Freddy Adu will not be joining Swiss Super League club FC Sion, the team confirmed on Friday afternoon, leaving his future for the approaching season still in limbo.
Adu had spent several training sessions with last season's fifth-place finishers, with the team having confirmed on Thursday that a decision was imminent. After further evaluation, however, they have decided to pass on the 15-time capped US international.
"Having trialed for a few days at the Valais-area club, the young striker Freddy Adu, property of Benfica, will not become a part of Sion's roster," the team confirmed via an announcement posted on their website.
While seemingly impressed with his skill, the club indicated that young attacking player does not fit their needs for the already-underway season.
"Despite his undeniable quality, the American player does not fit to the needs searched for by the club at this time," the announcement concludes.
Sion sporting director Frederic Chassot confirmed the team's evaluation while giving some more insight to the role they had been looking to fill. "He's a quality player but he is not the type of player we are looking for," Chassot told YA, elaborating "He is not the number 9 we are looking for."
Adu will presumably return to the Greek city of Thessaloniki, where he is currently on-loan with club FC Aris. However as head coach Hector Cuper has made it clear the former DC United player does not fit into his plans, his search for a new club for the upcoming season will continue. |
Tuesday August 10, 2010
2:20 pm |
Here is my non-American perspective. I keep hearing people label Adu as having technical ability. I don't see it. What i do see is a player with natural ability who missed out on having exposure to the technical side of the game when he most needed it - ie, during his teen years. Adu was recognised for his ability and then his first move was to play in the MLS. Although he showed flashes of talent he was not a regular and he certainly did not dominate games that he did play with his abilities and presence. Playing a couple of good games in a youth tournament is not enough. As such, he has had very little exposure to top level football and only the most naive football fan would expect him to just walk into any European club (let alone a top one like Benfica) and be a regular. Compare Adu's exposure to the level of exposure that his European peers would have gotten by the age of 21. You have to ask, on what basis were people comparing Adu to Pele?
I think perhaps Adu needs to ask himself some hard questions and really lok at what is lacking from his game. Clearly the four or five European clubs he has tried out at see some short-comings and I believe it is his technical game. So he needs to determine how best he can address this.
— Johnson
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Thursday August 5, 2010
1:39 pm |
I think I coming back to MLS would be the best for Freddy. Someone mentioned NE, that may be the best place for him. Steve Nicol just does great things with that team and since they have a history of starting slow and turning it on at the end, that may fit what Freddy needs to do ... his career has started slow and he has gotten a little behind but maybe Steve can help him turn things around and finish strong.
— Brad Johnson
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Thursday August 5, 2010
9:40 am |
The reason Adu has done well at the youth level is because the level of play is less sophisticated. And the American youth soccer system is CRAP. The youth system in American youth system is CRAP from the moment a little kid touches a soccer ball with oversight by a parent wearing a MLB hat to the ODP and academy programs. IT IS ALL CRAP! America produces great athletes, but the mind set for the other American sports is very different. The best thing a good young soccer player can do is leave the USA as Rossi did and really learn how to play in Europe. That's all boys and girls!
— Benfiquista
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Monday August 2, 2010
10:55 pm |
Something has to change for Adu to succeed. But what? What is the step down or laterally from the Greek League? A return to MLS? Maybe, but probably not for Nowak as they were always at loggerheads. If Cuper at Aris won't play him will he be returned to Benfica? I wonder what is really wrong with the picture of Freddy Adu. Not hype, not conjecture, but what the real issue is that is stopping him from a regular place in a reasonably good team. I wonder if the problem is that shortly after Adu has been loaned to a team the Manager was replaced. It was certainly the case at Belenenses and Aris. I find it odd that a player that has dominated at international youth levels and in the Olympics (4 goals in 5 matches) finds it so difficult to fit into club football.
— Charles
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Monday August 2, 2010
3:15 pm |
It would not be a bad idea at this point to come back to the MLS. Big names are now playing in the league and it could be a good restart for his career. However, playing for an EPL team like Donovan could be a better move. He has always had the talent Donovan has and he surely is a better shot taker and passer in traffic than Landon.He can actually run at people with the ball to create chances and pick up fouls near the box. He needs to be given a real chance at starting attacking midfield to do some damage. Even this team Sion admits to his obvious talent. But they might have tried him at the wrong position. He is not striker. He is however an attacking mid.
— muchadu
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Monday August 2, 2010
8:01 am |
What makes anyone think that MLS would want him back, and if they did, that he'd be any different there?
— Desi
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Sunday August 1, 2010
7:50 pm |
We build these guys up as the next Pele in the US then they go to Europe were they may be good players but their egos are too big for they team. They are not prepared to earn it and start at the bottom. Players like Michael Bradley, Charlie Davies and even Clint Dempsey who go to smaller teams with less hype put their head down and bust their buts and they are successful becuase of it.
Adu was benched after a game that he scored in. So it's not ability his skill in a game it's about his attitude. He can either choose to come back to the MLS on his own terms or come crawling back when he runs out of options in Europe.
— Mike
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Sunday August 1, 2010
11:36 am |
How about Philly or Houston? Philly needs a DP and Houston could use him too though probably not as a DP. He's been coached by Nowak and Kinnear and staff have a great track record in produce high quality players.
Adu needs a re-start. Plain and simple.
— Simon
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Sunday August 1, 2010
11:24 am |
Jozy featured occasionally for Hull? Playing in 28 of 38 Prem games including missing the final games b/c of Red card.
— Bill
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Saturday July 31, 2010
3:47 pm |
Luca said: "Amazing how many Americans are so ignorant to confuse Switzerland with Sweden"
How do you know they are Americans?
— Jorge
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