The Portland Timbers are set to begin preseason training and a very familiar face is among those trying to push for a roster spot ahead of the 2017 season.
Freddy Adu will join the Timbers for preseason training, according to Stumptown Footy. The 27-year-old midfielder previously played under current Timbers head coach Caleb Porter while a member of the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team.
On Tuesday, the Timbers departed for Tucson, Arizona, where they are set to train until Feb 4.
I'm hearing among the trialists joining PTFC in Tucson will be Freddy Adu, who has a relationship with Porter from USMNT U-23 days. #RCTID
— Chris Rifer (@ChrisRifer) January 24, 2017
Adu most recently featured for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the NASL after signing with the club in July 2015. However, following the departure of head coach Thomas Rongen, the midfielder found minutes hard to come by as he made just five total appearances during the 2016 season.
The Timbers are set to begin their preseason schedule on Friday with the club’s first match against the New York Red Bulls.
Don’t you guys feel like you have played with Freddy Adus your whole life? There is even one on my team now. They can do amazing things with the ball, have flashes of brilliance like no one else on the field, but don’t seem to have the discipline to play both sides of the ball for a full match. If a team is coached and strategically setup to allow that type of creativity, it can work. But most teams don’t take that risk, and most of the time it doesn’t work anyway. I hope he gets back in the MLS. Love watching that guy play, just for those flashes.
Are people really still giggly about Freddy’s age?? Let it go fellas, and why do people really care?! I hope it works out for him, I have always been and will always be a supporter of any player from the DMV!!
He’s Back!!
haha.. it’s only been 10 years since the 07 U20.. that’s like nothing. I hope the freddy stories never die. they make me feel young.
The 27-year-old midfielder
…”27″.
Exactly,…try 31.
SHOW US THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE
Exactly. Fred can show a birth certificate that his mother got for him after she won the US immigration lottery and before they departed Ghana for the shiny shores. Now all she does is stroll into the hospital and tells them she needs a birth certificate for her son AND SHE tells them when he was born. She lies about his age to her son and advantage in the USA. Mind you,…not necessarily for soccer sake, but generally. So Freddy is 15 when mom walks into the hospital and 11/12 when she walks out with the certificate. It’s that simple,….and sensible really. And it explains a lot,…like how dominated youth games/tournaments and then immediately struggled when he was playing against players his own age.
Never understand the glee people take bashing and making fun of him. A) he’s a better soccer player than 99.999% of the commentariat, B) he’s shown on-field skills that I, at least, have yet to see another US player demonstrate, C) he keeps plugging away god bless him, D) one day his story will become an amazing piece of contemporary opera. I really can’t blame any team for taking a chance.
I can absolutely see why teams aren’t taking a chance. I watched him both at DC United and at the Union – GREAT flash in the pan moments, then he would either disappear or do something stupid. If only he found the one thing he lacks, consistency.
He is a better technical player but he is also a Coca Cola player with low work rate and you get destroyed doing that in athletic leagues.
Agree 100% with the taking glee over his failures.
I don’t think he has been a MLS quality player, maybe a guy coming off the bench……so what?
Root for him.
Maybe he has a low work rate like Imperative Voice says, but even then why the happiness at failure? Were all those people rooting for a team he was on and he let them down?
I am going to guess no, they just want to see another failure in US soccer they can feel superior to……from the sidelines.
He’s fit to be an entertaining footballer and not the sort you need to grind out a result. Might have moments of brilliance but not useful over 90 mins.
Agreed. He does not seem to have the ability to participate in team tactics and so he looks lost or lazy when, in fact, he is likely more or less clueless. I am of the opinion that anyone who makes it a professional level is not lazy, but when they do not have the vision or understanding of how to contribute to a team, they look lazy as they stand around hoping something will happen, but having no idea what to do until the ball finally finds him.
He does not seem to get how to move to support teammates, defend when needed and combine teammates productively other than an ocassional wall pass. Until/if he learns how to play at least 4v4 soccer in a unit, he will always be just a guy who can dazzle you at times, but continues to lose games for you by failing to see those things a professional soccer player should be able to see.
I hope this works out. There cant be many chances left for Freddy and if he could only get his head straight, he could be a player. I have no doubt he has the skill but it always goes bad for him for some reason. Last time I saw him was a few years ago at a Gold Cup game and he was easily the best player in a USA uniform. Didnt do him any good though.
The last time Freddy suited up for the USMNT in a gold cup was when Bradley was coaching (5 yrs ago). Since then he’s done absolutely nothing. He couldn’t even remain a starter in the 2nd division of US Soccer.
The reason is seems to go bad for him everywhere is due to the 1 consistent in the equation. FREDDY. He doesn’t have the HART, or DESIRE to put in the work required.
YES!!!, now that Klinsman is gone we need a lightening rod. I hope he make the team.
Not sure what the hub-bub is always about. Best of luck to Freddy and him finding a home. Lettuce not forget the last time he suited up in a US shirt, he was one of the best on the field.
Peas tell me you’re kidding. Orange you tired already of this click-bait? Hurry and ketchup with the rest of us.
This is all I have to say . . . I’m going to say a prayer for Freddy on this one. Not much else to do at this point.
cap him!
I thought he was 42 now?
Almost a year ago Ives wrote the following for goal.com: http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/66/united-states/2016/01/28/19765022/freddy-adu-takes-full-responsibility-for-disappointing
I would be interested in a follow up to get Freddy’s perspective on what happened in 2016.
I…. I….. I…. I’ve really nothing constructive to say. zzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZIP!!!!!
Agreed. My mother always said, “If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say it on this site.”
Mom was a forward thinker.
It looks like reality finally has set in for him after being banished from top flight football for a bit. Get with a coach that knows you and what you bring to the table. Good luck to him.
I think they said that in Philly and perhaps even RSL before that. I even remember the “reunion with Ellinger” headlines then similarly suggesting the coaching relationship might help.
He’s been playing pro more than a decade. I don’t expect dramatic improvement. He will remain a small guy with some finesse. What he can control is work rate two ways but he’s also getting older and getting wear and tear where that will be harder to do.
I’m not even going to bite. YOU CAN’T KEEP DOING THIS TO ME FREDDY ADU!!!! You just can’t …
Made you click?
Nonetheless, wish him the best of luck. He went much farther in soccer than I did and could ever imagine.
27yr old Freddy Adu,
in the body of a 40yr old man.
Is there a TAM Bonus and Candyland double cupcake treat if said old man retires with club to last hold contract?
That’s they only way this makes any sense.