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Much about Adu: 14 year old soccer star - next Tiger Woods?

Analog

Analog

Lifer
Adu in demand
Everyone has advice for 14-year-old as MLS debut nears
Posted: Sunday March 28, 2004 9:27PM; Updated: Sunday March 28, 2004 9:27PM


Freddy Adu led the U.S. team with four goals at the Under-17 World Championship in August.
AP
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- With his Major League Soccer (MLS) debut just days away, everyone has a piece of advice for Freddy Adu.

His mother, team mates, coach Peter Nowak, MLS Cup MVP Landon Donovan, even Pele, to whom he is being compared, have all offered guidance to the 14-year-old American prodigy who is due to make his much-anticipated professional debut on Saturday in front of a national television audience.

"I've looked up to [Pele] ever since I started playing this sport, I had to savor it," Adu said of the advice he had received from the Brazilian.

"He told me to just keep my head and play because a lot of people are going to demand a lot out of your time and want a piece of you, but as long as you keep head on the field and just play and do what you need to do to get better and help your team win, that is the most important thing."

With the approach of the league season's opening match in Washington between Adu's team, D.C. United, and defending champions San Jose Earthquakes, the demands on the teenaged forward's time have increased.

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I'm quite excited to see Adu's debut. I haven't seen him play in any of the pre-season games, but from what I have been reading he is just great. I would really love it if he started bringing larger crowds to the MLS games... good lord they need some more funding.
 
What makes a soccer player stand out ? I mean he's still got to beat all those guys around him just to get to the goal. Does he possess the ability to go "through" people or shoot extremely hard and accurately ? Or is he just a really smart positional player ?
 
Originally posted by: rh71
What makes a soccer player stand out ? I mean he's still got to beat all those guys around him just to get to the goal. Does he possess the ability to go "through" people or shoot extremely hard and accurately ? Or is he just a really smart positional player ?
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He's got amazing ball handling skills and great field presence.
 
Um he's 14 or barely 15 considering he physique soccer demands, that's quite extraordinary.
I think its a shame he has to play for a US team. Hopefully soon he'll be moving out to bigger and better venues.
 
...he doesn't have to play for a US team. He was offered 750k by a big team in Italy when he was TEN YEARS OLD?!?!? His mom wanted him to get a high school diploma. He's done that through an accelerated sports school.
 
Originally posted by: BigPoppa
Originally posted by: cmdavid
wonder if he's really 14....
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Doesn't matter anymore. He's playing with the big boys, right?
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yeah he's an amazing player.. i'm just wondering if he's 14, not trying to take anything away from him...
 
Yeah. I saw he 60 minutes piece on him last night. His skills looked to be truly extraordinary. However, he looks and acts MUCH older than 14. It's certainly possible, I guess, but he looks to about 18 or 19 IMO, which makes a tremendous difference as far as his ultimate potential is concerned.
 
Yeah. I saw he 60 minutes piece on him last night. His skills looked to be truly extraordinary. However, he looks and acts MUCH older than 14. It's certainly possible, I guess, but he looks to about 18 or 19 IMO, which makes a tremendous difference as far as his ultimate potential is concerned.

There seems to already have been controversy about his age. Lesley Stahl kept pushing him to say that he was older than 14. She must have asked him to say it 5 or six times that I saw. Doesn't much matter now that he is pro, buy I, too, thought that he seemed older than 14.
 
I saw the story about him last night on one of the network shows (60 Minutes?). Not only is he good, but he seems like a great kid, too. Very charming and humble attitude for a teenager who is on top of the world. We'll see how long that lasts in a cut-throat sports culture where opposing players will try to end his career by targeting his knees and legs, often at the direction of their coach.
 
Originally posted by: allisolm
Yeah. I saw he 60 minutes piece on him last night. His skills looked to be truly extraordinary. However, he looks and acts MUCH older than 14. It's certainly possible, I guess, but he looks to about 18 or 19 IMO, which makes a tremendous difference as far as his ultimate potential is concerned.

There seems to already have been controversy about his age. Lesley Stahl kept pushing him to say that he was older than 14. She must have asked him to say it 5 or six times that I saw. Doesn't much matter now that he is pro, buy I, too, thought that he seemed older than 14.
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I think the controversy stems from the fact that his mother claims that there is no identification documents for him. In essence, he is 14 b/c his mother says so.

 
think the controversy stems from the fact that his mother claims that there is no identification documents for him. In essence, he is 14 b/c his mother says so.
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Nope, she has his birth certificate and other records. The controvery stems entirely from how good he is at such a young age, that he looked a bit older, and the fact there have been a few actual cases in recent years of parents lying about the age of their children so they can compete in younger age groups.
 
Originally posted by: tcsenter
think the controversy stems from the fact that his mother claims that there is no identification documents for him. In essence, he is 14 b/c his mother says so.
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Nope, she has his birth certificate and other records. The controvery stems entirely from how good he is at such a young age, that he looked a bit older, and the fact there have been a few actual cases in recent years of parents lying about the age of their children so they can compete in younger age groups.
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Did you see the 60 minutes piece last night? It was clearly stated that the family had no records. Do you have links or information to prove otherwise?
 
Did you see the 60 minutes piece last night? It was clearly stated that the family had no records. Do you have links or information to prove otherwise?
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Yep, perhaps you did not. Adu told Stahl that his mother 'has his birth certificate' and no information was presented otherwise. Stahl only mentioned the rumors he was younger than he really is.

Were we dozing off a little after too much drinky? From the 60 Minutes portal at the website of CBS:
But Freddy's great play (and his confidence) also have led to accusations that he's really older than he admits.

"It's been with me, like, ever since I actually started playing, and it used to bug me a lot, you know? 'Cause you're telling me that my family's lying about my age, and we're trying to really cheat," Freddy says. "I mean, what do I have to cheat for? I've always been playing against people older than me anyways. So what do I have to cheat for?"

Was his family ever able to produce any documentation?

"Yeah, actually," Freddy replies. "I have my birth certificate and everything at home."
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After having seen a professional soccer game on Saturday for the first time as I mentioned in a post I made regarding it, I would love to see this matchup. For his sake I hope he stays healthy and has a long and prosperous career.
 
Originally posted by: tcsenterYep, perhaps you did not. Adu told Stahl that his mother 'has his birth certificate' and no information was presented otherwise. Stahl only mentioned the rumors he was younger than he really is.

Were we dozing off a little after too much drinky? From the 60 Minutes portal at the website of CBS:
But Freddy's great play (and his confidence) also have led to accusations that he's really older than he admits.

"It's been with me, like, ever since I actually started playing, and it used to bug me a lot, you know? 'Cause you're telling me that my family's lying about my age, and we're trying to really cheat," Freddy says. "I mean, what do I have to cheat for? I've always been playing against people older than me anyways. So what do I have to cheat for?"

Was his family ever able to produce any documentation?

"Yeah, actually," Freddy replies. "I have my birth certificate and everything at home."
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Yeah, but the birth certificate is based on his mothers word and there is no record of him in his home country until 1996, when his mother filed documents stating that he was born in 1989. Do some research.

Either way, it doesn't really matter at this point. I just found it interesting.
 
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