Rumor: Jozy Altidore - New European Interest

I don't get the Jozy mentality criticism. I really don't.

You can accuse him of being to driven by $, I suppose, but if he had skipped Sunderland and gone straight from AZ to an MLS gig? Then we'd have 30 threads on how he was chicken and never tested himself bla, bla...

I mean, we'd all be happier if Jozy were just plain better. But absent that, seriously, has he ever pulled any prima-donna stuff even close to unusual for the average top professional striker?

 

The reason he's so divisive is he looks like a world beater against bad to decent teams and an after thought against good teams. He has rarely (outside of maybe the 2009 confed cup, of which his play promised so, so much for USMNT fans) done well in big tournaments or big games against top opposition. But it's clear he has talent and has the tools to succeed, he just hasn't. One great year in the Netherlands and a few great ones in MLS does not make a stellar career and for most long time viewers, given his size, strength, touch, and intelligence, Jozy should've made a few FIFA covers by now. He probably could've and should've done better at Sunderland for a variety of reasons, some his, some his teammate's, some the shitshow that the club has been for years now, but his record is pretty damning and will sadly live long in the memory

 

But what part of that is "mentality?" (save making some poor footballing choices for money.)

He's not as good as we hoped. I agree completely. He can get in line, to be honest.

But I don't understand this "mentality" issue. He showed up every day at S'land, despite that place being an obvious mess, played hard, didn't grouse much, even when it's clear it was a disaster from top to bottom...

Anyway, I just don't get it. Wood turns down a transfer to MLS when he's gotten on the field 6 times, I think, in the B2 and he's a "warrior." Jozy fights through terrible Sunderland season, comes to MLS and wins hardware and he's got "mentality" issues... ok. Whatevs.

 

The only time I've seen Jozy live was the play-in game for the Confed cup in 2015. It was really hot and balmy, overwhelming Mexican support in Pasadena against a pretty good Mexican team and it was one of the most frustrating performances I've witnessed. Jozy seemed really sluggish, would sooner try to cop a cheap foul than beat a guy and contributed basically nothing, despite being our focal point that day. I agree the Jozy hate is overwrought and probably steeped in things other than his performance on or off the field. It could also be that as a fanbase we've been absolutely starved for good forwards that we're especially harsh on them. I saw Bobby play too a few years ago in Berlin. He too contributed nothing (despite trying hard) and bitched a moaned about it till he got subbed off and his replacement scored the game winner. Go figure.

 

Which the fans noticed. Normally, when a striker not only fails to be the saviour of the team, but fails to score, period, the fans turn on him en masse. The Sunderland fans didn't. By and large, they recognized that, on the pitch, he his game was a complete missmatch with rest of the team and it was even worse off the pitch. They felt sorry for him, mostly.

 

Ah so like EJ at Cardiff when everyone cheered when he finally scored.

 

I was hanging around the readytogoforums back then and at least there it was not pity, it was disgust, bunch of hate and laughing. His performances were pretty bad but some of the stuff was just vile. Easily could have been different elsewhere but that is not what I observed.

 

Fan forums are undedited and even unmoderated and attract the trolls, the haters and, especially, the f-bombers. Fanzines, fan-run websites etc, are more selective and take a little time before posting, which is why I tended to look at those, along with the local newspapers.

I'm not saying I didn't see withering criticism, because I did and plenty of it, but they didn't single him out any/much more than the rest of the team and there was also a recognition that his struggles had deeper origins than a lack of ability or a bad attitude: that was one where others - the others, actually - got real hatred.

 

Look man, your the one crying like a little girl over jozy criticism. I just recently defended Jozy in another thread big-time.

My problem is, those who cry for players who choose the easy path with extra support over the harder path and then the fan base wants them to do more. (there is nothing wrong with that).

Your also the one who brought in MB90 into a Jozy YA thread...…...first. To beg for everyone to stop criticizing him along with Jozy.

Do you have a personal connection to these players?

 

Lol. You been inside too long, bruh?

I'm sorry you didn't *aktually* know what Wood's year looked like.

But it's ok. We won't hold it against you too long.

It is kinda funny you've gone from swinging by this thread to take potshots at Jozy to swinging by to make potshots at me. But I gotta go, my mascara is running and Taylor Swift is doing a live zoom concert!

 

Who is we?, Jozy and Michael Bradley?

 

You can call me Queen B, Bruh.

 

Some potential new interest on the cusp of the transfer window closing:

Source with knowledge of the situation confirms numerous teams have inquired about Altidore's availability for a move. We're tight up against the deadlines, though.

Should be a fun final day or so for a few USMNT players with European interest. https://t.co/6Rhyo9pauX

— Paul Tenorio (@PaulTenorio) January 30, 2021

 

Not sure he can get off the plane without straining a hamstring, but good luck to him.

 

He'll undoubtedly be heading to Hammarby where Aron Johannsson's experience has shown they know how to keep an old American sports car running, regardless of its problems.

 

This ESPN article makes it sound like he wants out permanently, as his relationship with Toronto has soured.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-...dad-and-tobago-due-to-injurypossible-transfer

The only interested club it singles out is an unspecified Liga MX club.

 

Jozy's grossly overpaid but damn the club if they keep paying him 6 million a year to play in half the matches he's available for. Would be interesting to see him in Liga MX.

 

According to twitter ,ymmv, it seems he has had a falling out with basically everything MLS. Again, ymmv.

 

I know we all respect Jozy’s career contributions, et all, and I think he takes too much of the blame for Couva...

But it’s funny that he got a minor injury to hold him out of a game because he had a falling out with his club and needs to go sign with a new team. Seems like an evergreen scenario.

 

Cruz Azul was interested earlier this year:

That Liga MX team that was reportedly interested in Altidore in January? Sources told @joshuakloke and I that it was Cruz Azul.

More details in our piece: https://t.co/C2CM1smuox

— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) June 14, 2021

 

He definitely needs a change of scenery. I think he would do well in Mexico

 

Nobody in 2021 is going to pay Jozy Altidore anywhere close to $6 million to play soccer.

Makes me thing about MLS circa 2014. I hated how some clubs just started paying Americans stupid money to come back to or never leave MLS.