New York Red Bulls midfielder Joel Lindpere released this statement today in regards to representing his native Estonia in international competition.
“I have decided to respectfully decline call-ups by the Estonian National Team for the rest of the year to focus on the remainder of the MLS season. I feel that it is important to help the Red Bulls firstly, qualify for the playoffs and secondly, compete for the MLS Cup championship.”
Lindpere will be available when the Red Bulls travel to Sandy, UT, to take on reigning MLS Cup Champion Real Salt Lake on Saturday, September 4.
redbullsreader.wordpress.com 
August 30, 2010 at 2:07 PM |
This is why Joel Lindpere is starting to become my favorite Red Bull. He should be mentioned in the same sentence as Henry, Marquez and Angel when talking about the Red Bull’s superstars!
Joel- Thanks for staying with the team for the Real Salt Lake game and thanks for adjusting your position and style for the team…
August 30, 2010 at 2:28 PM |
While Joel is becoming one of my favorites as well, I don’t think we should get carried away and say he is on the level of the big three. However, he is an important piece of the puzzle and by staying with the team he will help us tremendously vs RSL. Kudos to Joel for making the tough decision to pick club over country in this case!
August 30, 2010 at 3:06 PM |
Thanks Joel….!
we love ya!….
August 30, 2010 at 3:16 PM |
See oli nüüd küll ootamatu.. Minu poolt sa enam siia teretulnud igatahes ei ole, aga edu sulle Bullis siiski, reetur!
August 30, 2010 at 3:25 PM |
I think that representing your country is the most important thing in international football.. but he prefers money instead of his country. So we won’t see Joel for the next 3 very important games against Italy, Serbia and Slovenia.
Anyway good luck Joel and good luck Red Bull, but I’d like to tell him something, “(deleted)!”
August 30, 2010 at 10:36 PM |
In what way does money have to do with this? If anything, he is losing money as he would have got a bonus for appearing for his country.
Joel has been put into a difficult situation where he has to choose between his club and country because the MLS still inexplicably plays on international weekends.
I know it sucks if your an Estonian fan and you want him to play, but blame the league he plays in not him
August 30, 2010 at 3:36 PM |
I feel bad for all the Estonians out there who’ve shown their love for the team from afar, only to be shunned by their Juki.
But as a “Club Before Country” sorta guy, I love Joel’s commitment to the team, and he’s quickly becoming one of my favorite players. And honestly, who thought that Joel would pass up the opportunity to go to Salt Lake and cross Utah off of his 50 state travel list?
August 30, 2010 at 3:43 PM |
He gets my vote for Red Bull of the year with that gesture alone.
August 30, 2010 at 7:18 PM |
Thanks Joel! You have paid your dues playing for Estonia and now it is time to focus on the Bulls winning the MLS championship!
August 30, 2010 at 7:29 PM |
Next game we better have a chant for Joel! I’m buying a Lindpere shirt now!
August 30, 2010 at 8:14 PM |
Thanks, Joel. Red Bull fans are grateful for this sacrifice. We need you badly for the Real Salt Lake game. My vote for team player of the year.
August 30, 2010 at 8:54 PM |
Well done Joel! As if Estonia is going to be a contender in 2014. The Red Bulls need him more than his country.
August 30, 2010 at 9:05 PM |
Thanks Joel for your continued support and dedication to this team. I do understand some of your countrymen dissapointment but I’m glad that you chose to stay and represent us. We need to get a win at Rio Tinto. It’s going to be tough but we can make it happen. Let’ go Bulls!!
August 30, 2010 at 9:13 PM |
Playing for your national team is an honor, but I think the travelling is probably his main problem. Combined with travelling across a country as large as the U.S. must take years off a player’s life. Joel is great for Red Bull. I met him outside RBA after the Man City game. Great guy. GO RED BULLS!
August 30, 2010 at 11:17 PM |
I love Lindpere!
August 30, 2010 at 11:37 PM |
I believe that the NY Red Bull team needs to bring a brazilian player like Ronaldo 34 years old in order to fill the 25,000 seats SSS stadium with brazilians and portuguese fans that are not showing up yet, since the Red Bull refuse to bring a good brazilian player.
