Grimandi finally speaks! Grimandi finally updated his website's journal on Friday May 8th. His latest entry is entitled "Why I left America." http://www.icons.com He explains his reasons for leaving and tries to clear up speculations about why he left... Well, although he states that there were multiple reasons for leaving, he is kind of vague on what those reasons were. His leadline quote is "I felt very isolated away from my family in France and this was not good for my confidence." He claims that as soon as he arrived, things weren't as he expected and he was "uncomfortable" (from what exactly he does not state), and that his unhappiness grew to the point where it affected his play. I suppose he missed his family back in France. (My question is: I know England is only a channel away from France, but didn't he also miss them while he was in England for so long?) Then he mentions reports saying that he was leaving because of anti-French feeling because of the war. He doesn't state what he felt about the war, but talks about how he was abused on the street with comments from people who knew he was French. Then states that this added to his uneasiness about being in Colorado. He asks that people respect his decision, and then says no one is to blame for his exodus--although he mentions that he was very upset with the way the Rapids organization handled his departure. The club treated him "so badly" when he decided to go. Albiet, he says the players on the team were great to him when he told them his desire to leave. Then he talks a bit about Arsenal and his days there and not having any regrets about leaving there and stuff. But then he talks how he's been training still and keeping fit and that he desires to go back to England to play! He feels he's still got it in him and that he wants to return to the premiership. But he states that no plans have been made yet; he isn't lined up with any club yet. So it's got me thinking: what exactly were his "personal reasons" for leaving? Something else was involved, not just the family issue, since he still wants to play soccer (and play it away from home and away from his family).
Re: Grimandi finally speaks! This is such a complete load of shiiiiit. During the preseason, the majority of Rapids fans on this board wouldn't have recognized him walking down the street. Does he actually expect people to believe that people are going to look at this guy and shout "hey! he's French! Get him!" As conservative as the state may be on the whole, unless this jackass was walking around Colorado Springs with a sign around his neck that said "I'm French" I can't imagine that people would have said a single thing to him on the street. He makes it sound like he was in the Best Buy down the street from the training center, and suddenly and in-store announcement came on: "Frenchman in aisle 4. Frenchman in aisle 4." I've never been in favor of our military action in Iraq, but these words are a complete insult to Coloradoans and Americans as a whole. Rot in hell, jackass.
Re: Re: Grimandi finally speaks! Those were exactly my thoughts when I read that he was "insulted on the street". A complete load of crap and I don't believe it for a second. Hang up the boots, has-been.
Grimandi is a moron. He would have been a hit over here, and he would have brought so much to our game. He could have been a great mentor for some of the youngsters at Colorado. Whatever, typical Frenchman.
he probably was insulted for being french. if he went out to buy something at a store or something like that the cashier probably recognized his accent and kinda made fun of him. when i was in france, they recognized that i was American, and they made fun of me there, and i'm not famous or important. not all of them bothered me about it, some of them liked me. but there are scenarios that could happen, but it probably didn't happen often. i don't think it was at an extent of something that would convince to leave though, and i don't think that's why he left.
I believe him While I'm sorely disappointed that GG is leaving, I'm going to stand up for him. Colorado is so full of idiotic cowboys and right wingers that I believe it is totally plausable that Grimandi was hassled and possibly even threatened by someone or someones. Would you stick around if you felt threatened just because of your nationality? Would you be willing to stay in a place where you know people are packing heat and, in the "war" fervor, might be willing to use it on you just because you are French? I know I wouldn't. It is a damn shame that he was driven out by such morons and a bigger shame that the Rapids didn't make more of a deal out of it. The Rapids could really have used his experience and talent this year. Judging by last night's match, they will struggle without him.
