Tweet
ALTIDORE WOWS WITH GOALS
By Ives Galarcep
NorthJersey.com, NJ
Herald News
Oct 3 2006
Josmer Altidore sat at his locker last Saturday night trying to keep
a phone conversation going as he finished getting dressed, oblivious
to the gathering media forming a semi-circle around him. After
pleading with the person on the other line to give him 10 minutes,
Altidore looked up, and with genuine astonishment, let out a 'Wow'
at the throng of reporters.
It is a scene Altidore should get used to if he plans on continuing
to wow people with his goal-scoring exploits. There are few things
more exciting in soccer than the discovery of a pure goal scorer,
especially 16-year-old one. Altidore combines size, skill and speed
with an out-sized personality that screams confidence, not arrogance.
The Red Bulls, known then as the MetroStars, were fully aware of just
how lucky they were to be landing Altidore when he conveniently fell
to them at the 17th overall pick in the 2006 MLS Draft in January.
Word spread before the draft that Altidore would not be available to
play for whichever team drafted him until the 2007 because he still
had school commitments to fulfill. Then Metros coach Mo Johnston
offered a wry smile and a wink when told of the rumor and simply said,
"we'll get him and he'll be here way before that."
Sure enough, only moments after being drafted by the Metros you could
hear Altidore talking about joining his new team as soon as possible.
It took him six months to earn playing time with the Red Bulls first
team but he has spent considerable time before that training with
the team and soaking in the professional environment.
The months of seasoning have taken a player who was already mature for
his age and made him a confident player who doesn't look out of place
despite playing with teammates twice his age. Altidore doesn't just
fit in, he exudes a self-confidence that is refreshing after years
of young players in MLS who were either too shy or too self-absorbed
to really rally behind.
When you consider Altidore's skills and age you can't help but want
to peek into a crystal ball and consider what the future may hold.
The Red Bulls see him as the type of prospect who could perfectly
complement the highly-paid mercenaries set to invade Red Bull Park
in the summer of 2008. Can you picture it now? Altidore, a Newark
native, starring as an 18-year-old striker in the team's new stadium,
just a stone's throw from where he was born?
The bigger role that awaits Altidore is that of U.S. national team star
of the future. U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller said it best during last
summer's World Cup, that the perception of American players abroad
will really change when that dynamic young striker comes through the
system, that star goal-scorer capable of commanding an eight-figure
transfer fee.
Altidore is still a ways away from commanding a huge transfer fee but
his youth and skills generate hope that there might be a truly great
American goal scorer coming down the pipe, something U.S. fans need
after watching Eddie Johnson's stock drop like Enron's.
One person who won't be looking into that crystal ball is Bruce
Arena, who will do his best to keep Altidore's head on straight and
his progress as a player in tact. For all the head coaches who were
terrible at grooming talent to pass through MLS, Arena isn't one of
them. He has helped mold the careers of some of the best players to
ever wear a U.S. national team uniform or MLS uniform.
That experience, as well as the presence of former standout players
turned assistant coaches John Harkes and Richie Williams, form the
type of coaching staff that is perfectly suited to molding young
talents such as Altidore and Marvell Wynne.
The lack of playing time during Altidore's rookie season has helped him
adjust to the pro game without the pressure faced by Freddy Adu when
he came in as an over-hyped teenager. There has been no overbearing
media crush or talk of him being the league's savior, at least not
yet. Let him keep scoring tough goals in important games, however,
and it won't take long for Altidore to start feeling the pressure.
Don't bet on it being too much for Altidore to handle. He hasn't
flinched yet. Whether it has been coming on as a sub in a scoreless
match (as he did before scoring the game-winner against Columbus)
or playing well in his first career start (which produced Saturday's
game-winner against Chicago), Altidore looks like he is ready to make
a career out of making people say wow.
Youri's travels
What to do with Youri Djorkaeff? The Red Bulls have a 38-year-old World
Cup winner on the verge of retirement who asks to miss an important
league match in order to join French president Jacques Chirac at a
ceremony in Armenia to commemorate the strengthening of relations
between the nations.
