heard of him I don't know especially in light of the Beckham move. I mean the guy was on Sky Sports News almost every day for about a month!
Tony Meola was the U.S. keeper in both 1990 and 94. He was a pretty quality keeper and blazed the trail for the likes of Keller and Friedel who came later. He was also the world's most capped player at one point I believe. Olsen is a current U.S. International who saw playing time during the World Cup of all things. Liam says he has never heard of the 3. I would expect most knowledgable footie fans to know most if not all of them but fair enough............ he probably shouldn't be so opinionated on matters he's not familiar with though. I don't come out and shout about players on the Cork Hurling panel or the tactics Munster Rugby should use. -AmadeusDC-

to be fair amadeus i was kinda in the same boat as liam regarding calling up some college student in favour of roy but clearly you know far more than i do (and liam) bout the level of ball which is played in the states and so i suppose he is worth his place in the squad.

i do still think it demeans the merit of an international cap somewhat,would he have been drafted into the squad had it been hit with all the withdrawals but the games staged in dublin,or if his record is as good as it is should he not have been drafted in the initial squad anyway say at the expense of doyle as naff said is probably shattered after a tough debut season in the PL.

a player should be in a squad on merit not because its geographically convenient.

[exileonpatrickstreet]

... Liam says he has never heard of the 3. I would expect most knowledgable footie fans to know most if not all of them but fair enough............ he probably shouldn't be so opinionated on matters he's not familiar with though ...
that's his schtick though

[dotty]

for liam..

http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/8806/LALBAND.JPG

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexi_Lalas

and

http://www.sporting-heroes.net/files_footballworldc up/MEOLA_Tony_19900610_ GH_R.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Meola

[AmadeusDC]

to be fair amadeus i was kinda in the same boat as liam regarding calling up some college student in favour of roy but clearly you know far more than i do (and liam) bout the level of ball which is played in the states and so i suppose he is worth his place in the squad.

i do still think it demeans the merit of an international cap somewhat,would he have been drafted into the squad had it been hit with all the withdrawals but the games staged in dublin,or if his record is as good as it is should he have been drafted in the initial squad anyway say at the expense of doyle as naff said is probably shattered after a tough debut season in the PL.

a player should be in a squad on merit not because its geographically convenient.

Yep, I'm not saying the guy is some guarenteed world beater. All I'm saying is that he has put up serious stats at what is a underated and actually rather decent level. As can be seen as you read through my posts I was impressed when I initially saw his Notre Dame page. I guessed from that he probably led the nation and was college player of the year (turned out he did both). Just as most of the EL players couldn't cut it at the highest level in England, the same applies to the US college players but as Doyle has recently proven and many Americans have in the past, if you are good enough and work hard enough it is possible.
Also, make no mistake about it. This was a scratch Irish squad and I'd agree that he wouldn't deserve a place in the full squad. Roy despite his great Eircom League form probably wouldn't either though. O Donovan would have been in it had the game been in Dublin though I'd say where as the American definitely wouldn't. I'm guessing the Irish team was coming to the states, Stan heard about the country's top college player, how he was Irish and thought what harm if he trains with us. The guy may have then impressed him enough that he thought he'd give him a run out. This wasn't a qualifier or even a high profile game in Dublin. It was a game to try out new things. Joe will probably be in a b-squad perhaps or something like that after this but seriously what harm in my opinion.
Personally, it just drives me mad when people talk down the standard of American soccer with little or no knowledge of the game here. Club games with local sides in NYC and Boston are shabby at best. The college level is where it is at as far as young players and the D1 players that want to continue in soccer try play in the MLS. I'd be confident that the likes of DC United, the New England Revolution etc. would easily be the equivalent if not a higher standard than the Eircom League. This guy if he wishes will got straight into one of those teams although from what I've read he has bags of pace and we all know that is what European teams covet more than anything else. Anyway, i really have to get some work done. I guess we'll just have to watch this space Dotty. -AmadeusDC-

[AmadeusDC]

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=540 397

Decent thread about the thing although they are more worried about whether or not he'll be tied to Ireland now. I'm surprised, but from what it says he hasn't been in U.S. youth teams and things like that but then again there is soooo much politics when it comes to those set ups. I'm sure he was definitely on the radar once he was college player of the year.

My favorite quote from the thread

I have just e-mailed the FAI for confirmation on whether or not he is captied, surely they will know!, well hopefully they will know!!, This whole debate is actually annotying me now!!,we need to find the answer!

