2007/2008 European football thread

[ukhotstove]

Was Adu all hype ? Never having seen him play I wouldn't know how good he is, reason I ask is that every man and his dog wanted him at one stage now he goes to Benfica for peanuts in todays market.

[darkhorse]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Was Adu all hype ? Never having seen him play I wouldn't know how good he is, reason I ask is that every man and his dog wanted him at one stage now he goes to Benfica for peanuts in todays market.

He must have some promise if a club the quality of Benfica is still interested. I doubt it's yet time to bid adieu to Freddy's career aspirations.

[Russ]

He was mainly used as a sub when he was with DC United. I got the feeling DC kind of resented the attention he got.

[mlyons]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Was Adu all hype ? Never having seen him play I wouldn't know how good he is, reason I ask is that every man and his dog wanted him at one stage now he goes to Benfica for peanuts in todays market.

He's 18. It's way too early to figure out whether he was all hype or not. I think he suffered a lot by expectations that he would be a world-class player at the age of 15.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by darkhorse

He must have some promise if a club the quality of Benfica is still interested. I doubt it's yet time to bid adieu to Freddy's career aspirations.

Not when at one stage the likes of Man Utd were drooling over him, no disrespect to Benfica but imo being linked with teams like Man Utd then ending up at Benfica is a step down to the potential that was talked about him a year or two ago.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by mlyons

He's 18. It's way too early to figure out whether he was all hype or not. I think he suffered a lot by expectations that he would be a world-class player at the age of 15.

Odds are and always were against him very few who are hyped up at that age ever make their predicted potential, give me a 15 year old who is solid rather than flashy any day as their the ones who usually make it.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by Russ

He was mainly used as a sub when he was with DC United. I got the feeling DC kind of resented the attention he got.

This could be what happens with Beckham in LA specially if he doesn't perform to what they feel he can.

[mlyons]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Odds are and always were against him very few who are hyped up at that age ever make their predicted potential, give me a 15 year old who is solid rather than flashy any day as their the ones who usually make it.

Yeah, a nice, solid, unflashy player like Robinho or Wayne Rooney or Messi.

[Fallschirmjager]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Was Adu all hype ? Never having seen him play I wouldn't know how good he is, reason I ask is that every man and his dog wanted him at one stage now he goes to Benfica for peanuts in todays market.

Somewhere in between
He is still improving but even for an 18 year old his peak is not what it was 1-2 years ago

I really don't see him wearing a Benfica uniform this season
I see him being loaned out

[Muppetus Galacticus]

While we are on the subject, someone on the CIFC forum heard Crystal Palace manager Peter Taylor saying on the radio that he has a couple of 15/16 year olds who show more promise than Rooney did and will be playing against Everton soon and, hopefully, Canvey

Peter Taylor started his playing career on the Rock and has always helped to support CIFC by bringing his Hull and now Palace sides down for frriendlies. I remember he had a lot of good things to say in one of our FA Cup games against Southend.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by mlyons

Yeah, a nice, solid, unflashy player like Robinho or Wayne Rooney or Messi.

I'll reserve judgement on Messi when he actually plays more than a handful of games a season and when he performs consistently in those games, people are already talking about Rooney being burnt out and having already reached the limit of his potential with people pointing to his poor goal scoring record in Europe, Internationals and against the top teams in the EPL aka Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal (scoring just 1 against them) last season as proof of this.

And haven’t seen anything yet that makes me think that Robinho is the next Pele as they have said numerous times that he will be, if you ever get the chance you should watch Football Icon where it’s all about finding players who are solid rather than flashy because there’s more chance of a solid player paying off than a flashy player aka Gerrard, Terry, Lampard, Drogba etc who are solid players or came on later in their years.

[mlyons]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

And haven’t seen anything yet that makes me think that Robinho is the next Pele as they have said numerous times that he will be, if you ever get the chance you should watch Football Icon where it’s all about finding players who are solid rather than flashy because there’s more chance of a solid player paying off than a flashy player aka Gerrard, Terry, Lampard, Drogba etc who are solid players or came on later in their years.

Robinho was the best player on the best team in Spain. I'm not sure what else you want from him. I'd also be kind of hesitant calling guys like Gerrard, Lampard, and Drogba not flashy. Terry isn't, true, but it's kind of hard to be flashy when you're playing center back.

[darkhorse]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

And haven’t seen anything yet that makes me think that anyone is the next Pele

"

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by mlyons

Robinho was the best player on the best team in Spain. I'm not sure what else you want from him. I'd also be kind of hesitant calling guys like Gerrard, Lampard, and Drogba not flashy. Terry isn't, true, but it's kind of hard to be flashy when you're playing center back.

What I mean is they are solid players, Gerrard had trials at various clubs so couldn't have been a mouth watering prospect at an early age and Terry wasn't even a defender when Chelsea picked him up and would be interesting to know if Lampard would have been given a chance if it weren't for his Dad.

Most players and it's the same in any sport if their tipped at an early age to become the next great thing just don't make it to their potential, Messi may well become the next big thing but for every Messi there are many who end up playing in the lower leagues.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by mlyons

Robinho was the best player on the best team in Spain.

Didn't watch enough Spanish football last season but stat wise I'd have thought Horseshead would have been more valuable than Robinho last season.

[darkhorse]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

What I mean is they are solid players, Gerrard had trials at various clubs so couldn't have been a mouth watering prospect at an early age.

As I recall, Michael Jordan didn't make varsity until his junior year of HS. He had a bit of flash, I suppose.

[mlyons]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Didn't watch enough Spanish football last season but stat wise I'd have thought Horseshead would have been more valuable than Robinho last season.

Well, yeah, when you play as the lone striker most of the time, you're going to get the lion's share of the goals. Robinho played out on the wing most of the time. He was the creative force behind most of their attacks, though, and was at his best at the end of the season.

[ukhotstove]

Maradona was probably the last hyped player to make his potential, imo the best ever player as unlike Pele who always had great players around him Maradona didn't aka 1986 no Maradona no World Cup Argentina.

[mlyons]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Maradona was probably the last hyped player to make his potential, imo the best ever player as unlike Pele who always had great players around him Maradona didn't aka 1986 no Maradona no World Cup Argentina.

If your standard for "living up to hype" is "best player of all time" then you're going to be disappointed a lot, true.

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by mlyons

If your standard for "living up to hype" is "best player of all time" then you're going to be disappointed a lot, true.

It isn't but the hype surrounding Adu a couple of years ago was alot more than signing for Benfica for peanuts, makes it even worse in todays over inflated transfer market that see's players like Chopra who goes for £5 million. Adu is 18 ? so odds are he will never reach the potential that people were saying he would a couple of years ago.

Maradona's potential was to become one of the greatest players ever and he lived up to that potential, Adu's potential was to become of one if not the best American at least to play the game, you've seen more MLS than me so where would you rate Adu at the moment ? top 10 ? top 20 ?