Caligiuri: Why Was Offer Withdrawn? : Soccer: U.S. team standout claims national federation acted hastily. He says he is willing to play for free if necessary.

A hero in November, unemployed in January. Paul Caligiuri said he was stunned when he learned Monday night that the U.S. Soccer Federation had withdrawn its contract offer to him.

But Caligiuri, a midfielder from Santa Monica, said he wants to continue playing for the national team as it prepares for this summer’s World Cup in Italy.

“I want to be with the team even if I have to play for free,” Caligiuri said from the team’s training camp in La Jolla.

“I hope it doesn’t come to that. I do need the money. But, one way or the other, I’ll be in Italy. Nothing will disrupt my performance or my attitude.”

Federation officials said Caligiuri, 25, can remain with the team without a contract as long as he is considered among the top 22 players by Coach Bob Gansler.

Caligiuri seems to be in no immediate danger of being cut. Although an injury prevented him from playing in most of last year’s qualifying games, he started in the decisive match on Nov. 19 at Port of Spain, Trinidad, against Trinidad and Tobago and scored the only goal to give the United States its first World Cup berth since 1950.

Federation officials also said Caligiuri will not have to play for nothing.

“He’ll be compensated,” said Sunil Gulati, chairman of the USSF’s international games committee. “It’s not very much, but it’s the standard for players in his situation.”

He said non-contract players receive $40 a day.

Caligiuri was among 16 players offered 12-month contracts by the federation in December. When he did not sign by the Jan. 14 deadline, the offer was withdrawn. The federation earlier had withdrawn its offer to reserve goalkeeper David Vanole of Manhattan Beach, who did not report to the two-week training camp, which ends today.

The other 14 players signed, but several have complained about the financial terms. They will play this year for between $26,000 and $40,000, a raise from last year but less than the $50,000 to $60,000 they wanted.

“Collectively, the players were looking for a better financial situation,” Caligiuri said. “But mine’s a different situation. This is not a financial dispute.”

He wants a six-month contract that will bind him to the national team only through the World Cup, June 8-July 8, not for the entire year.

“I want to return to Europe after the World Cup,” said Caligiuri, who played in the West German second division before signing last year to play full time for the national team. “But there are terms in this contract that restrict my flexibility.”

Gulati said the federation offered only 12-month contracts.

“I don’t foresee us offering him a six-month contract,” he said. “We will not offer anyone a six-month contract. We want commitments through the year.”

He added, however, that players could gain releases from contracts after the World Cup to sign with other teams if those teams pay transfer fees to the USSF.

Transfer fees are common internationally among professional teams, but they have not been required by the USSF in the past. Considering there is an infinitesimal demand for U.S. talent internationally, players believe transfer fees will make them even less marketable.

Federation officials contend they deserve compensation for the time and money they have spent in training the players. Gulati also said the transfer fee required by the USSF is significantly less than the standard rate internationally.

“Paul understands this very well,” he said.

But Caligiuri said he did not understand the federation’s rush to withdraw his contract offer. He was informed by fax of the action, which he said was taken before he had an opportunity to express his concerns about the contract to federation officials.

“I don’t know what I’ve done wrong,” he said. “I have options to go to Europe right now, but I made it clear a month ago that I wasn’t interested until after the World Cup. Coach Gansler said the national team should stay together. So I put my career on hold.

“But this has caught me off guard a little bit. I hope we can work out an amicable solution. I’m open to conversation.”