I am a professional soccer player, who has played in over 7 countries at every level, and seen things you would not believe.

[deleted]

I was in a night club in Latvia... Russian night club. All of a sudden the dj stopped playing music, and a woman who was dancing on the stage started to get undressed. She proceeded to ask for a volunteer from the crowd, proceeded to dance on him and strip his cloths off.. the crowd started chanting "stavaii" repeatedly which in Russian means stand up... they wanted him to pop a boner essentially.. After this was achieved and the guy was fully embarrassed they gave him a long island ice tea for his troubles....and that's not all! Immedialty after the woman played down and one of the guys with the mic then began inserting a dildo in her. Mind you, at this point women are standing on the shoulders of men in order to see...apparently this was because it was valentines day.. so i guessi was a special occasion! Gotta love Russians

More stories!

When we played against Molde from Norway in the Europa league, they purposely tried to throw us off our game which i found funny at that level. The host team is meant to accomodate the guest and is given money from uefa in order to do so. Molde booked us to stay in rooms which were supposed to have two beds, but suspiciously had only 1. Imagine the image of our team captain curled up sleeping in a chair the night before a big game because he refused to sleep in a single bed with another player. Also, for the prematch meal they suspiciously ran out of food and only had one tray for the entire team

suspiciously ran out of food and only had one tray for the entire team

They should be forced to forfeit the game after that if you were forced to play the game without having eaten. Would you say shit like this is a big reason for the huge home advantage in football?

It was reported from what i understand, but i think it is one of those things that just gets overlooked... had it been at a bigger club it would have been big news... from what i have heard eastern European clubs often have stuff like this happen

I've got millions... you want more like the aforementioned? Or in a different topic?

Both, please.

Also in Latvia, i saw something which really made me value what i have. We would always have a nice apartment and all that, but the situation in Latvia was SO bad that people would constantly be eating out of the dumpster. I used to give money to anyone i saw doing this but after a while you realise there is nothing you can do. One morning, walking to training, i saw a guy eating directly out of the trash, and began to greet a fellow friend so happily as if he were eating in a restaurant, then proceeded to eat molded food like nothing, and handed it over to the friend and they began talking about politics like normal while eating from ths dumpster.. may seem like not a great story, but atthe ttime was one of the most disturbing experiences in my life.

Have you ever wanted to use your soccer money to try to set something up to help people there?

I used to give money to everyone i saw eating out of the garbage, or anyone who asked. I actually tried to get my team to organize a soup kitchen and i would pay for everything, but this got ignored many times. People are not so generous when it comes to these things i guess. That was one of the more disappointing moments

When i first got over to Ireland, it was set up through an agent. He had me training with a few teams and organized a room in an apartment to stay at while i was there. I didn't know it at the time, but it was in one of the most dangerous parts of Dublin. For the first few days everything was fine. The other rooms were rented out to a bunch of polish guys who seemed alright at first. All of a sudden one night i guess they were drinking, and everything changed. In the middle of the night i had a knock on my door. "Hey American come out we want to talk." I didn't answer and they proceeded to try and break in the room after little while. When they couldn't get in, they then took a bat and kept smacking it against the side of the house screaming for me to wake up. Needless to say, there were a few of them, and although i fancy a fight now and then, i was NOT about to open the door. The next morning the apartment was empty and apparently they had some sort of knife fight in the kitchen. I left the apartment and stayed in a bed and breakfast after that until i signed with longford, and never spoke to the agent again

Tell me how my trick play is against the rules: The keeper collects the ball with his hands, a defender gets right in front of him, the keeper wedges the ball between his chest and the defender's back, they walk the length of the field across the opposing team's goal line for a score.

I ask the refs this at my indoor rec games just to see them scratch their heads and try to come up with something to call. Best answer was "I don't know what the call would be, but I'm not letting you do that."

Also, how many pairs of boots do you go through in a year? What happens to the old ones? Do you donate them?

I am particular. With shoes i try to make them last as long as possible so i try get them stitched when they rip... nothing better then perfect fitting shoes....When my shoes are ripped beyond repair i usually give them back to my team who sends them back to whoever the brand is...i guess they get recycled?

Hi Nate, How did you enjoy playing for Longford Town and what did you think of Ireland in general?

