Bruce working to expedite Freddy's citizenship

[Maczebus]

Originally posted by Scumby


As a counterpoint, this is football in America where the world's greatest players can come and be anonymous. There are maybe a few hundred of us on big soccer (guessing at the number) who know who this kid is. The internet faithfull might have their hopes pinned on this kid, but that is only a handfull of people. The pressure we can exert is miniscule at best. Unless he reads Big Soccer, of course. ;)

Scumby

Good point.
There is a propensity (at least there is for me) to be able to forget that the people on here who are (for the most part) reasonably, if not very well informed, are by no means the majority in the US. Indeed they are only just a minority ;)
Easy to forget when it's not the vacuous (football wise) US NASCAR loving public one speaks to on here.
That aside, I still think it's a bit excessive to be giving so much 'air-time' to whether this 14 year old is the future of US football.

Also, isn't there some kind of debate over his true age? Given that he's distinctly bigger than his playmates. Of course he could just be a big lad. Only way to tell is to saw his leg off and count the rings.

[Maczebus]

Originally posted by Mr. Cam

That's okay, the U.S. produces two to four kids just like him EVERY year to take his place. All the Americans have to do is find, train, develop, and field them.

I'm not going to rise to the bait which was the rest of your post.
The points I raised (I thought) were decent ones and in no way derogatory to the situation I was hoping to discuss. Not sour grapes.

If the US produces this many youngsters with such talent, then why are they so desperate to get young Freddy naturalised?

And just so long as that's 'all' the US has to do. Find, train, develop and field them? Sounds like a decent size job to me.

And note I did just (in my previous post) say that people on here were adequately knowledgable for the most part.

[timmy409]

hes only 13 if u read the article

[luvdagame]

to maczebus:

ha!

no, he's not that much bigger!

yes, he is indeed 13!

and

no, no one among the coaches and administrators who really matter and deal with him on a regular basis has pinned the fortunes of u.s. soccer on this kid. it's just a few crazies on this board who do it, and knowing some of them by their writing, they do it tongue in cheek.

freddy will be fine, and if he doesn't pan out there'll be others - maybe not as good but good enough.

[Maczebus]

Ok people I'm sorry for ever suggesting anything at all.
I was jst commenting on what I've learnt on these boards. Like I said, I learn more about the state of US football on these boards than I do anywhere else, given that there's almost no coverage of US soccer anywhere in this country. Channel 5 have 1 game per week in the middle of the night.
I was just trying to get to the bottom of the situation.
My concerns where more for the state of US football than for poor Freddy if it doesn't work out.
But once again, genuine questioning has been met with over-bearing patriotism, that has taken what I've said and mangled it into a slur on the state of US football. People really should stop being so touchy.
If you're in any doubt, please re-read what I've posted. I'm not a troll, that's too easy.

13? 14? Does it make that much difference?

[BrianCappellieri]

Thanks for the link, dcc.

I had been waiting to hear this news. Good to see Bruce is on top of things.

[dark knight]

Originally posted by maczebus
Ok people I'm sorry for ever suggesting anything at all.
I was jst commenting on what I've learnt on these boards. Like I said, I learn more about the state of US football on these boards than I do anywhere else, given that there's almost no coverage of US soccer anywhere in this country. Channel 5 have 1 game per week in the middle of the night.
I was just trying to get to the bottom of the situation.
My concerns where more for the state of US football than for poor Freddy if it doesn't work out.
But once again, genuine questioning has been met with over-bearing patriotism, that has taken what I've said and mangled it into a slur on the state of US football. People really should stop being so touchy.
If you're in any doubt, please re-read what I've posted. I'm not a troll, that's too easy.

13? 14? Does it make that much difference?

I've told you a million times to quit exaggerating. No one is "so desperate" to get this guy naturalized, we aren't "dependent on a 14 year old for our footballing success" (we have had some success recently, IIRC) and this comment about "over-bearing patriotism" makes me wonder who the touchy one is.

Back when Landon was in Brandenton there was a pretty big buzz around here too - "future of American soccer", etc.

We're just being fans - having some fun and excited by the prospect of the possibility of a true prodigy who has stated a desire to play for the U.S. in the World Cup. Some people are saying he could be a once in a lifetime type player - and that's exciting in any sport.

[LiverpoolFanatic]

A lot of kids sign pro contracts at younger ages in Europe. They don't play for the first team, but the team holds their rights while they grow up and mature playing for the academy or reserve side. I know Arsenal signed a seven year old when I lived in the UK.

[blech]

Originally posted by dark knight



Which lesson was that? Play in MLS and you can perform well on the world stage?

I'm as happy as anyone else that the US team did well, and that the MLS played a part in the success. However, it remains my opinion that the MLS is a minor league, and that at the end of the day our players better off playing in Europe. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, my impression is that the MLS is making it difficult for its players to transfer and that, in so doing, the MLS is taking some risks in the longrun in its signing of young talent by not demonstrating more willingness to move its star players overseas when those players express the interest to go.

Would it be good for Freddy to play in the MLS for a while, as opposed to Europe? Probably. If his goal is to play someday at the highest level (namely Europe), should he let his fate on such a transfer be determined by the MLS? Far less clear to me.

If he has options for signing in Europe, he certainly ought to be considering them, even if it means playing with their youth teams or being loaned to the MLS.

