One of the highlights of a very exciting first week of MLS action was the return of Jozy Altidore, who celebrated his move back to the league with two goals in Toronto FC’s 3-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps. It was a great day for Altidore, and for fans of TFC, who are looking to make the leap and become a championship contender this season. But, despite the goals, it’s hard not to have an empty feeling when discussing Jozy Altidore, who has been such a letdown on so many stages in his career. Can he use this MLS redux to win over those who he’s disappointed in recent years?
To understand the sentiments surrounding Altidore, one must realize just how poorly he’s performed at the highest levels. After doing well with the MLS’ New York Red Bulls, Altidore went to Villarreal, where played nine games before he was loaned to Xerez in Spain, Hull City in England, and Bursaspor in Turkey. In a combined 39 games with those four clubs, he scored just three goals.
It was at this point that Altidore got a reprieve, getting shipped to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, where he scored 39 goals in 67 games. While the Dutch Eredivisie is certainly defensively challenged, Altidore’s play inspired enough confidence to earn him a move to Sunderland of the Barclays Premier League. A team constantly fighting to avoid relegation, Sunderland were counting on Altidore to deliver them relief up front. Altidore did nothing of the sort, scoring one goal in 42 games for Sunderland, and once again showing that he isn’t capable of scoring on the biggest stages in the world.
Internationally, Altidore has scored 26 goals for the United States, but zero of those have come in the World Cup. And while his injury sustained in the opening match of the 2014 World Cup isn’t his fault at all, it’s disappointing having one of the few strikers on the USMNT’s biggest international goal come in the Confederations Cup.
So here Altidore is in MLS once again at age 25, hoping to regain his form and prove those who doubt him wrong. The problem for Altidore, though, is that MLS may not be a place where he can do that given the lack of talent in the league relative to the places he’s failed for both club and country. Because the reality of the situation is that Altidore should dominate the MLS at this age, and anything less would be a disaster for him.
Then there’s the debate over weather or not MLS is the best place for American soccer players who are also a part of the United States national team. Players like Altidore, Clint Dempsey, and Michael Bradley are taking gambles by returning to America after international club work that saw varying degrees of success. If the USMNT performs poorly during the next World Cup cycle with the faces of American soccer eating clubs like the Philadelphia Union alive during their club seasons, surely there will be contempt from the group that believes our stars should be working against European competition whenever possible.
Jozy Altidore will score plenty of goals during his time back in Major League Soccer. He’ll join Bradley Wright-Phillips, Robbie Keane, and Obafemi Martins as one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the league, even. But a 25 year old striker, one this country is counting on for success in the 2018 World Cup cycle no less, returning to a lesser league after struggling at the highest levels doesn’t inspire confidence on the surface. Whether Jozy can change the minds of many will be determined in the years to come.