This is Freddy's own explanation, lest we forget . . . http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/66/u...u-takes-full-responsibility-for-disappointing "I’ve looked back on these past few years and I’ve wasted a lot of time, wasted years of my career, just not dedicating the time I should have to the sport,” Adu said. “That’s time wasted. Lucky for me, I started so early that time wasted doesn’t mean I’m 33 or 34 and it’s too late for me. I’m only 26 and I can change and correct the things I’ve done wrong, and that’s what I’m focused on right now.” And sadly, this did not end well for the Rowdies, the team that offered him an opportunity, or Freddy.
At times like these--the easiest explanation is the likeliest. For me, seeing him for Portland in his trial, he was sluggish, overweight, and looked to be out of game shape for god knows how long. Same thing in Bahia. He was overweight and I am sure threw the towel in. Adu is a guy that just doesn't have that chip mentally to go from natural talent to transitioning to the next level that takes actual dedication. Now that he's that much further away from where he used to be fitness wise, mentality wise, he's done. There;s no coming back. He doesn't have the mental discipline to make it work. Shame.
Personally, I think the simplest explanation is that he's at least in his early 30's. That explains a lot as to why despite claiming to be seriously motivated to fix his career, he physically can't. I know, there's been doctor scans...etc etc... but I'm not saying he's 45, just that he's a older than claimed. If you've played with African players, many will tell you that records aren't always well kept.
From people who knew him as a kid, if he cheated with his age it was at most 3-4 years. Cheating by more is impossible when you're that young. That difference wouldn't explain anything. Even if he were 31 instead of 27, there are plenty of 31 year old players at the top of their game. And it's not like he's ridden his legs too much, he's barely played anywhere.
I think the simplest explanation is that he is one of the zillions of teenage star athletes who never panned out as adults.
Claiming to be seriously motivated? CLAIMING to be seriously motivated?? I remember after Adu played well at the 2011 Gold Cup, Jimmy Conrad said on some podcast that for the first time Adu looked motivated. He told the story of how Adu got called into national team camp for the first time and was putting in embarrassingly little effort on every front compared to the other players. So he was glad to see Adu had finally turned it around. That's like when the middle aged overweight slob goes into the gym twice a week through all of January. Surely motivation could no longer be his problem, he's totally turned it around ever since he made that New Years resolution! People don't really change all that much, they are who they are. --- Seriously, you'd think he was the first prospect in the history of sports to not pan out...
Is it fair to say that he just lost some athletic ability like many others but in his case, since he didn't have good fundamentals that his fall happened far sooner than expected. This happens in Basketball all of the time.
Character. He had all the other fundamentals, but not the will/motivation to maximize his gifts and work out compensation mechanisms for his deficiencies. Danny Szetela is about the same age and IIRC was a team mate of Fredy on several YNT tournament squads. He also didn't live up to people's (much more limited expectations), not least because Szetela took over 3 years out as his career/personal life hit the skids. Players don't come back to where they were after that kind of a break (Tommy Docherty described George Best as only 75% after 6 months of "retirement") and many never come back at all. Despite that, Szetela has managed to cut it in the NASL's best squad for four years running. Fredy hasn't manged a full season at any club in the last 4 years. If you're assembling a roster for a new team that's debuting in the second half of the season and both are available, who would you sign ?
None of them. Szetela was a super athlete and some athleticism is still remaining, Adu was a subpar athlete and now he moves like a proud AARP member, so all his skills are irrelevant.
Lots of players don't make it in the NBA because of poor fundamentals. So they drop down to a still-good level where their positives are valuable but their weaknesses won't be as exposed. The European B-Ball leagues are full of them. Which is how Darren Randolph came to be. His dad wasn't up to the grade in America or Spain/Italy/Israel, so he tried Ireland where he met and married Darren's mother. When the money for players left Irish basketball, he stayed in Ireland and became a coach.
"Without Further Adu, Freddy Retires." or "Freddy bids Adu." Which one are we going with when the time comes?
No no no no no. I'm just planning ahead and there's nothing else to talk about here. Freddy's not even party promoting or vacuuming these days.
I've never been able to come up with the right description of my play, but I think "moves like a proud AARP member" may have nailed it.
It's old and tired but I'm sure some here haven't been around for the whole arc of Freddy's career so allowances should be made.