I loved longford, even though it was a pretty small place.. the league of Ireland has a certain air about it, and the games are usually intensely physical. I have since not seen a more physical league. Every game you would see tackles that make even vinny Jones cringe

Do you ever get ridiculed for being an American? Have you ever experienced playing in Poland?

In every country i go to, i constantly have to prove that Americans in fact can play... id say i need get ridiculed, but in the beginning people just expect you to be clueless because they cannot get their head around he fact an American can play soccer well... i remember in Serbia one time, i made a clean tackle on a player, and the ref gave me a yellow card and promptly said "this isn't the nfl" I think the general perception is that we are all brash

That may have been a dick move by the ref, but goddamn that's hilarious.

I forgot about this... but when i was in Serbia it was right around the time when obama won the election. All the players called me obama for my entire time there

To be fair we're just getting one account, the tackle may have been a bad one or the referee might not have seen it well enough.

I actually have a picture of the tackle... was all ball! I don't know if i can upload pics in a comment or else i would

If it is on the internet somewhere you can link to it.

http://imgur.com/uAhkL7O

Do you have any feelings or reflections on getting to be an 'underdog' nationality in a major sport (as an American)?

Personally i always like it, because in a way you have nothing to lose and it's always great to see the facial expressions change when your peers realize you are the real deal and not what they envisioned an American soccer player to be

[deleted]

Poor people party way harder... and without regards Especially in Russian countries... more like a strip club in those places

But it also matters the country. In Mallorca it's common for people to have sex in the club, but then again mallorca is not a normal place in itself

I think you just answered and summed up a question that had been bugging me ages! It seemed that the more schooling I got, the more uptight people were. So I began to wonder "why are my white-collar educated friends boring, whereas the people your parents tell you not to hang out with, the blue-collar, high-school-dropout crowd more fun???"

Poor people party way harder...

Well... i found that in the poorer countries people just party differently? Maybe with reckless abandonment? And it's they are way more generous. I found in a poor country if someone for example has nothing1 loaf of bread they will give you half... but in the more wealthy places if they have a a bread factory they would be hesitant to give you crumbs Just a figurative example of how i would see it

It kind of happens on /r/IAmA too.It's less likely for a rich and important person who gives an AMA to reply to every question.They are not very generous with answers.

So you are implying i am poor? Haha just joking! I find this interesting, hence why i answer most of the questions i can.

Do you know Brad from Home Improvement?

I laughed out load at that question... i remember watching an episode where his dad was pushing him hard having him jump through tires army style

I've laughed pretty hard before, but I've never laughed out my load.

I'm typing from a Samsung tablet... Damn auto correct makes me seem like a freak at times

What was the most special place you played and why?

Ii wouldn't call it special, but there is something interesting which comes to mind. I played a game in Nurnberg a few months back, and it was right in front of the podium where hitler would give his speeches. They turned the standing area into a soccer stadium. I thought it was mad to think what was going on in the very place i am playing now only 60 odd years ago. Being Jewish playing on that field also had a significant meaning as well....

what nationality are you, and who do you think is the greatest ever player from your country?

I am American, but hold a passport from Israel as well.... USA- Dempsey Israel-Benayoun

Have you ever face any antisemitism from fans/players?

Thankfully no.. its funny because i am playing in Germany at the moment, and the closest i get towards funny looks and comments is from a small few Arabs living here. But for the most part i can happily answer no

As a Jewish player, what is your opinion about Tottenham-fans calling themselves yids? Ever since that lawyer association made a bit of noise against it this has been a discussion that pops up from time to time, also among the Tottenham-fans. Would be interesting to hear you view on this.

I don't see anything in particularly wrong with it. They don't mean it in a completely derogatory way. How did that get started anyhow?

Made an account to ask this. Have you ever seen any doping practises? Blood Doping, Steroids etc?

Closest thing i have seen would be players taking an iv before a game... in soccer steroids wouldn't really help so much.. in fact, i have been tested more in my 1 year of college than in he 7 years playing professionally...

what's it like on the field during matches? Is there a universal language or does everyone speak the language of the country the team is from?

