Photo by ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Jozy Altidore's club career since heading over to Europe has not gone as well as he would have liked, and that might explain why Altidore was full of smiles when he announced the next phase in his career.
In front of a handful of media members on a hot Friday morning, Altidore officially announced his move from Villarreal to Dutch club AZ Alkmaar. The deal has not been officially signed as of yet, but terms have been agreed upon, with Altidore agreeing to a four-year deal.
"It's a deal, a permanent transfer, so I'm excited," said Altidore, who made the announcement as kids in his youth sports soccer camp practiced behind him. "Kind of a fresh start for me, and I'm at a good age. I feel like I'm still very young and at an age where I can still impact the game on the world stage."
Alkmaar finished in fourth place in the Eredivisie last season, and its roster boasts international talents such as Danish midfielder Simon Poulsen and Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero. But those aspects weren't what ultimately lured Altidore to sign with the club. Instead, it was AZ's unmatched drive that convinced the 21-year-old U.S. men's national team striker.
"I just felt the interest there was a different class and in a different category of its own," Altidore said. "What the club presented me was fantastic. I just wanted to go to a place where – anybody wants to go to a place where they feel wanted and feel like you're needed, so I'm going there to help the team out, and play in some good competitions and I'm excited."
One of the key figures in making the deal happen was AZ Alkmaar technical director Earnie Stewart, who earned 101 caps with the U.S. national team during his time as a player.
"I spoke to Earnie quite a bit actually. Obviously Earnie is a big influence on the whole thing, but he's a great guy and he's been very honest and I think that's been very helpful for me and my family," said Altidore, who added he could join the club as soon as next week.
When Altidore does put pen to paper to make the deal official, he'll end a three-year stint with Villarreal in which he made just nine appearances and scored one goal in league play.
Having been loaned out on three separate occasions during his time with the Spanish club, Altidore is aware of how important it is to find a stable situation. But he also admits that his time with the Yellow Submarine was far from easy and something he may not have been well-equipped to handle when he signed with the club in the summer of 2008.
"It was tough," Altidore said. "But I have to thank the organization. They were very great to me. It was tough. I never really got the run of games that you look for as a player to kind of get in the team.
"It happens, and I think I was at a time, too, when I was kind of still young and maybe it was a little much for me at 18. But it is what it is, it's behind me now and you just take up those experiences and try to make it better."
Altidore sounds eager to prove his worth as he embarks in the next chapter of his career, a chapter that will take him to a league known for developing attacking talent and one that he appears to rate highly.
"The Dutch League is like a school of soccer," Altidore said. "They teach the game very well, and they have that history of developing great players, so I'm hoping I can be one of those developments."
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What do you think of Altidore's move to Alkmaar? Happy to know the deal is a full transfer and not a loan? How will you look back on his time with Villarreal?
Share your thoughts below.
statistics are like mini-skirts. they give you good ideas, but they hide the most important thing
or negative $8 mil for Villareal. That’s got to hurt.
McBride was a fine wine…he only got better with age. There was a long time when he was extremely frustrating for USMNT fans. He got the name McHead because at one point that was all he could do!
He turned out as a legend though, so hopefully Jozy can improve the same way…Jozy I think has a better starting point.
Why doesnt he ask Nash for the money? Nash has the money and he made a documentary about a Canadian Hero.
We’re already starting to see good products from those academies. Juan Agudelo comes to mind.
I’ve talked about this a lot, but I’ll say it again. There are no prizes for moral victories and I’d rather win than garner praises from within our own land that “at least we didn’t dive.”
If Jozy’s embellishment wins a penalty somewhere down the road for us that helps us win a game, then I say fine. Like it or not, it’s a part of the game now.
Plenty of people disagree with me, however. I understand their points, but don’t agree.
Not good enough for Spain or England yet… but Turkey seemed like his level so Holland should be a good fit. Let him get some confidence going and then he can earn a spot to a bigger league.
