http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai...4/ixfooty.html
Adu to realise American dream
By Patrick Barclay (Filed: 03/08/2003)
Although fate unkindly cast him as the losing goalkeeper in Fulham's 1975 FA Cup final against West Ham, Peter Mellor had a pretty safe pair of hands. And now they have a task even more important, arguably, than saving shots on behalf of Burnley, Fulham and Portsmouth, because Mellor is among the coaches guiding the career of Freddy Adu, one of the most breathlessly discussed young footballers since the world became aware of Pele nearly half a century ago.
Much ado about something: Freddy Adu in action
At just 14, Adu makes Wayne Rooney seem a veteran, but one attribute the prodigies share is instinctive brilliance. "Freddy is so natural that you don't coach him," Mellor told me before leaving for England with Adu and the rest of a United States squad heading for the Under-17 World Cup in Finland.
"All you do is show him what it takes to be a good pro. You say very little to him about technical, or even tactical, situations. I have never seen anyone as gifted, as early, as this kid and I only hope he fulfils his potential."
Adu's progress since he arrived in America from Ghana five years ago - his mother, Emelia, had won a green card in the National Lottery - suggests he might make his senior international debut within the next year.
Bruce Arena, the coach who steered the US to the World Cup quarter-finals, believes he is ready now, according to Mellor, who, as part of his work for the national youth development programme, helps to supervise the elite based in Bradenton, Florida.
Adu is expected to be sent to a US club next, although the subsequent scramble among major European institutions could be hectic; when he was 11, an offer of £500,000 was made by Internazionale, whom Emelia politely rebuffed. "She is a humble lady with a wise head on her shoulders," Mellor remarked.
Mellor landed in Florida in 1981, towards the end of his playing career. He came with the showbiz and commentators' team. "There were people like Dennis Waterman and 'Diddy' David Hamilton, John Motson and Martin Tyler. We played in Tampa Bay and I fell in love with Florida. So I bought a piece of land and, while having a home built, played one last season with Edmonton Drillers.
In Florida I started coaching unpaid and, to make a living, set up a landscaping business, building waterfalls and so on." He sold it five years ago to take a full-time job with US Soccer. Mellor has, however, been involved with national squads for much longer. This will be his sixth Under-17 World Cup and he recalled the first with amusement.
"It's the typical American 'rah, rah, rah, let's go kick some butt' until they walk out on the field and there are 15,000 people in the stadium and Polish players about 9ft high and suddenly the 'rah, rah, rah' is replaced by the sound of their knees knocking.
"I'm proud that we now have a far more professional environment in which these players can grow up. I have a lot of admiration for the American coach. In fact, I'd say he's a far better tactician than anyone I worked with in Europe."
And so to young Freddy, the prospective icing on Arena's cake. "He'll be the first name on our team sheet in Finland," Mellor said. "Not only that. He's the type who, the higher the level of competition the better he performs. The Under-20s go to a world championship in November and I know the coach is considering taking him. Then there's the Olympics - he's being considered for that. And who knows when Bruce will call him up?" It really is hard to believe we are talking about a 14-year-old. But at last, it seems, when even the coaches are unable to conceal their excitement, that we have football's version of the American dream.
Freddy Adu on loan to Aris
Threaded Mode
