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Football/Soccer - NYTimes blog of Jozy Altidore: back from Spain after signing contract with Villarreal
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Altidore in dreamland after move to Villarreal
American striker Jozy Altidore has described his move to Spanish Primera Liga club Villarreal as a 'dream come true' but knows that he may have to go out on loan before playing for the Yellow Submarine.
The 18-year-old has joined Villarreal from the New York Red Bulls in a 6.5 million euro deal and he was introduced by the Spanish club at a press conference on Wednesday.
'Coming to the Spanish league with Villarreal is a dream come true,' the United States interntional said. 'Everything is very exciting and I do not feel any pressure.'
Altidore knows some Americans have struggled when they first make the step up from Major League Soccer to top-level European football - most notably when fellow teenage phenom Freddy Adu made the move to Benfica last season - and he is open to a loan move before trying to break into the Villarreal side.
'I've been playing soccer since I was three years old,' he said. 'It's my real passion. That's why I want to progress here, that would be very important for me. However, if Villarreal believes I have to get experience at another club, I will do it as well.'
Altidore first broke into the New York side at the age of 16, and has scored 15 goals in 37 appearances, 25 of them starts.
The 18-year-old American striker Jozy Altidore, who has been contributing items for The New York Times Goal blog each week, is just back from Spain where he signed his contract with Villarreal on Wednesday.
I just got off the plane from Spain Thursday afternoon. My two sisters, Sadia who is 20 and Lindsey who is 25, went with me. My parents stayed home.
It was a good, no make that a great trip. It was pretty much straight business. I landed on Wednesday, went right to the hospital for a physical, had a little lunch with the president of Villarreal and then was introduced to the fans as the team’s training facility.
Man, there were a lot more people than I expected. But nothing like the 30,000 who greeted Thierry Henry when he signed with Barcelona! But it was incredibly welcoming. People were screaming and going crazy. It definitely was the best moment of the trip.
I didn’t really get a lot of time to look around, but Villarreal is a pretty industrial city. People there told me that most of the players live closer to the beach, which is about 15 minutes away, and that’s fine with me. [Villarreal is near Spain’s Mediterranean coast between Valencia to the south and Barcelona to the north.] Right now, I’m not sure what my living arrangements will be, probably a hotel to start, but they said they would take good care of me.
I didn’t see any of the team’s players, but I did get a phone call from [Robert] Pires who welcomed me.
It’s true what you’ve seen in the papers today … I signed a six-year deal, but I’m not going to tell you for how much! I can only say that it’s for a lot, lot more than I was making with the Red Bulls. I just don’t want to go into the details.
But I think everyone knows that I’m not going to stay there for six years. We just did the contract that way because it’s better for me financially. But realistically, everyone knows I won’t be there six years.
Does it all make me a millionaire? I can only laugh at that one. They’re good terms. The move over there, one of the things is getting a major upgrade, but I’m not going to say by how much.
Right now, my plans are to go over there for the start of camp on July 14.
I know there’s been some talk of a loan deal to another club, and honestly, it doesn’t matter to me either way. I’m happy getting the experience. I’d love to stay with the team. But either way, I’m playing on a higher level and either way I’m excited. It doesn’t really matter … I’d love to stay with the team, but either way, it’s going to be better for me and if I do get loaned out it would mean playing all the time, and that’s a big plus.
I love Villarreal’s yellow uniform. I was looking at pictures of me from the old days, with Boca Juniors in Florida, and it’s kind of come full circle. Back in those days I always dreamed about this. It’s something I’ve always wanted, something I’ve always seen myself doing. And I guess I’m lucky it’s worked out.
I still hope to play in the Olympics in China and the people at Villarreal said they would love for me to play because they know how important it is to me and our country. They understand that it’s a big competition. But it’s still early to even be talking about it and wondering if I’m going to go because I haven’t been picked for the team.
I have to tell everyone as well that it’s tough for me to leave the Red Bulls. This is always going to be my club and I love this organization so very much. And I can promise the fans this: It won’t be my last time playing for the club because I plan to return here later in my career. This is one place I will never forget.