The club decides to grant Djorkaeff permission to miss Saturday's
crucial match against Chicago and wins without him. For Djorkaeff,
a French-born son of Armenian immigrants, the opportunity was clearly
an honor, but what does his absence from yet another match mean to
the Red Bulls?
Not much really. The club stood to gain nothing from saying no to
Djorkaeff's request, other than to possibly expedite Djorkaeff's
retirement, which wouldn't really have helped the club's playoff
push. As much of a slap in the face as his absence was to fans, the
Red Bulls didn't have much of a choice but to let him go to Armenia.
What remains to be seen is just how much Djorkaeff has left. He has
struggled all year to have an impact, definitely not the impact he
had as the club's best player last season.
If anything, his absence has served to motivate captain Amado Guevara,
who seems to save his best performances for when the Frenchman is
absent. This was the case yet again on Saturday as Guevara delivered
his best overall performance in months.
The thing about Djorkaeff is that his teammates like him and when he
is in the locker room he still has an impact. The question left for
Arena to answer is just what role Djorkaeff will play in the team's
final two matches.
Does he use Djorkaeff in midfield and keep the forward tandem of
Altidore and John Wolyniec, or does he bring Djorkaeff off the bench?
Whatever his role is, Djorkaeff is still too skillful to push away
with two games remaining. Call it the cost of fielding a team that
just doesn't have that much depth to spare.
Locals shine on college scene
Clifton graduate Teddy Niziolek and Wallington graduate Damien Serafin
delivered game-winning goals for their respective schools last week.
Niziolek, a senior midfielder at Seton Hall, scored an overtime
winner to lift the Pirates to a 2-1 victory against Georgetown last
Wednesday. Serafin, a junior midfielder for Kean University, delivered
the game-winning goal against Ramapo on Saturday.
Niziolek wasn't the only Clifton graduate coming up big for his
college. Former Mustang standouts Konrad Kruczek and Anthony Tuesta
combined on Kruczek's goal to help Kean salvage a 1-1 tie against
nationally-ranked New Jersey City University last Wednesday.
By Ives Galarcep
NorthJersey.com, NJ
Herald News
Oct 3 2006
Josmer Altidore sat at his locker last Saturday night trying to keep
a phone conversation going as he finished getting dressed, oblivious
to the gathering media forming a semi-circle around him. After
pleading with the person on the other line to give him 10 minutes,
Altidore looked up, and with genuine astonishment, let out a 'Wow'
at the throng of reporters.
It is a scene Altidore should get used to if he plans on continuing
to wow people with his goal-scoring exploits. There are few things
more exciting in soccer than the discovery of a pure goal scorer,
especially 16-year-old one. Altidore combines size, skill and speed
with an out-sized personality that screams confidence, not arrogance.
The Red Bulls, known then as the MetroStars, were fully aware of just
how lucky they were to be landing Altidore when he conveniently fell
to them at the 17th overall pick in the 2006 MLS Draft in January.
Word spread before the draft that Altidore would not be available to
play for whichever team drafted him until the 2007 because he still
had school commitments to fulfill. Then Metros coach Mo Johnston
offered a wry smile and a wink when told of the rumor and simply said,
"we'll get him and he'll be here way before that."
Sure enough, only moments after being drafted by the Metros you could
hear Altidore talking about joining his new team as soon as possible.
It took him six months to earn playing time with the Red Bulls first
team but he has spent considerable time before that training with
the team and soaking in the professional environment.
The months of seasoning have taken a player who was already mature for
his age and made him a confident player who doesn't look out of place
despite playing with teammates twice his age. Altidore doesn't just
fit in, he exudes a self-confidence that is refreshing after years
of young players in MLS who were either too shy or too self-absorbed
to really rally behind.
When you consider Altidore's skills and age you can't help but want
to peek into a crystal ball and consider what the future may hold.
The Red Bulls see him as the type of prospect who could perfectly
complement the highly-paid mercenaries set to invade Red Bull Park
in the summer of 2008. Can you picture it now? Altidore, a Newark
native, starring as an 18-year-old striker in the team's new stadium,
just a stone's throw from where he was born?
