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Hannibal

Freddie Adu

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Simple question what happened to him? thought he was going to set the world on fire but never really happened. Love him on Football Manager!

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"He''s at Benfica I think, probably took the money and then didn''t bother to improve"

Actually the total opposite - stayed in America to help develop the sport there... and didn''t improve. He should''ve gone to Europe much earlier to have properly developed.

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Just checked.......signed for Benfica just under two months after his 18th birthday. I''d say that is plenty of time to improve, wouldn''t you?

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"Just checked.......signed for Benfica just under two months after his 18th birthday. I''d say that is plenty of time to improve, wouldn''t you? "

Yeah - but from a 14/15 year old, he had a lot of pressure for a long time till when he moved - had he gone abroad, worked under amazing coaches, with other young players (and therefore not being a sole 15 year old superstar, but just another good youngster) and came through the youth ranks at a decent club.... he would''ve improved more. IMHO.

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It was stupid how much fuss was made over him when he was 15. I don''t think he made the roster for the team in S Af. although he did play in some of the qualifying games mostly as a sub.

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[quote user="Houston Canary"]It was stupid how much fuss was made over him when he was 15. I don''t think he made the roster for the team in S Af. although he did play in some of the qualifying games mostly as a sub.[/quote]Agreed, I can''t remember any youngster being hyped up as much as this kid was, I remember reading articles about how some "experts" believe he should be playing in the USA national team when he was 15.

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He was out on loan last season. I can''t remember where to but he didn''t set the world alight. - I think it was a Greek side.  If he is to follow Cherno Samba (Millwall''s former ''wonder kid'') to Plymouth then i fear for his future in the game!

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Unfortunately, Freddy Adu was a myth, well he exists but his ability was a myth. He was used as a pawn in the commercial development of the MLS. He had trials with Man Utd, Chelsea and another club I don''t recall in the UK but was not up to the standard in any shape or form. Part of the hype from the US was to get foreign clubs and supporters interested in the MLS. They pretended he was some sort of wonderkid which was never the case.

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[quote user="Terry Tibbs"]Simple question what happened to him? thought he was going to set the world on fire but never really happened. Love him on Football Manager![/quote]A case of much Adu about nothing.[+o(]I''m here all weekend.

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A case of much Adu about nothing. I''m here all weekend.

All weekend? Could you not just do Saturday and then repent your sins on Sunday in church?

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I guess there are a variety of reasons why these wonderkids don''t make it. I guess some can''t handle the pressure, some are over hyped, some just phyisically peaked too early and some just find their head turned by the pressure and fall away. Does anyone remember a bloke called Kalam Mooniaruck? I remember when he was with us he was meant to be the next big thing and after United poached him his career simply turned to dust. Apparently he was last seen playing for Tiptree Town.

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I had heard rumours about that as well Devonshire. Apparently he was meant to be 3 or 4 years older than he claimed.

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I was going to mention Okocha and Kanu but the other one is Obefemi Martins. He had to show proof of age before signing for Newcastle but I believe there are and were still doubts which is why no Prem club went in for him when they went down.

The difference is that I believe Okocha never actually knew his own date of birth. We take it for granted in this country but in Africa birth certificates are not that reliable even at the best of times.

I watched a program once about how politics and local/national government works in some places in Africa. In some areas a tribal leader is given a mobile phone but he is responsible for hundreds if not thousands of people who have no other means of communication, some live days walk away. In many cases a birth can go many months without being registered and in remoter areas it has been known to be much longer.

I say this because not all players deliberately lie about their age, they just simply do not know an accurate birth date.

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There is no doubt about Adu''s age. He was still in early part of high school when the fuss began. He''d have been about 20 if he was actually 5 years older, and to be 20 and in 9th or 10th Grade would be pretty weird. Also, he''d have been an A student compared to the others.

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I''m not sure he''d have been an A student, given he came from Africa with 1 parent, no documents and no education. He put his age down as 13 but was unusually stronger and bigger than other people his age. The guy is older than he says he is.

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He was born in Africa at supposed age 13? I did not know that. I''ve never heard any mention of Africa with him so I assumed he was like Bruce Springsteen, born in the USA.

Even so, if he was 18 and not 13, he would have a much easier time learning, especially if his home country language was English.

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[quote user="Delias Devonshire Dirtbox"]I heard a while ago that there were questions about his actuall age[/quote]

It happens in every sport. I know of one cricketer who was withdrawn from a tour with one of the England junior sides at the last minute as there was an issue with his supposed age.

He’s still in county cricket now and has had an extremely sucessful career in all forms of the game.

 

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Whoever said Adu stayed in America to further his career, get your head out of your backside please!He went to Benfica for his "big break" and didn''t impress, hasn''t even made the USA squads and is now on loan at Aris Thessaloniki in Greece.

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