yeah, I wouldn't mind if adu went the o'brien route at all... the part I found very interesting was the possibility of Adu being on the Olympic team next year... since telemundo is doing it for nbc... imagine....Cantor... "Adu Adu Adu GOALLLLAAAZZZZZZZOOOO!!!!!" Adu Adu Adu "GOAALLLLLLLL"!!!!!! don't we want to hear this for the next 20 years!!
That is what we need to get soccer into the inner cities. Once he signs with Nike, they need to make an Adu version of that Ronaldinho spot, where he is just juggiling, but he makes it look like art.
Well, Adu to the Olympics is not that bad of an option. Especially as a super sub. Problem is the U-23 squad is pretty darn deep. Forward though is a position that Adu might be able to squeek on. They have Donovan and Quaranta and Johnson. But I don't know if Adu will be ready quick enough for the olympics. That being said 17 for the next cup, two years MLS experience by most accounts. Adu in 2004.
Go to the Junior Teams forum and look for the thread regarding videos of the final of the recent tournament in Dallas. Here is the thread.... www.dallascup.com has the video I believe. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=45101
http://ameriblog.blogfc.com/ used to have the Guatemalan bootleg stuff.... you might have to search... The interesting part was Ellinger letting the cat out of the bag... Adu doing the U-17 then possibly going directly to the U-20's in November, then U-23's next summer... clearly Adu has incredible talent, and you test him at each stage and see how he adapts... I could imagine him being a sub off the bench at forward when you need an offensive spark.... I don't car how old the kid is, he creates danger in the box.... The USA really don't have an out and out striker up top who is flat out a goal scoring machine... I see Donovan best in a withdrawn role... And Arena does like speed... it's really hard to defend speed...but mix in the skill and let it mature a bit.... The name is pele, and that's what this kid could be.
I think it'd be beneficial to Adu to at least train with the Olympic Team. I'd also love to see him go to Ajax; we all can see what it did to JOB, now a world-class player
Donovan made his U-23 (17 at the time) debut against Brazil before he played in the U-17 WC Youth Championship game. Brazil 7, United States 0 Lineups: Brazil - Emerson (Rodrigao 78), Athirson, Cris, Jean (Alvaro 67), Michel (Reginaldo 70), Felipe (Josue 46), Marcos Paulo, Denilson, Adriano (Araujo 67), Warley, Fabio Junior (Roni 46); United States - Matt Napoleon, Ramiro Corrales, Steve Shak (Sasha Victorine 80), Matt Chulis, Evan Whitfield, Carlos Parra, Tim Sahaydak (Antonio Otero 46), Brian Winters, Landon Donovan, Chris Brown, Scott Bower. http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/1999/games/apr07.htm
... and, thankfully, managed NOT to get cut from the Olympic squad afterward -- unlike almost every other American player in that game.
Nope, Sasha Victorine, Evan Whitfield, Matt Napoleon and Ramiro Corrales were included in the 2000 Olympic squad. http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/2000/olympicmen.htm but yeah, if Adu gets into a friendly match with the U-23 (like Donovan), there's a very good chance he'll be included in the 2004 Olympic.
I'm sure Arena has his hand in all this... you basically have Adu exposed to a certain level of play, have him succeed, then move to a higher level very quickly... I would suspect he gets to U-23 camp prior to the Olympics... also USSF does have the PR angle of wanting to have a precocius talent exposed to the American public at an even like the Olympics... it's just good PR...plus the kid does have exceptional talent... a successful Olympics and you have to put him in the mix for 2005 WCQ..... and that's the timeline I think Arena is looking at...
I doubt Arena is thinking a 15 yr old is going to be his man in key qualifying games. Maybe he'll get a chance once the spot is locked up, just to see how he does.
From that article: Another game, Adu buzzed a free kick into the corner just under the crossbar. "Don't you ever do that again," his coach told him. "It was perfect," said a puzzled Adu. "I don't [need] perfect," Ellinger said. "I don't care if you roll it [in] on the ground." I'm puzzled too. Why did Ellinger object to this free kick?
well, let's say Arena had beasley and donovan on very agressive development routes... ok....the linked story has Ellinger inferring a rapid time line for Adu's development... u-17 followed quicky by u-20, and then possibly u-23.... all this is subject to successfully passing the test at each stage... Does the USA have a goal scoring machine at forward...?? No, clearly NOT.....?? What USA player has been investigated by the likes of inter, ajax, manu and probably dozens of others. so will adu be the MAN at 15...... did any one even hint at that.... but in 1958 a 17 year old Pele let Brazil to a WorlD cup title.... so if Adu is the most talented american to ever lace them up...wouldn't arena be a bit curious... wouldn't arena, a man know for his soccer acumen, think, well we've got this talent...and what should I be doing to developing him... simple as that.... has the USA ever had anyone who could finish... NO.... what do I think will happen....?? Adu gets tested at each level, and his success or failure will shape the rapidness of his exposure to a more mature game... nothing more, nothing less... and if USA does happen to qualify for 2006...what's the betting odds on Adu making the final 23... again, all subject to the intervening 3 years...
Riiiight, because Wynalda was pure ************, and Mathis was crap even before his injury. That goal in Korea was a fluke. Why, I'll bet he meant to volley it first time but messed up.
Just like a pair of 19 year olds who did really well during the last world cup, I would think that Adu gets tested like above, U-17's this year, if it works, U-23's/Olympics next year, if he does well enough to make the team, the Bruce will start to bring him in if we have the spot locked up. No sooner. He will be used only as a sub at first. Then during the year of the World Cup, he will play in the January Gold Cup (assuming they have it) and several friendlies whether it be starting or coming off the bench. He will follow the Landon approach. If he makes it great, if he stumbles a bit, no big deal, he is two years younger than Landon.
Key qualifiers, I agree... But given the possibility that our first round matches could be against Aruba and Montserrat, it wouldn't shock me to see Freddy Phenom at least make a token appearence in one of those matches...
If I had to guess, I bet Freddy was at a bad angle. Coach probably had a set play on and instead of crossing the ball, Freddy took a shot. If Adu just shoots all the time, then his teammates won't try too hard to make themselves available for headers....
I think it would depend on Freddy's form with what ever MLS club he is playing for at the time (DC United). If he treats MLS defenders like he did the Jamaican U17 defenders, then he should play in the qualifiers.
Players Freddy will need to beat out to make the Olympic team as a forward or MF. FORWARD (4 will likely make the 18-man roster) Edson Buddle (5 years pro experience in 04) Conor Casey (4 years experience) in 04) Landon Donovan (5 years pro experience 04) Alecko Eskandarian (2 years) Nate Jaqua (2 years) Eddie Johnson (4 years) Mike Magee (2 years) Santino Quaranta (4 years) MIDFIELD Devin Barclay (4 years) DaMarcus Beasley (5 years) Kyle Beckerman (4 years) Bobby Convey (5 years) Brad Davis (3 years) Justin Mapp (3 years) Kyle Martino (3 years) I left out the D-mids because he really isn't competing with those players. He's got to beat out the above players just to make the 18 for qualifying. Figure in one attacking player among the three overage players and it gets even harder. I'm not saying it's impossible but it won't be easy as these kids have a lot more pro experience than he does and it will be pros that the US will face in Athens. Let's see how he does with the 20s, assuming he goes, before we start predicting Olympic glory for Freddy. (Though you can bet the farm Nike will be pressuring like mad dogs the USSF to bring Freddy to Athens so they can have him and Landon on the same team.)