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Ricochet · 10-08-2003, 10:42 PM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2003Aug9.html

The World Is at His Feet
At 14, Potomac's Adu Is a Soccer Sensation
By Jason La Canfora
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, August 10, 2003; Page A01

The crowds follow him everywhere now. They know when Freddy Adu will be playing soccer, and they flock to see him, often thousands at a time, hoping to get a glimpse. Curiosity draws them -- the 14-year-old prodigy has received worldwide attention -- and, inevitably, they depart with new tales to tell.

Executives at Nike debate how to best market Adu after signing him in May to a multiyear deal worth $1 million and world soccer powers such as England's Manchester United search for ways to acquire him. Normalcy -- something Adu's mother, Emelia, hoped to ensure by turning down a lucrative offer from Italian team Inter Milan several years ago -- must be redefined daily as a young man learns to cope with international celebrity and unparalleled expectations.

As bizarre as things have been for Adu -- needing a police escort to escape a postgame throng of fans is not uncommon -- they could get even more crazy this week when he participates in the Under-17 World Championship, his first major international tournament. The prestigious 16-team biennial event sanctioned by FIFA, the sport's world governing body, will be held in Finland. The tournament will be heavily scouted by all the world's best pro teams and it has launched the careers of many of the game's elite.

Should Adu, whose family emigrated from Ghana to Potomac in 1997, fare well against such stiff competition his contractual and endorsement value would soar and a host of other playing opportunities could arise, including perhaps, participating in the 2006 World Cup in Germany at age 17.

"Everything depends on how I perform at [the] world championships," Adu said. "That's when other opportunities are going to come my way. So I've just got to go in there and do my best and play hard and hopefully I'll get some more inquiries from [foreign] clubs or a chance to play with the [U.S.] under-20s."

Adu has done little to decrease the hype in games leading up to this summer's world championship. He scored three goals in 24 minutes a week ago in an exhibition against the under-18 team of English Premier League club Blackburn Rovers, then scored the game's only goal on a penalty kick against Australia's under-17 team in the next match. On Thursday, he scored the tying goal and had an assist on the game-winner as the U.S. team defeated Manchester United's under-18 team, 2-1.

"At most of our games we've had 2,000-plus people, and they are there looking for something special out of Freddy," said U.S. Coach John Ellinger. "He is a very electrifying player and when he gets that ball they all lean forward in their chair wondering what he is going to do. People have made their comparisons with [Diego] Maradona and Pele already, but if you talk to Freddy about it he says, 'I just want to be Freddy.' He has kind of developed his own style and I think one of the greatest things about Freddy so far is being able to rise and meet the various challenges he faces."

Freddy Mania

In April the volunteers at a tournament in Dallas were completely overrun by hordes of fans clamoring for Adu. The additional security at a series of exhibitions in California one month later was a small deterrent: Adu required police assistance after his first game and for the next contest the team was driven to the field in three white vans, which were then parked flanking the sidelines to protect the players from those swarming for pictures and autographs.

"For years there was no one watching us," said Richmond's Corey Ashe, co-captain of the under-17 team. "And now, because of Freddy, all of that has changed."

During a recent visit to Nike's Oregon headquarters Adu ran into several stars from Manchester United, all of whom knew who he was (Adu and his agent also met with top officials from the club in Portland). Reporters from all major U.S. networks as well as those from China, Japan and Brazil -- to name a few -- have approached him for interviews. When the U.S. under-16 team played in England this summer the announcers on Sky Sports in England spent considerable time bemoaning the fact that Adu was not on the team, and every day people on various continents gather on Internet message boards to debate Adu's future.

"It is a lot to bear," Adu said. "But if you play well I guess all of this stuff is just going to keep happening. You can't really do anything about it, and I try to think of it as a reward for how hard you've been training, and how much better you've gotten. I kind of enjoy it, but on the other hand I don't want to get too caught up in it and get a big head about it."

