Forgot Lebron, Adu to turn pro at 14 years of age

I am so amazingly psyched about this.

there are not many words to describe how an American soccer freak feels about a 14 year old American annointed as the next Pele

I hope he lives up to only 1/2 of what is expected of him

so everyone knows
this deal will have freddy play 2-4 years in MLS developing his skills and making it on the bigger stage. maybe some stints on loan to some big clubs and then a massine $$ transfer to one of Europes biggest clubs. not to mention time on the Olympic U-23 team and the senior nats when he gets a little older

 

How is that legal?

 

That kid ain't 14. 16 at the youngest. Look at his legs.

 

he signed a 1 million dollar deal with Nike the same week as Labron signed his deal.

In soccer very young kids get signed.

in the article it mentions him turning down an offer when he was 11

that offer was from Inter. a massive club. they offered him 700k back then
these deals generally have the player train on a backup team untill they are ready for first team. the European teams have youth academys

Freddy is apparently ready for limited minutes in MLS. I doubt he will be a starter as a 15 year old rookie, but you never know. in video i have seen, this kid scorces everyone and he is as large as most adult soccer players. I just hope he is not injured

 

this is amazing! but i kind of wonder if he's really 14

 

where is the outrage?

Rocket River

 

he is actually 14

this has been discussed an nausium on the big soccer boards and the funny thing is there is no advantage to his lying about his age

he would be better serves saying that he is older.

Freddy has lost out on a great deal of opportunities due to his age. his mother knows he is too young and has fought to keep his yourth youthfull. its not like that littleague baseball kid.

this kid is 14 playing on the U-17 team. he was pissed because the US coaches didnt put him on the u-20 team

he could be playing for the u-14 team, but he prefers the challange.
This is not a big fish trying to make a splash in a small pond. It is a minnow not accepting that he belongs in a poddle, but a minnow that is fighting for the right to make a splash in the ocean.

confucious says
yippe

 

oh yeah, he is like 5-8 130lbs
this is normal in pro soccer. I however was 5'11 and 188 with a moustache at the same age so dont tell me he is too big or mature for his age.

My co-workers son is 6'2" and he is 14
a solid mature looking 14

 

I'm glad DC has an MLS team. This kid should be the bomb.

 

WOW!!!

He's the next Danny Almonte!!!!!!!!










Anyone notice the jealousy in my tone considering he is a.) younger than me b.) graduating the same time I am and c.) making millions and millions more dollars than I will.



(Maybe I should just be a corporate raider...)

 

Well, the new FIFA rules about playing in your own country until a certain age have paid off, here.

I don't really like it, tbh. If Adu is good enough to play in England for Chelsea or Man Utd, there's no reason he should not be allowed to. If he's really that good, then he's wasting his time in a league where 40 year olds can lead the league in "points," has-beens from other nations become all-stars, and lower league Scottish rejects score tons of goals.
\
Of course, I don't think he is ready to play for Chelsea or Man Utd. And MLS isn't really a terrible league, anymore. It's ahead of where most of the Asian clubs are, and probably on-par where a lot of the smaller European nations are. He needs to develop. But I don't see why that shouldn't be his decision. If he'd rather train at Carrington in Manchester and play for their U-17 team... he should be allowed to do so.

One thing's for sure: I really wish I could have been a fly in the wall for the discussions. No idea why he signed such a long contract. Most people expected him to sign just a long enough deal to take him to the age where he could bolt for England, Spain, or Italy. Interesting, the fact that he signed for 6 years. I wonder what was promised/threatened.

 

I knew child actors were exempt from child labor laws under the Fair Labors Standards Act; however,I didn't realize that athletes were. If there's no problem with this, then why does anyone care if athletes go straight from high school to the NBA?

 

I have an answer, but it'd send this thread to the D&D.

 

I think your point is valid as far as MLS is concerned, generally. In Europe, however, there are extensive youth/reserve/lower league systems for younger players. That makes soccer more similar to baseball, generally, where there's a developmental ladder to take care of young recruits.

MLS sort of apes the European system, in this regard. Also, the average career-length of a soccer player is very short, even compared to basketball players. Some very notable stars have retired in their very early 30's. Very, very few last to be 35 (or if they do, they're generally playing at a much lower level in a lower league).

Generally speaking, talented European players go into the club system at a very young age. They gradually work their way in, until they sign pro contracts when the club offers them one (if at all). There's no draft, so normally they're working with a hometown team, so it's not as intrusive as the NBA draft; they'll still be living with their families.

All this, of course, doesn't apply to MLS. But MLS is a weird amalgamation of normal soccer rules... and American league rules. IMO, this is a mistake.

But, if MLS wanted Adu, it was a mistake they had to make. If MLS had not signed Adu, a European club certainly would have.

 

Haven, I am sure the Manchester u-17 yeam is a good place to learn. We all know Ajax is a good place to learn, but freddy is already in residence at Branderton FL this is Americas soccer academy for U-17
Freddy has already done all he can for our u-17 program and apparently has already exausted the other player/coaches. He needs a bigger challange. FIFA will not allow him to leave the us and actually play at a higher level. he would be forced to play in the European JV teams for 4 more years(or is that 2 I dont remember) Freddys team destroyed Man-U U-17, so why join them. Join MLS and make 250k a year and become a hero to American soccer. in Eurome he would be just another lando Donavan rotting on the bench of Bayer Leverkusan.

In DC he will get playing time in first division(although it is American first division) and he will improve by being around true professionals. MLS is akin to D-1 England at least. MLS has the financial backing no team on the planet can match and MLS is in the country he openly loves. I dont expect Freddy to be playing in MLS after WC 2006, but He and a few other factors that are currently making MLS the most interesting league to follow could make his staying extremely lucrative for him.

more on this after the MLS cup final this weekend.

 

This kid can play... If you ever seen his video's you know lebron is his lil' b****.... OOO... this kid is the real thing.

 

This kid is the bomb. He blew everyone off the field in u-17 Tourney that I saw him in. Not to mention that he has already practiced with DC United a few times and everyone from the Coaches to the Players agreed that he could play at that level. As far as being to young? I don't hear a big uproar about U-14 Tennis players. If he can play and that's what he wants let him do it. Besides it seems that he has a pretty stable base at home. His parents were the ones that turned down that Italian Club when he was 11.