[eneste]

Originally posted by Scumby
As a counterpoint, this is football in America where the world's greatest players can come and be anonymous. There are maybe a few hundred of us on big soccer (guessing at the number) who know who this kid is.

I have a hard time believing that we are in the top few hundred of US youth soccer knowledge. Many more people have to know about Freddy than that. You're point is a good one though.

[Maczebus]

Originally posted by dark knight


I've told you a million times to quit exaggerating. No one is "so desperate" to get this guy naturalized


I was just venturing the opinion that it isn't wise to pin one's hopes on such a child (for any nation!), rather than stating that he is and will be the only thing the US has to offer. I have since been told that (despite there being a few threads on the subject, and the national team manager getting invovled in the situation, and several journalistic haemorrages regarding this boy) the success of Freddy isn't that important. Fair enough, you know more about the subject than me. Which is why I was on here in the first place, in order to learn more by asking questions and by throwing potential situations into the mix.


we aren't "dependent on a 14 year old for our footballing success" (we have had some success recently, IIRC)

Did I really have to put the word future in there?? (re-reading my own posts actually reveals I did use the word 'future')
And I do apologise if slight hyperbole is beyond some people's comprehension.




and this comment about "over-bearing patriotism" makes me wonder who the touchy one is.

The touchy ones are still those who have the habit of letting their "over-bearing patriotism" get the better of them. It's healthy to admit to flaws occasionally, it's even healthier not to jump down someone's throat when all they have done is enquire about a situation that has precisely no coverage whatsoever over here.



But overall, I understand about you being fans and just having fun, enjoy it. After all if he's half as good as he's meant to be, he won't be staying long into his playing career unless MLS ups it's wage cap.

[nowhere]

Originally posted by maczebus
Like I said, I learn more about the state of US football on these boards than I do anywhere else, given that there's almost no coverage of US soccer anywhere in this country. Channel 5 have 1 game per week in the middle of the night.

Sadly I can say virtually the same thing and I live in America.

[jd6885]

"And of course one day, I'd like to be on a U.S. team that wins the World Cup."

This brought tears to my eyes and of course RELIEF! :D

[monster]

I am no expert on the citizenship timeline, but I think I have about as much a chance of expediting Freddy's status as Bruce does.

Also, I didn't think those under 18 could become citizens alone. I thought his mother had to gain citizenship, which he would then get automatically as a minor child of a citizen.

[The Wanderer]

I don't think anyone's pinning their hopes on him. But the kid is gifted and if he wasn't Internazionale wouldn't have come looking to sign him.

I see no reason why he shouldn't be allowed to sign a professional contract just as long as his mother is professionally counselled by a financial advisor, etc. on how to invest money for the 'just in case' situations. In fact that money might help out his family a whole lot. And if he wants to be a footballer then let him be a footballer. Of course I'm biased as a fan but seriously, the kid's probably set in stone on what he wants his profession to be. And he's proven that he's a cut above most players two years older than he is. His stated goal is to make the 2006 U.S. WC team, and he's going to need to be a professional to do that.

[TeamUSA]

Very pleased to read that he wants to be on a USA team that wins the World Cup and is shooting for the next world cup. Keep it going Freddy!

Is it just me or does Freddy need to have Steve Sampson take the reigns of the citizenship problem?
Come on Steve, help the Bruce out and show him the real inside ropes to this issue.

[kyledane]

I guess I understand where Maczebus is coming from, there has been a great deal of fawning over this kid to a point where some might believe US fans are "pinning our hopes" and "desperate" and other such adjectives.

My experience even on BS.com, which is generally a reactionary and highly emotional board, is that we are not pinning our hopes on him, nor are we desperate. I'm certainly not. But I bet I could find a few posts here and there that might give one that impression. If so, I think only a handful of fans are in that boat, certainly not a number that will put undue pressure on the kid, though.

On the other hand, I am extremely anxious to see this kid in action, having heard so much about him, yet never having seen him in game action. Probably almost everyone on this board is similarly in the dark, having not seen him play. This is probably the biggest reason why the talk about this kid is so filled with inaccuracies and false hopes.

With Donovan currently setting the table for him, I think Adu could find that five or six years down the road, he actually does have the hopes of the nation pinned on him in a big way. But he'll have to make that approach to the US public on the basis of MLS and US National team play, not simple soccer media or internet board hype.

[BenReilly]

Originally posted by maczebus


It's just not healthy to be so dependent on one 14 year old boy for footballing success.
IMO.

Actually, we're still deciding if he exists. We'll let you know soon enough.

[352klr]

The way he is going to get citizenship is if his mother gets it, which would automatically give it to him since he is under 18. Since they've only been here since 1998 apparently, you'd think they would be a long ways off. However, I talked to my pal W. and apparently when they stopped by the White House, BA and W. had a chat about some kid named Freddy and his brother Fredua.

[Ghost]

FOr those not in the know, ther's reason to be optimistic of this kid. Last yewar, as a 12-year-old, he played in a national junior tournament. Ed Johnson, a 16-17 year old top prospect with the Dallas Burn in MLS, had two goals in three games. No one else in the tourney had more than two goals. Except Freddy. Freddy had four goals in three games. As a 12-year-old. Playing against kids who were a good deal older.

I'm not putting myhopes on the kid, but he seems to be regarded as the best player ever at his age in this country. Doesn't mean he'll pan out, but there's no reason not to be a little excited about him.