Adu, who has a slight 5-foot-8, 140-pound frame, has been recognized by fans in South Korea and Guatemala and when the U.S. national team arrived in France in June for a major tournament, players and coaches were promptly grilled about Adu. As a result of the enduring bedlam, the U.S. Soccer Federation implemented stern media regulations for the under-17 team in March, closing most practices and limiting access to once a week.

"The reaction to Freddy has been almost ridiculous at times," said Neil Buethe, a USSF press officer who travels with the under-17 team. "Usually, we'd be pushing for attention with the under-17s, but with Freddy it's been so crazy that we don't even really want it or need it."

In January 2002 Adu, who became a U.S. citizen 13 months later, accepted an invitation to train, board and go to school with the under-17 national team in Bradenton, Fla., as part of its development program, leaving The Heights School in Potomac and his family behind. (Adu's brother, Fro, 12, is also an elite player and was invited to join the under-17s in Bradenton beginning this fall.)

Maturing Process

As fans and media began converging on the team's complex, Ellinger met with the entire team, excluding Adu, to make sure there was no jealousy or ill will toward the star player. "The guys have been great as far as taking care of him and he has a pretty special relationship with the group, especially when you consider he's three years younger than everybody else," Ellinger said. "He handles himself very well. After a game he'll apologize to a player for not getting him the ball in a certain situation. He's getting more and more mature."

Adu's personal tastes are typical of a teenager. After he finishes daily training in Bradenton and completes his homework, he spends time e-mailing friends and family back home. Adu's natural athletic ability is apparent when he hits a golf ball, plays table tennis or shoots a basketball, and, like most American kids, he is enraptured by the world of video games, something that helps kill time during lengthy trips abroad.

"I love to play video games and hang out with my teammates," Adu said. "I don't really do too much sightseeing when we travel. We usually play PlayStation and have FIFA soccer tournaments all the time. It's a lot of fun."

Adu's affability is irrepressible; he is a notorious jokester and does not mind getting razzed from time to time, such as when his teammates occasionally ask him for autographs, cash advances and free Nike gear.

"He is the most positive guy I know," under-17 forward Eddie Gaven said. "He's always smiling, laughing and joking around."

With constant inquiries coming from various sources, his family decided to sign with an agent this year. They settled on SportsNet LLC, an agency run by Richard Motzkin and his Bethesda-based partner, Dan Segal, who served as informal advisors before being hired.

"It took a while before we signed, to be frank," said Nana Agyeman, one of Adu's relatives who lives with the family. "We had to do our own investigation."

The deal with Nike -- a rarity for an athlete so young participating in a team sport -- soon followed. The company is undecided on precisely how or when it will market Adu, and the contract has few precise requirements. Adu's poise, ease in front of a camera and engaging personality have attracted other offers, and more endorsement deals are forthcoming, said a Nike official.

Motzkin, whose clients include 21-year-old American star Landon Donovan, spends considerable time ciphering through calls from abroad, and the interest in Adu has been even more intense than he anticipated. Opting which club to sign with, and precisely when to do so, is a tricky endeavor; SportsNet is gambling that Adu's stock will skyrocket after an impressive performance at the world championship.

Adu wants to play in one of Europe's top leagues -- English, Spanish or Italian -- and teams from those countries covet him. As much as Manchester United would love to sign Adu -- Peter Kenyon, Manchester United's chief executive, expressed initial interest in him nearly three years ago -- it will be quite difficult for any English team to do so given the country's strict immigration rules, Kenyon said.

Education First

Any pro club would offer a hefty contract, but finding the right place to accommodate Adu's special needs is the priority.

Education comes first; Emelia Adu demands as much. She held two jobs for much of her time in America and still works at Home Depot -- Adu's father has not been a part of his life since shortly after the family arrived from Ghana -- and the immediate plan is for Freddy to finish high school before signing a pro contract, although he could also sign shortly after the world championship with a stipulation that he not head to Europe until after graduation.