I do think Josy can get better if he trains hard and focuses more. He should be spending more hours training than playing FIFA.
It is not true that players can’t and don’t change and improve with age. For example, while Wondolowski might not be the greatest international striker in the world, it is very clear that he did not become a major goal-scoring force in MLS until he was well past 21 and like him or hate him, you gotta admit he improved.
You are right, in general, that too many athletically talented players in the US get by on their speed and size and never develop the skills to go with them. Any player who is scoring goals, especially teenagers, are deaf to coaches who tell them they must work harder to develop better touch and skill. Players will respond to instruction when they start coming up against opponents who can negate their athleticism. An effective, and time-honored, practice in most of the world is for the athletes to be in games with similarly talented athletes so that skill will become a deciding factor. That often means some girls play with boys, some 10 year-olds play with 15 year-old and some 16 year-olds play with adults. Jozy did play with adults early-on, but he is such a physical specimen that even then his athletic talent could carry him even in MLS games and against Spain in 2009.
He does now seem to be receptive to the idea of “going to school” and that receptiveness is the first step, now he will listen and try what coaches have doubtless been suggesting for years.
The USSF had him when he was a teenager. Thats when you develop movement off the ball, tactics, etc.
We can hate Rossi all we wnat but he knows how to move without the ball and he pressures the ball when the other team has it.
I don’t think it’s unfair to say that to this point, his time in Europe has been an utter, unqualified failure. He hasn’t made a place on any team really, he certainly has not scored. His reputation hasn’t exactly been improved.
It’s not hatin’ but just fact that to say “has not gone as well as he would have liked” is sort of funny in how far it falls short of the mark.
Player A for USMNT: 39 caps, 12 goals, .31 goals/cap.
Player B for for USMNT: 96 caps, 30 goals, .31 goals/cap.
Player A is the legendarily sucky Altidore, and Player B is legendarily wonderful Brian McBride. And it shows, statistically. (not to mention the fact that Altidore is 4th on the USMNT list in goals per 90 minutes. What a terrible player.)
Good luck, young Josmer!
hhhheeeerrrreeee wwwwweeeee gggggggoooo aaagggaaaiiinnnn!!!!
Ives, can you guys find anything out about the prospects for Spector, EJ, Adu, Bradley, Jones, etc?
It is clear that USA’s youth development is not on par with the rest of the world. Spain, Germany, the Netherlands… they rely on their club youth academies to develop the players. That is now just starting to happen here in the USA with the MLS academies.
This will be critical for US Soccer and for Jozy. If we are to stick with a 4-2-3-1 or even switch to a 4-3-3, Jozy will always be our CF.
Good luck to him and I wish him the best. If Michael Bradley can score 16 goals in that league… I’m sure Jozy can knock in a few.
I hope you’re right
Congrats Josy and best of luck. The real USA fans are behind you.
Villarreal couldnt teach him from 18 – 21 years of age but apparently it’s all USSF’s fault. Think much?
don’t understand why he’s making this announcement before everything is signed? what’s the rush?
Forget the fact that Jozy’s technical skills aren’t that great. I just wish he would play with some heart and conviction.
He needs to pressure the opponent’s defense more, fight harder for 50/50 balls, don’t be afraid to head that ball and STOP FLOPPING.
>:-)
Thats nice, but
Do you have any innovative or thought provoking ideas that differ from the genius above me?
Didn’t think so.
Sad face?
I like the USA team, but
Jozy Altidore sucks.
“You have no clue what you are talking about if you disagree with me.”
LOL.
>:[
You have a fantastically irritating manner. But I cannot deny what you say. But this applies to pretty much every player in the US system: it is the very rare player who knows how to move off the ball. I fear that it’s a product of our hyper-competitive travel teams for 8-year-olds that breeds this. Say what you want about Adu, but watch him move off the ball. THAT SAID, I do think that Altidore is very valuable with his movement off the ball when he is in the box. His runs make a lot of space. Too bad Dempsey hasn’t been able to finish better….
