Freddy Adu is once again on the mind of American soccer fans, as the US National Team's sojourn to South Africa is set to kick off in a few days, and the diminutive midfielder/forward figures to play some (as yet undetermined) role.
Freddy's struggles on the club level are not only well documented, they're downright overwrought. Adu's move to Europe hasn't exactly gone to plan, and after a stint on loan with Ligue 1 side Monaco, the future is uncertain for the former Great American Hope.
Yet, all is not lost. In fact, I might argue that it's more than just "not lost", it's not even been found yet. Lest I remind you, Freddy Adu is only twenty years old.
But, you knew that. Right? You didn't forget that Adu is still just a kid, barely out of his teens, no where near the age that any player could be called "washed up", did you? No matter Adu's struggles in Europe, or his inability to break into the National Team on a regular basis, you kept in mind his relative youth, and realized that he still has plenty of time to get settled with a club, gain valuable experience, and become a solid contributor to American efforts on the international stage-didn't you?
Patience is not something sports fans possess in abundance, no matter the game. Add to that lack of calm the passion and desperation that comes with supporting the still-evolving USMNT program, and rationality is rarely on display. Adu is not only a victim of the ridiculous hype he received as the youngest ever professional athlete in a top-level American sports league, he's also the victim of millions of impatient critics, all anxious for him to fulfill the long talked about potential that they've heard about for what seems an eternity.
It just feels like Adu is old. It just feels like his time is slipping away, and if something doesn't change soon, he might actually fade away into oblivion. While twenty isn't exactly young in international soccer terms, it's still entirely too young for a player to be written off. Simply as a point of comparison, think of Sacha Kljestan; a young player with a bright future who appears to be on his way to National Team prominence, Kljestan is already twenty-three years old, with twenty-four approaching rapidly. Kljestan is a product of the American college soccer system, and while that may not be the preferred path for up-and-coming players, it does serve as a reminder of just where Adu is in his maturation process. If Adu had not turned pro so young, and had played for a few years in college, the excitement about his future would only now be building, rather than hitting the lull that it seems to be now.
Adu has a long way to go, that much is clear. A move to a club where playing time is more likely might be in the cards, and Freddy has intimated as much through his Twitter feed. That would surely be the first step towards him reviving his career, and provide more pressure for Bob Bradley to put him on the pitch for the Nats. Playing time is crucial to Adu's further development, and nothing will happen without it.
It won't be an easy road. Freddy Adu is still nowhere near where we thought (or were told) he would be at twenty years old. His club future is uncertain, his National Team role unclear. He's not the savior of American soccer, and he's not our first truly world renowned star as we hoped he'd be. He's barely a blip on the radar at the moment, a player with more skill and flair than most we produce, but is ultimately a disappointment at the moment, no matter how you look at it.
But, like I mentioned, he's only twenty years old. It's not over yet.
