If I was him, I would have packed it up long time ago and play in Europe full time. http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5003894 Frustrated Adu hints at leaving United WASHINGTON (AP) - Freddy Adu vented his frustration over lack of playing time Tuesday, saying it has wrecked his chances of making the U.S. World Cup team and has him thinking about leaving D.C. United. United coach Peter Nowak fired back, saying tersely that the 16-year-old Adu has had his chances to play and that "nobody is going to be above this team." The tension between disciplinarian coach and teenage player resurfaced as United prepared to open the MLS playoffs Friday night at Chicago. Adu was particularly upset he didn't start the regular-season finale Saturday against Columbus, one week after winning league honors for player of the week and goal of the week for a highlight-reel score against Real Salt Lake. "I got player of the week that week, and the next week I'm sitting on the bench," Adu said. "And I'm just like, 'What is going on here?' It's one of those things where you don't understand what's going on, but you've got to swallow your pride and be a team player." Nowak pointed out that Adu played the second half of the Columbus game. "If he wants to score a goal, he would score it in the second half against Columbus. ... This is about the team, and always was," Nowak said. "And I don't care who's going to be there - because nobody is going to be above this team. This is our principle from the beginning." The Ghanian-born Adu entered the league last year amid much hype at age 14, the youngest and highest-paid player in MLS history - with a goal of representing his new country in the World Cup in 2006. But Nowak isn't about to showcase a budding phenom unless it means winning more games. Adu voiced his frustration over playing time several times last year, even though he started 14 of 30 games and scored five goals with three assists - while Nowak took United to its fourth MLS title. This year, Adu has started 16 of 25 games - he missed some games with a knee injury and while he was away at the World Youth Championship. He has four goals and six assists and has to vie for playing time on a deep roster that includes forwards and midfielders Christian Gomez, Dema Kovalenko, Jaime Moreno, Ben Olsen, Santino Quaranta and emerging scorer Jamil Walker. "It's hard to find minutes on the field," Adu said. "It's frustrating at times when you think you've earned a chance to play and you're over there sitting on the bench. That's not the kind of player I am. I'm the kind of player who wants to be out there. I'm not saying I should play 90 minutes every single game, but I'm saying I should definitely play a lot more than I've gotten to play." Thus, on the brink of the MLS playoffs, Adu is already thinking about next year. "It becomes very, very, very, very tempting to look ahead, and as a matter of fact I am doing that right now," Adu said. "I always have to make the best decision for myself first, and, you know, I'm just looking into things right now, so we'll see what happens at the end of this season and we'll see where my family and myself are headed." Adu's goal always has been to play for a top club team in Europe, but the sport's complicated rules essentially prevent such a move until he is 18. If he's not with United next season, he would likely be playing with another MLS team. Team president Kevin Payne said he "absolutely" expects Adu back next season. "Our position is unchanged," Payne said. "I think one of the things that Freddy and the people around him need to understand is that, when it comes to playing time, Freddy is on a very good team. ... I'm not sure how this would be any different if Freddy were with Chelsea or Manchester United. They've got some pretty good players." Adu's frustration is compounded by his desire to play in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. With every minute on the bench, Adu sees his chances to impress U.S. coach Bruce Arena slipping away. "That's definitely killed my chances," Adu said. "Bruce has said it a million times that he's not going to bring anybody in that's not playing regularly for his club team." Adu wouldn't have been a lock for the U.S. team, anyway. Nowak, Payne and Adu's teammates all make the same point: The kid shows flashes of talent, but it's not there all the time. "He's still young," goalkeeper Nick Rimando said. "Sometimes you see him do so well in games and turn games around - and the next time you see him not do as well. You know what the kid has and what he can bring, and I think sometimes the coaches might get frustrated with that. I think he gets frustrated himself."
This kid is something, and for the sake of the US national soccer team, I do hope he plays in Europe and gets to improve even more by playing with the best players in the world. This kid, IMO, is our only hope of truly competing with the "big dogs" in Europe and Latin America a few years form now.
Being in DC, I can tell you that it has hurt the fan draw. I go to a game hoping that Adu Starts. But he never does. He's who we come to see. And the thing is, he's been great when he has played, so I can see the frustration and understand it. If the league was doing well without Adu I'd say fine, you are the coach, but the reality is the league needs Adu to be on the field and on the scene. MLS needs Adu. U.S. soccer needs Adu. All that said, he's good enough to start, and I too, think he should.
Yeah, he's got flashes of greatness every now and then, but he's no PELé or OWEN. Freddy, CD América in México could use you. Would you be interested in playing at Azteca stadium? Ever wondered if the altitude will bother you? El Piojo Lopez Navia Padilla Blanco Adu has a nice ring to it.
It will be near impossible for him to get a work permit until he is 18, meaning he can't move abroad. Even if he could, he's nowhere near good enoough now to make it into European teams, he'd spend the next 2-3 years playing academy and reserve games.
i have never watched a single second of mls soccer and don't care about soccer until the world cup rolls around, but why did they draft him only to sit him? he's supposed to be the league savior, and apparently plays well, and the coach wants to be a dick and a disciplinarian and keep the league's biggest draw on the bench? seems stupid to me. i have to think the powers of mls have put serious pressure on him to let freddy play. and i think he should get as much time as possible to improve. who gives a crap if dc united wins the mls cup or title or whatever (your sport has to have more fans than the wnba for it to matter who wins), we need to win the world cup.
I think that the fact that he's playing in such a mediocre league is stunting his potential. This guy needs to be in Europe to be the best he can be. I would rather have him in a developmental league or school like in Manchester or something. This guy has to much potential for him to be sitting on the bench for an MLS team.
Believe it or not, head coaches in the MLS do have the pressure to win. At the end of every season, some of them lose their jobs because their teams have not won enough. I think the problem is that while this kid might be the best 16 years old soccer player in the world, he is still not good enough to beat out his adult teammates, like Jaime Moreno (IIRC he was the scoring champ in the MLS a few years ago), who have been playing professional soccer for years. But I do agree with what some of the posters in this thread have said. For the sake of US soccer, Freddy has to be on the field and play regularly.
At this point, this guy would not start for any of the top 10 teams in the Bundesliga, Primera Division, EPL or first Italian league.
Im pretty sure at 16 he could head to Europe. I know a lot of Aussie soccer players head over there when they are very young.
Yes, he can go to Europe. The only problem is that he wouldn't be eligible to play with the senior team until he is 18. That is a European Union rule. It was started to combat what a lot of European club teams were doing in the past. They'd bring a kid over from Brazil or some 3rd world country, give him a little cash, he doesn't perform, and cut him to the streets. Not exactly a good way to spend a life when your 17 and in a foreign country with no way of getting home. It was happening a lot and so they started the rule that non-EU born players must be 18 to play in the senior team. Freddie needs to be patient. He's going to get his time. he is a supremely talented kid. 2006 was a long shot to begin with. There is simply too much depth with the USMNT right now. 2010 is a lock if he continues to progress. It might mean leaving DC United for another MLS team for the immediate future. If he gets a seasons worht of starts under his belt and is successful, the Euro teams will come calling. It will be the largest transfer involving a US player in history.