PS: Simply take a look at how the middlelands get fill up with more than 50,000 brazilians and portugueses whenever a brazilian team visit the area. There is a great potential of portuguese fans that need to be brought into the stadium, and the best way to do it, is by signing a brazilian or portuguese player like Ronaldo.
August 31, 2010 at 7:58 AM |
That’s what has been the red bulls down fall in past years, not to mention all the wastes that the team signed from South America when they were the MetroStars. The team is better with infusing players like Henry and Marquez with young guys like Kandji, Richards, and Tchani.
At this point in his career, MLS is too fast of a game for the overweight and not game ready Ronaldo. He isn’t even focused on being fit while playing in Brazil. What do you think will happen if he comes to the New Jersey New York area?
The team needs to keep winning, plain and simple. Too long this team and its fans have seen false hope with random South American signings. Thats why Rojas and Pietrovallo are no longer with the team.
August 31, 2010 at 12:22 AM |
When we signed Henry I thought every game would be sold out and then we got Rafa, I figuered tickets would sell for $100 on Stubhub. When we played Chicago there stadium holds 20,000 and they had 22,000 at the game (2,000 standing) I think Jorge must be right. Either way I love this team and people don’t know what they are missing
August 31, 2010 at 12:46 AM |
This club owes a lot to Joel Lindpere.
August 31, 2010 at 3:06 AM |
I would never give up the oppurtunity to play italy to play RSL. I applaud what he did, I’m just saying I could never do that.
August 31, 2010 at 5:31 AM |
Nvm joel, you just wont be in the 23 when we go to poland and ukraine!
now have fun in USA ! : D
One day you maybe understand what you did wrong 😉
August 31, 2010 at 1:53 PM |
I understand what your saying, but the truth is Joel is looking at it for the fact that Estonia has an extremely low chance of qualifying for Euro 2012. Estonia is one of the smaller countries in Europe (1.3 million people), and the likelihood they qualify is extremely remote. So having represented the Country over 70 times, he is probably looking at it that he has to travel all the way to Europe to most likely not get a result, while instead remain in the US keep his place in the lineup and advance his career. Its different than with Richards, Coundoul, Miller and Marquez they all play on teams with potential to qualify to competitions like the World Cup etc.
August 31, 2010 at 10:31 AM |
As an estonian I have to say it’s a sad, sad day for us. But I wont blame him. Sometimes You just have to make hard choices.
Joel, scoring against Salt Lake is a must now! No excuses. 🙂
August 31, 2010 at 4:00 PM |
[…] Lindpere turned down a call up to play for Estonia this week in a pair of World Cup […]
August 31, 2010 at 4:26 PM |
Yes, it is the MLS fault. They should not play during mandatory intl games. Why can’t they play from August to May, take 6 week break from December 20 to February 8.
August 31, 2010 at 4:35 PM |
So, why does Joel stay. 1) He has played almost every european country anyway. 2) He may only play half a game or get injured and ruin his income in U.S.A. 3) Estonia will not qualify for Euro anyway and he can play in games for Estonia from November until March. 4) He is sending a message to RBNY, “I am grateful to play for a club that invite me, pay me, and I play with Henry, Marquez, JPA and a solid coach like Backe, and RBNY will give him the exposure he needs to make more money”. 5) The travel is brutal. I am 100 percent certain, if MLS had a break for mandatory intl games, Joel would go in an instant.
August 31, 2010 at 11:00 PM |
[…] Lindpere turned down a call up to play for Estonia this week in a pair of World Cup […]
August 31, 2010 at 11:48 PM |
Joel, this is dedication to our great team.
September 1, 2010 at 12:29 AM |
THANKS JOEL, MARQUEZ AND RICHARDS SHOULD DO THE SAME….
September 1, 2010 at 12:34 AM |
Thank you Joel….it must have been a truly difficult decision but everyone supporting RBNY loves you for what you did. Now go win MLS cup!!!
September 1, 2010 at 1:22 AM |
[…] Lindpere turned down a call up to play for Estonia this week in a pair of World Cup […]
September 1, 2010 at 2:19 PM |
not world cup qualification, euro 2012 qualification.
September 1, 2010 at 3:20 PM |
even before this terrific gesture, it is hard not to love Lindpere’s tenacity and work ethic…when this season began, Joel brought a missing element to this team that immediately elevated the whole teams work rate. Now he has blended in perfectly with the Big three – well done, Joel