# Much Adu About Something (Future of American Soccer)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 10, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313 "2003-03-10T15:24:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/1 "2003-03-10T15:24:29Z")
There’s a lot of buzz in the press lately about [Freddy Adu](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_online/news/2003/03/03/freddy/). He’s a 13 year old playing for the US U-17, which just qualified for the U-17 World Cup in Finland this August. They did that by beating Guatemala 3-0, Jamaica 3-0 and tying El Salvador 1-1. Freddy scored and had an assist in both wins, tying with two others for most goals scored in his group. > [@](#): > > _From SI online (see link above)_ > That month 10-year-old Freddy had traveled to Italy with a U.S. Olympic Development Program team for an under-14 tournament against the youth squads of such Italian powerhouses as Lazio of Rome and Turin’s Juventus. Not only did Freddy’s team win the competition, but he led the tournament in scoring and was named MVP. Within days the Adus’ phone in Potomac began ringing … and ringing … and ringing. “I told Emelia to get an unlisted number,” Tarzy says, shaking his head. > [@](#): > > _From [US Soccer](http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=28875&itype=) site_ > That month 10-year-old Freddy had traveled to Italy with a U.S. Olympic Development Program team for an under-14 tournament against the youth squads of such Italian powerhouses as Lazio of Rome and Turin’s Juventus. Not only did Freddy’s team win the competition, but he led the tournament in scoring and was named MVP. Within days the Adus’ phone in Potomac began ringing … and ringing … and ringing. “I told Emelia to get an unlisted number,” Tarzy says, shaking his head. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/2 "2003-03-10T16:01:47Z")
> [@](#): > > As the offers poured in – from Inter Milan, from Adidas, from all manner of agents – Emelia Adu stood firm in her response: No. “He’s just a young boy,” says Emelia, who in 1997 brought her two sons, Freddy and Fro, to the U.S. from Ghana after the family won a green-card lottery. Good to hear mom’s got both feet firmly on the ground, although it’ll be interesting to see for how long. Then again, if he’s really THIS good, there’s nothing wrong with him turning (semi-)pro at 16 for a strong Eurpean side like Inter. Or perhaps a UK team, as it’ll suit him more culturally. Exciting! And maybe one more well-needed boost for American soccer (I’d say American football, but that would get confusing really quickly ;)). I look forward to seeing this lad play in 2007, or maybe sooner. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/3 "2003-03-10T16:08:46Z")
Will they televise any of the U-17 tournament in the Netherlands? I’d love to actually _see_ him play. What’s not drummed up to much in the story is that his younger brother is supposed to be almost as good. I’m not holding my breath but am holding out hope to see them play together at 20 and 18 in 2010. And you’re right, from everything I’ve read his mother really has her act together. The downside for turning pro on a European side is that it’s just a long way away from everything for such a young kid. Landon Donovan, one of the current young US stars really got very little from his time in the Bundesliga. Keep in mind that most Americans are not multilingual and might have some trouble to blend in. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/4 "2003-03-10T16:17:20Z")
Thats generally why they work best over here in England, as **Coldfire** said, its not too much of a cultural shift. The Netherlands is always another option - historically they’ve always done pretty well when it comes to integrating English-speaking kids into youth schemes with the minimum upheaval for the kid. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/5 "2003-03-10T16:23:28Z")
**garius** , isn’t there a lot of racial abuse heaped on African players in the Premiership? Or am I confusing the league with the Serie A? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/6 "2003-03-10T16:38:58Z")
The Premier League is hardly a bastion of racism - there’s plenty of black players from all nations. Shibb, I might catch this lad on Dutch TV if the US happens to play the Dutch U-17’s. And even then, it’s highlights at best. Holland may be another option for kids like Adu: people generally speak English quite well, and are openminded towards other cultures. John O’Brien came here when he was 15, and still plays for Ajax. Truth be told, he really made an effort to blend in: he speaks Dutch with _no accent whatsoever_ (well, a posh Dutch accent!), something that’s really hard to accomplish. Seriously, he’s more articulate in Dutch than most of the native Ajax players. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/7 "2003-03-10T16:40:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ShibbOleth \* > \*\ ***garius** , isn’t there a lot of racial abuse heaped on African players in the Premiership? Or am I confusing the league with the Serie A? \*\* It’s not nearly as bad as it used to be. There has been a concerted effort to remove Racism from football, but unfortunately you will still get some idiots who are missing a link in the evolutionary chain. As for the Serie A, well, lets just say that he’d have to be something special to win over the Lazio Hardcore. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/8 "2003-03-10T17:06:14Z")