I never have a problem with the language dduring a game because usally. Hand signal or a scream here and there is enough.... training is a different story. I have been lost many times when trying to understand the rules of an exercise

Besides soccer, are there any other sports that you enjoy watching or participating in?

I like to occasionally play basketball. Not sure if it's deemed a sport, but i love crossfit!

You're correct! Crossfit isn't a sport, it's a joke.

Its better than sitting on your ass all day, and helps you stay inshape during the off season.

I like it because it's essentially weight training with a competitive twist. Its also fun to see how insanely far you can push your body

In your opinion, which is worse for soccer globally: racism or match fixing?

Both are bad, and i have seen both first hand. I think match fixing is the worst. When i played in Latvia, there was a team who wasn't being paid for a few months so they started suspiciously losing to teams in the lower table in a way that couldn't even be explained... a few players i know even were offered money to "go easy" a few times, and when you are offered a large sum of money when you haven't been paid in a while it's a hard decision to make. I think match fixing brings crime into the fold as well, so in my opinion8n it's worse. You can research it, but a Latvian player once took money from a Serbian "businessman" before playing in a uefa cup game... his car was blown up consequently when the result wasn't what was expected i guess

what clubs have you played for?

I was in a farm team for mallorca in Spain when i was 20, then in the Irish premerhsip with longford town, in the Serbian superliga with .fk metalac, Latvia premiership with .fk jelgava, Chicago fire for a short time in mls, and currently playing in Germany

which German team?

I used to live there for a while, I saw Union Berlin play a few times

Currently i signed a very short term deal with a team in the bayernliga in order to help them stay in league. I have been training with some bundesliga 3 teams and will play there in June if all goes well

I had some problems with my work permit, so the federation would not let me play in a full professional league until my current visa expires in June

1) Where that you've been have had the best looking women? 2) Who is the most gifted player you've seen play?

Serbia had the best looking women...Sweden is up there too..i was just shocked that in Serbia a lot of women had six packs. Best player? Would have to be a Russian guy who i played against in Latvia. He played at arsenal before named igors stepanovs... he was amazing

proof?

You want proof i am who I say? Hmm i have a twitter account and i can tweet I'm doing an ama...

Did you play soccer in high school? or were you a collegiate athlete?

Player soccer in high school, then played at .nc state for 2 years before going to Europe.

Just came to say, go Wolfpack! Did you play under Taratini? I was at State the same time as you and have some friends who were on the team and had some things to say about him as a coach...

He is certainly a character! I remember my first game against duke, i was starting on the right side of midfield next to the bench. I was the only freshman playing that game, an once the game started he began to scream DON'T PASS TO THE FRESHMAN for what seemed like forever. I think people still talk about that now

Thanks for doing this. This is an AMA I've waited on for a while.

As an athlete you've experienced plenty of good and bad games. Wins and losses. How do you personally feel about and deal with tough loses. How do you feel and react to games which you made huge mistakes in?Are there any in particular that come to mind?

And what was the highlight of your career thus far, your proudest moment?

Bad performances happen to the best of us. I find that is usually best to just forget the bad stuff and focus more on the good things. With so much pressure riding on you, the only way to really be clutch is to just convince yourself you love pressure, and try to think as little as possible. I have also found that when you play in a big stadium with tons of fans, its usually hardet to make a mistake than when nobody is watching.

Highlight would have to be winning the Latvian cup. We did it with a small team which was newly promoted. Great feeling

Why are there no openly gay footballers? Are certain players known to be gay?

First openly gay player to come out while playing is from Sweden... can't remember his name though

dude how is 3rd bundesliga? any chance to really become a first class player? have never watched a game to be honest...i stick with the first liga.

3rd bundesliga i would say is better than mls, but there is not a big difference between 1st league and 3rd, besides the huge clubs in the first league like dortmund, bayern..those clubs are in a different class. I think i have the chance to eventually prove my class at the top flight yes, but there is really a lot of luck involved. The margin of difference between players is very at a certain professional level is very small and it's all really about timing working in your favor. I have played against English premier league teams where the players i was up against earn in a week what you do in a year, yet you can find yourself walking off the field wondering how can that be they are there and your aren't.

how much money do you make ?

plus: kannst du schon deutsch sprechen ? :-D

Ich kann sprechen deutsch, aber mein Grammatik ist immer noch schlecht. I never like to answer questions about money, BUT i will say that i make more than if i were to work a normal job, plus a few perks.

