You Know Who.... Freddy Adu.

Some ten years after moving to the united states at the age of eight the question still remains, "So is Freddy Adu any good?". Shortly after his arrival in the U.S. he was discovered playing football with children "twice his age". Keeping in mind that would be something in the age range of 16-18, and lets also consider that, no offense to my country men, but we are talking about American children who have not yet in our countries history excelled at football and many who have never had the pleasure of witnessing "the beautiful game", especially at its finest. After being discovered, there was interest from Italian giants Inter Milan to bring him on board for a significant sum. The offer was turned down by his mother, at the advice of the youth’s agents. I can remember a 60 minutes segment on the youth questioning if he was the messiah of U.S. Football. But, football is a team sport and Adu has not as of yet proven himself to the world and least of all to me.

Adu is one of the youngest people in American history to sign a sports contract in over 100 years. But there is a reason professional sports clubs don't sign teenagers, there's no way to be certain how they will develop. Even fully-grown athletes go through streaks, good and bad. So was Adu that good or were we just desperate to have found our little babe in a manger? Adu had 87 appearances for his record signing D.C. United in two years. It was no secret then that Adu imagined himself in a Manchester United Kit playing football in Europe with the games elite. You have to wonder even back then what Adu's mother and agents were thinking turning down Inter. one of Italy's mightiest clubs for Centuries and a threat in any European competition. When one of Europe’s top 20 clubs asks for a dance you don't turn down such a seductive offer. We'll assume for the moment that Mrs.Adu and his agents know something about football we don't, I'm not sure what that would be but it is their job after all, right?

In his 87 appearances for D.C. United, Adu scored 11 goals. A bit disappointing, for the babe in swaddling clothes. He was still selected for the MLS All-star team both seasons, though as a commissioners choice and a coaches choice it was not the accolades of his peers or fans that bestowed this honor upon him. Adu finally found regular starts in his second season only to be traded to Real Salt Lake the next season. Manchester United finally came knocking as the youth turned man over the summer, they however decided to pass on his talents and were quoted with something that almost sounds like they were blowing off a girl that you'd never be attracted to but someone told you had a great personality so you figured you'd give her a shot.

With his broken heart in hand Adu made his way across the Atlantic not to the glitz and glory he'd hoped for but instead to Portuguese Club Benfica. You can't help but wonder if Mrs.Adu and her agents might have gotten it wrong with young Freddy. After all lucrative contracts with Nike are great but would have been far more lucrative had they had some patients. Could Adu actually be a genius not on the pitch but in marketing? Perhaps he knew that he would never be able to achieve the success that the wise men of the American press had pinned on him and realizing that took the cash that he could while the getting was good, a technique applicable even now with the American stock market fluctuating up and down.

To his credit Adu has had a better start with his Portuguese club with two goals in only eight appearances. Will however, Mrs. Adu and her wise men one day admit that they failed young Freddy's footballing career eyeing the gold, frankincense and myrrh instead of footballing greatness. Inter Milan would have made a great place to learn the beautiful game and on one of the worlds biggest footballing stages the San Siro. Success with Inter from his youth could have put him center stage in European football opening the door to even more lucrative contracts. "So is Freddy Adu any good?". Only time will tell. For now Adu will have to make the most of his time with Benfica and hope that one of Europe’s bigger clubs comes calling. Who knows maybe one day even old Manchester United might give his broken heart a second chance.