http://tyneandwear.sky.com/sunderla...-backs-animal-altidore-for-sunderland-success Sunderland boss Paolo Di Canio has backed new signing Jozy Altidore to help fire his side to success this season. The 23-year old striker joined the Black Cats from AZ Alkmaar earlier this summer, commanding a fee of £5.2million, having found the net 23 times in the Eredivisie last season. Altidore struggled in his previous Premier League spell, only scoring once whilst on loan during Hull City's 2009/10 campaign, but Di Canio has no doubts that the USA international will prove his worth. Paolo Di Canio said: "I don't hope he will be a success here, I know he will. "He will score many goals for us. I can't give you a number but it will be 15 or more if he uses the energy he did for the national team. He is an animal. "He did not have a fantastic experience at Hull but he was young and they struggled. He left, went around Europe and grew up and last year finished with a very good goals tally." Altidore spent two years in Holland since joining from Villarreal and Di Canio believes that he can be a valuable asset at any level. "It was a different league but you do not score that many goals if you are not quality. Jozy is a modern footballer who has desire and pride and this environment will help him," he said. "He attacks every space, his first touch is good and he is a fantastic finisher. We will play good football to help him score, so he is going to have a big part to play in our season."
I can see him hitting 15 goals in the premier league and maybe 20 in all competitions? Even if he doesn't quite hit that many in sure he'll be involved in quite of your goals this year. As an American, I'm a bit torn on who I want to win tomorrow, Sunderland or Fulham. Fulham has had a contingent of Americans for quite some time, so I've always had a soft spot for them. Now that you've got Jozy, ill have to back you guys for Jozy's sake. Not sure how I feel about Stoke having 4 Americans though!