The bigger role that awaits Altidore is that of U.S. national team star
of the future. U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller said it best during last
summer's World Cup, that the perception of American players abroad
will really change when that dynamic young striker comes through the
system, that star goal-scorer capable of commanding an eight-figure
transfer fee.
Altidore is still a ways away from commanding a huge transfer fee but
his youth and skills generate hope that there might be a truly great
American goal scorer coming down the pipe, something U.S. fans need
after watching Eddie Johnson's stock drop like Enron's.
One person who won't be looking into that crystal ball is Bruce
Arena, who will do his best to keep Altidore's head on straight and
his progress as a player in tact. For all the head coaches who were
terrible at grooming talent to pass through MLS, Arena isn't one of
them. He has helped mold the careers of some of the best players to
ever wear a U.S. national team uniform or MLS uniform.
That experience, as well as the presence of former standout players
turned assistant coaches John Harkes and Richie Williams, form the
type of coaching staff that is perfectly suited to molding young
talents such as Altidore and Marvell Wynne.
The lack of playing time during Altidore's rookie season has helped him
adjust to the pro game without the pressure faced by Freddy Adu when
he came in as an over-hyped teenager. There has been no overbearing
media crush or talk of him being the league's savior, at least not
yet. Let him keep scoring tough goals in important games, however,
and it won't take long for Altidore to start feeling the pressure.
Don't bet on it being too much for Altidore to handle. He hasn't
flinched yet. Whether it has been coming on as a sub in a scoreless
match (as he did before scoring the game-winner against Columbus)
or playing well in his first career start (which produced Saturday's
game-winner against Chicago), Altidore looks like he is ready to make
a career out of making people say wow.
Youri's travels
What to do with Youri Djorkaeff? The Red Bulls have a 38-year-old World
Cup winner on the verge of retirement who asks to miss an important
league match in order to join French president Jacques Chirac at a
ceremony in Armenia to commemorate the strengthening of relations
between the nations.
The club decides to grant Djorkaeff permission to miss Saturday's
crucial match against Chicago and wins without him. For Djorkaeff,
a French-born son of Armenian immigrants, the opportunity was clearly
an honor, but what does his absence from yet another match mean to
the Red Bulls?
Not much really. The club stood to gain nothing from saying no to
Djorkaeff's request, other than to possibly expedite Djorkaeff's
retirement, which wouldn't really have helped the club's playoff
push. As much of a slap in the face as his absence was to fans, the
Red Bulls didn't have much of a choice but to let him go to Armenia.
What remains to be seen is just how much Djorkaeff has left. He has
struggled all year to have an impact, definitely not the impact he
had as the club's best player last season.
If anything, his absence has served to motivate captain Amado Guevara,
who seems to save his best performances for when the Frenchman is
absent. This was the case yet again on Saturday as Guevara delivered
his best overall performance in months.
The thing about Djorkaeff is that his teammates like him and when he
is in the locker room he still has an impact. The question left for
Arena to answer is just what role Djorkaeff will play in the team's
final two matches.
Does he use Djorkaeff in midfield and keep the forward tandem of
Altidore and John Wolyniec, or does he bring Djorkaeff off the bench?
Whatever his role is, Djorkaeff is still too skillful to push away
with two games remaining. Call it the cost of fielding a team that
just doesn't have that much depth to spare.
Locals shine on college scene
Clifton graduate Teddy Niziolek and Wallington graduate Damien Serafin
delivered game-winning goals for their respective schools last week.
Niziolek, a senior midfielder at Seton Hall, scored an overtime
winner to lift the Pirates to a 2-1 victory against Georgetown last
Wednesday. Serafin, a junior midfielder for Kean University, delivered
the game-winning goal against Ramapo on Saturday.
Niziolek wasn't the only Clifton graduate coming up big for his
college. Former Mustang standouts Konrad Kruczek and Anthony Tuesta
combined on Kruczek's goal to help Kean salvage a 1-1 tie against
nationally-ranked New Jersey City University last Wednesday.