Pro Prospects: Goalkeeper lines up UK move

Pro Prospects: Goalkeeper lines up UK move
by J.R. Eskilson
September 16, 2015

Gabe Rosario has an exciting year ahead of him. The Carolina Rapids Academy goalkeeper is entering his last season in the Development Academy. For most players, that's a massive step in the path toward a college scholarship or professional contract. For Rosario, it is a swan song. 

The teenager already has his next step lined up. He will join Reading in July of 2016, his father Bobby Rosario told TopDrawerSoccer last week. The English Academy offered the youth a two-year scholarship after a training period this past summer. 

Rosario’s path to the contract had a lot to do with the road that his father had already paved. Bobby Rosario was born in England, and like many, fell for the game quickly. He was blessed with some attributes that not many had and conveyed that into a lengthy career in the game. 

“I played for 18 years with Norwich City, Coventry City, Nottingham Forest, Carolina Dynamo and the Charleston Battery,” Bobby Rosario told TopDrawerSoccer. “My son’s motivation with soccer has nothing to do with fame, glory or money but simply to outdo his father!”

Gabe’s been carving a name out for himself in his own time. He has been a star of the Carolina Rapids Academy in the Development Academy for the past three seasons. In 2014, he earned a spot on the Development Academy Select game during the December Showcase in Florida. 

Prior to the success on the elite club stage, the younger Rosario had a spell with Charlton Athletic. 

“Gabe has been on the fast track since he was 13 years old and whilst he was guest playing for a U15 team I took to England, he got the attention of Charlton Athletic when we played them in a friendly game,” Bobby Rosario said. “He spent two weeks with them and then returned to America for school.”

After the initial success, Bobby lined up a couple of opportunities for Gabe during this past summer. 

“Our plan this past summer was to spend two weeks with Reading and two weeks with Aston Villa,” Bobby Rosario said. “My colleague Neil Orridge set up our visit to Reading and I connected with my former teammate and Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood. After his first week the Reading academy director met with us and offered a two-year scholarship which we greatly accepted.”

Gabe Rosario will join Reading on July 1st and play with the U18s at the club, according to his father. Reading offers a number of positives that stood out to the family. 

“Reading are, I believe, only one of five clubs outside the Premier League that hold a Category 1 status and they are regarded as one of the top academies in the country,” Bobby Rosario said. “The academy goalkeeper coach Shannon Ruth has an amazing reputation of development and promoting players into the professional game and my son could not be in better hands.”

Gabe is leaving after his junior year at Hough High School, but the school has accommodated him and will allow him to graduate following this school year. 

His next step is earning his keep in England. 

“His goal is to work hard and impress his coaches at Reading so that they offer him a professional contract,” Bobby Rosario said.

Lederman to Florida

Former Barcelona Academy member and U.S. youth national team midfielder Ben Lederman has joined IMG Academy, the residential sports institute announced last week via a press release. Lederman has been the most high-profile youth player abroad after earning an invitation to join FC Barcelona’s academy at the age of 11.

Now, Lederman is 15 years old and trying to get back into the rthyhm of playing games after FIFA banned him along with a handful of other youth players from Barcelona’s academy. The Catalan giants are still under the microscope and fellow U.S. youth national team member Konrad de la Fuente (Miami, Florida) has been suspended for playing in games while the federation investigates how he arrived with the club. 

Scott on Europe

U.S. U20 Men’s National Team midfielder Kyle Scott is the lone U.S.-eligible player in the UEFA Youth League this season. Scott and Chelsea open up play on Wednesday against Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Group G play. Dynamo Kyiv and Porto are also part of Group G in the UEFA Youth League. 

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