Author Topic: Much ado about Freddy (Read 36942 times)

Andre · « **Reply #90 on:** December 12, 2006, 10:29:36 AM »

good for freddy. novak and he cyah pull. plus it is suspected that novak is a racist.

only thing is leaving the good social scene of the DC area for salt lake.

maybe freddy will married a few mormon girls and make a whole heap ah baby.

but then i hear mexicans taking over that town. so it will be just like DC.

futbolfan · « **Reply #91 on:** December 12, 2006, 10:45:05 AM »

Good luck to de youth-man....

Zeppo · « **Reply #92 on:** July 30, 2007, 02:08:30 PM »

Freddy Adu pens five-year deal for Lisbon club

Benfica have pulled off another blockbuster signing over the weekend when they locked American teenager, Freddy Adu, to a five-year contract. The 18-year-old prodigy is due to arrive in Portugal on Monday to finalise the deal.

The Lisbon giants have agreed to dish out 1.75 million euros for the player’s signature. The deal was announced by club spokesperson, Trey Fitzgerald, before the Utah club took on the New England Revolution on Saturday.

(continue)

Zeppo · « **Reply #93 on:** July 30, 2007, 02:24:23 PM »

royal · « **Reply #94 on:** July 30, 2007, 03:02:45 PM »

Let's see how he makes out in Europe now.

kicker · « **Reply #95 on:** July 30, 2007, 03:07:26 PM »

Congrats to Freddie !!

Best of luck..

DeSoWa · « **Reply #96 on:** July 30, 2007, 03:08:01 PM »

I wish him all the best!

Big Up!

SOBRIQUET · « **Reply #97 on:** July 30, 2007, 03:34:31 PM »

well done Freds....get out a dat shite league...

Father Abraham · « **Reply #98 on:** July 30, 2007, 07:38:04 PM »

great move freddy, greater move benfica. freddy has some years to adjust to europpean soccer and mature as a person. in say 3 years or so benfica a more seasoned freddy will gather interest from all the top teams out there and big windfall for benfice in transfer money, big money for u too freddy. go make it happem now.

trinbago · « **Reply #99 on:** July 30, 2007, 08:33:46 PM »

Congrats to Freddy

Trini Madness · « **Reply #100 on:** July 30, 2007, 09:27:04 PM »

congrats to adu.....portugese league not that good but atleast he may get a taste of champions league football.

Zeppo · « **Reply #101 on:** July 31, 2007, 09:30:03 AM »

BENFICA OFFICIALLY CONFIRMS ADU

The saga is finally over, 18-year old Freddy Adu has left Major League soccer and is now an official member of Benfica.

The former Real Salt Lake midfielder from Washington, DC signed a five year contract for the club, and will be presented to his new fans next week when the club unveils their new stadium for the upcoming season.

"Freddy will be presented with the rest of the new signings next week, at the new Stadio de Luiz," Benfica Press Officer Roberto Mayo told YA. "This is where we will present all the new players and the team for the new season."

(continue)

Bakes · « **Reply #102 on:** July 31, 2007, 10:15:11 AM »

More confirmation from Sports Illustrated:

LISBON, Portugal (AP) -- American teenage soccer star Freddy Adu has reached an agreement to play for Portuguese club Benfica, pending the results of a medical test.

"It's a done deal," a club official said Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to make an announcement.

The official said details of the agreement, including the length of the contract, would be announced at a later date but could not say when.

Adu joined the rest of the Benfica squad at a training session Tuesday, a day after arriving in the Portuguese capital to negotiate personal terms, and was undergoing medical checks, the official said. There were no immediate plans to introduce the player to the media.

Major League Soccer and Benfica agreed last week to a $2 million transfer fee for the 18-year-old attacking midfielder, who was captain of the U.S. team at this month's under-20 World Cup in Canada.

Adu has been one of the highest-profile stars of MLS since he signed with D.C. United in November 2003 at age 14, becoming the youngest player in the league's history.

Real Salt Lake acquired Adu from D.C. United last year knowing that when he turned 18 last month he would become eligible under FIFA rules to move to a foreign club.

Benfica has traditionally been one of Europe's stronger clubs, but has been unable to match the spending of teams in wealthier leagues such as England, Italy and Spain. Benfica finished third in the Portuguese league last season behind Porto and Sporting Lisbon.

Benfica will start play in the European Champions League in the third qualifying round on Aug. 14 or 15.

Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

weary1969 · « **Reply #103 on:** July 31, 2007, 11:06:10 AM »

It eh La Liga but it eh MLS. Thank God he can only improve

Bakes · « **Reply #104 on:** July 31, 2007, 09:14:49 PM »

Quote from: weary1969 on July 31, 2007, 11:06:10 AM

It eh La Liga but it eh MLS. Thank God he can only improve

hey...it was good enuf fuh Latas at a time when the Portuguese league wasn't really respected, so...

