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Prandelli: Rossi knew he wasn’t in Italy WC squad

By WTOP Staff

DANIELLA MATAR
Associated Press

MILAN (AP) — Giuseppe Rossi always knew he would not be in Italy’s World Cup squad according to national coach Cesare Prandelli, who also revealed on Tuesday that the United States-born forward almost wasn’t included in the provisional list.

Speaking for the first time since revealing his 23-man squad on Sunday, Prandelli explained he had been clear with Rossi since meeting with the forward in early May, shortly after his comeback from a four-month injury layoff.

“I met Giuseppe Rossi on May 7, before giving the 30,” Prandelli said. “I wanted to speak to him, tell him that he had played very little time. I was going with the intention to tell him he wasn’t in the 30. Then I understood that it could be something nice and a strong message for everyone.

“I told him that moment that he wasn’t in the 23…I repeated it twice. I also told him that it was a very hard decision because he is an extraordinary lad. I told him several times: “Beppe, you’re not in the 23.” We began to work. He always worked well, with enthusiasm. Everyone knew their role.”

Rossi was leading Serie A’s leading scorer with 14 goals in 17 matches for Fiorentina when he reinjured his right knee in January, sidelining him for four months.

Before Saturday’s friendly international against Ireland, the 27-year-old had played just 140 minutes at club level since returning to action.

“Before the last match I told him you’re good from a physical point of view, but that I wanted to see more on the pitch, the actions that a footballer unconsciously does,” Prandelli said. “I wanted to see a forward that plays as a forward. I even took off (Ciro) Immobile to see if that would help, but I didn’t see that which I should have seen.

“It would have been easy to pick him, everyone would have been happy. But it would have been too much of a risk. I told him he hadn’t completed his recovery. Obviously I’m surprised at certain reactions.”

Rossi and those close to him have expressed their disappointment and surprise at the striker’s exclusion, while fans have vented their dismay on social networking sites.

Rossi also took to Twitter on Monday to dismiss speculation that he was dropped because of fitness concerns.

While Rossi has returned home to New Jersey, the Italy squad has left its training base at Coverciano, near Florence, and switched to Perugia, where the Azzurri will play Luxembourg in a friendly on Wednesday before flying out to Brazil the following day.

There were fears earlier over goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu and forward Mario Balotelli.

Sirigu was taken to hospital on Monday night with pain in his ribs after his final save in an evening training session.

“Fortunately, tests have ruled out fractures,” Italy doctor Enrico Castellacci said. “The lad has badly bruised the right 11th rib, with post-impact swelling. It is a tedious and painful injury, but manageable. Now, we are much more relaxed. In short, there is no reason to alert possible replacements.”

Sirigu will refrain from making any diving saves in the next few practices.

Balotelli has trained normally despite complaints of pain and amid reports he has a groin injury. Prandelli confirmed the AC Milan forward is in the starting XI for the match against Luxembourg.

“Balotelli is very well,” Prandelli added. “He’s fatigued, but from all the work. I’ve never seen him work so hard. He is in extraordinary form.”

Castellacci said earlier that Balotelli had overstretched his adductor muscles, but that the staff were “managing it calmly.”

Italy opens its World Cup campaign against England in Group D on June 14, before then facing Costa Rica on June 20 and Uruguay on June 24.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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