The New Freddy Adu

Freddy Adu’s rocky career in Major League Soccer ended with hardly a notice. Lost in the hype over David Beckham’s arrival stateside and the summer tournaments for the US National Team, Adu once MLS’ most marketable and brightest star was suffering through a miserable year in MLS purgatory: Salt Lake City. When Benfica came calling for Adu, the once bright hope for the US’ first legitimate world superstar was sold for less than Celtic had offered MLS for Shalrie Joseph a few months earlier, and half as much as the league had received for Clint Dempsey. Adu’s career in MLS which had some bright spots (which were often forgotten by those eager to anoint him as an American Pele at 14 and a bust by 17) including some very good goals in DC United’s MLS Cup run in 2004 (when Adu 15). But no doubt Adu was stagnating as a player by the time he reached 17, thanks to somewhat unsophisticated MLS training techniques and bad tactical management by Peter Nowak and later Jason Kreis.

Freddy Adu has a small frame, is quick and is left footed. Thus much like Bobby Convey and DaMarcus Beasley two other young phenoms developed in MLS and sold to European clubs, he was placed out on the left side as a wide player because he fit the mold Americanized managers look for in that position. However, unlike Beasley and Convey, Adu is a technically gifted player: I would argue he is the most technically gifted American player since Tab Ramos and Eric Wynalda played in the 1990s.

Adu’s time at Benfica have been filled with adversity and have challenged a kid who back home in the US much was expected of, but few tools were given too. First Adu broke his way into the Benfica first team, becoming an option off the bench but a coaching change sent Adu back to the reserves. The Adu had to train hard and work his way up: something that was never a concern for him in MLS, where he was entitled to play in every game mind you out of position. The other thing that has happened is that Benfica’s coaches quickly recognized Adu belongs in a freer role where he can roam around and create chances with his technical skill and speed. Adu isn’t confined to the left side in Lisbon as he was in Washington or Salt Lake City.

The results have been fantastic. Adu has scored five goals in the last month for the Lisbon club and now is the first or second option off the bench for his club. Along with DaMarcus Beasley, Adu is winning respect for American Footballers on the continent with his play in the Champions League. Adu’s continued development below the radar in Portugal is great news not only for the US National Team, but for other Americans in MLS who will be given a great opportunity to impress in some of the less visible European leagues in the near future, thanks to Freddy Adu.

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Adu's 4th Goal in 5 Games not Enough for Benfica

Freddy Adu's incredible run of form continued Wednesday as he scored his 4th goal in 5 games as Benfica was defeated and eliminated from the Taca De Liga.

Adu Hits Another Game Winner

For the third time this season Freddy Adu, Benfica's American super sub scored after the 86th minute and this time he helped lift 10 man Benfica to a league win over Martimo. Adu's fine play recently earned him a place in the squad for Benfica's Champions League victory earlier in the week, a match Adu played 31 plus minutes in. Adu now has four goals in all competitions for Benfica, despite never having started a match.

The Day After: Some Random Thoughts About the Switzerland Match

With a night's worth of perspective on yesterday's 1-0 US victory over Switzerland, here are my thoughts.

• Maurice Edu was my man of the match and Bob Bradley deserves lots of credit to notice Edu's value in training and to give him the start.
• Heath Pearce had a shaky summer and poor start to his career at Hansa Rostock, but he has been outstanding in the last two US friendlies against Brazil and Switzerland.
• Michael Bradley's poise and maturity continues to be amazing for someone of his youth.
• Taylor Twellman needs to focus on his club football and prove he can set himself so far apart from every other American striker in MLS before he gets another call up.
• Eddie Lewis isn't going to be around for World Cup 2010 but he like Frankie Hedjuk has proven he still has a role in qualifying for this team even at 33.
• Freddy Adu can be a game changer for the US as a late game substitute who adds pace and flair to the attack. Switzerland became much more tentative going forward after Adu entered the match.
• Danny Szetela was solid and gave a great cross to set up the goal, but I still want his position long term to be sorted out.
• Clint Dempsey is a much better option in the withdrawn striker role than Landon Donovan
• Brad Guzan still scares me, but he seems like he is playing with confidence which is important for a keeper.
• I'm not sure I like Benny Feilhaber on the right side, but Bradley seems to want him to play out there often which leads me to wonder what Landon Donovan's future position with the National Team is.
• Danny Califf was a rock in the central defense. Perhaps Bruce Arena should not have stopped calling him into the team when he had the audacity to leave MLS to play in Europe.
• A great victory that should boost the confidence of all American fans!

