Steven Alzate working to impress Gerardo Martino, Colombia
DORAL, Fla. — Steven Alzate is enjoying a fresh start under new Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino after months of tough results and the firing of the manager he came to play for.
Alzate signed with Atlanta United on Aug. 4 last season to play for Ronny Deila, whom he played for previously in Belgium.
“It’s still early days, but he and his coaching staff, they’re all very nice, very genuine, very honest people, as you’d want at a football club,” Alzate said. “Sometimes, they give you feedback after training sessions about how you trained or running stats. It’s nice to build these relationships.”
Alzate, with little prep and conditioning because he was coming from an offseason at Hull City in England’s Championship, was put right into the lineup as a sub on Aug. 9. He made his first start three matches and three weeks later.
Alzate finished with 10 appearances, including seven starts, with two assists.
The team didn’t do enough to save Deila’s job.
In came Martino.
Alzate hadn’t played for Martino before. He knew of him. He knew what type of soccer he wants to play.
Still, it’s a new manager and Alzate said new managers typically like to bring in players they know.
“The vibe I’m getting is that he wants me in the team for the season,” Alzate said. “I need to compete for my position, which is part of the game. But it’s nice to have that confidence from the coach.”
Martino said he appreciates Alzate’s technical ability. Martino said he sees Alzate playing as either a central midfielder or attacking midfielder.
That’s fine with Alzate, who said he feels he plays best in the middle of the pitch, where he can help control the match from either end.
In addition to learning about Martino and his assistants, Alzate is taking advantage of the preseason to get to know his new team and teammates and to build up his conditioning. Martino has been working the players hard in the preseason.
Alzate said he has been impressed by the professionalism of his teammates. He said MLS has an unfair reputation among some in Europe as being a league that some players come to take it easy.
“If anything, it’s just as hard as Europe in terms of the training sessions are intense,” he said. “You need to look after yourself. You need to be at your 100% and that’s the one thing I’ve noticed since arriving.”
Alzate wants to impress Martino and his teammates because he wants to help Atlanta United make the playoffs. He also has ambitions to play for his country in that little tournament coming next summer.
“Going to the World Cup for Colombia would be probably the best thing that’s ever happened,” he said.
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