Rumor: Jozy Altidore - New European Interest

I think Donovan was already washed up by the time China began throwing around funny money to "stars"

 

Actually China can be a lot of fun.

 

To visit or to live for 3 years?

 

Heck Gazza went in like 2002 or something... of course after 4 games he ended up in AZ in rehab so perhaps it's all for the best...

 

Everything is relative but, compared with other pro athletes on his income, he is the complete opposite of the guys who wake up in the morning going "hey, it's Tuesday; let's buy a black Ferrari to go with the Porsche!"

The contrast was especially obvious at Sunderland. Some of their board posters - who were harshly down on him as a player - expressed sympathy for a decent human being who at least gave a shit and didn't flash his cash like too many others, especially the dicks in the Tuesday Club

 

Obviously a visitor from the Mexican MNT threads . . .

 

Tfc doesn't jump all over this? Not that I follow mls closely but got the feeling that Bradley and jozy were overpaid Americans?

 

How is this different than being a DP in MLS?

 

to live for 3 years for 24 mil?

 

I dunno. I think TFC was kinda ok winning things a couple years ago.

I don't think there's any overriding urgency to get rid of Jozy - he's well liked in TO, esp in the Haitian/Carib community, which is pretty big, but few clubs are going to turn down huge money for an older player.

 

Let's see,

1. US citizens are taxed on their worldwide income, so no tax advantages.
2. separated from fiancee for 10 months of the year, or her $10 million a year career takes a significant hit (fewer tournaments in Asia & they pay less)
3. off the radar/shitty commute for MNT duty
4. Breathing Canadian air versus Eastern China air https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Eastern_China_smog
5. Further away from the USA and Haiti => family, friends and his charity

Why the hell would he move? $2 million a year extra is worth it when you're on, say, $200k annually: when you're already on $6.3 million a year it isn't.

 

-millionaire/athletes change their living situations all the time for 2 mil more a year. -very few millionaires get to be/stay millionaires turning down millions of dollars.
-i would think two athletes in international sports are pretty used to spending some time apart
-no one (in us soccer) is going to forget jozy is there, and i dont think he (or anyone) thinks there are years and years left in his intl career

im not interested in this argument i just think acting like its nothing is...unusual. the argument you laid out though, would you feel the same if it were, say, used to argue morris staying in seattle vs signing with bremen? or any player choosing comfort, worse money, familiarity over a better opportunity?

cause THATS the argument to me. i dont see china being any better for jozy OTHER than money. but if he wants it, or the experience, or whatever reason id be fine with that.

your argument, however, looks a whole lot like "sign this homegrown deal with the fire, you wont know anybody in southhampton/hoffenheim/whatever. navy pier! family and friends!"...

 

I will say that it's ridiculous to suggest that moving to China is an automatic major lifestyle downgrade. A good number of American students move there just for the experience. It is true that a lot of soccer players come back from China early because they (or their partners) get homesick or couldn't adapt, but many are totally fine with it - guys like Paulinho seem pretty happy there, and I remember NBA guard Brandon Jennings talking about bullfrog becoming his favorite food during his stint in China.

 

Then again, maybe the Chinese can fix his hammy with acupuncture and salves. He could come back a Shaolin Assassin/number 9 and really lock down that striker position for the USMNT he has been chasing

 

That's not my argument. At. All.

If this was Jozy being offered $4.3 million to play for, say, Fiorientina I'd be all for it, Serie A being a far better league than MLS and Fiorientina offering EL footy: plus it'd be a chance for Jozy to silence the naysayers. The Chinese league isn't any better and, for the reasons I gave above, has a number of associated quality of life trade-offs

 

being with sloane stephens is not a consideration here...tennis pros travel all year long....the portion of the tennis calendar that is even in north america is a matter of months out of the year....besides, either one of them could hop on a flight easy....which is what they'd have to do now with jozy at tfc.....just might be a little longer on the plane...not really a factor, imo.

 

It's pretty striking that McBride got a move to a PL club at age 31 though maybe that was mostly due to a good loan at Everton and solid showing at the previous WC.

Jozy is still only 29. If it wasn't so much the case of his wages, I'd like to see him get a shot at some midtable French or Italian club to prove himself.

 

Just thought this bit needed repeating. Did he ever understand a single word they said?

 

Posts on the MB and Jozy rumor threads. You're really trying to gas me up this morning aren't you?

 

conversation overheard in Beijing...

Q: "Sir, would you like some wine with the bullfrog?"

A: "Absolutely. You choose, just make sure it's mighty fine!"

 

can only fantasize how he'd have performed in france or italy.

i wonder why he never returned to Spain.

 

Nice.


By which I mean Patrick Vieira's team.

 

Nothing for Jozy to do there except visit his boy Rossi.

 

yeah epl was bad fit for him...germany woulda been good....imagine a team like dortmund....after he did well in netherlands wish he wouldn't have gone to EPL.

he needed a team that was ball dominant and created many chances not the Hulls and sunderlands of the world....

 

He definitely found his level. A 29 year old is in the league he belongs in.