I was fortunate to be around my family and friends, and the Red Bulls fans are much, much better than they get credit for. They have been great to me. There’s nothing like them in M.L.S. and there won’t be for a long time. The fans were always there for me — letting me know when I was playing good and when I was playing bad. I’m going to miss them.
I’m going to miss a lot of things, but one of them won’t be playing on the turf. That’s been tough. I’ll miss my teammates, I’ve had good relationships with them and I hope to keep in touch with the guys and this special organization. I know, in time, success is going to come here in bundles.
Right now, I’m going to start working out and getting back my fitness. For a bit, I just want to relax and let it all sink in. My ankle’s still a bit sore, so I have to get that sorted out.
But I guess I’m done with the Red Bulls now, I’m a Villarreal player.
And while I was over there I tried out my Spanish and I was surprised how good it was. They said they didn’t even know I was an American, until about the third or fourth sentence! I was practicing over here with Juan Pablo and he thought I was awful!
But I’m certain my Spanish is going to get a lot better.
I also want to let my fans and the readers of the Goal blog know that I plan to keep posting while I’m at Villarreal. I might not be able to do some stuff for a few weeks, but don’t worry, I want you all to be able to stay in touch and get a feel for what I’m going to be experiencing.
Until then, thanks for reading. You’ll all be hearing from me soon.
Un prodige américain d’origine haïtienne fait son entrée dans la Liga
an Francais : Haïti-USA-Espagne-Football
Un prodige américain d’origine haïtienne fait son entrée dans la Liga
L’attaquant Josmer "Jozy" Altidor a signé pour six saisons à Villareal où son arrivée est annoncée en grande pompe
mercredi 11 juin 2008,
Le jeune attaquant américain d’origine haïtienne Josmer "Jozy" Altidor, 18 ans, qui vient de signer un contrat de six ans à Villareal, a été présenté officiellement mercredi comme le nouveau joueur du club espagnol de football de première division, rapporte une dépêche de l’agence espagnole EFE.
Je suis content et heureux de tout ce qui m’est arrivé au cours de ces derniers jours. Pour moi, évoluer dans le football espagnol représente quelque chose d’émouvant et pour cela je suis arrivé plein de rêves, sans être soumis à des pressions", a déclaré Altidor, ex-vedette des Red Bulls de New York où il a constamment brillé la saison dernière. Le joueur a aussi indiqué qu’il entendait "apprendre, s’amuser et vivre une grande expérience en Europe".
Jozy Altidor, dont le montant du contrat n’a pas encore été annoncé, s’est montré très reconnaissant envers le président de son nouveau club, Fernando Roig, qui l’a comparé au basketteur espagnol des Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol. Il a, en effet, affirmé que le meilleur espagnol dans cette discipline est allé jouer aux Etats-Unis et maintenant, le "meilleur footballeur nord-américain débarque en Espagne".
Le joueur s’est également félicité de pouvoir évoluer au sein d’un grand club, Villareal, qui compte dans ses rangs de grands footballeurs.
Né aux Etats-Unis de père et mère haïtiens, Altidor, déjà membre à 18 ans de la sélection américaine de football, est considéré comme un prodige promis à une carrière professionnelle fulgurante.
Doté d’un sens naturel du but et de qualités techniques exceptionnelles, l’attaquant a contribué à qualifier les Etats-Unis pour les Jeux Olympiques de Pékin et a terrassé les défenses de la Ligue professionnelle américaine (MLS).
Dans la Liga, il retrouvera parmi les grosses pointures du "Sous-Marin jaune" le français Robert Pires et le turc Nihat Kahveci.
Premier joueur originaire d’Haïti à atteindre un tel niveau dans la Liga, l’un des plus prestigieux championnats nationaux au monde, Jozy Altidor avait séjourné à Port-au-Prince il y a deux ans en compagnie de la star haïtiano-américaine du hip-hop Wyclef Jean.
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Jozy Altidore: It’s a Done Deal
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