Which English premier league teams did you play against?

Being a english football fan I find it hard to believe that you consider luck to be such a huge factor. The difference in quality of players, even from mid table premier league players, to Championship division players is very noticable.

I played against blackpool when they were in the prem, leicester when they had svenn, blackburn, and against stoke. Mind you i am talking about lower table teams or on the bring of the championship, who still earn high wages.. upper echeleon teams are of course in a different class and are in the small percentile. Those guys are there for a reason... and you want to tell me even in top clubs there are players who you ponder how they made it? John o shea? Neville? Titus bramble? They have proven they can play now, but did they have such a different quality to arrive?

You mention "решимость" on your Twitter profile (determination in Russian) - how well do you pick up the languages of the different countries you're living in?

I'm impressed you caught that! Language is one thing i find important to understand. Even if you absolutely butcher the language, teammates are usually appreciative... the worst thing is when a player comes over and doesn't make an effort. You become an outcast pretty quickly

As a youth coach, I would like to know your opinion on the youth system in the United States verses Europe and the rest of the world.

Great question. I am actually coaching a youth team in Germany as well, and working on my coaching license here so I think i can accurately answer that. I think that in the united states we produce pretty technical players, however when they play against competition which isn't challenging them it doesn't let them understand the ins and outs of the game. In Europe, the overall level of a youth team game is just faster, and they seem to understand the game at an early age because they are surrounded by it. Its the environment that hinders them, and i think the only way to change that would be to have them play teams from abroad so they can have different types of challenges.

One website gives you a market value of 50.000 €. Do you think that's accurate?

I honestly don't know how they come up with that... I've had it go up and down periodically, so i don't really know how the value is determined to be honest

How long were you in Serbia? How was playing for Metalac like?

Did you get to play against Red Star or Partizan and did you feel the referees are biased when those two are playing?

I was in Serbia about 6 months. It got to the point i couldn't deal with not getting paid regularly. I must say the quality of player there was incredible, but the conditions for living were very bad. In metalac, the locker room toilet was a hole in the ground, and we had players living 5 people in a hole1 room apartment. That was when we played against big clubs like partizan too so it's pretty comical

who had the wildest supporters? have you played in any of the bigger and well known stadiums in the world? where would you like to play at? whats your favorite pitch?

I remember a club in Ireland called shelbourne had insane fans! They would chant some of the sickest stuff. I have always had the dream to play at anfield... i hope one day it will happen. My favorite pitch was in Norway at molde.. they have a stadium which is on the watering of like a peninsula

Do you think you'll ever be called up to get a cap?

I was actually moments away from it... when i played in Latvia we got to the 2nd qualifying round of Europa league. We played .fk molde from Norway, and if we won we would play Stutgart in the next round. We played home and away in Norway, and lost 2-2 on away goals... before the 2nd game against molde my agent called me to say he was contacted by ussf and that if we advanced i would be called into the next national team camp. We ended up not making it through, and a week later i tore he ligaments in my ankle while playing in a friendly against rubin kazan from Russia. My chance disappeared pretty quickly... however i hope to have another

Good luck, my man. Hope I see you on the big stage one day.

I appreciate it! Thanks for the question

What did you think of the Molde side? Norwegian football is pretty shit at the moment, but Molde seem to maybe be able to gather an okay side if they can build on the one they have.

I thought Molde was awesome! They had a African guy up top who was on loan from some Russian club... i want to say his name was diarrah? He was unstoppable when he had his back to goal

Were you ever on Football Manager? or FIFA?

When i played at longford we got these papers to fill out from some company, and were told its regarding football manager. Needless to say when that game came out i rushed to get it and see what my ratings etc were

What are your thoughts on the MLS? Kind of a vague question, sorry...

Any question is a good one. I think mls has made enormous strides in the last few years. I have had a few chances to play there, and it's getting hard to not take them as the conditions are getting better. For now i am set on trying to get to the highest level i can, and constantly improve. I think Europe is the best place for that at the moment

whats the best soccer movie you've watched?