Re: I believe him No, it's a damn shame that Grimandi himself didn't make a bigger deal out of it. If the case was as you describe, Grimandi could have had full FIFA backing to get out of his contract with no financial responsibility whatsoever. Instead, Grimandi stuck around and made sure to honor his contract by showing up to training. Doesn't sound like a guy too worried about his well-being by staying in Colorado/America nor someone who was torn apart because he couldn't be with his family. No, I think it's clear that Grimandi simply began to entertain offers to play for French or Italian clubs and simply made a decision that he preferred that route instead.
Re: I believe him Come on now!!! Full of "Idiotic cowboys", "right wingers", and "morons" who are "packing heat" and looking for Iraqi's and Frenchmen down at the 16th St. mall!?! Perhaps good doctor you should follow him if your view of the people who feed you is so skewed. But hey not a bad defense, take the blame off the guy with no fortitude, and place it on the community. I think it all boils down to the fact that GG wasn't at all prepared. I think he underestimated the level of play over here, and found out quickly it wasn't going to be the cake walk he had envisioned. But now he is gone and the only thing left to do is speculate. It is unfortunate timing in regard to the war and the political climate that has gone with it, but the bottom line is he signed a contract to do a job and he didn't fullfill his end of the bargain. He left his little comfort zone and started backstepping! So I say call it what it is, nothing more than excuses for not having the balls to live up to your word. In the long run they are better off without him! Now I hope the Rapids can get their focus and win some games. C'mon boys!!!!
You know ... I'm sure when he spoke it was recognized that he was french and that there were some morons that busted his balls (which sucks) and I'm sure that may have played a small part ... BUT ... I've lived in England and I'm telling you that I'm sure he heard plenty of anti-French sentiment over there BEFORE the Iraq thing. I mean Englishmen really do not like French people on a whole and there is plenty of ball busting going on (especially in the Media). So I'm sure he wasn't too shaken up by the whole thing (Though I'm sure his fame protected him from direct ridicule). But basically, I think it's a load of crap on his part. Missing his family COULD be a real thing though. London to France is like NY to DC. MUCH different than Denver to France.
A new theory, given the current amount of flack (deserved at that) that Hanki is getting. Maybe Grimandi just figured out that Hanki is a tool and didn't want to play for him, so decided to jump ship before it sank. I don't buy the BS about Colorado being hostile to the French (California and Texas transplants get more flack here than foreign nationals) and although Colorado has a lot of military personel, most of them are located well south of Denver in the Springs. In Colorado, we enjoy the contrast of liberal Boulder and conservative Colorado Springs, it makes for healthy debate.
No doubt in my mind that was a significant factor. Likewise I'd believe it if he really did have some pressing family issue he was trying to deal with (such as saving his marriage or a dying relative). European players playing outside of their home country are routinely returning home for a few days here, a long weekend there. This seems to be especially the case with French players in the EPL, who return home whenever they're injured or are told in advance that they won't be playing over the weekend. Regardless of the personal reasons, I have no pity for this jackass. We all have personal issues with our work, and many of us have relatives that live very, very far away. I've no doubt in my mind that had Grimandi expressed true interest in playing for the Rapids they would have been more than willing to give him as much time as necessary to deal with a major personal/family issue -- even if it meant the entire season. That is, assuming it was an issue that hit suddenly and was tragic in nature. If the guy is having marital problems then I'm sure they started long before he joined the team for the preseason. I don't think this is such a new theory, and it's the one I have the most belief in. I'd say it's part Hankinson, part his teammates, part the training facility, part the potential offers of playing for a team in France or Italy. The impression that I get is that Grimandi was without a team for a significant period of time, and like other Europeans in the same situation made considerations of playing abroad. America and MLS is a new consideration for these players, many of whom have wound up playing in southeast Asia or Japan. Yet upon arriving here to actually train, and realizing that there was only a pool of 20-some-odd players (as compared to 50 or more) to train with -- many of whom college kids -- he was simply disillusioned. I also wouldn't be surprised if he was getting tackled hard and/or beaten off the ball by a number of these college kids, and realized that not only is this a tough and physical league but that he'd have to really work to be a star. In any event, I really don't see any understandable excuse for this jackass, given that there was a contract settlement and so few public words about the situation.
