Freddy Adu has been promised more playing time with DC United and this as a starter. Big deal. His coach is Peter Nowak, a micro-manager if ever there was one. Nowak is notorious for announcing his roster just before game time which means that Freddy Adu could be cooling his heels once again on the bench. Kudos to Nowak making DC United one of the most succesful teams in MLS history. But I don’t think he is the right influence on a talent like Adu. If there ever was a coach that was concerned about dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, it would be Nowak. A disciplinarian but stifling and cautious. Not good for nurturing a young talent.
With Adu you need a Bela Karolyi. Take a chance. He is only sixteen. Get him going in this World Cup, unfettered. And let his talent take over. This might be the beginning of things beautiful.