Victory! Seeing stallone play keeper makes me cringe.. kind of like watching jersey shore... its a guilty pleasure

Messi or Ronaldo?

For club or country?

The English clubs always have this air of prestige. Are they as pretentious as they seem?

Id say that most of the players seemed pretty down to earth.. in fact, i found it was the opposite of pretentious. In Latvia we played blackpool, and after the match we had a little room set up for dinner. It was pretty normal stuff like chicken, pasta, fish. Since i was the only one at the club who speaks English all the players from balckpool came to me and asked if we had some food which was "less fancy"... the club had to then bring out pizza and French fries because it's all they wanted. I remember once they brought it out, the players didn't even take plates but just started eating out of the bowls with their hands.. was a sight to see for everyone

In fairness Blackpool at that time were pretty down to earth anyway. Their manager Ian Holloway, when they were in the premier league, always brought them lunch in the boot of his car, wrapped in tin-foil, and made them wash their own kit in order to keep them grounded.

Ian was awesome! I remember when we had a social function after the game i just stared at him waiting for him to speak because everything that came out of his mouth was priceless. He would speak to his players like they were school boys as well, and spoke about football in the simplest of ways. During the game he screamed at his players "IF YOU CAN'T DO IT JUST GIVE IT SOMEONE WHO CAN".... never spoken so pure

After watching the women's team do amazing at the world cup do you think Abby Wambach could cut it on a male professional league?

I think he is a great player, but there is a big difference between women and men's football. There is a women's team in Sweden called umea fc... Marta played there and they were once the best team in Europe. They had a game against a u-18 team from the same club and lost maybe 8-0... things like this aren't published so readily

I think he is a great player

Subtle.

I just noticed that mistake! Don't know if it was cognitive or just a typo haha Came out pretty funny though!

What's the best way to improve my play? I run every day and have no problem with stamina or speed, and I know how to fake and do moves, it's just I can't in a game. I always over complicate things and think too much, and I either don't do the move or do it too late. I play regular field soccer as well as futsal. Do you have any tips for me? Thanks!

Just practice as much as possible, and when it's time to play just have fun with it. When you put too much pressure on yourself it usually won't work. If you focus on enjoying it more times than not your performance improves drastically

What encouraged you to play in Europe?

I actually did not plan it so to speak. I had winter break from college, and a friend of mine had an apartment in Spain. I went to visit him, and while i was there happened to meet an agent who got me into one training at a club in a very low level. I showed i could play then he took me to the farm team for mallorca and i ended up staying for a year

Do soccer players have lifestyles similiar to NBA or NFL players here in the states? Are they generally more toned down or do they party harder?

Id say it depends on the team you play for. Some teams train everyday, and twice a day 2 times a week. Then you stay in a hotel on game day. When you live like that partying is hard to manage. But then again in the off season i was shocked at how quickly the cigarettes and powder would come out... that's about as far as I'll go with that one

What do you plan to do after your soccer career?

I am part owner of a soccer training company called supreme soccer. I hope to use my knowledge of the game to help kids learn the game and get college scholarships. I am hoping that i can make a god move in the future so i can make it a free service if i have money to put up font

What's your favorite club?

Definitely Boca Juniors. I grew up watching Riquelme and he was a big hero of mine

Riquelme is back with the team!

I know! I am very excited to see him play again.

was it difficult for you to become a pro?

That's a difficult question to answer... I love what I do, so any hard work, or hard times I endured i did it with a smile so to speak. I think if you love what you do it becomes easy because you are willing to put in whatever effort it takes, and believe me i put in a lot

How many times have you played in England, and if so, who did you play?

I have only been to England once, the games we played against English teams were always abroad. When i was 15 i spent time at Stockport counties youth team.

When I read your Iama, I thought: "where have I heard your name?", and then I realized that you played in my local championship! I'm from Latvia, btw.

Anyhow, I wanted to ask how do you rate the level of Latvian Higher League, what is its strongest side/ weaker side, and what should/ could be done to improve the level of Latvian Higher League?