Tenorsaw · « **Reply #105 on:** July 31, 2007, 09:44:47 PM »

Decent league. Very technical. Plus he gets the chance to develop and at the same time play Champions League football. This is a great launching pad, cause once he does well there, the Bigger Boys will definitely come knocking.

Dutty · « **Reply #106 on:** July 31, 2007, 09:51:05 PM »

1.75 mill...dem get he real cheap....bargain price

when he start to perform...dey go sell he rights at triple the price

Mango Chow! · « **Reply #107 on:** July 31, 2007, 11:58:41 PM »

Quote from: Dutty on July 31, 2007, 09:51:05 PM

1.75 mill...dem get he real cheap....bargain price

when he start to perform...dey go sell he rights at triple the price

.......especially when yuh consider the same team offerd 5 million something (u$, euro$, SOMETHING) for Eddie Johnson a couple seasons ago and the ~~mls~~ ~~msl~~ misled tell dem "no!"
Did I see a man say that league ain't good?!?! Weeeeeeeey sah!

kicker · « **Reply #108 on:** August 01, 2007, 10:00:23 AM »

Quote from: Bake n Shark on July 31, 2007, 09:14:49 PM

Quote from: weary1969 on July 31, 2007, 11:06:10 AM
It eh La Liga but it eh MLS. Thank God he can only improve
hey...it was good enuf fuh Latas at a time when the Portuguese league wasn't really respected, so...

Portuguese league had pretty much the same relative status in Latas' day as it has now.....somewhat 2nd tier but not to be taken forgranted- Though Mourinho's big mouth & Porto's CL triumph in 03/04 did temporarily raise the profile so to speak for the "now comes"- teams like Porto & Benfica (both having won the CL 2wice each...or so) have always garnered some respect without being feared....

Bakes · « **Reply #109 on:** August 01, 2007, 10:05:57 AM »

Quote from: kicker on August 01, 2007, 10:00:23 AM

Portuguese league had pretty much the same relative status in Latas' day as it has now.....somewhat 2nd tier but not to be taken forgranted- Though Mourinho's big mouth & Porto's CL triumph in 03/04 did temporarily raise the profile so to speak for the "now comes"- teams like Porto & Benfica (both having won the CL 2wice each...or so) have always garnered some respect without being feared....

'relative' is de key...I think is only de past 15-20 yrs or so that Portuguese football in general has really become globally respected and I think that respect has filtered down some to the domestic league. 20 yrs ago when Latas went there I'm certain that wasn't the case. Of course I have no empirical data to support this...just an overriding sense based on their accomplishments over that period.

kicker · « **Reply #110 on:** August 01, 2007, 10:38:46 AM »

Quote from: Bake n Shark on August 01, 2007, 10:05:57 AM

Quote from: kicker on August 01, 2007, 10:00:23 AM

Portuguese league had pretty much the same relative status in Latas' day as it has now.....somewhat 2nd tier but not to be taken forgranted- Though Mourinho's big mouth & Porto's CL triumph in 03/04 did temporarily raise the profile so to speak for the "now comes"- teams like Porto & Benfica (both having won the CL 2wice each...or so) have always garnered some respect without being feared....

'relative' is de key...I think is only de past 15-20 yrs or so that Portuguese football in general has really become globally respected and I think that respect has filtered down some to the domestic league. 20 yrs ago when Latas went there I'm certain that wasn't the case. Of course I have no empirical data to support this...just an overriding sense based on their accomplishments over that period.

Well 3 out of the 4 Champions league triumphs that came from Portuguese teams happened b4 Latas went to Portugal. -

In terms of the Nat'l team- the furthest they've made it in the W.C. was the semi-final in '66 & '06 (I eh feel like confirmin' that on wikipedia- so correck meh if wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's accurate)- but that's once b4 Latas & once after.....other than that they exited in the 1st round in '02 & I think in Mexico '86 as well....again once b4 Latas & once after.....

I hear you though in the sense that their two most recent golden generations (Figo, Rui Costa, Paolo Couto, etc...) & (Ronaldo, Quaresma, Deco etc...) have had arguably the biggest Portuguese impact on the modern game as we know it, and at the Euro champs competition, they've had their greatest sucess in the last 8 years with a semi & final birth in '00 & '04 respectively...

That's the best empirical evidence I could give yuh without research

So I guess it all depends on how yuh look at it...but with Benfica winning CL titles from way back I want to say that the league has had sparks & potential for sometime now.....in terms of Global respect? that's anyone's guess, but in terms of success- the record speaks for itself.....

