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Adu could return to Union in 2013 (UPDATED)

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It appears Philadelphia Union head coach John Hackworth and Freddy Adu have had their heart-to-heart talk, and that the playmaker has a good chance of returning to the club in 2013.

In his final press conference of the season, Hackworth said Monday he ‘definitely feels’ that Adu will be back with the Union next year. The 23-year-old Adu had been facing growing uncertainty as to where his future lied after not being included in several match-day rosters at the end of the campaign, but Hackworth seems ready to bring him back into the fold in 2013 for what the Union are hoping will be a rebound season.

(UPDATED- The Philadelphia Union’s tweet wasn’t quite what Hackworth said. His exact quote was “I definitely feel there is a chance Freddy will be back.”)

The revised Hackworth quote paints a different picture than the original quote circulated by the Union. All Hackworth did on Monday is once again put to rest the notion that the Union have already decided to part ways with Adu. That said, it sounds as though the Union are far from having made a final decision on Adu for 2013.

The situation with Adu was not the only thing Hackworth discussed on Monday, as he touched on a wide range of topics about the state of the tem heading into the offseason.

Hackworth also touched on the state of his defense, saying there are five players in that group who he and the coaching staff are excited about. Hackworth even went as far as identifying one of those players as Bakary Soumare, the center back who joined the team near midseason but as limited because of injuries.

Another topic Hackworth addressed was the Union’s need for a pure goal-scorer. The Union struggled to put away chances in 2012, and Hackworth said an offseason priority is to find a striker who can finish on a consistent basis.

Hackworth also said there was the possibility that former Union players who play elsewhere could return to the club in the offseason.

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What do you make of this development? Happy to hear Adu is likely to return to the Union? Do you see Adu and the Union bouncing back in 2013?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Cut Freddy loose. He slows the game down every time he touches the ball. He is overpaid and just doesn’t work hardb for this team when he is on the pitch. Freddy is NOT the best player on the team.
    I thought Hackworth said that Adu does not have a future with the Union. I hope not, can’t stand watching his 5 minutes of brilliance he brings to each game only to show us 85 minutes of laziness after that.

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  2. Freddy Adu is a perfect example of why the US should get rid of the Diversity Immigration Lottery. What a joke of soccer player this guy is. Some of you still hype him up even to this day.

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  3. Ever wonder why coaches feel compelled to give press conferences when they have nothing to say? Apparently Hackworth didn’t say anything definite. It’s amusing to try to discern some meaning amidst all the qualifiers and such, but I suspect that Hackworth hasn’t a clue about what he wants to do. He’s just making it up as he goes along. No one should be surprised if Adu was traded away from an old pair of boots or whatever.

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  4. I watched the Presser and heard the Soumare comment differently. The reporter asked about how he felt about the situation in the back naming Soumare along with Garfan, Gaddis, Williams, Okugo and Valdes. Hackworth stated that he is excited about the 5 guys in the back (refering to the 5 that played minutes back there this year, gaddis, williams, garfan, okugo and valdes) and went on to say, im paraphrasing, and we will be excited to see how Soumare plays when we get into preseason and get to see him on the field. So i read the excited about five guys meaning gaddis, williams valdes okugo and garfan and intersted to see soumare. Because with those six guys, the safest PR move would be to say you are excited about teh 5 who played because it is understandable not to lump a guy in there who hasnt played significant minutes yet and leave yourself open to say you arent happy with one of the 5 aforementioned guys. Hackworth wouldnt open himself up to that

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  5. Freddy was a scapegoat this season. There were a lot of problems with the Union and Adu’s play wasn’t the biggest of them.

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  6. T/F: Freddy led MLS in big chances created per minute.

    The ratio of big chances to assists is often b/w 70% to 80% for players on good teams (e.g., Landon Donovan). Freddy’s ratio: < 10%. Apply a ratio like LA and other decent teams have to the Union, and they'd have been one of the top 3 highest scoring teams in the East. As hard as it is to believe, one good finisher to go along w/ Jack Mac might have made all the difference this year.

    Yes, these young kids still would have been inconsistent, passing wise, and yes, they don't shoot enough, either. Still, score more goals than most teams, win more games as a result, and make the playoffs, and people would view the team, and Freddy, through an entirely different (and far more positive) lens.

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  7. If he comes back I don’t expect anything to be different. Why would it be? Hackworth clearly doesn’t fancy him. I thought the same thing when Nowack brought him to Philly initially. He never fancied him when they were together at DC United so why would it have been any different in Philly? Freddy needs to go to a club where he has complete trust from the coach and is also surrounded by talent. Then he will show his true qualities and then perhaps be back in the USMNT frame. Until that happens I’m afraid his career will never take off. Please, get out of Philly asap.

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  8. Freddy is no Messi but he’s Philly’s best player, and Hackworth won’t play him. i think the problem is Hackworth, not Freddy.
    how about trade Freddy to Kansas City for Bobby Convey? i bet that would be a good fit for both…

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  9. As a Union fan I hope Hackworth was just being PR friendly.
    There is no way we need Adu back. HE makes too much money to be invisible, Marfan has played better in his spot and we stil have Torres on the bench.

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  10. I hope this news is not true. Not because I don’t like Adu, he’s on of my favorite athletes. But because Hackworth is such a negative influence, he’s a fake and and not trustworthy what so ever. I pray that a lower EPL team like QPR, Reading, Southampton. Even a Swansea or liverpool. Just somewhere he can shine and get away from these crap American coaches.

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    • At this point he needs a more forgiving environment than the EPL, no comment on hackworth tho… The philly management doesn’t sound that great but struggling in the depth chart at swansea or qpr doesnt sound like the best either.

      Hopefully gaddis, mcmath, adu, williams, okugo, jmac, farfans and the rest all mature at the same time and philly becomes a very competitive and cohesive team

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    • Liverpool are hardly a “lower EPL” team. they may be off to a slow start, but no one who follows football would refer to them as a lower team.

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    • +1
      But I’m not to worried Al, with Hackworth as coach, his salary and the quality of players such as Mcinerney for example as striker this relationship will not last. The segregation was evident this season and if Hackworth doesn’t emphasize who is captain who is the main play maker on the team….everyone will just be playing for themselves and philly will be in the same predicament they are in now next season. If Philly doesn’t build the team around Adu he’ll be out of there next season…..I bet a team is just waiting for the breakup to use his services

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  11. good, i think thats the best place for him. Of course I wish he had a quality striker to assist goals to, but the Union are a young team all developing at the same time. Hopefully they can all improve..

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