He’s only 13! He’ll need a great deal of wise care not to be hopelessly screwed up, at least mentally, before he could make the national team. How many young athletes do you hear about at that age, or even several years later, turn out to be anything? Either their bodies don’t mature in the way one would hope, or they’ve been in such a tight bubble that they can’t handle real-world situations, or they rebel against their parents/coaches and lose their training, or … Well, let’s hope he’s an exception. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/9 "2003-03-10T18:23:09Z")
As if the soccer/footie stuff wasn’t enough: > [@](#): > > At the same time, Freddy remains exceptional in so many ways. In his first organized basketball game two years ago, a jayvee contest for The Heights School in Potomac, Freddy scored 28 points. On the first golf hole he ever played, a 370-yard par-4, Freddy reached the green in two and two-putted for par. In his first art competition as a fifth-grader, his drawing won the top county prize. “This kid is just a freak show,” Tarzy says, smiling. On acadmics: > [@](#): > > \*From the [Daily Illini\*](http://www.dailyillini.com/nov02/nov21/sports/stories/sports_column01.shtml) > Because of his academic excellence, he skipped grades before high school. He led his Maryland high school team, The Heights, to a state championship by scoring 25 goals in only 16 games. > > Since then, he has moved down to Florida and joined the under-17 national team at Bradenton Academy — a private school that allows players like Adu to concentrate on soccer while still maintaining a strong academic focus. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/10 "2003-03-10T18:52:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ShibbOleth \* > \*\*As if the soccer/footie stuff wasn’t enough: > > ## quote: > > ## At the same time, Freddy remains exceptional in so many ways. In his first organized basketball game two years ago, a jayvee contest for The Heights School in Potomac, Freddy scored 28 points. On the first golf hole he ever played, a 370-yard par-4, Freddy reached the green in two and two-putted for par. In his first art competition as a fifth-grader, his drawing won the top county prize. “This kid is just a freak show,” Tarzy says, smiling. > > On acadmics: > Because of his academic excellence, he skipped grades before high school. He led his Maryland high school team, The Heights, to a state championship by scoring 25 goals in only 16 games. > > Since then, he has moved down to Florida and joined the under-17 national team at Bradenton Academy — a private school that allows players like Adu to concentrate on soccer while still maintaining a strong academic focus.\*\* > [@](#): > > Adu’s cancer cure is soon expected to be approved by the FDA. Plus, his peace plan for the Middle East has been so well received, both Bush and Hussein lauded him for his progressive thinking and dynamic ideas. OK, I made all that up. Good Lord, how much more perfect can a kid be? In the interests of US Soccer, I hope that he keeps his feet planted and keeps working hard. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/11 "2003-03-10T18:58:42Z")
As **Twistoffate** said, The Premiership has really come down hard on Racism in football - although obviously you are never going to stamp it out completely. These days when Racial abuse comes up in the media it generally seems to rear its ugly head in European football when Brit teams are abroad. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/12 "2003-03-10T19:33:15Z")
It’s not uncommon for extremely talented football players to excell at other ball sports as well. Having said that, he scored 25 in 16 at state level? That’s AMAZING. I’m assuming that a state championship means a decent level of opposition here. ---
**Author:** ![Zoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6de8d8/32.png) [@Zoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoff)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/13 "2003-03-10T19:38:52Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m assuming that a state championship means a decent level of opposition here. Decent, but not uniformly spectacular, so it’s difficult to judge by numbers. That being said, my friend is a coach with the Olympic Development Program and has seen Freddy Adu play. He said the kid is spectacular and has a pretty mature understanding of the game. He’s living in my area, so I’ve read a few stories in the paper about him. I’ve been impressed with his mother. If he doesn’t live up to expectations, it won’t be because of an overbearing parent. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/14 "2003-03-10T20:08:16Z")
Hey, maybe you can catch a game or training sometime, and let us know! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/15 "2003-03-10T20:53:12Z")
