(Nevermind on my earlier post) I am really excited to see what this kid is all about. If he's 5'7, 140 at 13, he sounds like he'll be a pretty big dude. But, of course, if he's that good, he won't have to be. Of course, what I love about soccer. Anyway, thanks for the link. Cheers!
Soccer America has him listed as a Forward available to possibly be drafted into MLS. Someone had a link in the DCU boards, but, I don't have time to look now. Sorry.
if he wants to help MLS (which translates to us soccer), he should go sign with a MLS and let MLS make money down the road.
Jeez. Wouldn't that make him one of the youngest people ever to play a professional American team sport? No one has played in the NBA at that age, and not in the NFL. Maybe a baseball player once... At any rate, now he's in Newsweek. So in a few months he's gone from being a BigSoccer rumor to a national magazine. Is he US soccer's LeBron James?
I seem to recall someone who actually saw him saying that his listed height and weight had to be fake. He's apparently more like 5'4" or 5'5".
A lot of people from Africa fake their age too. It is common for people to list their age two years younger.
Well... he also doesn't look very old. From the pictures, I'd believe he's 13 before I believe he's 15.
There should be a universal rule in U.S. No kids in major sports. Minimum age should be 18 for NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB and MLS and any other sport that competes with adults. Kids playing against grown men much heavier, taller and faster, etc doesnt make sense to me. They could get a injury.
Yeah we don't want kids playing profesionally when they are 15 or in the world cup at 17... oh wait that was pele wasn't it? It boils down to this, if a player is not mature enough to handle the game physically they will not be put on the field
Because of the infant mortality rate in some African countries they often have birth certificates dated 2 years after they are born.
I disagree. I think Demarcus Beasley for one will be better in 3 years from now because of his early entry to the Chicago Fire. Same with Convey with DC United. Landon Donovan was ready to play in MLS at 17 in my opinion, as it is pretty easy to dive and fall down for no reason at 17 as it is at 25. On the flip side, I wonder if Kyle Beckerman sitting on the bench at Miami/Colorado is doing him any good.
Good Enough I say usually if theyre good enough to be considered to play in MLS then theyre certaintly physicly capable....were not talking the local good high school players...Im talking U-17 ers
Pele was starring in a WC Finals when he was 17. Norman Whiteside also played his first WC finals at 17. Wayne Rooney just became the youngest player at 16 to score a goal in the English Premier League.... wait a minute, James Milner just broke his record!!!! Diego Maradona made his professional debut at 15. In basketball, Shaq O'Neal was playing against soldiers as a 13 year old boy in the US Army base. Darko Milicic who would projected as the 2nd pick for the 2003 NBA draft has been p;laying 2 years of pro basketball in Europe. He just turns 17. If a player is good enough, he should be able to play.... I am talking about kids who are big enough to play with adults.
Re: Re: Freddie Adu coming to MLS... Excape Goat speaks the truth. PC do-gooders re age are the LAST people we need to listen to as we seek to scale the summit of international soccer. If he's good enough, he's old enough.
i think he's got a good build to play soccer... 5'7 140... thats roughly me and i'm 16 and i play in a league with 20-40 year older farts... its not too differen't they are just as rough as the teens i play for in my highschool team. the plus side is that he's most likely faster then a good amount of the veterans. he would do fine at 16 playing in MLS
I'm 29 and if I ever see your little behind on a soccer field I'm gonna knock you into the next week for the "old farts" reference......... by the way, i agree totally with your point! I quit travel soccer at age 16 because I was learning so much more playing with an adult team who had won the US Cup twice in the past. Best decision I ever made.
It would be hard to imagine a kid playing in MLS before he even has his drivers license. I am also having a hard time believing all the hype surrounding this kid. It just keeps growing. It sounds like the Tiger Woods story or it could end up being the Todd Marinovich story.