Somewhat new to these boards, but curious what if others are fed up with Clint Mathis. Yes, he can get you goals when he's on. But I don't think he's on very much. Too often, he disrupts the flow of play (unlike a guy like Lisi) by holding onto the ball and making zero value-add passes. To top it off, his behavior is atrocious. I was no choir boy on the field, but the elbow yesterday was not only malicious- it was stupid because it happened right in front of the ref. What compels him to behave like this?
Frustration... He's not at the level he used to be. the pressuree is on him to perform and he's not responding. He knows that...that gets him frustrated. He does not how to keep his head. I dont mind him playing aggresively, but on the last couple of games, every 50/50 ball he went for, he either won the ball, or he committed a foul. If it weren't for another one of our lucky last-minute miracles, he'd have *#*#*#*#*#ed up our season again.. It was a stupid, child-like play and if he thinks he can play in Europe w/ that kind of attitude, he must be in another planet. I am sick of his childish attitude, he's got a lot of talent but he spend most of the time yelling at his teammates. He needs to get his *#*#*#*#*# together or he will be just another "could-have-been". D!ckhead! BTW, that polish guy sucks! I hope he proves me wrong soon!
This is Clint's "stinky time of year." It's becoming a pattern: 1) comes out strong in the spring, 2) goes away with the National Team in the summer months and perfoms adequately, but not spectacularly, 3) comes back to the Metrostars with rumors and visions of European offers dancing in his head, 4) struggles upon his return, 5) gets stupid Mohawk haircut and sabotages any chance of a Euro-contract, 6) doesn't score for several games, 7) begins beating up opponents, thereby racking up cautions and ejections, 8) becomes team-spirit poison helping the Metros playoff position to drift away. I say keep him until spring of next year. Let him have his "good time of year." And then when he's peaking in late May, trade his sorry ass to the first fool who'll take him.
whoa!!! these are some harsh judgements! i'm sorry if i invaded your board, but i didn't know it was a metros board when i entered (i thought it was a national team board from the title), but after reading the comments i had to say something. Commenting on Clint with the Nats so as not to be accused of trolling, I will say that i have to agree with most of these arguments. I do think that Clint is overrated, and i've been saying this for the better part of 2 years now. Obviously, the guy has some skills, but it seems that he goes out to the field, expecting everything to be easy. He walks around the field, tries SPECTACULAR passes when a simple through ball would suffice to put someone on goal, and just seems to disappear during long stretches of games. It kills me to hear people who pen him in as a striker for '06, as i think those people are just out of their minds. Bottom line is that he is a selfish headcase who puts his own advancement ahead of the teams ............. kinda like Marco Etcheverry has begun to be with DCU the last 2 seasons. As for his play against Convey in yesterdays game ........ well, i was at the game and was looking right at it when it happened. A cheap shot if i ever saw one, and he deserved to go!
I have to agree with Metro_tico on this one... Clint has been one of favorite players but all his whining and missing PKs and getting ejected is getting really obnoxious...he is hurting the team, and for the most part it doesn't seem like he cares.
hey onefine, i think i speak for a bunch of here when i say, it's cool to post here despite not being metro, so long as you're not comin here to be a d0uche...i've been known to head over to your boards and talk soccer with some of your guys, its all good
thanks bob. you know, the thing is that during qualifying, when he and josh wolff were doing their thing, i was on the bandwagon. it just seems that Clint now doesn't care about his teammates ....... at ANY level. i mean the guy is now out of the USOC game against DC AND the game against the Quakes in SJ because of his antics. You guys should be PISSED because of that. I would be if he were on my squad. By the way, the Franchino episode actually wasn't his fault .....
Maybe the Franchino episode in the USOC quaterfinal wasn't Clint's fault, but it *WAS* Clint's fault for allowing himself to get baited. Everyone knows Franchino is the biggest thug in this league, next to Kovalenko. If Clint didn't know it, he wasn't doing his homework. Clint should've gone into that game repeating this mantra to himself: "I am like Jesus, I am like Jesus, I will turn the other cheek, I will turn the other cheek." Dumbass.
I am a Rev fan but a much bigger USA fan so I am not here to troll. I think there is more to this story. The drop off in productivity and skill at such a young age suggests something that is not visible. I seriously wonder if there is a substance abuse issue or a psychiatric issue. You don't usually see someone's skills drop off this dramatically at what, 26 years old? And the drop off is very , very obvious for those of us who don't get to see him often.
but what did he do to get baited?? i don't think that he did anything. all he did was cover up in the fetal position and protect himself from the punches that Franchino was throwing. in a way, it was much like Ruud Van Nistelrooy against Arsenal. He was the recipient of the abuse ........ not the abuser.
I believe Bruce S may have hit on Clint's possible deamons in his post. I only hope someone in MetroLand tries to see if there is a possible problem Clint has that has not been brought forward as he is too young and talented to look and act like this.
I think he just has a cocky attitude and when he became the best player in the USA he lost his drive and starting acting like he's god. After his injury there is no way a person with that attitude is going to come back, heck a person with a strong drive couldnt even come back 100%, let alone some soccer diva. It happens more often than you think to people in all sports. Its just the attitude one brings to the game. The kid was hungry and had a cocky attitude in the begining that helped him do alot of good things. Now that same attitude has made everything gone to his head where he thinks just cause he's on the pitch he can do it all. Just look at all those kids around the world(specially Europe) that come into the scene. Every year you see some kid tear it up, then 2 years later hes playing for some 3rd division outfit or on the bench on some sad ass team. Theres only a few that stay in top form every year and those guys, as much as they have a cocky attitude, work hard at it everyday and not just think cause someone said they were good they dont have to do anything anymore and the ball is miraculously gunna go off their feet and into the net. And really Clint needs to wake up because his game is a physical one and physical players like him only last for so long. He doesn't have the technical skills to play into his mid 30's or have a physical advantage. He only has about 3 more years left in him and after that it will be all downhill(if it hasnt started already). Thats why MLS/Metro shouldnt resign him, atleast not at league max.
I watched Clint develop as aplayer while he was at the University of South Carolina with Josh Wolff. He was a passionate, fiery player then, but even moreso now. I, too, am fed up and distrubed by his lack of control on the field. He needs to start getting back at these jerkoffs that are "baiting" him by putting balls in the net instead of forearms to the skull. His incessant jawwing at the referees and other players - opposing and not - takes him out of the game and disrupts it for whatever team he is playing on. He is an player who has talent that will never be fully realized as long as his emotional IQ is rooted in "idiot" range. It's actually quite tragic. OZ was right about two things: 1) Clint is a talent and 2) Clint is a talent that needs psychological/psychiatric help.
In all seriousness: All you have to do to understand why Clint is Clint is visit Conyers, GA (about 25-30 miles east of Atlanta) his hometown for a couple of days. There is something in the water there.
I dont think his skills are dropping off... im pretty sure they are all still there and sometimes he even displays them. Its the mental aspect of the game that he needs to control. It seems like its more of a job to him then a game. He acts like he is only there to make his cut. When your not having fun on the field then your game suffers and i think thats the spot Clint is in now. The two game suspension should really help him refocus his mind set. Watching a match from the sideline tends to make players want to be out there on the pitch performing more than any other time. Hopfully this is the case with our badboy.
A psychologist you are not. Could his "drop off" maybe have somethng to do with 3 knee injuries in 3 years? Nice baseless accusation. Moron.
All things considered, his being out could be a plus -- in both games. The team will look among themselves to score, for one thing: to Woly and Magee and others, too. We may have wasted 25 minutes of every game relying on Clint to score. It's an ill wind that blows nobody good.