Radio Unica guys comment on Freddie Adu

[lond2345]

yesterday they talked about him.

they went to see the metros game against adu and his team (forgot what it is, sub 17?)

Ramos said Adu, the 13 year old is "different" than his team mates, and yes even than the metro stars players. He described an amazing move he did, a tunnel followed a big run or something like that.

said that the playing style of the u.s nt wont benefit Adu.

he said he has everything to become a phenom, doesnt know if he will.

to anyone that cares, but you all know about Adu already.

[fidlerre]

Originally posted by lond2345


said that the playing style of the u.s nt wont benefit Adu.

what? a playing style? i didnt know we had one?

[accion]

tunnel= nutmeg?? tell us more about this move. from the alan hopkins article it described him, taking a full field pass and flicking over a defenders head on his first touch and then doing it a second time with the other foot.

[The Wanderer]

Yes, a tunel(spanish spelling), means a nutmeg. The Radio Unica guys saying how his style of play won't fit in with the nats shows just how little they know about the team. Either that or it was them taking a swipe at the current skill level of the team.

[superdave]

I understand where the Radio Unica guy was coming from. As much as I like players like McBride and Stewart for what they've done, they aren't terribly creative.

But it's clear that each 2 year age cohort has better skills overall and feel for the game than the one before it. By the time Freddy is able to actually be a star at the international level (WC 2010), I expect that a highly skilled like Freddy will fit in well. At that point, our midfield might well consist of Freddy, a 26 y.o. Bobby Convey and a 27 y.o. DMB, with 27 y.o. Landon Donovan playing up top. Then Freddy will fit in perfectly.

[Cweedchop]

Originally posted by superdave
I understand where the Radio Unica guy was coming from. As much as I like players like McBride and Stewart for what they've done, they aren't terribly creative.

But it's clear that each 2 year age cohort has better skills overall and feel for the game than the one before it. By the time Freddy is able to actually be a star at the international level (WC 2010), I expect that a highly skilled like Freddy will fit in well. At that point, our midfield might well consist of Freddy, a 26 y.o. Bobby Convey and a 27 y.o. DMB, with 27 y.o. Landon Donovan playing up top. Then Freddy will fit in perfectly.

Bingo..

I think the American player has been stereotyped as athletic but not creative.. I definitely see that.. In 1994...

This is 2003 and as St. Bruce said after the World Cup, "this is a young man's game"...

Landon Donovan
Bobby Convey
DeMarcus Beasley
John O'Brien
Claudio Reyna
Clint Mathis
Esdon Buddle
Santino Quaranta
Ed Johnson

What do all these players have in common?

They are all infinitely more creative than their predecessors (Wynalda, Harkes, Stewart, Murray et al)...

The American player is changing right before our eyes..

Sheesh, I haven't even mentioned the young studs like Adu, Memo Gonzalez, Eddie Gaven and Justin Mapp yet...

Keep sleepin' on the stereotypical American player Radio Unica and those dopes at Telemundo (Cantor and Longo)..

As far as I can tell, the only playing style I'm familiar with is us beating Mexico 6 out of the last 7 matches.. Not that this argument is mutually exclusive to Mexico, but you get my drift....

[Levante]

Originally posted by Cweedchop


Keep sleepin' on the stereotypical American player Radio Unica and those dopes at Telemundo (Cantor and Longo)..

As far as I can tell, the only playing style I'm familiar with is us beating Mexico 6 out of the last 7 matches.. Not that this argument is mutually exclusive to Mexico, but you get my drift....

How often have you listened to the show?


These guys are by far the most objective soccer commentators on the radio or on TV. Besides, the Radio Unica guys have all but acknowledged that the US holds an advantage toward Mexico right now and that they can only get better.

[sch2383]

Remeber when the world scoffed at Project 2010? It looks so reachable now.

[TeamUSA]

I ain't waiting for 2010. I'm ready for 2006!! It'll be nice to have Freddy to win it for the second time in a row.

[Various Styles]

A few months ago Radio Unica was not covering MLS or even the USMNT. If it wasnt for the USSF/Radio Unica Deal Jorge Ramos wouldnt even be talking about Adu. Now i dont question the kids ability, but the fact that he is getting mentioned in Radio Unica has more to do with Media Hype than anything else.

