The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Martinez feels no love for league’s Valentine’s photo
Atlanta United striker Josef Martinez may not be in the mood to wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day after all, prompting an apology from MLS for a photo posted on its website.
A day after MLS-posted on its website several soccer-grams — photos of players posing with a rose to “Celebrate Valentine’s Day” — Martinez expressed displeasure at his.
At least it seemed like he was mad.
Martinez continued his answer to a question about if he liked the final product by telling the translator to either say it or he would say it: “The next one, if it’s a photo like that, it will be without clothes.”
Martinez didn’t smile even after those interviewing him laughed because they thought his answer was meant to be funny.
The photo, taken in Los Angeles during a media tour before the season, wasn’t on the league’s website Tuesday.
A statement provided by MLS to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution read: “Internal miscommunication resulted in the posting of the image. It was taken down soon after Atlanta United made the request. Josef is a rising star whose enthusiasm and cooperation at league initiatives is greatly appreciated. We apologize to Josef for this issue.”
Several of Martinez’s teammates, interviewed before him on Tuesday, liked the photo.
“He’s a crazy guy,” centerback Leandro Gonzalez Pirez said. “That’s normal for him.”
Gonzalez Pirez said they may put copies of it around the locker room.
“I don’t know what he was doing, but that’s Josef,” Darlington Nagbe said. “He’s a good guy.”
The pose has Martinez holding a rose between his teeth, his right hand resting on his hip, his back slightly arched and his left arm behind his head. It was the most notable of the 27 photos released by the league. For example, Hector Villalba’s is just him with the rose between his teeth.
“That was a photo that we were just joking around and they never told me it was going to go out,” Martinez said through a translator on Tuesday. “I’m not taking it seriously.”
Early jersey reveal: Atlanta United’s presumed secondary jersey, an image of which was posted on Twitter weeks ago though the team hasn’t confirmed its authenticity, was included among merchandise for sale at a local shopping mall on Tuesday. One of the team’s supporters
took a photo of the jersey being sold at Lids at Cumberland Mall and posted it on Twitter on Tuesday.
The jersey is white with the stripes on the shoulder, the crest and the shirt’s sponsor a peach color.
The jersey appears to have a grayish background included in the white base.
Last year’s away kit featured narrow silver horizontal stripes across the chest, with red stripes, crest and sponsor’s logo.
The team has yet to say when the secondary jersey for the pending season is going to be revealed. The team has three preseason games remaining. They will play in Charleston on Saturday, Feb. 21 and 24, before opening the regular season at Houston on March 3.
In addition, a post on Facebook Tuesday morning noted that shipments of the jersey were on Friday’s shipping manifest for one of the Dick’s Sporting Goods stores in metro Atlanta. An additional Facebook post showed the jersey for sale on the Lids website. The retail chain also prematurely made last season’s secondary jersey for sale before it was revealed by the team.
Cash for Asad: Yamil Asad’s move to D.C. United was finalized on Monday.
The former Atlanta United player’s rights were sold to D.C. United in exchange for a minimum of $500,000 in allocation money that could increase to $600,000 if certain criteria are met.
Asad, 23, played for Atlanta United last season while on loan from Velez Sarsfield in Argentina.
Atlanta United tried to permanently acquire Asad, who scored seven goals and had 13 assists, several times during the offseason, but the two sides couldn’t reach a financial agreement.
Atlanta United received from D.C. United $200,000 in General Allocation Money and $100,000 in Targeted Allocation Money this season. Atlanta United will receive $100,000 in General Allocation Money and $100,000 in Targeted Allocation Money next season and could receive an additional $100,000 in General Allocation Money if Asad plays at least one game in MLS in 2019.
Asad had an annual salary of $150,000 last season.
‘He’s a crazy guy. That’s normal for him.’ Leandro Gonzalez Pirez United centerback