Villarreal sign 18-year-old American ace <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Spanish club Villarreal, who finished second in La Liga last season, have agreed to sign New York Red Bulls ace, Jozy Altidore, according to SkySports. The reported transfer fee is said to be $8million. The Spanish outfit beat a host of top clubs for his signature that included the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid. “I’m just excited about a new challenge,” Altidore told the New York Times. “And whether I stay with Villarreal or get loaned out, I’m excited to be going to play at a higher level. “I’d like to play in the Olympics, but if the club might say no, but then again, that’s in the future.” Villarreal already have one American in their team, former Manchester United player Giuseppe Rossi, 21</div> Great for him, to get the experience in La Liga.
The future of the US national team. I've seen him a couple of times too, (when they show the games), and he looked great out there. Especially for the age he has.
I can actually root for the Red Bulls now that that jackass Bruce Arena is gone. Altidore was awesome for them last year, though.
I was there at the stadium when the Red Bulls played Barcelona in the summer of 06, with a bunch of Balkan friends. (from bosnia, croatia, and serbia) I just saw on some website that they'll be coming this summer again, in August to play a friendly match. Have to be there to see it. Last time the stadium got like more than 75,000 fans for that game. lol
Never seen him play, but he seems like an interesting talent. Anyone in particular you'd compare him to?
Thanks, from what I get the media didn't have a chance to criticize him at too young an age, like they did to Adu a few years back (poor kid couldn't handle it, it's a relief that he moved to Benfica), which is great. Good luck to him at Villarreal, I'll be keeping a tab on him.
He should only get better while at Villarreal. Its going to be great seeing him and Adu and the US at world cup 2010.
He's probably the best forward playing for the US right now and he's just 18 and has three caps to his credit. He made his first international start against Mexico, which is always played infront of a pro-Mexico crowd because the US insists on holding those games in places with large Mexican populations, like Houston, where the last match was played. Altidore is 6-1, 175, but has terrific skills and knows how to find space to create chances. Despite being so big, he is also very fast and if he wants to or has to, he will go through defenders to get at goal. He's also very difficult to push off the ball without hacking him down to the ground. Another thing about Altidore is that he seems to play well on big stages. Against Brazil in the U-20 World Cup, he scored twice, and also scored in the quarter final loss to Austria. He also scored 2 in the 9 goal thriller that was Beckham's first visit to New York. And there's always that Mexico goal. Here are some highlights (I think the clip starting at 6:02 is his first goal, when he was 16 and converted a game winner against Columbus): <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vqrrxho0Wb4&hl=en"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vqrrxho0Wb4&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> This goal shows his ability to run through a defense, and was scored against my beloved Revolution. Keep in mind that the Revs are one of the best clubs in MLS, he outran one of the fastest players (no. 2 - Igwe), held off Larentowicz (same size as Altidore, but 6 years older), and put it past one of the best keepers in the league (Reis): <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/n70YCXKr0i8&hl=en"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n70YCXKr0i8&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Altidore's goal vs. Mexico is here, at around 2:20. He finds space to get on the end of a cross from the right wing. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JKygZ35zwHk&hl=en"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JKygZ35zwHk&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Hmm...never posted a YouTube video before and it clearly didn't work. Could anyone fix that up for me? Altidore has the potential to be the first special, world class player the United States produces. He's got it all right now. He's physically imposing, he's very quick, he can blast the ball with power or placement, he's got a great touch, and he can find space for himself, unlike any other US forward.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (man_u_barmy_army @ Jun 6 2008, 02:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>1) i thought rossi was italian 2) never heard of the player but he looks promising</div> Rossi declared for the Italian National Team when he turned 21. He was born in New Jersey and was raised there until his early teens when he moved to the Parma youth system. Much to the dismay of the US National Team fans, he was never cap-tied and actually chose to play for Italy's youth sides. Altidore got left behind a bit in the U-20 WC press because no one thought he would be leaving until this upcomming winter transfer window. Other guys, Freddy Adu, Sal Zizzo, and Danny Szetela, probably got a lot more of the international press because they were looking for Euro-deals during that competition and played their way into Benfica, Hannover, and Racing respectively. It may have been one game and they weren't going head to head, but in the match between the US and Brazil in that tournament, Altidore looked more like the can't miss prospect bound for AC Milan than Alexandre Pato did. In fact, I can't remember Pato doing much of anything in that match aside from being hyped as a player to watch by the commentators. Altidore scored twice, though the second was more about Adu's astounding run in from the corner flag than Altidore's abilities.
I wish. Rossi declared for Italy and never played for the United States. I'm just hoping the same doesn't happen with Neven Subotic who just got bought by Dortmund and could play for US, Serbia, Bosnia, and possibly Germany soon.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (agoo101284 @ Jun 6 2008, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Hmm...never posted a YouTube video before and it clearly didn't work. Could anyone fix that up for me?</div> Not your fault. Only a mod can turn on HTML and embed the normal way. I think [youtube] tags work, but I never use them so someone more familiar will have to confirm that.