The U.S. pro league, Major League Soccer, would love to sign Adu -- deputy commissioner Ivan Gazidis said he believes the youngster would be ready to play at that level next season -- but that seems unlikely, given the cache, prestige and state-of-the-art youth academies of Adu's European suitors.

"Freddy and his family are keeping all options open, and we'll listen to whatever opportunities might exist," Motzkin said. "There is a general plan, but that doesn't mean it's 100 percent in stone."

Adu has a standing offer from D.C. United to join the MLS team's practices and he does so as frequently as possible. United's players were clearly happy to see Adu during a training session in late June. They joked with the teenager as they ran laps at the start of practice, but when it was time for business, Adu listened intently. "What impresses me and all of our players the most is that maturity," said D.C. United Coach Ray Hudson. "Freddy brings it in the real manner in which a professional should."

Adu distinguished himself during his most recent full-field scrimmage with D.C. United by scoring goals and grasping subtleties, such as when to take on defenders one-on-one, and choosing when to withdraw, draw two opponents to him and dish off the ball with a blind, back-footed pass.

"That was breathtaking to watch," Hudson said, "and for a kid of 13 to do it was absolutely bordering on the 'G' word, which you don't want to use, but he's a little genius at times, he really is."

If Adu joins MLS next season, many believe he would be the youngest person to play professional team sports in American history. Soccer purists recall that former Argentine star Diego Maradona made his debut at age 15 for Boca Juniors in 1976.

Adu is eager to play in the 2004 Olympics in Athens -- the soccer tournament is an under-23 format -- and many within the USSF expect him to do so. There are rumblings that he could soon be integrated into training camps with the U.S. national team, as Coach Bruce Arena intensifies preparations for the 2006 World Cup; Ellinger, for one, believes Adu will be part of that squad.

For all of Adu's promise, the future remains wildly uncertain. So much could happen in the next few years; injuries, puberty and outside interests could sway the youngster's goals and desires, where now soccer clearly reigns supreme. Cynical tactics and constant fouling by opponents can drain the resolve of any player. The path from teenage sensation to adult superstar can be perilous and Adu's family aims to make the transition as seamless as possible.

A cursory glance at the leading players from each of the nine previous world championships yields names such as D.C. United mainstay Marco Etcheverry, who played in the first event held in 1985. But the list contains a far greater number of players who never again dented the world scene, and few under-17 players ever go on to join their country's full national team.

"I was playing for eight years in [Bolivia's world-renowned] Tahuichi Academy," Etcheverry said, "and we had unbelievable, incredible talent on my teams growing up when I was 9, 10, and those guys disappeared. I don't even know where to find those guys; I don't even know if they are playing soccer still. Freddy has the talent and charisma. He needs to keep working hard and concentrating to get better. That's very important. If he makes progress like he is making now, he is going to be one of the best players in the world if he really wants it."

Keeping Adu surrounded by positive influences will be integral to his blossoming in the coming years. He remains very much his mother's boy, calling home daily and returning to Potomac as often as his schedule allows. Thus far he has not fallen prey to the pitfalls of celebrity, and, as he prepares for the biggest games of his life, Adu's love of soccer could not be stronger.

"Freddy is the same guy he was before all of this happened, he hasn't really changed," Agyeman said. "The good thing about it is his passion for the game is there; he still sees it as a game and something he enjoys doing, and therefore it's not something for him to take out of context. He has to always keep his perspective on it; that's how to keep improving himself and enjoying himself in the game.

"A strong foundation is very critical for him. It is very, very essential in this sense and he has this, and he can attest to that fact. He has that foundation, and our job as a family is to help him make the right decisions, help him to get used to certain things that need to be done and also to help him make the right choices in all the opportunities that will come up for him. He does have that foundation. Thank God he does."

