Fredy Montero jerseys are probably flying off the racks right about now. The 21-year-old Colombian prodigy put on a world-class display yesterday in Seattle’s 3-0 demolition of New York. With two goals, one assist and numerous breathtaking moves and passes, Montero showed the city of Seattle and the nation what he is capable of.
During the post-game press conference Montero was asked if he wanted to become the next Juan Pablo Angel, one of the most famous strikers from Colombia and currently a starting striker for New York Red Bulls and the Colombian national team.
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“I certainly have aspirations to make the national team, but it is not a matter of replacing Angel, we know what he has done,” Montero said. “It is more a matter of creating my own history by playing well in the MLS and for the Colombian national team.”
Though Montero does not say anything too out of the ordinary, it could be considered a good sign that he is not too keen on following in Angel’s footsteps completely. If he had, he would not be in MLS right now. The 6-1, 170 pound Angel took a more conventional path than Montero to soccer success, one that saw him join MLS at the tail-end of his career instead of in his prime.
Angel signed with world-famous River Plate in Argentina when he left Colombia. He then joined Aston Villa in England’s Premier League from 2001-2007. Most highly skilled soccer players dream of playing with the best and brightest stars in the world. Unfortunately for MLS, most of those stars are playing in European leagues.
Montero has already stated a desire to play in Europe. It is only a matter of time before he is noticed by one of the top clubs in England, Spain or Italy. His Seattle teammate, Jhon Hurtado, already went on trial with AC Milan, so it is a safe bet that Italian scouts will be watching Sounder games.
With that being said, Montero has also said that he wants to create his own history. He has already chosen a different path than Angel by choosing to come to MLS while young instead of in the latter stages of his career. The lure of Europe will most likely end up too much to refuse for the youngster, but one can hope that he will decide to hone his skills with Seattle for several years before he makes the leap overseas.
After all, there are several good reasons for Montero to stay.
At age 21, Montero still has a lot to learn in terms of soccer intelligence and heightened maturity. No one can question his talent or his results thus far, but a few years in a competitive league like MLS will teach him some of the physicality he will need to play in countries like England or Spain.
Also, it may be hard for Montero to turn his back on what looks like a wonderful situation in Seattle. With great ownership and the financial clout to bring in even more well-known players from across the world, Sounders FC is quite ambitious. Drew Carey and Todd Leiweke both expressed a goal to be recognized as a world-class soccer city with Montero looking like the future face of the franchise.
Montero (center) celebrates with teammates after scoring the first goal of
the Sounders FC inaugural game.
If Seattle wants to become competitive on the world stage like they suggest, holding onto players like Montero is paramount. Though his contract has not been released, the Sounders and MLS shelled out more than a million dollars to secure Montero’s signature. It is unlikely they would allow him to leave after only one season in Seattle.
All of this is also mere speculation at this point. Montero is only one game into his first season in MLS. Although he looked a likely candidate for Rookie of the Year with his display, a lot can change in the course of a season.
Other teams will begin to identify Montero as the focal point of Seattle’s offense. All three goals scored against the Red Bulls involved Montero in some way. It will be interesting to see how the young man responds to man-to-man marking and some rough tackling in future games.
All in all, Montero is contracted to MLS and the city of Seattle for at least one season, hopefully several more. As the league progresses, players like Montero may realize they can achieve their dreams of international success while playing in MLS.
For now, it will be exciting to see Montero shoot for goal with the Sounders in 2009.
Reach Alden Walcon at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
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Photos By Aaron Weinberg