Bakes · « **Reply #111 on:** August 01, 2007, 10:57:07 AM »

Quote from: kicker on August 01, 2007, 10:38:46 AM

Quote from: Bake n Shark on August 01, 2007, 10:05:57 AM
Quote from: kicker on August 01, 2007, 10:00:23 AM

Portuguese league had pretty much the same relative status in Latas' day as it has now.....somewhat 2nd tier but not to be taken forgranted- Though Mourinho's big mouth & Porto's CL triumph in 03/04 did temporarily raise the profile so to speak for the "now comes"- teams like Porto & Benfica (both having won the CL 2wice each...or so) have always garnered some respect without being feared....

'relative' is de key...I think is only de past 15-20 yrs or so that Portuguese football in general has really become globally respected and I think that respect has filtered down some to the domestic league. 20 yrs ago when Latas went there I'm certain that wasn't the case. Of course I have no empirical data to support this...just an overriding sense based on their accomplishments over that period.

Well 3 out of the 4 Champions league triumphs that came from Portuguese teams happened b4 Latas went to Portugal. -

In terms of the Nat'l team- the furthest they've made it in the W.C. was the semi-final in '66 & '06 (I eh feel like confirmin' that on wikipedia- so correck meh if wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's accurate)- but that's once b4 Latas & once after.....other than that they exited in the 1st round in '02 & I think in Mexico '86 as well....again once b4 Latas & once after.....

I hear you though in the sense that their two most recent golden generations (Figo, Rui Costa, Paolo Couto, etc...) & (Ronaldo, Quaresma, Deco etc...) have had arguably the biggest Portuguese impact on the modern game as we know it, and at the Euro champs competition, they've had their greatest sucess in the last 8 years with a semi & final birth in '00 & '04 respectively...

That's the best empirical evidence I could give yuh without research

So I guess it all depends on how yuh look at it...but with Benfica winning CL titles from way back I want to say that the league has had sparks & potential for sometime now.....in terms of Global respect? that's anyone's guess, but in terms of success- the record speaks for itself.....

You probably right, like I say...I have no stats to support my position. Maybe it would be more accurate to say that Latas went at a time when the league enjoyed even less of a standing than it currently does now

Zeppo · « **Reply #112 on:** August 01, 2007, 12:16:13 PM »

Quote from: Mango Chow! on July 31, 2007, 11:58:41 PM

.......especially when yuh consider the same team offerd 5 million something (u$, euro$, SOMETHING) for Eddie Johnson a couple seasons ago and the ~~mls~~ ~~msl~~ misled tell dem "no!"

Wrong.

MLS wanted to sell him but Johnson himself said "no!".

Zeppo · « **Reply #113 on:** August 01, 2007, 01:01:31 PM »

Portuguese league the right place for Adu to develop

In 3½ MLS seasons, Freddy Adu showed he could play a technical game and also survive physically against rough-and-tumble opposition. Those qualities will serve Adu well in Portugal.

The Portuguese Superliga has a reputation for technical play but it also has a hard side which reflects the character of Portugal, a self-contained country built to endure. But there is no guarantee Adu will thrive with SL Benfica, which paid the MLS $1.46 million euros ($2 million) to acquire him. And this is precisely the situation Adu needs.

(continue)

Filho · « **Reply #114 on:** August 01, 2007, 02:24:46 PM »

Quote from: Zeppo on August 01, 2007, 12:16:13 PM

Quote from: Mango Chow! on July 31, 2007, 11:58:41 PM

.......especially when yuh consider the same team offerd 5 million something (u$, euro$, SOMETHING) for Eddie Johnson a couple seasons ago and the ~~mls~~ ~~msl~~ misled tell dem "no!"

Wrong.

MLS wanted to sell him but Johnson himself said "no!".

Sorry Zeppo, but you're wrong. In 2005, Benfica offered $5million for Eddie Johnson and MLS rejected the offer.

I believe that what you're thinking about is the $6million offer from Derby County that MLS had agreed to but EJ himself rejected

Zeppo · « **Reply #115 on:** August 01, 2007, 03:11:04 PM »

Quote from: Filho on August 01, 2007, 02:24:46 PM

Sorry Zeppo, but you're wrong. In 2005, Benfica offered $5million for Eddie Johnson and MLS rejected the offer.

MLS ended up rejecting it because Johnson didn't want to go.

Read his quote. Do those sound like the words of a player who wanted to make the move?

