Jozy Altidore made a much praised transfer this summer to Dutch Eredivisie club AZ Alkmaar. Things have been going well in The Netherlands for Altidore. He's playing substantial minutes and scoring goals.
Jozy Altidore’s Club Manager Gertjan Verbeek Is Not A Jurgen Klinsmann Fan
United States Men's National Team manager Jurgen Klinsmann called Altidore in to camp last week for the internationals against Costa Rica in Los Angeles and Belgium in Brussels.
Greg Seltzer with MLSsoccer.com and the No Short Corners blog passed along this Voetbal International interview with Altidore’s club manager Gertjan Verbeek about the young striker’s call up:
"That's eleven hours flying. And then that doesn't factor in the time difference. This is very dumb of Klinsmann. This serves no one... I have tried to stop it, but he did not appear lenient. And Jozy himself said he didn't want to go... Klinsmann has been appointed the successor to [Bob] Bradley and clearly he wants to draw his own lines. Whereas it concerns all parties, is it not more important that Jozy gets fit faster? It is pure self-importance from a man who had but one year as manager with a club and got fired. That says enough."
As Seltzer so correctly titled his post, “Uh Oh.” Of course, it didn’t make a ton of sense to schedule two friendlies four days apart half a world away.
Weren’t we told that Klinsmann was speaking with club managers to establish a good rapport? Hopefully Verbeek’s unhappiness with Klinsmann doesn’t affect Altidore in any way.
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