Every so often, the rumor mill starts grinding on the name of Freddy Adu, D.C. United’s teenage attacking midfielder. Several years ago, the rumors had him signing for an Italian team in Serie A. Then it was Chelsea expressing some interest, after which he eventually signed an MLS contract which allowed him to play for D.C. United, near his home in Maryland. His Mama had some influence there, because she was insisting on young Freddy being able to continue his education.
Then there was speculation that he might be asked to play for his native Ghana in the World Cup. After that idea fizzled, soccer pundits all over the place wondered whether Bruce Arena would select him to go to Germany with the United States. That was not to be, because Arena considered that the young player hadn’t shown enough as a substitute in MLS to earn his place on the national squad.
Now out of England comes another rumor, originally published in the Sun tabloid newspaper (almost everything in the Sun is rumor, so don’t bet any money on this). The story goes that Adu could go on loan in January (after the end of the MLS season) to Reading F.C., newly-promoted to the Premiership. If he went, and eventually was offered a contract (the club deal is supposed to be five million quid, or about nine million bucks), Freddie would join two other Americans, both World Cuppers, Bobby Convey and Marcus Hahnemann.
Given my attitude that in almost any human endeavor, the best learn from the best, I think a move to the Premiership would teach young Freddy a lot. Not only would he be (eventually) competing against some of the world’s best players, but he would be under the tutelage of one of the Premiership’s top managers—Steve Coppell.
Coppell, you may remember, was a classic winger for Manchester United in the days of Tommy Docherty, and unusual in that he was also a university graduate (in economics at the University of Liverpool). He ended up with almost four hundred appearances for the Red Devils, and more than forty for England. Could this world-class player, whose career was ended prematurely by a vicious high tackle that shattered his knee, teach Freddy Adu something about attacking soccer? Something that the U.S. needs?