"MLS has made me into the player I am today, and I have a lot of loyalty to the league," Johnson said from the national team's training camp in Colorado Springs on Thursday. "We're all competing for a spot on the World Cup team, and here I can play week in and week out in front of [U.S. coach] Bruce Arena. I'd like to spend a couple more years in MLS and grow as a player, but at the same time, Europe is every young American's dream. I think it's definitely in my future."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/grant_wahl/03/11/johnson.notransfer/index.html

Filho · « **Reply #116 on:** August 01, 2007, 03:48:45 PM »

Quote from: Zeppo on August 01, 2007, 03:11:04 PM

Quote from: Filho on August 01, 2007, 02:24:46 PM

Sorry Zeppo, but you're wrong. In 2005, Benfica offered $5million for Eddie Johnson and MLS rejected the offer.

MLS ended up rejecting it because Johnson didn't want to go.

Read his quote. Do those sound like the words of a player who wanted to make the move?

"MLS has made me into the player I am today, and I have a lot of loyalty to the league," Johnson said from the national team's training camp in Colorado Springs on Thursday. "We're all competing for a spot on the World Cup team, and here I can play week in and week out in front of [U.S. coach] Bruce Arena. I'd like to spend a couple more years in MLS and grow as a player, but at the same time, Europe is every young American's dream. I think it's definitely in my future."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/grant_wahl/03/11/johnson.notransfer/index.html

ok..so u're having a bit of a comprehension issue. You said MLS wanted to sell him but EJ didn't want to go. Noone is even challenging the notion that EJ did not want to go.. we both (Mango Chow and I) simply stated that MLS REJECTED the offer. And in saying that they wanted to sell him....that is precisely where you are wrong. Even in the article you attached it is clear that MLS took the lead in rejecting the offer.....

"The timing and the offer didn't work, so we turned it down," Garber said, explaining the league's rationale for holding onto the 20-year-old Johnson, whose contract runs through the end of 2006.

afterward, the article goes on to say

Johnson, who would have received a cut of the transfer fee and a significant salary increase, met with MLS officials after Benfica made its offer near the end of the January transfer window and pronounced himself satisfied with their decision.

Where do you see MLS trying to sell EJ?
From the series of events it seem a lot more like MLS convinced the kid that it was not the right time to go.... not the other way around.

Afterwards, what EJ said sounds simply like good PR with the league.

Now in the case of the Derby offer, it is very clear that EJ was the one to initially and independently say no thanks.

Zeppo · « **Reply #117 on:** August 01, 2007, 04:08:07 PM »

Quote from: Filho on August 01, 2007, 03:48:45 PM

Pretty clear that MLS convinced the kid that it was not the right time to go, not the other way around.

In any case, what EJ said after was just good PR

Sounds more to me like Don Garber was just trying to save face after having to miss out on a great deal.

Johnson did not want to risk going to a big European club and possibly sitting on the bench the whole season with the World Cup only 1 year away and his playing time in MLS was practically guaranteed. Both he and the league figured that he would light things up in Germany the following summer (which he didn't) and then secure an even bigger move overseas with an increased transfer value. Obviously that didn't happen and it's quite possible that both he and MLS are regretting it.

Also keep in mind that Johnson's girlfriend was expecting a child at that time. Even more reason for him to reject the offer.

Filho · « **Reply #118 on:** August 01, 2007, 07:03:16 PM »

Quote from: Zeppo on August 01, 2007, 04:08:07 PM

Quote from: Filho on August 01, 2007, 03:48:45 PM

Pretty clear that MLS convinced the kid that it was not the right time to go, not the other way around.

In any case, what EJ said after was just good PR

Sounds more to me like Don Garber was just trying to save face after having to miss out on a great deal.

Johnson did not want to risk going to a big European club and possibly sitting on the bench the whole season with the World Cup only 1 year away and his playing time in MLS was practically guaranteed. Both he and the league figured that he would light things up in Germany the following summer (which he didn't) and then secure an even bigger move overseas with an increased transfer value. Obviously that didn't happen and it's quite possible that both he and MLS are regretting it.

Also keep in mind that Johnson's girlfriend was expecting a child at that time. Even more reason for him to reject the offer.

cool ting breds. can't really know what happened behind the scenes, but nothing yopu've said or shown indicates any desire on MLS' part to want to sell him in 2005. Based on what was said publicly, MLS made it clear that they were intent on keeping EJ. either way..he's still in the MLS

peace

StoreBayLimer · « **Reply #119 on:** August 01, 2007, 11:59:44 PM »

Good move for Adu. With the hope of cashing in on another star, Nike helped to raise the level of expectation and set the bar really high for Freddy. Being away at Benfica would not only help him develop, it might also help to reset the level of expectation.