From what I can find he’s scored somewhere between 24-28 goals since he joined the US U-17 about a year ago. These were mostly exhibition games, some of them against MLS (US pro league). They beat one of the pro teams 2-1 on two goals from Freddy. The goals he scored at the “state” level would have been against other “kids” as much as 6-7 years older than him, so while that’s not like playing professional, it’s still pretty impressive. At the time he was about 5’3" (roughly 1.57 m) and only about 115 pounds (52 kilos). He’s grown taller and heavier since. One interesting note was that in 2001 he was named to Maryland’s second team all state team. So at least at that point, whoever decides those things thought that there were at least 11 players better than him. Here’s a link I found to some [tape footage](http://www.mifutbol.com/videos.php?client_tag=1&event_id=&bTransparente=1). It’s a little difficult to sort through, but you go to the “4” in the bottom left Frame, then go to “Pre-Mundial 3era Fecha”. I think there may be some other stuff in there, too. The one highlight I saw his shot his the crossbar, but first he just sort of seemed to have his way going through six defenders with the ball. Here’s [another link](http://ameriblog.blogfc.com/) I found at the same site, but I am getting bandwidth errors for this one. ---
**Author:** ![Zoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6de8d8/32.png) [@Zoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoff)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/16 "2003-03-10T21:25:53Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Coldfire_ > Hey, maybe you can catch a game or training sometime, and let us know! Now that he’s big time I don’t know how often he plays in the area. I’ll ask my friend and see if he knows of any local games. I’ll also talk to to my friend and give you some more detailed comments on the young Mr. Adu. Maybe I can be an official SDMB scout. I’ll take the job for half of a Mod’s salary. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/17 "2003-03-11T02:30:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ShibbOleth \* > **The one highlight I saw his shot his the crossbar, but first he just sort of seemed to have his way going through six defenders with the ball.** That’s all I found, but say no more! I’m hardly a die-hard football expert, but I think I know pure talent when I see it. This kid is awesome! Zoff, half a mod’s salary? You’ll have an awefully messy desk. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/18 "2003-03-11T02:40:51Z")
**Coldie** , I found another by going to 3 on that first link. It’s his goal in the other game (vs Jamaica, I think). In it he somehow gets behind the entire defense, gets stopped by the keeper, takes the ball back several meters, then weaves through a couple of defenders who have gotten back to him by then, and beats the keeper with his second shot, a nice left foot from about 6-7 meters out. Another pretty amazing piece of work. It’s like watching a big kid play with smaller kids, but in this case he’s the younger one. Just hope that his early success doesn’t spoil him. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/19 "2003-03-11T02:56:03Z")
Even the FIFA boys are getting in on the Freddy lovefest: > [@](#): > > … > With a 3-0 rout of a talented Jamaican side in their opening match on 5 March, the US were off and running at a tremendous pace. Only a slight stumble and an unimpressive 1-1 draw in their second Group A match with Central American outfit El Salvador saw the US’ supreme confidence momentarily dented. But Ellinger’s boys, led by the verve and panache of Eddie Gaven and Guillermo Gonzalez, the pure poaching prowess of John DiRaimondo, and the all-around mesmerising guile of the impossibly young and supremely gifted Freddy Adu, put paid to the host Guatemalans (3-0) in their final match to silence those who predicted anything short of total success for the rampaging Americans. > > **Much Ado about Adu** > Since the US senior side sensationally soared to quarter-final heights last summer in Korea/Japan, the eyes of a vast nation have been opened wide to even greater possibilities for the future. All football talk in the United States now seems to revolve around a precocious 13-year-old prodigy by the name of Freddy Adu. > > The big question on everyone’s lips was, “is the kid for real?” With his first taste of international competition, the Ghanaian-born bundle of footballing brilliance certainly laid all doubt to rest. > > Within ten minutes of the US’ opener with Jamaica, young Adu left three defenders for dead before rifling an inch-perfect rocket of a pass to Corey Ashe for the Americans’ first goal. And as if to put emphasis on his triumphal arrival on the world stage, little Adu snapped up the ball in the 92nd minute, took a quick compass reading, and proceeded to tear the poor Jamaican defence to shreds before calmly slamming a left-footed drive past despairing Caribbean ‘keeper Duwayne Kerr. > > The youngster who grew up playing football for fun with friends in West Africa after school has traded in his raggedy ball and made quite a splash on his international debut. Adu, who attained US citizenship only months ago, recently claimed, “I am in a different world when I am playing soccer.” And he surely was in a different world again against the hosts as he skinned the Guatemalan defence before hammering home the US’ third and final goal at the Estadio Mateo Flores. > … ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313/20 "2003-03-11T02:58:12Z")
Oops, left out the [FIFA](http://www.fifa.com/Service/MR_A/52452_E.html) link to the story above. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/much-adu-about-something-future-of-american-soccer/160313.md?page=2)