EDIT: typo

That's pretty funny! The Latvian league is good, but i think the top 5 teams pretty much make up the quality of the league. The rest pretty much fight not to get relegated. I think the level can be improved when clubs are not allowed to go bankrupt and then form another club with a different name in the same city. Many clubs gamble and pay players money thinking that if they get into Europe then the money from uefa will hold them over... then when thy don't get into Europe they fold. Jurmala vv was an example of that

This is great, man! Seriously wish you could put out more of your stories. It's great to see a footballer come over here . I've always thought footballers are smarter than they are given credit for. What do you think?

Haha I have met my fair share of intelligent guys, as well as complete idiots. Just depends on the person. I personally hate when i meet a stupid football's because you literally have loads of downtime, so why not read and educate yourself rather than play fifa all day?

awesome AMA. what tips would you give someone chasing the dream? hard mode: im over 21 ;(

Age doesn't matter, and neither does past experience. If you want it and are willing to do anything for it, nobody can stop you

What team do you want to win the champions league this year?

Dortmund... they play great football, and i think it would be good for german football

Thanks for the AMA, I created an account just for this.

What does it take--or what did it take for you--to play professionally? (i.e. how often do you practice, what do you do to practice, etc.?)

I have literally trained practically every day of my life since I'm about 7. I used to simply just play and practice normal stuff, but as i got older the attention starts getting focused towards tons of running and weight training as well. Football is a very subjective sport. Its not like swimming or tennis, where the result is a number or a win. There are 11 players on the field and ultimately a coach or a scout decides if they like you or they don't. Once you understand how it works its all about having a strong belief in yourself and what you are doing which will determine how successful you are. Because as many people who think you are brilliant, there will be a few who think you are nothing special... its all about persistance mad belief. I hope that answers it justly

You said your Jewish and you've played in Latvia and Serbia. I hope its not the case, but have you experienced any racism while you were there? Eastern Europe has quite a bad reptutation of racist fans

Thankfully no... i did come across many people who have never seen or spoken to say Jew before. That was interesting, but no racism. Also, in the shower i was asked a few times why i look different(most eastern eu isn't circumcised) Haha

Thanks for the reply. I hope you end up having a great career. You said the US national team almost calle dyou up. How about Israel?

Israel never contacted me to play there. To be honest it would a hard choice to make between the two. Usa is my home and birthplace, while Israel is my heritage and would be meaningful on a whole different level.

What is your impression if the scandal currently facing your sport.

Which scandles are you referring to? At the moment there seem to be many

Could you explain a bit about how transfers work? Do you just get a call from your agent if a team wants you, do you go with who ever pays the most, or a league you'd prefer? Essentially, how do you decide where you want to play, or how have you decided in the past?

Usually starts with my agent speaking to another agent who represents a club... or sometimes a hotel lub contacts you directly. I actually once was contacted on Facebook of all places by a representative of macabre tel aviv, and before i knew it i was on a plane to Israel. Other times a coach who knows you from one way or another gets in touch with you somehow.

How would you rate the MLS skill level compared to various levels in Europe that you have played in? Do you think the MLS is getting better?

Mls is definitely getting better! The difference between now and when the league first started is staggering. Id say mls is definitely equal to most European leagues outside of Italy, England, France, Spain, Germany, Holland... that's a lot of countries lol.. ok maybe it has a bit of a ways to go

Hi Nate, thanks for doing this AMA! What clubs and countries have you played in at a professional level, what division have they been and which of these is the toughest league you have played in so far?

Toughest in which regard? I think the most physical league by far was in Ireland...Serbia was pretty tough as well because most of the teams i found to be pretty even so every game you knew is going to be a battle. I have played in 7 countries, or 8 if you includerica. I , and what i listed them previously

Do you get paid at every level and every county?

Yep, been paid thankfully at every level... sometimes late, sometimes on time. Sometimes you get a lot sometimes not so much. I am just grateful to be able to play the sport i love and live off of it

is there ANY league who allows for instant replay in regards of referee decisions? and how is the attitude between the players for instant replay?

I have never seen instant replay used, and i am not aware of it being implemented... i think it would slow down the game too much

How common is doping in soccer?