Adu Opens Benfica Account

Freddy Adu converted a completely unearned penalty kick for Benfica as the Lisbon club came from behind to defeat Estrela da Amadora in a Carlsberg Cup match. The penalty kick Adu converted was according to every press report I have read a poor call by the official. Nonetheless, Adu getting on the scoresheet should instill some degree of confidence in the youngster.

Adu Makes Benfica Debut

Freddy Adu entered Benfica's Champions League qualifier versus FC Copenhagen in the 37th minute. Rui Costa scored a goal in minute 86 to give Benfica the 2-1 victory in the first leg.

Adu Named to Benfica Match Squad

Freddy Adu has been named a reserve for Benfica in tomorrow's Champions League Qualifier versus FC Copenhagen. "Adu has only had seven days of training, but he has enormous potential and he is available," Benfica coach Fernando Santos said.

News and Notes

David Beckham will miss tonight's Superliga clash with Chivas of Guadlajara at the L.A. Colusium. The game was moved from the Home Dept Center to accommodate the masses of Chivas fans in the L.A. area and the Beckham mania surrounding the match. Expect an easy Chivas victory.

FC Dallas takes on Pachuca in tonight's other Superliga match without Drew Moor, who was red carded in the 1-1 draw with Chivas on Tuesday. Dallas looked the better squad in the match and will need to bring a similar "A" game to defeat Pachuca, the 2007 Mexican Clausura and CONCACAF Champions Cup winners, as well as the 2006 Copa Sudamericana champions.
Pachuca outplayed Los Angeles on Tuesday but was beaten 2-1 thanks to some stellar individual play by Cobi Jones and Landon Donovan.


L.A.'s other MLS club, Chivas USA is flying under the radar but looks like they could be as strong as any team save Houston. A great pass by Maykel Galindo to the head of Ante Razov sunk Red Bull NY Thursday night at Giants Stadium. Preki has his team playing confident, solid soccer at the right time of the season.

Freddy Adu could not work out personal terms with Benfica and will stay in MLS for now. Expect more European clubs and perhaps Benfica again to come calling on the RSL winger before the transfer windown shuts August 31st.

Several British papers are reporting US U-20 star Danny Szetela of the Columbus Crew who scored 3 goals in the U-20 World Cup has attracted the attention of several EPL clubs.

The Game of a Lifetime

Jozy Altidore/Getty Sports Images

Earlier, my fellow blogger usasoccerfan16 said that Tuesday's World Cup game between the US U-20 squad and Poland's U-20 squad could be one of the biggest games in the lives of several of the US players. Well, usasoccerfan16 was right and the players as well as Coach Thomas Rongen knew how big it was and gave one of the most impressive efforts in the history of US Soccer, winning 6 to 1 over a very good Poland squad.

My last sentence may seem like an overstatement, but given the performance of a player like Freddy Adu who has been written off by many in the US Soccer community and the media as well as the continued development of Danny Szetela (who has been linked with several European clubs), Robbie Rogers, Jozy Altidore and Tony Beltran, the future of US Soccer seems like it could be as bright as has ever been. Even though the United States has advanced into the knock out phase of the last five FIFA World Youth Championships (the forerunner of the FIFA U-20 World Cup), never has the US been so dominant in a single match or even dominant in group play. For example, in 2003 despite winning the group, the US suffered a 3-1 first round loss to Germany. In 1999, the US followed up an opening game victory over England with a crushing defeat against Japan. In the last World Youth Championship, the euphoria of the opening day win over Argentina (the eventual champions) gave way to poor play the rest of the event including a loss in the round of 16.

The bottom line is since the revival of US Soccer in the late 1980s, I cannot recall a single match in FIFA Tournament where the US played opposition of this caliber and looked so dominant. Even during the previous tournaments where the US has advanced to the knock out phases (the past five world youth championships, the 1994 and 2002 World Cups) it has been a struggle to get to that point. Never has the US played respectable opposition and shown the flair and dominant nature we have come to expect from Brazil or Argentina. Besides, rarely before has an American player looked as impressive at any level as Freddy Adu did today. What I cannot understand is why Adu needs to feel besieged at the same time as the bright lights are shining on him to perform. This sort of thing has happened before as every time a European team of some standing came to the USA to either face DC United or the MLS All Stars, Adu has raised his game to a new level. Then when the lights dimmed and MLS action returned, Adu has been missing in action.

The hope of all US Soccer fans should be that today's game of a lifetime for Freddy Adu and his teammates is a proper indicator as to where US Soccer is heading. We should also hope it's the breakthrough game for Freddy Adu whose disappointing career now becomes what people have imagined it would: the first legitimate world superstar to be bred on American soil.