Scoring is AZ: Jozy at Alkmaar

His coaches have always complained about it, even going back to youth level (Schulz):

One problem, say all the men who have coached Altidore -- Schulz included -- is that he is not consistently intense in daily training sessions. This was a big reason why he rarely saw the field in Spain and why Villarreal didn't have second thoughts about lending him first to Xerez and then to Hull.

"He's a laid-back lad, to be fair, and sometimes he can train like that," says Iain Dowie, who in mid-March took over as Hull's manager. "He's got to get into training as if it's for real. Everything he does must be to the nth degree. At times he can be languid."​

There's also a lengthy thread on the subject in the USA Men N&A forum:

https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1415424

Of course, it's full of posters making excuses for him, instead blaming malicious journalists their mean-spirited stories and coaches who don't understand him...

 

Yea, thats no good. A player has to treat practive and go at it like a real game. With full intensity, because thats hwo one builds fitness for it.


He is too much into that Allen Iverson Mentality lol.

 

And Allen Iverson [pound for pound one of the greatest athletes and competitors of the last 25 years] was probably one of the rare exceptions who didn't need to bring it in practice like 99% of the population, as gifted and ferocious as he was. Apparently even notorious disciplinarian John Thompson relaxed his demands for Iverson. Sorry for thread drift.

 

Interesting how the afore-mentioned languidity appears to manifest itself in his right arm at times.

 

Yea, I am no expert or big fan of Bball, but Iverson I heard was like a son to him because how he looked out for him. Doesnt surprise me he has a 'soft spot' for him.

Altidore though, to be fair is no 'Iverson' in soccer though. Imagine if he played soccer instead of football/basketball like he did in HS!

 

I still think this is an excuse to give him a rest and an easy way to give him a kick in the butt.

Benschop is horrible. We'll see how long this lasts.

 

At this point he should not need that.

 

He's played non-stop for 2 months. Most continuous Soccer he's played since MLS.

 

this

 

Yeah, but Bball fans would say that even if Iverson wasn't the most committed trainer, he left nothing in the locker room come gameday.

Jozy, on the other hand, has acquired a reputation as someone who has all the tools but lacks the work ethic in training/preparation and the hunger to win the day that marks a truly great player in the making.

 

Jozy came in today at the 73rd minute.

 

Don't know about the second assumption, but it seemed that Jozy had trimmed down a bit during the last two friendlies so maybe his health is better and he is working harder, albeit he probably could work harder according to his coach

 

If a coach wanted to rest him, he would rest him. He would not make up an excuse.

 

The coach may be sitting Jozy, but when Jozy came on, they did score 2 goals.

 

sometimes you can accomplish two things at once

 

Altidore's incredibly inconsistent, a fact that didn't go missing by the AZ fans.

He makes some decent plays, yet then cheaply and easily gives the ball away or makes poorly timed runs.

It's definitely not the Allen Iverson type of a career, an 11-time NBA All-Star, a 4-time scoring champ, a career ~ 27 pt scorer and a 2001 NBA MVP.

Iverson's "practice" whine is actually quite undestandable - as a little guy, he was getting beat up so much during the real games, he needed time to recuperate in his off days. Asking him to go hard in practice didn't allow the healing process to take place (FWIW, the GB Packers coaching staff routinely lets Clay Matthews, Chuck Woodson and Chad Clifton sit out the mid-week practices).

 

Jozy is no Iverson. He's more like...Eric Snow.

I like Jozy, but he's soft. If he had Clint's mentality, he would be a great player.

 

Yep, people like to make excuses all they want. But in the end Altidore isn't working hard and as long as that continues he will not improve.

 

Eric Snow was tough as nails but had very little talent. He was scrappy and could guard guys half a foot taller than him. Anyway, I hate these cross sport analogies.

 

He is improving, this year he has taken a big leap. Again he more than likely is working hard, but his coaches want to push him even further. imo they see vast potential and want to maximize it

 

Jamaal Tinsley for those who followed the Pacers. He had great skill looked great at times. Never wanted to train over the off season, reports of slacking in practice.
Cross sports analogies are not so bad when referring to athletes.

 

Yep. The question in a lot of club's minds is whether Jozy is willing to do what it takes to maximize it.

 

Jozy will turn 22 next week. He's getting close to the point where he'll no longer be a "kid with enormous potential."

Beasley was 22 when he made the move from MLS to PSV. He wasn't considered a "kid" at that point.