Red Bulls looking to Brazil for an Animal?

From Saturday’s issue of Brazil’s sports daily Lance! comes the rumor that the New York Red Bulls are looking into procuring the services of striker Edmundo from Palmeiras. The story says the 36-year-old would like to end his career with Palmeiras, where he’s had his greatest successes as a player, but could be swayed by a monthly contract of $80,000, and that should a deal be reached, Palmeiras would have no choice but to allow him to leave.

Nicknamed “Animal” for the often out-of-control temper that has hampered his career and seen him lose opportunities to play both in Europe and the Brazilian national team, Edmundo has created some of the most impressive scenes of havoc on a football field in South America, which is saying something.

From Wikipedia:

On October 30, 1994, when his former club Palmeiras was playing against São Paulo, Edmundo angrily tackled one of the opponents players with a sliding tackle and earned a booking. After that he ran towards São Paulo’s bench and physically attacked 3 players. He slapped the first one, knocked out the second one and kicked the third one in his groin. Later he explained that he went crazy because the players were disrespecting and talking bad things about his mother.

Edmundo is currently the leading scorer in the São Paulo State Championship with 11 goals, but has assumed a Romário-like style of play, and appears more than a step slow often, even against many of the state’s smaller squads. This week, Palmeiras was controversially dumped from the Brazil Cup by Minas Gerais-based minnows Ipatinga on penalty kicks, with Edmundo missing his attempt.

While rumors fly rampant often in Brazil, from this writer’s perspective, the possibility of the Red Bulls signing Edmundo would be at most a PR stunt, and at worst a massive waste of time, effort and money by coach Bruce Arena’s squad and the MLS.

Bill Wolfrum resides in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, where he didn’t get to watch Verdão’s most recent game, as their opponent disbanded. Wolfrum’s work also appears at Williamkwolfrum.com, Shakesville.com and WorldGolf.com.