Live-Blogging the Angel Announcement! Or Trying, Anyway.

By: Martha | April 17th, 2007

11:01am: Well, live-blogging was my plan, at least. At the moment I’m live-blogging a piece of classical hold music. Nice work, RBNY — I feel like I’m at work. Either that or in a particularly Germanic-sounding elevator.

11:09am: I wonder who this is. Strauss? Did he write anything that wasn’t a waltz? Is this not a waltz? (Can you see why I don’t write a classical music blog?)

11:10am: It occurs to me that perhaps someone neglected to tell Agoos and Arena about this call, and that the only people here are pathetic fans, listening to hold music together.

11:11am: Ah! Brenda, the conference call wrangler is here! Finally. She introduces Bruce.

11:12am: Holy cow, JUAN PABLO ANGEL IS COMING! The deal was made on Friday, he will take the second DP spot.

11:13am: My God, Angel is on the phone, too! This was unexpected. Well, his translator is there. Really, he could be reading off a piece of paper, pretending he’s sharing JP’s heart-felt thoughts. 15 minutes of statement/questions for the gringo media, then it will switch over to the Spanish media.

11:14am: Oh! JPA said “Thank you Bruce” in English. Good work. Actually, he ~~speaking~~ speaks English really well (been in England for several years now). What’s the translator doing there? Oh god. He said he was glad to be part of the Red Bull company. I hope they made him say that, and he’s not naturally an ass-kisser.

11:15am: OK, his English is better than mine. I formally apologize for assuming the guy who introduced him would be speaking in his place.

11:16am: In response to question, he wants to come to RBNY both because Bruce is the most successful coach ever in the US (gag), and he admires what the league is doing to become more successful and wants to be a part of it.

11:16am: What does he know about the team? Nothing. Bruce (”This is the most important thing”), Reyna, Van Den Bergh, Jozy (he calls him “this youngster, the striker … Altidore”), the Walrus.

11:18am: In response to question about when he’ll arrive, JPA says he wants to come “sooner than later,” and is just waiting for his work visa. Then he’ll get his ass on the plane and come play.

11:19am: What influence does the arrival of Becks and Blanco have on his arrival? It matters, he says, but the main thing is “the project itself,” and he wants to be part of what RBNY and MLS are trying to do for the future. Aw. I wonder how much of this is true. I already like him, and he’s winning me over even more by being all positive and sweet.

11:20am: Hey, question from our hero Ives! Right on. Ives asks what he knows about the league; basically, JPA says he’s only paid attention to it over the past few weeks when this opportunity came up and he started to do research — but he wants to come over and start doing the learning in person. (Also mentions the successful, settled American players in England. “Especially the guys at Fulham.”) He digs the US in general (used to vacation here before he moved to England) but very intelligently says playing here is a little different than, like, going to Disneyland. (Paraphrasing here.)

11:22am: Immediately acknowledges that the transition to MLS and to the new team will of course be a difficult one, but “hopefully [it] will not be a long period for me … to settle down in the league.”

11:24am: The large Columbian community in the NY/NJ area had very little effect on his decision, and he’s heard nothing from here in response to the rumors of his arrival. It’s not that he doesn’t care, but “as you know” he’s a little busy with the season winding up and trying to get his ass into the team at Villa. That said, he’s stoked to be bringing his family into a large Latin community.

11:25am: Yes, his inability to get into the starting 11 at Villa was part of the reason for this move. As soon as he heard from the RBNY people, he knew he didn’t even want to bother waiting for the European transfer window to open. Man, this guy is impressive — media savvy as hell, and also very straight-forward and eloquent. Damn.

11:26am: The offer came up informally just a few weeks ago; things heated up last week and the deal was closed this weekend.

11:27am: While making the decision, he spoke with friends in the US who know the league, Colombians who used to play in MLS and American players in England.

11:28am: And over to the Spanish media. Oh! Something about a photo shoot at the Villa training ground, presumably involving JPA in Red Bull gear. The photos “are available now.” No idea where, however. (Oh, found one. Witness above: Photographic evidence of Angel as a Red Bull.) And I think that’s it for the English, at least for a while.

Wow. I wish everyone could hear this press conference — I was already excited about Angel’s arrival because of his ability, but based on this it’s clear he’s got a professional attitude and the temperament to deal with the media pressure of playing even a minor sport (by US standards) in NYC. He’s very smooth and comfortable with the media, and comes across as matter-of-fact and intelligent — I wonder if he could give lessons to the rest of the team once he arrives. Or to Bruce, at least …

The odds of him getting his work papers by the weekend seem fairly long, but fingers crossed they can make it happen. I cannot wait to see this guy on the pitch for us. Look out, MLS, RBNY may just have stopped sucking in a big way.