As I begin this post, Hull is beginning the second half of a crucial EPL fixture with Sunderland, and doing so without Jozy Altidore. The young American striker was sent off for violent conduct late in the first half, when he lashed out after Sunderland's Allan Hutton tossed the ball at Altidore's head while the latter was on the ground. It was an ugly scene that leads to questions over's Altidore's maturity.


It will also likely be the last thing Jozy ever does in a Hull shirt. The loan that sent the American to England from Villareal, after he struggling to find a game in Spain, comes to an end after the season. Hull has the option to buy Altidore, but that seems unlikely if they are relegated, and that ignominy seems almost a certainty now.


Hull is a poor, poor team. While the excitement, at least for American fans, that followed Jozy's loan to Hull was rightly placed, with a young player who needed time landing at a club that would likely play him in one of the world's best leagues, it was always going to be an up-and-down proposition. Make no mistake: Altidore has played enough for the loan to be termed a success from an experience standpoint, despite a few fits and starts. But if frustration won out, as it seemed to today, then we must wonder if the stint has done more harm than good. Is Jozy Altidore a better player today than when he arrived at Hull in August?


Again, from a purely physical standpoint, it would be difficult to argue that Altidore has regressed; playing is always better than not, and even in a bad team that struggles to consistently mount an attack (meaning Altidore sees the ball rarely), Jozy's skills look to have improved. There have been more than one occasion, despite a lack of goals, where Altidore was Hull's lone bright spot. Winning balls, pressuring the defense, and drawing fouls; it's not flashy, and it's not clear-cut evidence that Jozy is getting better in a way that would make USMNT fans comfortable, but it is something.


But what about his head? Today's transgression isn't Altidore's first issue with maturity. He started his Hull stint on the wrong foot last year, arriving late and being admonished for tweeting about his omission from the match day roster. A manager change, the stress of a relegation battle, and larger problems at the club have only made it more difficult; it might even be fair to call Hull's environment "toxic", a situation ill-suited for a player of Altidore's age and experience.


That's not to give Jozy a free pass. It's up to him to commit himself, perform professionally, and not allow his frustration to carry over into his actions. His sending off today will only have people asking if he will ever grow up, or if his attitude and penchant for stupid behavior will inevitably lead him to a disappointing career.


Everything that Altidore does is subject to close scrutiny in the US because of his status as a entrenched USMNT starter (in part due to lack of better options) and his being one of a handful of American regulars in England's top division. If Altidore was a rising American player, but one whose performance at his club was not seen as directly related to US chances in South Africa, would we have so much criticism for him?


Maybe. From certain segments of the American fan base, always. The fortunes of talented young players is the subject of obsessive analysis because there are still too few. Altidore, for better or worse at twenty years of age, is an important player in a World Cup team despite his lack of professional credentials in Europe. Such is the state of Bob Bradley's team.


And so Altidore's Hull experience is probably over. I might be the first to attempt an assessment of his time there, but I certainly won't be the last. More important for Altidore is how he leverages his experience; was it simply a frustrating exercise in futility, both from a team and personal standpoint, that ended sourly and spiraling him downward, or was it something to be learned from, a bit of adversity that will serve him well as he strives to fulfill his potential?


I have a sense that Bob Bradley will play a role in the ultimate fallout. The timing could not be better for Altidore now, to leave Hull after a terrible ending and head directly into US camp for the World Cup. Altidore has been at his best in an American jersey, and if there's any way to mitigate the damage from this debacle, it could be found back in Jozy's home state of New Jersey.


Maybe Jozy is a brat. Maybe his development is stunted by a poor attitude, and much of what happened this season at Hull is direct evidence of that.


He's still very young, and playing on a bad team has detrimental effects on many players. Let's hope the adversity is just rough patch on Jozy's road to ultimate success.