[socrne1]

I like your thinking on the middle in 2010. I'm not an expert here but from what I have read Adu will only be 22 at that time, I believe he turns 17 by the beg. of the championship game at 2006. So we will have a very established midfield, and who know's how many other players that are coming up through the system will be proclaimed the next Donovan. Yes isn't it exciting to think about ...

[purojogo]

I paid close attention to what Ramos said. He had watched the U17 play the Metrostars. He mentioned how the U17 team tried to play a physical style, plus they relied way too much on long balls to the flanks. Therefore he said, it was not possible to exploit Adu's talent to its full potential, which i take it to mean not as many one on one chances where he could create more in the middle. Regardless, he saw some nice work by Adu (one Stepover -sp??- move between two players) and a nicely gotten free kick at the edge of the area (after beating two guys on the dribble and being pulled down by the 2nd). Jorge said he has the raw talent to be great, but obviously we will know only with time.
Despite the fact that many of our U-20 and U-17 teams can rout many teams in the region, I agree that the tactics on the teams have to be changed to go along with the increasing ability of young upcoming players (on keeping possession, one on one situations, drawing dangerous free kicks off the dribble- not to mention converting such free kicks into goals). I don't think this is the case so far... which I believe was Ramos' point.... so many aerial balls when you have kids with more technique than ever before might not be the way to go

[Colonel Angus]

I'm fairly new to this whole thing, but I was wondering if other countries like England, Brazil, and others hype their 13 and 14 year-olds the way we seem to be doing w/ Adu?

[socrne1]

Nice Saturday Night Live spoof there - Colonel Angus...England has Rooney, as far as other countries go not sure, maybe they dont get the media attention that the U.S. gives, or its simply just another rising superstar amongst a big drawing pool.

[robviii]

Originally posted by purojogo
Despite the fact that many of our U-20 and U-17 teams can rout many teams in the region, I agree that the tactics on the teams have to be changed to go along with the increasing ability of young upcoming players (on keeping possession, one on one situations, drawing dangerous free kicks off the dribble- not to mention converting such free kicks into goals). I don't think this is the case so far... which I believe was Ramos' point.... so many aerial balls when you have kids with more technique than ever before might not be the way to go

Very good point. I think you actually see the different philosophies play themselves out with the coaches of the younger US Nat teams. Ellinger coached a great U-17 team back when he had Donovan and DMB, a team that was comfortable on the ball and did like to pass. But then we had some German coach, who coached the U-20 team in Argentina, and they played a boring and unsuccessful game that relied on long-balls and not enough passing or possession.

The confidence to exploit the technical and tactical talents of our younger guys may not actually rely on a change in the American player; the change is already there. We probably need more coaches who start to see this.

[Stogey23]

Originally posted by Colonel Angus
I'm fairly new to this whole thing, but I was wondering if other countries like England, Brazil, and others hype their 13 and 14 year-olds the way we seem to be doing w/ Adu?
Nobody seems to have/ have had this kind of prospect in years.

[atorres4]

Originally posted by Cweedchop

Keep sleepin' on the stereotypical American player Radio Unica and those dopes at Telemundo (Cantor and Longo)..

As far as I can tell, the only playing style I'm familiar with is us beating Mexico 6 out of the last 7 matches.. Not that this argument is mutually exclusive to Mexico, but you get my drift....

Exactly my point!

[superdave]

Originally posted by Various Styles
but the fact that he is getting mentioned in Radio Unica has more to do with Media Hype than anything else.
Partly, VS. This kid is the first American about whom we can say, he might be the best player in the world someday. I've seen him, his skill is incredible for a 13 year old. If RU is gonna do a story on American soccer, picking Adu is NOT media hype. It's realistic.

[Various Styles]

Originally posted by superdave

Partly, VS. This kid is the first American about whom we can say, he might be the best player in the world someday. I've seen him, his skill is incredible for a 13 year old. If RU is gonna do a story on American soccer, picking Adu is NOT media hype. It's realistic.

Adu has yet to play any important tourneys. I can believe the hype of Cavenaghi or Diego e Robinho because they have actually played League games and Tournaments where they have shown their talents. Does it really matter that a 13 yr old kid is outplaying Yanks (who are not really known for flashy skills) in training games !!! When Adu plays in the Youth World Cup and shows his skills then he wont need any Hype.

[EL MONO MARIO]

Adu is 13... 13! He has a LOOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG way still... He plays against kids far underpar than him! Hell he plays better than MLS players!!!!! Let's give him a little more time... I'll wait till the youth championships to judge.