Can't believe Freddy Adu is only 14...

[SKINtil8tin]

Adu and DC United are about to start against the NY/NJ Metrostars. This is the most soccer I've watched since MLS started. This kid is so exciting you just wait for him to touch the ball. Always paid attention to how United did, but I never followed them like I do now. Adu is gonna change the game and has already revived thousands of sleeping fans!

[smitity]

I didn't get to catch the game, but my brother text-messaged me to inform me that Adu scored in the 75th min. That must be an amazing feeling to be 14 and score in a pro-soccer game. Good for him, I hope he does well. It looks like DC United may have a decent year this time.

[DjTj]

It was a real ugly goal - the defender totally whiffed on the centering pass, and Freddy was in the right place at the right time. He had good position on his defender and just pushed the ball in low.

United lost the game though, mostly due to some poor defense.

[Skeletor The Invincible]

Adu really hasn't shown me anything that makes me believe he is "something special".


He isn't even starting. I've watched two United games thus far this year, and being a soccer player myself, I really haven't seen anything from Freddy.

He is only 14 though, playing against people twice his age. I'll give him time.

[thew]

Adu really hasn't shown me anything that makes me believe he is "something special".

Well you're pretty much alone in the world then. At 14 he's the highest paid player in his league and he's also turned down more money than he's currently making to play over in Europe. If he hasn't shown you anything it can only because you haven't been watching.

I think you should give him time too and I also think DC United should take it very slow with Freddy. 14 against 17 year olds or even 19 year olds as he has played in international play is a few steps up but pro players in their 30's is nuts.... Kobe Bryant for example was 18 years old playing against pro's and the Lakers only played him a few minutes a night the first year. Fredy could wait 4 years before he was up to Bryant's age... It's just nuts to start the kid. Bring him along slowly and let him mature into the best player in the world, which many foreign soccer experts are predicting.

[Farbod21]

Originally posted by thew


Well you're pretty much alone in the world then. At 14 he's the highest paid player in his league and he's also turned down more money than he's currently making to play over in Europe. If he hasn't shown you anything it can only because you haven't been watching.

I think you should give him time too and I also think DC United should take it very slow with Freddy. 14 against 17 year olds or even 19 year olds as he has played in international play is a few steps up but pro players in their 30's is nuts.... Kobe Bryant for example was 18 years old playing against pro's and the Lakers only played him a few minutes a night the first year. Fredy could wait 4 years before he was up to Bryant's age... It's just nuts to start the kid. Bring him along slowly and let him mature into the best player in the world, which many foreign soccer experts are predicting.

so what if he is the highest paid player!?! He got that contract before he even played a pro game.... And as for "pro" league... This is still the MLS which ranks about as high as the 2nd division in Ukraine...

The Media is hyping Adu because its big money for a dead league... Ive watched soccer all my life and this kid isnt that great... Raul was scoring in the Spanish La Liga at 16 and Figo was a phenom at 15. This is an American story that is trying to breath life into a dead animal... In Europe and South America there is a Freddy Adu on every block... And for that "contract offer" from european teams, they give that exact same contract out to 6 year old brazilian kids every year...

BTW I saw that goal... He was three feet in front of basically an empty net...

[Destino]

Originally posted by xFarbodx

The Media is hyping Adu because its big money for a dead league... Ive watched soccer all my life and this kid isnt that great... Raul was scoring in the Spanish La Liga at 16 and Figo was a phenom at 15. This is an American story that is trying to breath life into a dead animal... In Europe and South America there is a Freddy Adu on every block... And for that "contract offer" from european teams, they give that exact same contract out to 6 year old brazilian kids every year...

BTW I saw that goal... He was three feet in front of basically an empty net...

- Raul and Figo are AMAZING players. So claiming they have accomplished more then Freddy is to be expected. They also received superior training from a younger age then Freddy.

- Freddy has not been offered the standard offer to play in Europe. He's been offered more then the average player several times and isn't expected to last in MLS more then a few years.

- I'm from South America and I can tell you easily that there is NOT a freddy on every block. Fact is those teams are built on players with much less raw potential then freddy but because of good coaching and great feel for the game they develope into great team players. Look at how he did in the sub 17 in international play and tell the other teams were all even with Freddy.

- The goal was VERY impressive for a 14 year old. Almost everyone knows that a key element of a great athlete is awareness. Dispite the fact he has a defender twice his age and much more experienced with him every step he was in the right place to receive the cross. I don't know if you play soccer but it's a defenders job to make sure you don't get position on him, the fact a 14 year old is able to be there is impressive for his experience level.

- Someone said the defender wiffed and the goal was wide open.....news flash, when you make a crossing pass it's your job to put it out of the defenders reach.....the hard part is having someone deep enough to convert the pass. If they are there such goals always 'look easy'.....looks can be decieving. Go play a pick up game sometime and try that play yourself.

[warren]

Originally posted by xFarbodx


so what if he is the highest paid player!?! He got that contract before he even played a pro game.... And as for "pro" league... This is still the MLS which ranks about as high as the 2nd division in Ukraine...