Hey guys, only 2 days left to help Rise and Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story reach it’s target of $215k. I pledged $25. I figured why the hell not since a $25 pledge gets you a DVD of the documentary. Only $2,295 left to go!
Stay classy, brah.
Don’t ever believe the USSF especially with SATAN at the president’s position.
Man if he develops well he could be a solid striker if we make the 2014 WC with Bust Bradley, he’ll only be 25!
You have no clue what you are talking about if you disagree with me. The reason he ball watches and stands around so much is because he never had to think ahead when he was a kid bc he has always been a man child. He was allowed to develop bad habits that have turned themselves into his style of play what you see now. Name one player by the age of 21 that was still showing an almost complete misunderstanding of how to move and get himself involved in games that turned out to be effective?
Hasnt happened will never happened bc your brain is set in its ways. It can be done but a total rededication to the game is what its going to take. I have seen nothing from to think this is going to take place. I believe what my eyes tell me not what I hear from people like you or ussf for that matter
This is a great move for Jozy! I was concerned he would go to a club over his head and get stuck in the bench/loan cycle again. I think he will see significant first team action with AZ.
This is a good move for Jozy, primarily for the reason that one of the worst aspects of his games is his first touch…it’s often too heavy and lacks the skill to turn any defenders in tight quarters. Jozy is one of those guys that has to have the ball put right to his feet in space to score. The Dutch for many, many years have been renowned for developing player’s technical skills on the ball. Jozy needs that, and his lack of fine touch is why he was unsuccesful in La Liga, which is a league that thrives on ball touch and speed.
If they can “polish” the technical aspect of his game, he could develop into a real asset and true scoring threat for the MNT, rather than the very “hit or miss” scorer that he is now.
Did you watch the Gold Cup?
I’ve been more impressed with Agudelo than I thought, but we are definitely not ready to rest our hopes solely on him.
wow…..sooo how many 21yrs. old are the finished product.please start naming some players so, you know, you don’t come across as such a dbag. haters+jealousy=fail.
Heh Turd…your drawers are full of skid marks…
rumors are $2 mil
2 million…I think Euros.
Great move for Jozy and he’s only 21 hopefully now he can put all the things he learned in England Turkey and Spain together and get his career off the game its on thing to be playing in Europe but its another to play and score goals dempsey is a perfect example of that
The Points this Article means to make:
1. Grandpa Ernie is doing US Soccer a favor bc he knows I will always start Jozy no matter how much he ball watches and no matter how bad is first touch. So thanks granpa Ernie
2. Villarreal Finally found someone that would actually take him.
3. US soccer has failed him bc he is only 21 and he still needs major major developing to take place in his brain in the way he thinks and solves the game at the professional level. His coaches allowed him to get by on his pure athleticism and never made him learn to use his athleticism and his soccer to become effective. Most likely it is too late even tho he is 21.
4. He still does not realize how many holes are in his game and thinks he is actually good.
I hope he plays out the contract. Then he will be 25. Crazy how young he still is.
He’s got potential, but Altidore’s big problem is when he’s near the net he seems more focused on anticipating contact from an opponent so he can fall down and hope to draw a penalty/free kick, rather than being 100% focused on what it takes to put the ball in the net.
I think we learned in the Gold Cup that the USMNT needs Jozy on the field. Hope he carries his Gold Cup form into the season and continues progressing. I’ll be watching on fuzzy feeds.
Any idea what the transfer fee was?
Lace em up, Jozy, Time to do work.
“Jozy Altidore’s club career since heading over to Europe has not gone as well as he would have liked”
This may be the understatement of the year.
Good for Jozy. Hope he learns what it takes to be the best. I hope he learns the right technique and how to increase his work rate. I hope he proves the haters wrong, since I am one of them 50% of the time.