10-08-2003, 10:42 PM	#18 (permalink)
Ricochet TS Member Favourite Team: USMNT, Manchester United Ricochet is Offline Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: New York Posts: 4,405 vCash: 500 Rep: Rep Points: 698 Country:	Great FreddyAdu article "The World Is at His Feet" http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2003Aug9.html The World Is at His Feet At 14, Potomac's Adu Is a Soccer Sensation By Jason La Canfora Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, August 10, 2003; Page A01 The crowds follow him everywhere now. They know when Freddy Adu will be playing soccer, and they flock to see him, often thousands at a time, hoping to get a glimpse. Curiosity draws them -- the 14-year-old prodigy has received worldwide attention -- and, inevitably, they depart with new tales to tell. Executives at Nike debate how to best market Adu after signing him in May to a multiyear deal worth $1 million and world soccer powers such as England's Manchester United search for ways to acquire him. Normalcy -- something Adu's mother, Emelia, hoped to ensure by turning down a lucrative offer from Italian team Inter Milan several years ago -- must be redefined daily as a young man learns to cope with international celebrity and unparalleled expectations. As bizarre as things have been for Adu -- needing a police escort to escape a postgame throng of fans is not uncommon -- they could get even more crazy this week when he participates in the Under-17 World Championship, his first major international tournament. The prestigious 16-team biennial event sanctioned by FIFA, the sport's world governing body, will be held in Finland. The tournament will be heavily scouted by all the world's best pro teams and it has launched the careers of many of the game's elite. Should Adu, whose family emigrated from Ghana to Potomac in 1997, fare well against such stiff competition his contractual and endorsement value would soar and a host of other playing opportunities could arise, including perhaps, participating in the 2006 World Cup in Germany at age 17. "Everything depends on how I perform at [the] world championships," Adu said. "That's when other opportunities are going to come my way. So I've just got to go in there and do my best and play hard and hopefully I'll get some more inquiries from [foreign] clubs or a chance to play with the [U.S.] under-20s." Adu has done little to decrease the hype in games leading up to this summer's world championship. He scored three goals in 24 minutes a week ago in an exhibition against the under-18 team of English Premier League club Blackburn Rovers, then scored the game's only goal on a penalty kick against Australia's under-17 team in the next match. On Thursday, he scored the tying goal and had an assist on the game-winner as the U.S. team defeated Manchester United's under-18 team, 2-1. "At most of our games we've had 2,000-plus people, and they are there looking for something special out of Freddy," said U.S. Coach John Ellinger. "He is a very electrifying player and when he gets that ball they all lean forward in their chair wondering what he is going to do. People have made their comparisons with [Diego] Maradona and Pele already, but if you talk to Freddy about it he says, 'I just want to be Freddy.' He has kind of developed his own style and I think one of the greatest things about Freddy so far is being able to rise and meet the various challenges he faces." Freddy Mania In April the volunteers at a tournament in Dallas were completely overrun by hordes of fans clamoring for Adu. The additional security at a series of exhibitions in California one month later was a small deterrent: Adu required police assistance after his first game and for the next contest the team was driven to the field in three white vans, which were then parked flanking the sidelines to protect the players from those swarming for pictures and autographs. "For years there was no one watching us," said Richmond's Corey Ashe, co-captain of the under-17 team. "And now, because of Freddy, all of that has changed." During a recent visit to Nike's Oregon headquarters Adu ran into several stars from Manchester United, all of whom knew who he was (Adu and his agent also met with top officials from the club in Portland). Reporters from all major U.S. networks as well as those from China, Japan and Brazil -- to name a few -- have approached him for interviews. When the U.S. under-16 team played in England this summer the announcers on Sky Sports in England spent considerable time bemoaning the fact that Adu was not on the team, and every day people on various continents gather on Internet message boards to debate Adu's future. "It is a lot to bear," Adu said. "But if you play well I guess all of this stuff is just going to keep happening. You can't really do anything about it, and I try to think of it as a