Scoring is AZ: Jozy at Alkmaar

Good lord that article from Leander reaches a new level of stupid.

 

This god damn it this.

 

As was mine....I admit to being a bit on the dry side, but I thought it was chuckle-worthy, at least.

 

Was anybody expecting him to be available for qualifying?

Imagine that, a misunderstanding between a German and a Dutchman...

 

That typically ends up with someone warming up Panzers and Stukas

 

More likely the Dutchman spitting on the German and getting sent off...

 

Maybe this is why Verbeek was so pissed at Kilnsi. From ESPN,

If Jozy Altidore's club coach wasn't happy with Klinsmann before the Belgium game, here's hoping he wasn't watching ESPN's telecast. According to sideline reporter Rob Stone, Altidore -- who recently returned from a hamstring injury suffered during the Gold Cup -- limped to the U.S. dressing room at halftime before being replaced by Juan Agudelo for the final 45 minutes. Klinsmann told Stone his forward "didn't have the legs" to continue.

That might not sit well with AZ Alkmaar boss Gertjan Verbeek, who reportedly had an agreement with former U.S. coach Bob Bradley not to call in Altidore for these games. Of course, Klinsmann had yet to see Altidore after leaving him off the squad that faced Mexico last month and had every right to select him for a game on an official FIFA match day. Still, letting Altidore skip the Costa Rica game, in which the 21-year-old played just 63 minutes and which fellow veterans Steve Cherundolo and Clint Dempsey were allowed to miss, would have been less risky.

 

I'm totally with Verbeek on this one. Jozy was/is still recovering. There's no need to fly him to the US and back to Europe within a few days.

 

Ditto. Jozy should have stayed in Europe. Let Agudelo/Bunbury/Pontius have the Costa Rica game.

 

I don't feel that bad for Verbeek, especially because the second game was in Belgium. The Low Countries are tiny, so by definition Brussels is a stone's throw from Alkmaar. Jozy has been back in Europe since Saturday and played 45 minutes on Tuesday.

It's not that bad. Klinsmann has a job to do and if he wants to have any hope of pulling off a new formation, he needs his key players to gain experience in the system.

 

Sure, Klinsmann should have just called up one of the other quality forwards we have to take his place. Oh.....never mind.

 

^^^ this, and it got him further down the fitness road

 

There is one reason that Verbeek might has in mind that could explain a lot about Jozy's career. Jozy has never seemed to have great endurance. Verbeek may have been implementing a training schedule for Jozy to make him an honest to goodness 90 min player. Maybe that is why he's had so much difficulty with other teams, that is, they came to see that, if he played, there would have to be a substitute for him in almost every game. No coach wants to be put in that position. Is Jozy a 90 min player or not? I think not and that Agudelo will supersede him because of that.

 

Agudelo is a long way away from surpassing Jozy. I'd still like to see them play together. I really think they can compliment each other well.

 

I am just happy Verbeek cares what Jozy is doing. It's refreshing to see him actually in someones plans.

 

Only if he's scoring, you see. European football is a ruthless business. You think if Jozy had 0 goals, Verbeek would be saying anything? Nope.

By the way, this is a Jozy thread and he started/played 45 minutes yesterday in a 4-0 win.

 

According to the match report Jozy was on the field for all 4 goals although he was not mentioned as being key in the build up to any of the goals.

Sounds like Verbeek took him off to rest with a 4-0 lead, not punitively.

 

He was involved in the 3rd goal, but peripherally.

I think it's good that he got some rest.

 

AZ is 2nd in the league after 5 games. 2.4 pts/game, 2.8 goal scored/game, and 0.6 goals conceded/game.

 

if the guy doesn't want a guy to get called in don't sign an international. Klinsmann is doing his job and he should call him in as long as he's fit and it's a valid break. he's one of the better forwards in the pool right now and you can't expect a team to go three games without their players. Hell i thought it was stupid not to bring donovan to the second game. When Jozy's with his club fine he should be committed but that shouldn't prevent him from playing with his national team during valid breaks. He wasn't injured. He was fit. And sorry, it's just a fricken plane ride. He didn't have to run a triathalon.

 

The games were non-competitive fixtures though. Managers hate it when their players get called in for rather meaningless friendlies (ie. against CR at the HDC). But if it's a qualifier match, then they have no real standing to argue.

IMO, AZ's manager had every right to be angry at the situation.

 

So how are you ever supposed to get a team integrated for important matches if you can only call them in for important matches.

 

Manager's don't have to be reasonable. National team coaches don't have to, either. Taking it public makes him look a bit whiny, but that's about all.

 

Altidore hasn't scored since this thread started. Anyone else have the irrational suspicion that we Jinxed him with the thread title?

 

Yes, I'm sure of it. This was a terrible idea.