This can't turn out good. . .

[IlliniRacer]

Brazilian phenom, 9, catching attention of pro teams (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/soccer/01/27/phenom.ap/index.html)

:rolleyes: Now every loud-mouthed "the older I get, the better I was" dad/coach is going to be going ape*****. I know one in particular who is out there yell and screaming at 7 year old like its the World Cup Finals. Of course, since he's a prominent doctor the pansies at the Park District won't do a thing.

HE'S 9 FREAKIN' YEARS OLD!!!

When you're nine, boys rule and girls drool.

:shakehead Maybe I'm just getting old and turning into my father.

[WickerBill]

I concur -- the only thing the big clubs are doing is trying to save themselves a few million in transfer fees a decade from now. If the kid turns out to be great at 16 and he's playing for, say, Ipswich Town, or even River Plate, ManU will buy the kid anyway for a transfer fee. They're just trying to avoid that by hoarding all these kids and then selling them out on loans to smaller clubs.