The Freddy Adu catchall thread

ditto, 100% agree. cut your teeth in NASL and by the time Atlanta joins the league they may bring you along. Realistic enough goal IMO, and I really hope he goes through with it.

 

I think this video explains a lot and I am glad we go the right player in the end.

 

To go further with the tennis comparison, look at Andre Agassi. He fell so far from grace that he had top pay in qualifiers. Then he got his groove back and was as good as any tennis player ever.

I'm not saying that Freddy is going to do that, but it's not unprecedented.

 

Assuming Atlanta still wants him. That tweet kinda made him look like a dick.

 

Let him wait for the Real Madrid call, then.

 

It's obviously a big advantage to have size, strength, and speed, but its by no means required. David Silva and Juan Mata are just 2 examples but I'm sure theres more. If Freddy had the size, strength, and speed of Lebron James without sacrificing any skill than he would be way better off for it. But IMO I don't think his athleticism and size is holding him back. If he fixed his mental problems and work ethic and had a coach who knew how to play him and trusted him, I think he could succeed in spite of his size and athleticism.

 

if being short and small isn't an issue then why did Lionel's youth team fund his HGH program?

 

yes it does

 

Because he is phenomenally quick?

 

Freddy getting bored and burnt out seems quite likely to me. He went from being the star in tournament after tournament to being that guy that sits on the bench and waits for a few scrub minutes at the end of the game. Or to be the guy who makes the safe square pass over and over. Who plays with the other players on that Philadelphia team....ugh

 

Sure, if he suddenly became a smarter player with a great work ethic, then his mediocre athleticism could be overcome and he could better utilize his amazing foot skills. But the opposite is also true: a player with a mediocre work ethic and mediocre soccer smarts could still be playing professionally if he was a tremendous athlete with great foot skills. Adu needed to give teams more than just one really top quality -- his great foot skills. He needed at least a second good quality, but it doesn't appear to have been soccer smarts, or work ethic, or athleticism.

If I break him down along the lines of the Dutch TIPS system (Technique, Insight, Personality, Speed), Adu may look like this:

Technique -- Excellent. Great touch on the ball, dribbling skills and passing accuracy.
Insight -- below average pro. Generally makes poor choices with the ball and especially off the ball.
Personality -- below average work rate and training behavior (widely rumored).
Speed -- average speed at best, both foot speed and speed of thought.

That's not top Euro League material. That's rotational MLS material, but only at a reasonable salary.

 

When's the last time he played a game at the club level? Anyone have a date?

 

Talent is great if the person who has it doesn't waste it.

 

Has Adu retired?

 

Yeah, it was a pleasant surprise to click on this thread. Ponying up with my two cents:

1. Burnout no, complacency yes - Having followed the careers of Gaven, Convey, Mapp, Marshall, Quaranta and others, I think that a lot of our best talents burn out, at least for a while. Their soccer experience is too pressurized and joyless from too early an age, and eventually, that shows. But I don't think that applies to Adu. He's a guy who would show up at a high-profile tournament and look incredible, but he wasn't taking things too seriously on a daily basis.
2. Foreign academy wouldn't have helped - Adu didn't seem to do well moving abroad in 2007. If he'd gone in 2004, he might've flown completely off of the rails. And reserve/youth games would've been boring for him. His talent needed first-team soccer.
3. Yes, he's talented. Yes, he also has weaknesses (e.g., right foot), but people are over-stating their importance. His left leg is pure gold, and he sees the field very well. Also, for the role he plays, the key physical attribute is quickness, and he has plenty of that (his low center of gravity helps). If things like fitness and attitude are correctable, then he can still have a good career.

 

I'm still waiting for the book to come out.....

I'm curious (after reading the YA update on Altidore). Where does Jozy rank on this scale? I'd say he's fast, with ok technique, poor insight and ok personality. But he's a starter for the US. Doesn't that show how small, weak and with skill is valued far below big and fast?

 

What's Freddy up to these days?

 

You make this sound like they are both still competing at the youth levels (big, fast vs small, skilled). At the senior levels, it is a physical, fast war on the pitch. Small, weak and skilled leaves a player juggling on the sidelines. Plenty of small players at the senior levels but rare to see one that isn't very quick and without good strength (power/endurance) for his size. If all it took was skill to play at the highest levels, great players would not retire in their 30's as it isn't skill that they lose.

 

Altidore using TIPS:

Technique -- Above average. Very strong shot, solid dribbling, average passing and heading.
Insight -- Average pro. Capable combination player, but struggles some as a lone target forward.
Personality -- Average pro. Work rate and training behavior is OK, but nothing special.
Speed -- Slightly above average speed, both foot speed and speed of thought.

An MLS and Dutch League star, but a marginal rotational player in the Premier League.

 

It isn't size or strength that they lose, either.

 

Disagree about the Speed of thought. I think its exceptional. Hes just never covers enough ground on the field an his end of play shot/cross power is weak.