Much Adu About Freddy? (Sorry, So Necessary)
By: Greg | July 30th, 2007
As you probably know by now, the deal bringing Freddy Adu to Benfica is in the final stages (medical, etc). I know I’m going to have to comment on this even though, in the short term, I really don’t see this as a big deal for anyone but Freddy Adu.
First off let me start by saying that I find Adu to be a rather odd player. What I mean by this is that he tends to actually play extremely well against tougher international competition (see: against the visiting international clubs for the MLS friendlies and the majority of this year’s U20 World Cup). However, he came into the MLS with great fanfare and hasn’t come close to producing anything requisite with the initial accolades. In all fairness, considering how he arrived on the MLS scene, I’m not sure anyone short of Pele could have lived up to the hype machine that Freddy Adu was attached to.
Portugal has gotten particularly strong recognition recently on the International scene for developing strong young talent. This being considered, Adu should actually benefit from the move for a few reasons…
1. Benfica is NOT Real Salt Lake or DC United. Sorry to the fans of those two clubs, but when you pack the stadium and play in big matches this essentially means that you have twenty thousand fans max and won’t (in the short term) sniff competition like the UEFA Cup or Champions League. Benfica average 39,000 asses in the seats (making them 1st in average attendance in Portugal) and will be playing in the Champions League this year as well as being perennial challengers for the Portuguese Liga title.
2. Benfica is NOT in the Premier League. Why is this a good thing for him, you ask? If he went to a team such as Chelsea, Man United, Liverpool, or the like he wouldn’t get any burn whatsoever. The room for error in the Premier League is razor thin. While people whine that these teams are so massive and their deep pockets keep them on top, the competition is still relatively strong, top to bottom. With any sport, there is the occasional shock win, but in Portugal he’ll be able to get on as a sub more often since Benfica will tend to feast on the lesser competition even more so than a Chelsea or Manchester United. The gap in the Portuguese Liga is simply that much greater.
3. He’s still young and hopefully can be coached to the next level through better overall competition. Davey Becks is the new MLS poster boy. Adu didn’t save the league nor did he do THAT much to take it to the next level. Now that Becks is there to have people go bananas when he puts his boots on, Adu’s no longer needed by the MLS at large right now to do any league promotion. Adu can only get better in a better league for a FAR better club. If he can’t and fails, then he can return to the US and toil in relative obscurity. But if he can, and succeeds, it can only stand to benefit US Soccer on the international level.
All in all, I wish the kid luck. I’m not crazy either way about this whole deal, so I’ll stay right where I belong: swimming along in blissful apathy.
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Comments
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High five Greg, Adu’ll (can I say that?) fit in nicely. A monkey could have known his RSL stint wouldn’t have lasted long.
Posted from
Canada
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I think its a great spot for him.
Posted from
United States -
One possible explination for his success in international tournaments as opposed to his mediocre performance in MLS is that he plays his preferred position in the international matches, attacking midfield/no. 10 and in the MLS he’s played mostly on the wing, where he is less effective. Also, MLS is a rough and tumble league and Freddy is very slightly built. It seemed that during the U-20 WC earlier this year that the games were called much tighter than in MLS.
Obviously Benfica is a tremendous club with great fan support, and as a long time admirer of Rui Costa, Adu has a first class no. 10 to study and learn from first hand. I hope that Benfica give him a chance to play in that role, and I hope Freddy is ready to put his ego aside and work his way up through training and reserve matches to earn time in the first eleven at some point this season. He’s got a lot of work to do but Benfica could work out well for him.
Posted from
United States -
Thanks Greg! Looking forward to reading your comments for the rest of the year. I am portuguese living in Portugal, down in the south, Algarve. I went to University in the States, in good ol´ California! Will be interesting to see what an American player can do in a portuguese league. It usually takes about a year to get used to the portuguese style of play…at least thats what happens to all south american and eastern block players. Take care!
Posted from
Portugal -
I’m so stoked about this, just sorry I’m going home before the season starts and can’t watch it from close range. I saw him training on tv this afternoon, and watch his arrival last night on the news — he’s a big, big deal already, at least in Lisbon. (His response to the press and fan presence at the airport was so genuinely kid-like — when they asked if he was surprised by the press scrum and autograph seekers, he just went into a fit of giggles.)
Posted from
Portugal -
Welcome to a country where football is king, Freddy. Enjoy, and learn. Great press for Benfica in the US.
Posted from
United States
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