Adu, the next "great" american?

So Adu finished his two week trial with Man U, and appears to be coming home without a contract. Is that really a surprise? Manchester United also took on the Swede Henrik Larsson on loan to shore up their offensive front line, same position the prodigy Adu plays.....interesting.

Here comes my rant, you have been warned.

Freddy Adu, while some day may become a great player, is an OVER HYPED product of MLS, corporate sponsors and the media. Those of us who live in the land of the MLS have been told for the past few years that this young sensation, from Ghanaian origins, would be the next Pele. He was given a million dollar shoe deal from Nike, he was paraded in front of us when he signed with DC United.

The idea of Arena bringing him to the World Cup in Germany was toyed with, he might be the "joker" to get the US over the hump into the semi finals or further.

The main issue with Freddie is that he is a solid player, but not the savior that we have been told he is. The story is nice, grew up in Ghana where his mother won a lottery to come to the United States, a true immigrant success story. But when it comes to the world of international football to me he is just another good teenager, one that has much to prove.

Let us look at some other 17 - 18 year olds getting press: Gonzalo Higuain and Theo Walcott. The first is a year older, but Theo is only three months older. Higuain plays for River Plate. Theo for Arsenal....Freddy for DC United.....Higuain and Theo both came up through the youth systems of the Argentinian and English leagues, much harder competition than can be found in the MLS.

Both these players are deemed part of the next generation of great players, and both have been blooded in some of the most difficult competitive environments in the footballing world. Freddy Adu has been playing in the MLS. He has a grand total of 11 goals in three years. How many goals would Theo score in the MLS or how about a 17 year old Rooney?

Freddy, if he is such a superstar, should dominate the MLS. He is not even the best player in the league. He should at least be the best player on his team....which I do not believe he is.

The best move for Adu would be to head to Europe, and not for Manchester United (who does not seem interested) but for a continental league: France or Holland. Go to a club in Holland that has experience with national players from areas outside of South America, Europe and Africa - PSV does a great job cultivating talent from North America and Asia. These teams play in good domestic leagues, but nothing as brutal as the Premier League and gets European play...all good for development. They are also well versed in developing and selling these players to the big teams in Europe. Maybe then Freddy can develop to whatever level his potential will allow him to achieve.

Had Freddy been from any of the international world football powers none of us would have ever heard of him, but because he put on the stars and stripes, a nation desperate for a star to pull their footie fortunes places an unfair amount of expectations on his slim shoulders. Hopefully he lives up to half the hype surrounding him....don't forget that Pele at 17 won his first World Cup. Adu at 17 has not even won a MLS cup.....