This is the obligatory Adu draft post. Sure there's a lot of hype, and sure he's young. But he's going to get drafted within the next few years. With all our first round pics, what is the chance we pick him up?
Might as well just give us MLS Cup 2003. I mean, I'd be dissapointed if Freddy didn't average at least 8 goals a game.
Honestly, if he's around at the end of the draft, why not draft his rights (that we would hold for two years)?
cause two years from now, when they are up... he still won't be able to play in mls... he'll only be 15
O.K. this was not as far out of a post as it seems. SA listed ADU on their draft prospect list. That said he is not eligable and we can not draft him, although I think few would disagree that if or when we can we should.
quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What language is "HYJIb"? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oh...I was thinking it was Klingon or something.
as far as i knew, it's always been 16 i can recall at least one player waiting until his 16th birthday to sign i don't believe there would be any legal reasons preventing younger players from joining mls (parents permission and what not), but it does seem to be league rules
Stop it. The kid isn't even 15 yet. He deserves a chance to grow up a little before he is anointed the "savior" of a team or American soccer. The more of this "talk" that goes on among fans, the more chance there is that this kid gets tainted some way--either a swelled head or fear of unrealistic expectations. For what it's worth, his mom has a good head on her shoulders. She wouldn't let him sign a developmental commitment in Italy for much the same reasons I just laid out. If she felt the same nonsense developing here in the states ("Draft Freddy Adu!") she'd probably just have him go with the money (which MLS is NEVER going to match). Let's ignore him publicly, let him garner minutes with the Bradenton Bunch and develop (as a player and as a human being). Also, we can't draft American youth (ie: non-college seniors) unless they've signed a contract with MLS (ie: P-40) OR we lose their rights by mid-season. So there is no chance of drafting Adu on a flier.
news article "Now Adu looms as potentially America’s first breakout international star—and a future mainstay of U.S. Olympic and World Cup teams. He is in an accelerated program to graduate from high school at 15, when he will likely become the youngest player in Major League Soccer history." from: http://www.msnbc.com/news/850564.asp?cp1=1 This article mentions that he will be the youngest MLS signee at age 15. Maybe the article is bogus, and you don't wanna freak the kid out, but if someone is going to draft him, why not us?
Hypothetically ... Let's say he's listed in the draft this year. So any team that drafts him has his rights for two years - that is (I think), through the time when he'll turn fifteen and apparently sign with MLS. Well, if that's the case then I think DC United should draft him. Why? Because he's little kid whose Mom lives in Baltimore. If he plays for DC then he can remain around his family. If I recall correctly he's already practiced with the team a few times. So for next two years he can continue to practice with the team whenever he's not in Bradenton. I'm not saying that we should waste a good draft pick on him. But after a few rounds go by why not invest a little in our future?