Freddy A-Who?

It seems like a long time ago that Freddy Adu was big news. In fact, it seems like a long time ago that Freddy Adu was even worth mentioning, for any reason whatsoever. The golden child is suddenly the red-headed stepchild, and considering how much playing time he is getting for his national team (riding the pine), his club team (loaned out) OR the team he was loaned to (lucky to ride the pine), it doesn't appear like Freddy is getting his fair shakes. Perhaps we are expecting too much of Adu too soon, as he is still very young (only just turned 20) and outside of England, most countries are reticent to give major playing time to youngsters (there were some brilliant articles about this in relation to the Federico Macheda saga and how that would not have been possible back home for Lazio). Lets just give a recap of the already-quite-eventful career of Mr. Adu (Adu's age is in parantheses):
1997: Family wins immigration lottery and moves to the DC area from Ghana (8)
Spotted early on by some soccer scouts, and is quickly put into to advanced soccer training and plays with the US Development Academy
At a U-14 tournament involving many strong club sides youth squads, Adu finishes the tournament as the MVP, leading scorer and leads his team to victory. Was offered a six-figure transfer to Inter Milan but his mother turns it down due to advice of his agents. Adu is 10.
2004: Selected first in the MLS Superdraft by DC United (14).

April 3, 2004: Youngest player to ever appear in the MLS

April 17, 2004: Youngest player ever to score in the MLS

2004-2006: Adu sees regular action for DC United, and eventually starts for them in 2006. He is selected as an all-star twice, though his first appearance was widely seen as a publicity stunt considering his less-than-all-star performance (not shameful when he is only 14). Over 87 total appearances, Adu found the net 11 times, though this goal average is hard to truly measure considering how often he was a substitute.(14-17)

February 2006: A very overhyped two-week trial with Manchester United sees Adu receive praise from Sir Alex, however he only plays with academy players for a couple weeks and then returns home, to much fanfare. (16)

December 2006: Adu is traded to Real Salt Lake. He has a rather uneventful season, falling below many expectations. He scores 2 goals in 11 appearances. (17).

Summer 2007: Adu captains the US U-20 squad in the U-20 World Cup, an event where the US played considerably well and raised expectations for the future of American talent. The United States is bounced in a rough semifinal match with Austria, losing in extra time. Adu finishes the tournament with 3 goals (a hat-trick against Poland)and is widely considered to have had a very strong showing in the tournament. Other notables on the team were now-senior-squad-regulars Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley. (18)

July 30, 2007: Adu, after years of overseas transfer speculation, is finally transfered to Portugese side Benfica. Adu is initially very well-received by the coaching staff, and is promised increasing playing time and impresses the few times he is on the pitch. With a few weeks, that coaching staff is entirely fired. Adu does not see playing time again, and ends the season with only 11 total appearances, with 2 goals. (18).

July 2008: The following summer, as opposed to having Adu ride the pine all season again, Adu is sent for a full-season loan to AS Monaco, with an option to buy. Monaco took to Adu as enthusiastically as the new Benfica coaching staff, and Adu has 9 appearances for Monaco, all of them as a substitute. Monaco declined the right to buy Adu, and he will be returning to Benfica in the fall. (Currently 20)

So, there you go, a rather topsy-turvy tale for Mr. Adu, but one many footballers can relate to. You can pepper in there that Adu has only had 12 senior squad apperances, mostly as a substitute or in friendlies and has one goal to his name. There is good news and bad news. The good news is Adu is less than a month from turning 20, so he has plenty of time on his side, as he is still very young for a footballer of any class. The bad news is that he really needs to get out of Benfica and go to a league more focused on youth development, maybe a Holland or a lower-tier English squad. Really it doesn't matter where he goes, as long as he plays. In the last two injury-free years, he has made 20 appearances for a club team, and he started all of ZERO of them. Look, I know, younger players don't start, younger players need to develop, but Adu is in what I like to call the "Michelle Wie Zone." He was so good, so young that he was considered too advanced to play with his own age group, but his development was ironically stunted by him jumping so high so fast. He can't compete with seasoned professionals because he is too young, so he spends too much time languishing on the bench while players younger than him who come up in a more organic way, say a Jozy Altidore, end up flourishing before them as they were given time to develop. Adu hasn't been allowed to develop since he was 14. He has been constantly pushed as the next big thing. I mean, as a 15 year old, he whined to the media that he wasn't getting enough playing time. YOU ARE 15! He was a prima donna superstar at 15! Adu needs to stop being called up to tournaments he won't play in, and just start focusing on a league where he can play. He isn't getting much time in the reserves with Benfica/Monaco because he is too busy riding pine to actually play with *cough* lesser talents. Adu could use the consistent playing time, and he does quite well in slightly-less-talented situations. While he is an afterthought for the senior squad, Adu has dominated in every youth tournament he has ever been in, be it U14 through U23. Adu is far too young and talented to write his career off now, but for it to be saved, we need to stop worrying about him and let him work his way up through a club system. And no, that club system doesn't have to involve champions league.