Eto’o to Uzbekistan

There’s no way Eto’o is going to play in Uzbekistan. This is some kind of joke, like putting Obama on the cover of the New Yorker with a turban around his head and his wife touting a machine gun as they exchange pounds or fist bumps. Well, not nearly as stupid as that. Don’t know why the New Yorker only added to this swirling fear. The Eto’o trade is at least funny, more like an Onion headline.

If Eto’o signs with Uzbekistan he must be getting paid Beckham like MLS wages, but I just don’t see it happening. It can’t be true. He’s still young at 27 and tons of other European clubs desire his services. He scores goals like no other, and does it with class and a smile. Him going to Uzbekistan is like him returning to Real Madrid.

It likes those rumors that the SEC is cracking down on in the stock market, but in this case there’s no economic benefit to anyone, maybe a bit more press for Uzbekistan, but press along the lines of the press that Borat gave to Kazakhstan, the kind on one wants. Even the Barca elite sounded like they were on the verge of laughing.

"Nobody at the club knows anything about this. I don’t think it’s very likely," said an official spokesperson.

Eto’o is in the United States though, headed to one of the biggest youth soccer tournaments in the U.S – 1,000 teams from 22 countries will be competing in the tournament. He was talking allowing for more access by the press to the players, coincidently it seems, in a way to debunk rumors just like this it seemed.

Africa’s player of the year from 2004-06, Eto’o was in New York for a media day en route to a youth tournament in Blaine, Minnesota, sponsored by Puma. The 27-year-old from Cameroon, like many football stars, enjoys coming to the United States, where is he relatively unrecognized.

He also talked about playing in the MLS, but said that would be more like five years from now. So if he doesn’t want to come and playing the MLS anytime soon I don’t seem him playing in Uzbekistan.