No expansion team goal is: “Finish Last.” Unfortunately for them, most have hit that goal with pomp and flair. An expansion team has built in disadvantages. Most of the players have never worked together. They are just settling into the area. Family and friends are far away. In MLS wives cannot always afford to follow their husbands. When you make 30 – 60k, making your wife quit her job to follow you is not always an option. Life is expensive.
Seattle will carry many of those disadvantages with them into their first season. Their defense may leak goals, they may be playing on field turf in a giant stadium, their DP may be unfairly labeled as over the hill, but Seattle is bringing the excitement offensively.
Fredy Montero
New forwards are exciting and Fredy Montero is excitement with possibilities galore. Seattle has scored a coup by bringing in a young, proven goal scorer on loan.
Fredy Montero’s move to Seattle comes as a surprise considering he was being chased by Real Betis. Despite signing with Seattle, Montero’s dream of playing in Europe lives on. Like many soccer journeymen Montero views MLS is a place to learn, grow, prove himself in a new environment, and ultimately to sell himself to a European team.
Seattle may not be Europe, but some of the tests stay the same. Fredy has to deal with a new country, city, and language. His ability to work with new teammates from a diverse background he cannot immediately communicate with will be tested.
Culture shock is seeing Seattle’s Best Coffee on every corner. What were you doing at 21? I was wandering around college being stupid. I hope Fredy has more maturity than I had.
Fredy’s History: Scoring and Being Loaned Out
At 18, Fredy signed a contract with Deportivo Cali a Columbian Club in Santiago de Cali, Colombia. Fredy immediately made an impact at the club by scoring at a prodigious rate. In 38 total appearances over three years, Fredy has scored 20 goals.Fredy has scored .526 goals per game for Deportivo Cali. Fredy may not be Christiano Ronaldo, but he has proven he can score a goal every other game. If Fredy can maintain that rate in MLS he will increase his value exponentially.
At 19, Fredy was loaned out to lower division Atletico Huila where he has scored 13 goals in 26 appearances, a solid .5 goals per game.
When Fredy was recalled to Deportiva Cali for the 2007 season he started 17 games and scored no goals. His drought lasted all the way to the 2008 season when he began scoring again.
A Hidden Problem?
Yet amongst all the scoring a mystery appears that I cannot easily explain. Why is Deportivo Cali so eager to send Fredy out on loan? A proven goal scorer at 21, Fredy should be a commodity that Deportivo Cali would want to hold on to. Usually young goal scorers are held onto and milked for every goal they can give the club until an offer to buy is just too good to pass up.
What is Fredy’s downside?
Fuck It, We’ll Watch Him Play Live
Whatever his secret is, we can always watch videos of him scoring great goals. That is sure to make any Seattle fan feel better about hidden downsides.
This video shows most of his goals, including some incredible pile drivers, but with out music.
This video only shows three goals but it has some enchanting music.
This one includes a rocking soundtrack as well as great pictures of Fredy.
Don’t Forget My Contest , Damnit
Hey I still have a contest going remember? Turn in your supporter pictures to grahamfox[@]gmail.com and win a Bumpy Pitch T-Shirt or a 25 dollar gift certificate to SoccerPro.com
2 comments:
The downside is he's leaving soon...before he blows a knee out or proves to be a bust, DepoCali and Daddy Warbucks get their Spanish payoff...if the bag of silver isn't offered before Jan. 31 (which looks likely) he'll stay until summer...sweaty palms for his owners with that nasty turface...
You and your opponent have the same conference record will receive one share of the conference during the season, then lost ... if you get second place.
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