Et tu, Adu?

[Pounder]

So, while SCUSA has taken a dive, Freddy Adu lamented his situation in DC.

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/18/AR2005101800918.html

Reaction has been a bit swift.

washingtontimes.com/sports/20051019-115023-9836r.htm

Mike Wilbon actually has a decent column with a somewhat subtle slam at MLS marketing, though a little addition would have been nice.

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/19/AR2005101902413.html

Yes, with the playoffs starting this weekend, some patch-up work has been necessary. What timing, Freddy!

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/19/AR2005101902372.html

If Adu were European, he might have signed earlier than he signed with DCU... but it wouldn't really be news, and he might still be waiting to play for the first team. I could hope someday that mainstream American media picks up on this nuance.

[RC]

Somewhere along the way, we expect a (now) 16 year old to be a mature, knowledgable professional. In many cases, by being thrust into the limelight, they are way more polished than the average 16 year old.

I think that perhaps the "highly touted" stuff with Freddy needs to be toned down a bit (by all including his own handlers). He was able to be a Force while playing at the U17 level, but he was not all that impessive playing for the U21/U23's (can't recall which it was) this summer...he continually held the ball too long and continually tried to beat players using a fancy move...promply loosing the ball. Cudos for having the willingness to try the stuff, but... On that team, Wynne and Feilheiber were much more impressive to me (as was Messi for Argentina, the other highly touted one). OK, I'm trying to not forget his age. Someone needs to enlighten him that as much as the USNT needs creative talent as cover for Reyna & O'Brian (assuming Freddy would be used in mid, not as a forward), he's not consistently at that level yet.

Let's see, for DC, he played in 25 games, started in 16 and was 9th in minutes. At age 16, he would not be doing better in Europe. Perhaps the MLS PR dept did over do it, thinking he would progress faster, but it's kinda hard to argue with Novak's coaching so far. I've gotta think that if he was consistently dominating in practice, he would be consistently starting...I've only seen a few portions of the DC games and he seems to drift in/out when he's in there.

Growing pains...