(photo courtesy of MLS) Actually, Marcello Gallardo's nickname is Doll in Spanish for his small size, not his babyface.
I've followed Gallardo's career for years, but that doesn't mean that I have high hopes for him in MLS. I mean, look at Denilson. DC United is taking a definite gamble here. I wish Gallardo was younger, because he was an incredible player when he was younger, full of skill, control and pluck.
I remember once that Landon Donovan compared himself to Javier Saviola, "Us little guys," he said, and when he said that, I thought of Gallardo, because he was the little guy I always thought was so dynamic and great to watch on the field. No, he wasn't Maradona - Maradona never passed when he could dribble, and Gallardo was excellent with little short passes.
I realize I'm writing in the past tense, like he's dead, when he's not, obviously.
I'm a little skeptical of how much he still has in the tank, though. I'll make a tentative bet that he'll produce on the level of Reyna - not a Denilson bust, but not a huge upgrade over Christian Gomez. I'm excited to see Gallardo in action, though.
After all, it was still worthwhile to watch Youri Djorkaef in his MLS days. More than a few people thought that Cuauhtemoc Blanco wouldn't have what it would take to make it in MLS. Perhaps the doll will make MLS his playpen.
6 comments:
Wow. I didn't realize how short he was until I saw the Asian man towering over him.
Both of those other gentlemen are over 6' tall. The gent to his right is 6'6"
Vague anonymously racial stereotypes aside...
I'm afraid to say that if Gallardo is only a Reyna-level MLS player, then he'll be a bust, just like Reyna has been so far (albeit through no fault of his own, only a body that's breaking down). And he'd be a scary drop from Gomez in that scenario as well.
I admit to knowing very little about Gallardo. Since he apparently is (has been) a great playmaker, it would seem that he'd be miles ahead of Denilson, who was always flashy in his career but never really accomplished anything close to what his talent suggested.
I think there are only two things that can hinder his success, and the success of any of these players who come in with a good pedigree but late in their career. One is injury (see: Reyna), and the other is a lack of effort. I think that players as talented as he apparently is, regardless of age, can shine in MLS if they take it seriously. Blanco can't move like he used to, but his effort and skill combined make him a premier player in the league. Hopefully that will be the case with Gallardo.
As much as I dislike DC United, I hope Gallardo isn't a bust. As Toddzilla stated Blanco's effort and skill made him somebody fans wanted to see. He entertained fans who already liked MLS and brought others, new fans, to the stadiums. Good for the league as a whole. Hope Gallardo can succeed for the good of the league ... but I hope that the Fire eliminates DC again next playoffs.
Wow, DC is fast becoming the All-small team. With Gallardo and Neill on the field at the same time it will bring the avg height of the startes from 5'10 down to 5'4
Will Chang is both tall and a genuine fan of the team he owns. I rode in an elevator with him when he followed DC out to LA for a game - something I haven't seen any other out of town owner do.
Also, I don't want Gallardo to be a bust by any means. I'm hoping he succeeds. I'd love to see him play well. I'm just feeling pessimistic. It could be all the rain LA's been having.
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