Oh come on, now. Surely you've all seen the tripe posted on the France-bashing "discussions." If I were French, I'm not sure I would want to live here if I didn't have to. I doubt he was being physically threatened or outright abused. Perhaps his reaction wasn't one of fear but one of disappointment. When I turn on the TV and see persons in Congress referring to French fries as "Freedom fries," or dimwits pouring French wine down the drain, it embarrasses me more than a little. I'd bet that, if we were Americans playing for the French league, if we knew that we could make a fine living in the states, if we missed home, and if we constantly witnessed dippy forms of anti-Americanism (if not scary forms of it), like, say, throwing McDonald's burgers in the Siene, then many of us would probably think, "Fine, you don't want me, then I'll go home." Give it a rest. He had his reasons, and they're not bad ones.
That's funny, as the Americans that are playing professionally in France aren't saying they're bothered by the anti-Americanism that they run into over there. They've all said they encounter it but that their teammates and organizations are very professional and keep it off the field. We're not going to give it a rest. Grimandi's reasons are not only shiit, they're reasons that that only go to show he's an unprofessional jackass. Doesn't matter what country he's from. Foreign players in MLS have had to deal with much worse sterotyping and insulting behavior than Grimandi (supposedly) endured. Besides, is Grimandi so stupid that he believes what he sees on TV and reads from anonymous posters on message boards? The rest of the world can make a distinction between our government's politics and the beliefs of the people, but apparently he can't. Boo hoo.
I've been reading the boards for a while now, so let me see if I get this straight. Homesickness + annoyance at dim-witted anti-French sentiment = bad reason to leave Homesickness + failure to crack first team at Bayer Levekusen while a teenager = good reason to leave To be honest, I don't know why I'm posting any of this. I'll admit that Grimandi's behavior was a far cry from being professional, and I don't care that much either way. Still, I don't think his reasons for leaving, if I interpret them correctly, are any better or worse than the reasons others have had.
I don't know that anyone has mentioned Donovan yet, and since he's in the Western conference, I would prefer if he just went back to Germany and honored his contract, especially now that the Leverkusen boys are facing relegation. We're just pissed we didn't get a player, and short of some really good reasons (family, marital issues, etc...), any excuses are probably going to fall a little short for someone who is playing a game that we all love for a living.
Personal reason + personal reason = Bad reason to bail out on your contract Personal reason + professional reason = Good reason to try to negotiage better circumstances. Last time I check most players who aren't getting playing time and feel they should try to find another team to go to, and Donovan never walked out on his contract with Leverkusen, or floated the idea of getting FIFA to annul his contract. He just negotiated with Leverkusen to stay in MLS. Leverkusen still gets the money when they sell him eventually.
Flatout, the reason people are pissed is because his bagging on his contract robbed the Rapids of bringing in another player and practicing with someone else during the preseason. Now, there is a gaping hole in the middle of the field, and nobody to fill it. I don't care if he's French, British, American.... he's a jackass for leaving the team hanging out to dry.
Although I agree with you about the reaction of the rest of the country (Freedom fries? People are ridiculous), the diatribes against Monsieur Grimandi didn't happen on these boards until after we found out that he was leaving. Until then, it was nothing but optimism for the season. Look what's happened now. Grimandi can't be entirely to blame for what's going on (*cough* bad coaching *cough* fire him now *cough*), but having a player bail out for purely personal reasons for an entire season when you were counting on him is extremely difficult. How can you blame people for getting upset at what Grimandi has done?
I know someone has already brought this up but it deserves reinforcing to anyone who hasn't lived in England. Trust me, Grimandi DEFINATELY received 1000 times the abuse in England being a Frenchman, as he could possibly have received as a no-name walking down the 16th St. mall once or twice. Please. This pratt left because he has no conviction and no scruples. Bon Voyage dickhead.