I'd doubt they even know Ireland have a game :D

-AmadeusDC-

[liam2me]

just because i haven't heard of those 3 superstars of world football doesn't automatically make me wrong, thats quite arrogant of you amadeus, but sure they've come from the worlds dominant footballing superpower, how could i not have heard of them :rolleyes:

[AmadeusDC]

just because i haven't heard of those 3 superstars of world football doesn't automatically make me wrong, thats quite arrogant of you amadeus, but sure they've come from the worlds dominant footballing superpower, how could i not have heard of them :rolleyes:

Hey, all I said was that I would expect any knowledgable footie fan to have heard of most if not all of those guys. You made a patronizing comment about never having heard of a few of them which made more than just me take note (see reactions).
In my opinion, not knowing who Alexi Lalas was is criminal for anyone who would consider themself a true football fan. Like I said, I don't come in and make bold comments on GAA or Rugby thread where from your posting patterns I'd presume you know a lot more. Again with West Ham I'll comment on what I've watched on TV and maybe read but I'll usually bow to ya on the inner workings at Upton Park.
On the otherhand you dismiss American soccer with barely any knowledge of it where as I have a pretty in-depth understanding of the game and how it works here. I've played with American's not at this guys standard and Irish guys in the squad and that has led me to form the opinion that he is worth a gamble. This guy clearly has had what I would call a "VERY IMPRESSIVE" college year in America. If it was a youth team for a pro club he'd have obviously had a fair few run outs with the first team by now but that's not how America works. He'll be a top prospect in the next MLS draft if that's the route he wants to go down but given that he has an EU passport he might come our way. He apparently has bags of pace and can obviously put the ball in the net so we should all be wishing him the best of luck.
-AmadeusDC-

[mithrandir]

FFS Alexi Lalas played for Padova and was hopeless. The reason people have less respect for American sawker is that the best they seem to produce is the likes of Brian McBride. In all fairness he's a limited lummox.

[Forsberg]

FFS Alexi Lalas played for Padova and was hopeless. The reason people have less respect for American sawker is that the best they seem to produce is the likes of Brian McBride. In all fairness he's a limited lummox.

Firstly. where in this thread has anyone said that Lalas was a great player?
He wasn't , but he's an iconic player and somebody that all football fans should at the ver least have heard of.


Secondly, Brian Mc Bride is a highly underrated player , who's been unlucky to find himself in struggling teams since he arrived in the Prem . He was fantastic at Everton in his first loan spell there, where he scored some hugely important goals and by all sccounts has been one of Fulhams best players again this season. I'd love to have him back at Goodison for one more season.

[Arbuckle]

look i haven't seen him play and i could be proven wrong, i hope i am for irelands sake, but i think his selection is more to do with who his uncle than his skill

That's where I am too. I'm a massive Ireland fan, however I refuse to go to Foxboro for the game this afternoon. Some would say that makes a crap fan. But some of what I have seen of the FAI just rankles me bigtime! None more so than tha appointment of Stan the Man...

[Jim Comic]

What was the deal with this student yankee feen who came on as a sub for Ireland on Wed night?
Where did he come from, how did he manage to get a game for Ireland?

some sort of J1 scam

[Arbuckle]

FFS Alexi Lalas played for Padova and was hopeless. The reason people have less respect for American sawker is that the best they seem to produce is the likes of Brian McBride. In all fairness he's a limited lummox.

Didn't the US get to the 1/4 finals of the 2002 WC. Not so shabby for a team full of lummoxes eh?

[AmadeusDC]

That would be the same Brian McBride who had about 13 or 14 Premiership goals last year, was Fulham's player of the year and is a hero to their fans right.
FFS, everyone knows America hasn't produced a true superstar yet but McBride amongst others is a very good player.
-AmadeusDC-

[drinkfeckarse]

9 Prem goals if I can be pedantic but yes he is a decent player. I don't think it's unreasonable for Liam2me to have not heard of Lalas and Meola etc if he's younger than us. I wouldn't expect anyone in their early twenties to have heard of them unless they REALLY knew their football.

I suspect you are the same as me Amadeus and know of these players because they were our generation of players. I'm 31 btw.

[POL]

That would be the same Brian McBride who had about 13 or 14 Premiership goals last year, was Fulham's player of the year and is a hero to their fans right.
FFS, everyone knows America hasn't produced a true superstar yet but McBride amongst others is a very good player.
-AmadeusDC-he's good, but he's no Clarence Seedorf

[FL4ZGN]

he's good, but he's no Clarence Seedorf

Whoooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooosh

[AmadeusDC]

9 Prem goals if I can be pedantic but yes he is a decent player. I don't think it's unreasonable for Liam2me to have not heard of Lalas and Meola etc if he's younger than us. I wouldn't expect anyone in their early twenties to have heard of them unless they REALLY knew their football.

I suspect you are the same as me Amadeus and know of these players because they were our generation of players. I'm 31 btw.

Nah man, I'm only 24. I'll let the Meola one slide but the Alexi Lalas one is still criminal for any knowledgable football fan in my opinion. -AmadeusDC-

[legend76]

Nah man, I'm only 24. I'll let the Meola one slide but the Alexi Lalas one is still criminal for any knowledgable football fan in my opinion. -AmadeusDC-

IN fairness not knowing who Lalas was is criminal. even more so considering all the coverage/ interviews he's doing because of Becks moving state side, ( wonder has Liam heard of him?)

P.s. didn't Meola get approached by the New York Jets to be a place kicker??