The Media is hyping Adu because its big money for a dead league... Ive watched soccer all my life and this kid isnt that great... Raul was scoring in the Spanish La Liga at 16 and Figo was a phenom at 15. This is an American story that is trying to breath life into a dead animal... In Europe and South America there is a Freddy Adu on every block... And for that "contract offer" from european teams, they give that exact same contract out to 6 year old brazilian kids every year...

BTW I saw that goal... He was three feet in front of basically an empty net...

Well put... I agree with you %100...

[BayouBrave86]

Freddy hasn't impressed you yet? I play soccer as well, for the Richmond Strikers..and I can tell you that kid has AMAZING touch. Did you not see him juke the hell out of Eddie Pope? He had an awesome game against L.A. last week..and although I didn't see too much of the 2nd half yesterday, he looked good out there. Remember he is playing against pro-athletes at the age of 14! Take any U-15 Premier player from across the country and put them in Freddy's position..they would absolutely get eaten alive. Freddy has definately exceeded my expectations. I feel as if he will score another 6 or 7 goals this season, and for a 14 year old..that is pretty remarkable, even though he is probably playing in one of the poorest (talent wise) leagues in the world..to be playing the way he is against players twice his age is simply remarkable.

[thew]

The Media is hyping Adu because its big money for a dead league...

I played soccer for decades and I could not disagree with you more. Freddie is a legitamate superstar in the making. He doesn't look out of place in the pro game at all and he's 14!! Give him a few more years and he will be a legitamate stud...

Ive watched soccer all my life and this kid isnt that great... Raul was scoring in the Spanish La Liga at 16 and Figo was a phenom at 15.

Freddie is 14! The difference between 14 and 16 is huge. the difference between 16 and 18 is huge. and Freddie is playing against 20 and 30 year old men.....

And for that "contract offer" from european teams, they give that exact same contract out to 6 year old brazilian kids every year...

That's just a stupid comment. Freddie turned down 700k a year from an english premier league team and a multi million dollar deal with a division one Italian team. Those are not offers that are regularly given to 11, and 12 year old kids which is how old Freddie was when he recieved the offers... Freddie isn't going to be in MLS for very long. Instead of just talking trash you should really start watching this kid. When he makes it big in the European leagues you're going to be kicking yourself....

BTW I saw that goal... He was three feet in front of basically an empty net...

Then you saw the wrong goal. The goal I saw had the goalie and a defender between Freddie and the net. The ball was to the defender and freddie played through the defender to score. It was a fine agressive play by a youngster who wasn't being timid at all against grown men.....

Oh and about the talent level in MLS. You know doesn't take too much talent to be a goon. The challenge for a great football player in any league in the world isn't going head to head with the few other great players. The challenge is being tough enough to take the constant harrasment by lesser players struggling to keep the great one from achieving. Pele would constantly get roughed up whether he was playing in the world cup for the Brazilian National team or the New York Cosmos. A 14 year old kid who doesn't look out of place playeing with professional athleates is just amazing.....

I hope they keep bringing him along slow so nobody feels a need to break the kid in two...

[Pete]

I've gotta agree with Destino and Warpath. What Freddie has done thus far is amazing. Having played soccer in my younger days, and coaching youth soccer (third year) I see a lot of kids his age. He's a natural, is going up against grown men, and holding his own.

Destino's point about being in the proper place to recieve the cross hit's it right on the head. You can have all the ball handeling skills in the world, but without a good head for the game there useless. I coach U-12, and spring season is a short season with small sided teams on short fields. 6 VS 6, so there's a lot of ball contact for a kid to showcase their skills. You don't see kids with the type of skills Freddie has. I catch some of the U-18 boys select games, and you still don't see the skills in that age group. For our area of the nation, I would say we have exceptional trainers, so it's not the coaching.

Kids like Freddie are very few, and far between

[miragv]

I am a fan of all sports, including soccer, and I would love for US soccer to be up there with the likes of Germany and Brazil. If Adu lives up to his hype we will get there.

[bigchuck]

Im not a soccer fan but from the games ive peeped in on, what strikes me is this dudes speed!!! Man he can fly!!!

[eclectic]

Ive watched soccer all my life and this kid isnt that great

i've played against him and believe me he is amazing

Raul was scoring in the Spanish La Liga at 16 and Figo was a phenom at 15.

he was 17 and four months
which is a huge difference as thew pointed out
figo was a phemon in the youth leagues at 15 but didn't suit up in the portuguese championship until he was 17

oh and btw it's nice to see you using raul and figo as your examples considering they were both name fifa world players of the year
it will be nice to see freddie win it as well

[Farbod21]

Originally posted by eclectic


i've played against him and believe me he is amazing



he was 17 and four months
which is a huge difference as thew pointed out
figo was a phemon in the youth leagues at 15 but didn't suit up in the portuguese championship until he was 17

oh and btw it's nice to see you using raul and figo as your examples considering they were both name fifa world players of the year
it will be nice to see freddie win it as well

Uhh when was Raul Fifa Player of the Year? Guess that was part of the dream world you live in... My point is that you are comparing him to other MLS players... Im sure Kobe Bryant could have played against the national team of Laos when he was 14 too... Im just saying the only place where they even mention his name is America...

Im still laughing at the highest paid player in MLS argument... You know who was the highest paid player before Adu?? Thats what I thought...