Depends on the substance. I know diet pills are pretty common and most of the ingredients are banned. Most teams have a minimum body fat percentile, and if you surpass that you can get fined or even breach your contract. So many players try to keep themselves lighter that way i guess

What would you say are the chances of moving to Europe with no resume and starting from some lower lower league team and slowly progressing up? Like how would one get a chance to even try-out for such team with no agent or anything? I'm talking about 7th tier or such

Literally just call the team if it's at that level. You would be surprised how many teams would give you a shot if you contact them directly and not through an agent... most clubs dislike agents anyways. You really only need one to negotiate later if there is significant money involved

In an ideal world, where would you like to be in 5 years? Also, do you have any regrets over moves you've made in the past?

This is a great question and one I ask myself daily. I would like to be at the highest level which is possible for me... whether that's where I am at now or in A.C. Milan. I am obsessed with competition and that is why i play. I don't want to put a limit on where I hope to end up. As long as i am always able to play against players who challenge me i feel it is a success. Of course i have regrets, but who doesn't. When i was younger i trusted agents too much and was in awe of everything. That is why i played in so many places. An agent would call and say, this can get you a,b,c and me being inexperienced i just would so ok and go

what do you think about Messi? what do you think about Barcelona's Tiki Taka and their Masia Students philosophy? favorite league to watch?

I love messi... he is brilliant. As far as tiki taka i think it works perfect FOR BARCELONA! What i absolutely cannot stand is when i heard youth coaches from America for example saying they want to implement the la masia philosophy for American kids. It simply won't work. Have the kids play to their strengths is what i believe Epl for me is the most exciting

Why are soccer players such good actors?

Because the ref are gullible! I am against diving, but if you are in the box and get fouled...its common to try your luck and go down to get a penalty

what CLEATS ('murica) do you currently rock and do you have to buy them yourself or do you basically get as many as you want?

also have you had the chance to watch mario gotze or reus play in person since you are in germany? they are some of my favorite in the world !!

I usually take whatever brand my club is sponsored by.. how it usually works is you can get about 2 or 3 shoes, and when they rip you can get new ones... some clubs i play for give you whatever you want, some clubs give you a certain amount of money towards a brand. It all depends

This is the internet.

WE'VE seen things YOU would not believe.

Not in person!

What things have you seen that we would not believe?

See the above comment

Why don't people use /r/casualiama if they're not going to provide proof anyway?

I provided proof

What do you think about fixed matches? Have you ever played in this kind of match? Are all europeans league corrupted?

You can literally baton anything these days. Its very common for some guys to bet on which team would get the first corner for example, and then subsequently make that happen. Doesn't effect the game, but it's still fixing a situation for the benefit of money.

But don't you think that some game are fixed? The result too.. I've heard they just broke up a big network and discovered that about 320 matches were fixed...

We don't know to what extent they were fixed.. could be for little things like i mentioned... when players already get huge salaries, they is no reason to risk it...

Hardly professional - you would have called it football otherwise.

I call it football, but didn't want it to be confused with the nfl...plus even in Ireland they call it soccer.. currently in Germany if you are American they frequently address you as a soccer player if you are American

In Ireland we mainly call it football.

Source: I piss Guinness.

I found in Ireland they call gaelic football... and real football soccer... guess it depends who you ask

True enough, also in your location. As a dub we tend to call it football. Also what did you make of LoI? Standard of football, culture, facilities etc?

I thought the LOI was good before 2009 when all the clubs went bankrupt. I can't even keep track of which clubs exist anymore. I think there were 2 years or so where the league wa on the up, but in my opinion they paid the players too much and it collapsed when the economy started to go downhill because nobody could afford the entrance fee. The culture is something i still miss to this day! Irish have more banter than any place in the world! Facilities were hit or miss. Tolka park for example is always a dream, but then the likes of sporting fingal and other less popular teams were pretty bad.. and if you ever had a cup tie... in limerick for example ... forget it!

Proper spelling of Gaelic...fair play! Have you ever found that playing football professionally has gotten in the way of personal relationships and/or have you ever used your career to get into a ladies knickers?

When i first started playing in Ireland i would regularly have women from the town recognize me and just flat out ask me if i wanted o go home with them. In the beginning unfortunately i always said yes. That was years ago though, and now i am engaged to a german girl, and stay away from the night scene

I call it football, but didn't want it to be confused with the nfl...plus even in Ireland they call it soccer.. currently in Germany if you are American they frequently address you as a soccer player if you are American