reward for how hard you've been training, and how much better you've gotten. I kind of enjoy it, but on the other hand I don't want to get too caught up in it and get a big head about it." Adu, who has a slight 5-foot-8, 140-pound frame, has been recognized by fans in South Korea and Guatemala and when the U.S. national team arrived in France in June for a major tournament, players and coaches were promptly grilled about Adu. As a result of the enduring bedlam, the U.S. Soccer Federation implemented stern media regulations for the under-17 team in March, closing most practices and limiting access to once a week. "The reaction to Freddy has been almost ridiculous at times," said Neil Buethe, a USSF press officer who travels with the under-17 team. "Usually, we'd be pushing for attention with the under-17s, but with Freddy it's been so crazy that we don't even really want it or need it." In January 2002 Adu, who became a U.S. citizen 13 months later, accepted an invitation to train, board and go to school with the under-17 national team in Bradenton, Fla., as part of its development program, leaving The Heights School in Potomac and his family behind. (Adu's brother, Fro, 12, is also an elite player and was invited to join the under-17s in Bradenton beginning this fall.) Maturing Process As fans and media began converging on the team's complex, Ellinger met with the entire team, excluding Adu, to make sure there was no jealousy or ill will toward the star player. "The guys have been great as far as taking care of him and he has a pretty special relationship with the group, especially when you consider he's three years younger than everybody else," Ellinger said. "He handles himself very well. After a game he'll apologize to a player for not getting him the ball in a certain situation. He's getting more and more mature." Adu's personal tastes are typical of a teenager. After he finishes daily training in Bradenton and completes his homework, he spends time e-mailing friends and family back home. Adu's natural athletic ability is apparent when he hits a golf ball, plays table tennis or shoots a basketball, and, like most American kids, he is enraptured by the world of video games, something that helps kill time during lengthy trips abroad. "I love to play video games and hang out with my teammates," Adu said. "I don't really do too much sightseeing when we travel. We usually play PlayStation and have FIFA soccer tournaments all the time. It's a lot of fun." Adu's affability is irrepressible; he is a notorious jokester and does not mind getting razzed from time to time, such as when his teammates occasionally ask him for autographs, cash advances and free Nike gear. "He is the most positive guy I know," under-17 forward Eddie Gaven said. "He's always smiling, laughing and joking around." With constant inquiries coming from various sources, his family decided to sign with an agent this year. They settled on SportsNet LLC, an agency run by Richard Motzkin and his Bethesda-based partner, Dan Segal, who served as informal advisors before being hired. "It took a while before we signed, to be frank," said Nana Agyeman, one of Adu's relatives who lives with the family. "We had to do our own investigation." The deal with Nike -- a rarity for an athlete so young participating in a team sport -- soon followed. The company is undecided on precisely how or when it will market Adu, and the contract has few precise requirements. Adu's poise, ease in front of a camera and engaging personality have attracted other offers, and more endorsement deals are forthcoming, said a Nike official. Motzkin, whose clients include 21-year-old American star Landon Donovan, spends considerable time ciphering through calls from abroad, and the interest in Adu has been even more intense than he anticipated. Opting which club to sign with, and precisely when to do so, is a tricky endeavor; SportsNet is gambling that Adu's stock will skyrocket after an impressive performance at the world championship. Adu wants to play in one of Europe's top leagues -- English, Spanish or Italian -- and teams from those countries covet him. As much as Manchester United would love to sign Adu -- Peter Kenyon, Manchester United's chief executive, expressed initial interest in him nearly three years ago -- it will be quite difficult for any English team to do so given the country's strict immigration rules, Kenyon said. Education First Any pro club would offer a hefty contract, but finding the right place to accommodate Adu's special needs is the priority. Education comes first; Emelia Adu demands as much. She held two jobs for much of her time in America and still works at Home Depot -- Adu's father has not been a part of his life since shortly after the family arrived from Ghana -- and the immediate plan is for Freddy to finish high school before signing a pro contract, although he