Sponsored Links:
Getty Images
Leeds United's Davide Somma could play for Italy or the US, but he wants to play for Bafana Bafana.
At the beginning of this month, football website imscouting.com did a survey, in which they listed the most efficient goalscorers currently in the English Premier League and English Championship.
The list included household names like Rafael Van Der Vaart, Didier Drogba, Dimitar Berbatov and Florent Malouda, but at nNo.1 was a South African. And no, it wasn’t Benni McCarthy.
Bafana coach Pitso Mosimine must have been delighted this week as Davide Somma this week publicly declared his interest in playing for South Africa. The Leeds United striker has scored seven times in seven games in league and cup for his club this season, with three of those appearances coming only as a substitute.
With Katlego Mphela suddenly struggling for form, and Bernard Parker and Sthembiso Ngcobo hardly what can be described as prolific, the Bafana coach is even more likely to want to have a look at Somma in next month’s Nelson Mandela Challenge against the USA in Cape Town.
Ironically, if Mosimane does not express an interest in Somma, it could be that it is the US, for whom the 25 year old can also play, who decide to call him up. And there is a third country that Somma could also represent, as he holds an Italian passport!
Somma was born in Johannesburg, playing for Edenvale Football Club in the east of the city. When he was 12, he moved with his family to the USA. After spells in Italy, and in Major League Soccer in the US, with San Jose Earthquakes, Somma moved to Leeds in 2009.
After spells on loan at Chesterfield and Lincoln City, where he came third in the club’s 2009/10 Player of the Season awards, Somma finally hit the big time at Leeds this season.
Somma scored twice in 15 minutes on in his first appearance for Leeds, coming off the bench in a 3-1 win over Milwall, and he has added further goals against Leicester in the League Cup, Preston North End and Middlesbrough.
Somma has already received the backing of a former Leeds United and Bafana Bafana legend, Lucas Radebe.
“Davide said he wants to play for Bafana and I think he would bring something to the squad," Radebe told Football365.co.za recently “I chatted with him when I was in England last month and he was very impressive. Anyone who can score goals at that level has to be worth a look.”
Somma’s next chance to impress Mosimane and his club will come tonight, as Leeds, currently 16th in the Championship, but only five points of sixth place, host second placed Cardiff at Elland Road.
|
|
sonwabile"sox", wrote
sbu, wrote
@Kas ure a clown, can we plz not make soccer a race thing. @Nhlanhla u make a valid point however 2nd division in England is quite different from Mvela league, tho the title Englans's best is also very misleading LOL we need goal scorers this boy seems to be a genuine talent, I agree Patterson and Kermit must definitely be included in the squad. But if somma is a goal scorer give him a chance (only coz we don't have strikers-if there were better players he must wait for his chance too)
BradMan4RSA, wrote
Atlast a coach that has his eye open & is wising up to what is required to make footbal successful in RSA & raise Bafana Bafana to international standards. Football should represent the talent & not be controlled by some elite ppl seeking power & wealth. Viva coach, give the boy a chance.
Nhlanhla, wrote
What division does Leeds play in? I get worried when people start calling for players to be included in the National Team simply because they play abroad. This takes us back to the years of indifference where foreign coaches like Stuart Baxter and others based their selection on where one played their football and seasoned benchwarmers at club level were automatic starters at international level. That is how the slide downwards started, only now are we starting to climb up the FIFA rankings and that is because we now judge players on merit, talent and contribution. There are players already in line to get their opportunity to shine like Matthew Patterson who has been patiently waiting his chance and we know he deserves a run, players like Kermit Erasmus have also been waiting for a chance. It makes little sense to go after a player we know little about and have him skip the queue when you have players we see week-in week-out in the PSL waiting for their chance to shine. We need to give the national team the respect it deserves. I have never heard of people punting for a player in SA’s second division to be given a chance; why should it be different for this boy simply because he plays in England? There are so many factors to consider before one is even a candidate for Bafana Bafana.
Anonymous, wrote
@kas well said. that kind of thinking is exactly whats wrong with bafana. if the idiotiotic racists at safa dont change their ways and start picking players on talent instead of skin colour bafana will never become a top 20 team which is what the talent in our country is capable. but until then we will continue to play diski and tell the europeans to keep their football
De-jongz, wrote
Pisto must include this man in the nelson mandela challenge and must give him a call quickly before being taken by other countries.
Kalied, wrote
@Kas...you're a darn racist. The national team is already black, how much more transformation can you get? I'm a coach in Athlone and those boys will give bafana a run for their money. We need the best and need to stop worrying about race...Get over it or else this country won't grow the way we all want it to grow.
Saffer exile, wrote
I watched this bloke at Lincoln last season and he single-handedly kept us from being relegated. He has definitely got the quality to play at a much higher level. Pitso, sign him up!
sbu, wrote
@Zaheer and Brett: Sies! BB has never and never will be based on race. Maybe favouritism but not race. All SAfricans do not understand why Modise is still in the team??? (and I say this as a pirates fan. Coaches have favouritism, when Parreira was here I wonder if u clowns would be saying the same. SMFH pls check ure facts before u start the race thing.
Kas, wrote
I'm not sure what good will come out from picking this white boy. As a national team we might need to see more transformation in the national team & picking this guy might delay the process.
Lebengho, wrote
Oh no!Not a another Dundee!If he was SAfrican he should have raised his hand for Under23 team a long time ago,he wont be a solution to our problems.We can just take anybody in just because he plays in England!He is in the 1st division and leads are down at no1 which is not good for him.And he is already 25!If he was younger I wouldnt mind!I think thats Pitso's headache!Maar haai man,he can go to USA since Italy wont even give him a look.Sorry boy,we do work with mushrooms!
sibusiso, wrote
Gung Ho Davide Somma, you'll dafinately get a chance and so is Pattison its only a matter of time....the coach uis not there to fulfill any ones wish, his job is to deliver and form a world class team so far we on the right track.
Tshepo, wrote
I Think He must given the chance To show us South African What He can Produce as Currently We dont Have Profilic Striker and Last Week I saw Pitso AT around 22H00 AT QUEENSWOOD MY CONCERN WAS MAYBE HE IS LOOKING FOR A STRIKER
Matthew (Leeds fan), wrote
As a Leeds fan i am shocked on how long it has taken for anyone here to take note of his talent.Pitso should have been chasing him up a while ago. he is Leeds top scorer alrady this season.
Zaheer, wrote
Dream on my man, u look like you've come from a very affluent background & your complexion looks weird in terms of SAFA requirements(NOT BLACK). I sincerely wish u da best of luck on both performance & being allowed to represent South Africa.
JVL, wrote
JVL, wrote
LL, wrote
If the guy is good and displays patriotism, why not include him in the Buffoons squad. @Anonymous, I agree with you Pattison, he is a class act and a consistent performer for Sundowns and I see no reason why he is not in the team. Besides, persevering with morons like Modise, Mokoena, Gaxa and Letsholonyane is pointless
Ryan , wrote
Brett, you're an idiot. Interesting that we have another foreigner playing for us - well, not has foreign as Pierre Issa or Hand Vonk (now those guys were odd selections). He is a little bit old for a striker though.
Pule, wrote
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Services
Buying a car has never been easy. Motoring.co.za contains a large database of car listings with a user friendly search.
Start searching today »
Business Directory
We like to make your life easier
Mobile
Browse IOL on your phone at m.iol.co.za.
Newsletters
Subscribe to our newsletters. News delivered to your inbox!
Comment Guidelines