In today's print version of the Washington Post [01/23/2003], there is an article and interview of 13-year-old Freddy Adu. The interview is in the "Kids Post" section which is geared toward older kids (it's a very good section actually). The interviewer is Jason LaCanfora, who is the Post's hockey beat reporter (and one of my favorite sports writers). Here's a good quote from Freddy that tells you why he is such a phenom: [blockquote]I miss the soccer and the lifestyle [in Ghana], because whenever we came back from school we would just take a soccer ball and go outside and there would be 20 guys out there waiting to play...We'd just go out there and play nonstop until it got dark. We'd play every day. We didn't go a day without playing.[/blockquote] Here's the article. You have to fill in your zip code, year of birth, and sex (M/F) to read the article: Interview http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30751-2003Jan22.html Meet Freddy Adu http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30752-2003Jan22.html Darryl
"Next month, Freddy's mom, Emilia, could become a U.S. citizen. That also would make Freddy a citizen, and the quick forward would be eligible to play for the U.S. team in March when it tries to qualify for the under-17 World Cup." The day we've all been waiting for is quickly approaching... Cutting it pretty close for the U-17 Cup though.
Even if he doesn't play in the qualifying tournament in March, we have a good shot of qualifying and he should definitely be eligible for the FIFA U-17 World Championship (August 13-30). What I'm curious about is how long he'll be eligible at the U-17 level? Will he be eligible as a U-17 for the 2007 U-17 World Championship? It sounds like this kid has a shot to be involved in our youth programs (U-17, U-20, U-23) for the next 10 years. And if he's already skipped a year or two of schooling, how long before he's out of school and looking to make an impact as a professional?
If he continues to progress as he has so far, I'd expect him to turn pro just as soon as he is eligible at 16. That's 2-Jun-2005. I guess if I'm an MLS GM and I've got an allocation during or after next year -- particularly if I finished toward the bottom of the standings -- I'm going to keep it for the supplemental draft or allocation of Freddy when he signs his MLS contract that summer.
They only train for two hours a day? What's up with that? I went to regular school and had at least two hours of sports every day, year-round, and much more in the summertime. Have you ever seen those ping-pong player factories in China? Those kids are seven and play for five hours a day! Sounds like they are being mixed in with the super-rich tennis players who pay $100,000 a year or whatever to play there. It should be like boot camp... or maybe I am just jealous. Only 4 1/2 hours of school?
best answer.... What is your ultimate goal or dream in soccer? One day winning the World Cup, that's the dream. Being on the U.S. National Team and winning the World Cup. I'll take the win any way I can get. god bless the kid!
Looking too far ahead I know I'm obsessing too much when I calculate that Freddy will be 16 during the next cup (I think it will happen right before he turns 17) which means that like Landon, the World Cup will land a little bit too early for Adu to be lucky enough (if he's healthy, and turns into the incredible player so many people expect him to become) to play in possibly five cups. I'm getting way ahead of myself, but when I found out about Landon in 2000, I was a bit bummed to realize that he would be 20 during his first World Cup (if he made the team), thus likely only to play as a 20, 24, 28 and 32 year old if we are lucky and he stays healthy, there's just this part of me that wishes Landon, or Adu or even Santino could be, or could have been 18 when they made their first World Cup squad, I just have visions of them playing in five cups and how beautiful that could be. I guess I'm getting a bit too greedy and too ahead of myself. Of course whenever I get greedy like that, I can remember how awful the situation was for our national team when I was freddies age, oh, thank God that the dark days of the mid-eighties are long gone. Let's hope Adu lives up to his promise, and can stay healthy as well and keep his great attitude.