could also sign shortly after the world championship with a stipulation that he not head to Europe until after graduation. The U.S. pro league, Major League Soccer, would love to sign Adu -- deputy commissioner Ivan Gazidis said he believes the youngster would be ready to play at that level next season -- but that seems unlikely, given the cache, prestige and state-of-the-art youth academies of Adu's European suitors. "Freddy and his family are keeping all options open, and we'll listen to whatever opportunities might exist," Motzkin said. "There is a general plan, but that doesn't mean it's 100 percent in stone." Adu has a standing offer from D.C. United to join the MLS team's practices and he does so as frequently as possible. United's players were clearly happy to see Adu during a training session in late June. They joked with the teenager as they ran laps at the start of practice, but when it was time for business, Adu listened intently. "What impresses me and all of our players the most is that maturity," said D.C. United Coach Ray Hudson. "Freddy brings it in the real manner in which a professional should." Adu distinguished himself during his most recent full-field scrimmage with D.C. United by scoring goals and grasping subtleties, such as when to take on defenders one-on-one, and choosing when to withdraw, draw two opponents to him and dish off the ball with a blind, back-footed pass. "That was breathtaking to watch," Hudson said, "and for a kid of 13 to do it was absolutely bordering on the 'G' word, which you don't want to use, but he's a little genius at times, he really is." If Adu joins MLS next season, many believe he would be the youngest person to play professional team sports in American history. Soccer purists recall that former Argentine star Diego Maradona made his debut at age 15 for Boca Juniors in 1976. Adu is eager to play in the 2004 Olympics in Athens -- the soccer tournament is an under-23 format -- and many within the USSF expect him to do so. There are rumblings that he could soon be integrated into training camps with the U.S. national team, as Coach Bruce Arena intensifies preparations for the 2006 World Cup; Ellinger, for one, believes Adu will be part of that squad. For all of Adu's promise, the future remains wildly uncertain. So much could happen in the next few years; injuries, puberty and outside interests could sway the youngster's goals and desires, where now soccer clearly reigns supreme. Cynical tactics and constant fouling by opponents can drain the resolve of any player. The path from teenage sensation to adult superstar can be perilous and Adu's family aims to make the transition as seamless as possible. A cursory glance at the leading players from each of the nine previous world championships yields names such as D.C. United mainstay Marco Etcheverry, who played in the first event held in 1985. But the list contains a far greater number of players who never again dented the world scene, and few under-17 players ever go on to join their country's full national team. "I was playing for eight years in [Bolivia's world-renowned] Tahuichi Academy," Etcheverry said, "and we had unbelievable, incredible talent on my teams growing up when I was 9, 10, and those guys disappeared. I don't even know where to find those guys; I don't even know if they are playing soccer still. Freddy has the talent and charisma. He needs to keep working hard and concentrating to get better. That's very important. If he makes progress like he is making now, he is going to be one of the best players in the world if he really wants it." Keeping Adu surrounded by positive influences will be integral to his blossoming in the coming years. He remains very much his mother's boy, calling home daily and returning to Potomac as often as his schedule allows. Thus far he has not fallen prey to the pitfalls of celebrity, and, as he prepares for the biggest games of his life, Adu's love of soccer could not be stronger. "Freddy is the same guy he was before all of this happened, he hasn't really changed," Agyeman said. "The good thing about it is his passion for the game is there; he still sees it as a game and something he enjoys doing, and therefore it's not something for him to take out of context. He has to always keep his perspective on it; that's how to keep improving himself and enjoying himself in the game. "A strong foundation is very critical for him. It is very, very essential in this sense and he has this, and he can attest to that fact. He has that foundation, and our job as a family is to help him make the right decisions, help him to get used to certain things that need to be done and also to help him make the right choices in all the opportunities that will come up for him. He does have that foundation. Thank God he does." __________________ "Everyone on this forum is dumber for having read this post."