Altidore is a COMPLETELY different player from 2-3 years ago. The following analysis is right on the money. I'd love to see him in a Sunderland shirt, and am quite certain he'd exceed expectations. For the record, signing him won't open this market. It's already open, growing at its own organic rate. Signing him wouldn't change that. But, Ellis may just want one of his own on the team, for his own reasons. From Bleacher Report Why Jozy Altidore Will Be the U.S. Men's National Team's Best Player in 2014 BY PETER BROWNELL (FEATURED COLUMNIST) ON JULY 1, 2013 1,693 reads 10 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more storiesNext George Frey/Getty Images Jozy Altidore is playing high quality soccer and is on his way to being the United States men’s national team’s best player in 2014. There is no doubt that Altidore will have competition for the aforementioned honor. Clint Dempsey is also in top form, filling the role of captain, albeit less vocally than former skipper Carlos Bocanegra, quite admirably. The Texan is scoring and creating, too, positioned most recently as a second striker for the Yanks and dropping deeper in the midfield than his strike partner Altidore. This has worked well; Dempsey has come up big in important moments for the U.S., like his lone goal in the team’s 1-0 victory over Costa Rica in World Cup Qualifying, for instance. Michael Bradley is another candidate that will certainly challenge Altidore here. The Roma midfielder is entering his soccer prime and has very few weaknesses. He can contribute to a short possession game, open the field up with long balls or dangerous through balls and can score from distance. Not to mention his defending work rate and ball recovering, which are all critical to the USMNT. Even Landon Donovan, who is set to return to international duty in the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup, could be poised for a glorious 2014, perhaps emboldened by any of the doubters questioning his inclusion in the national side. It is Altidore, though, who appears most likely to grab the world’s attention and claim the mantle as Klinsmann’s top dog in 2014. The evidence is clear: Altidore bagged over 30 goals at the club level this past season in the Netherlands, no small feat indeed. He has been on a tear in a U.S. shirt recently, scoring four goals in his last four games for the USMNT, three of which were in critical World Cup Qualifiers. There are many reasons why the former New York Red Bull is playing so well. The AZ man’s movement without the ball is certainly one of them. Altidore has gained a knack for getting open in dangerous areas. His timing on runs is impeccable, brilliant enough to create the small amount of space needed to fire off a quick shot when the service coming his way is quality enough. Not to mention Altidore can finish, multiple ways, and with one-touch if necessary. His shooting is precise and he rarely wastes opportunities for the U.S. He has also dramatically improved in terms of both holdup and linkup play. His back-to-goal distribution is spot on and he has the vision and technical ability to find teammates running into space in good areas. Altidore provides a key outlet for the U.S. to start an attack through. He can also battle for aerial balls and provide relief for the ball-winning midfielders. On top of all of his soccer abilities, Altidore is a physical presence, strong enough to muscle away bigger defenders and fleet of foot enough to gallop by speedier backs. As a 23-year-old, Altidore is poised to light up 2014. He has loads of international experience, including a World Cup in 2010, and has proven himself at the club level. If Jozy Altidore can continue to play at his current rate, there is no telling how far Jurgen Klinsmann can take the U.S. at the World Cup in 2014. Altidore is that good right now.
Good read, thanks mate He scored against the Germans recently aswell. Like I keep saying, I think he'll be a good signing!
Glad you enjoyed it. I love reading about players on this forum that I don't get to see often. Altidore is one I've seen often and have followed since his teens. He was crap in South Africa and a disappointment at Hull. True. But these last 18 months in particular the penny has dropped. This lad has become a beast. Not sure if it's Klinsmann or something else that has inspired him, but he and Bradley are the best players here by a margin. That includes Dempsey and Donovan. He'd do very well in the red and white.
I always thought he was decent at Hull other than the fact he couldn't score. He looks like he's come on leaps and bounds since then. The more I read about him, the more I want him to sign!
I'll be delighted to prove wrong on this one, but I reserve my right to remain dubious, and insist that £8 million is a joke. If I'm proved an idiot, my hands will be held up.
I'd sooner we move on to other targets personally as I just don't rate this lad for the reported £3m we already offered initially, let alone the kinds of figures being touted now?
Hey, love reading everyone's opinions. No harm in friendly, well thought out differences of opinion. I look st Altidore this way...if you rate Dempsey or Donovan, you should be real happy with Jozy. He's a more valuable piece than both of them. If wrong, I'll be the first to raise my hand.
Anyone can score in holland - kezman and that lad boro spent 12 million on we're both epic fails. 10 million is way over the top, massively over priced. 5 million with add ons. If he hits 50 goals in 3 season or 100 games we pay another 5 million.
I'd argue Bradley is the most important to the USMNT, Altidore has the most to prove, and Donavon is the best match winner the US has available.
If Short wants to spend £10million on him, so what? It's not my money. If Short reckons he can make money with him in the USA, again, so what? He can look after the money side of things because he's good at it - and it's his money.
Okay, I estimate a transfer fee between 6.5 and 8 million pounds. He has played two whole seasons in the Eredivisie now and after a rocky start he did really good from the second half of the 2011-2012 season on. Because of his good streak of last season I think it could be somewhere around 7 million. * mil being tops and 10 would be silly money. He is a Wilfried Bony like player: very strong, decent technique and he is a fighter. He has the 'American' attitude style of playing. Never quits and he always tries to give his all on the pitch. Manager Gert-Jan Verbeek put him on the bench in the first half of his first season because the gaffer thought he was not accustomed to the Dutch style of playing and that he had to work on his technique and his tactics first before he could be a first eleven player again. After 3 months on the bench and a couple of subs Verbeek brought him back in the starting team. And Verbeek was in his right to do so. Altidore was brought up with the English/Spanish playing style which involves just slotting as many goals as you can and disregarding the team in it's process. Verbeek tought him the Dutch way of playing: a striker is part of the team and has to do more than just scoring. Altidore improved massively in his technique and vision on the pitch. Transforming from an inconsistent and mentally unstable player to a rock solid forward with good technique, passing, tactics and positioning. His pace is just above par, nothing too special, but he is ball secure and he is now very agile and I've seen him score some goals that require a lot of flexibility. His determination and and mentality in the game are outstanding, up to a degree that he can carry the weight of leading a team and push his team mates to higher levels if it is required. The concern I have though is that it took him quite a while to adapt to the Dutch way of footballing and he didn't settle well in his first season. And I don't think he can be an instant hit if he transfers to the EPL but give him time and games, and proper guidance by a manager and he will be a football star over time. And that concludes my report.
