Obviously he is not going with th US National team now so Ghana have said they want to take him and if he goes with them he will be played.


I think he should go for it because he is obviously not the talent he was sad to be 3-4 years ago and he spent half his life in Ghana and his family tree is thr and thru ghana. Why should he play for USA?

There are a number of reasons Freddy should not play for Ghana.

1) He wants to play for the USA. Ghana would be the easy way out. Not to mention he already has a call into national camp.

2) Nike wouldn't be half as keen to sponsor him if he left USA. He is seen as an American starlet, and a move to Ghana would see these funds dried up.

3) I would bet his MLS contract would go WAAAAY down. Crowds would boo him, and his overall popularity would be shot.

I'll give reasons that I find more compelling than the reasons FM have given....or at least an expansion on reason "1" above.

- I've heard, on numerous occasions, that Freddy, after being asked about the prospect of representing Ghana, that he would not. That he would represent the US national team. His mother feels deep gratitude to the United States for the opportunity she received when she was allowed to immigrate to the US. Freddy has echoed this sentiment. Mind you, I heard him say these things quite some time ago, but I can't imagine any reason he would change his mind about this.

- He has lived here for over half his life. My impression is that he "feels" more American than Ghanian. It seems it would feel more natural to him to represent the US.

Further, like FM noted, he is clearly on the radar for the USNT. I don't think he would be so short sighted to think that this would be his only chance to play in a world cup.

I'd be SHOCKED if he decided to play for Ghana. If he did to play for Ghana, I would have absolutely ZERO negative feelings toward him and I would have a very low opinion of anyone that booed him for doing so. However, that situation seems about as likely as me getting called up to the national team.

i am a cameroonian and i have lived in the states for at least 2/3 of my life..idc what ppl say because i am a cameroonian and i represent my country if im ever asked to do so...if i was to ever become a star and i was asked by my home country to represent them i would be the first in line to do it....even if it would be my only world cup..i would know in my heart that i represented my country and i did it proudly...love for your country is love for your country...which means no matter what u represernt your country..

Well Freddy might consider America his country now. He wants to represent the stars and stripes. Who said Freddy doesn't have a chance to make our squad for Germany? He has about the same chance as everyone showing up in January, so about a 1 in 5 chance.
FM has the real reasons though probably. Money talks pretty loudly.

And does anyone else find it funny that the guy that posted this has Rossi as his avator?

and what is that supposed to mean?

Anyways my parents are from Ghana, but i was born in the states. I would rather represent Ghana in the World Cup than the USA . My native ancestor country is more important to represent than a country that my parents have come to. I realize that Freddy Adu's mom wanted to come to the USA so that Freddy and his brother would have a better future, just like my parents did. How can you just abandon the country that u were born in. I could see if the country did not want u to play for them or u weren't good enough (Deco playing for Brazil and Eddie Pope playing for USA instead of France), but Ghana wants him to play for them. Who cares if MLS fans boo him. I am pretty sure Adu will leave the MLS sometime in the near future anyways for Europe. I don't think Nike would take his contract away. He would probably be less of a commercial figure here in the USA.

Rossi was born in America, his parents are from Italy. He left America at the age of 12, to live in Italy. So we tried this same thing with Rossi to less of an extent. We offered him a chance to play in a friendly with us, he turned us down. I just found it quite ironic.

And you list the exact reason as to why Freddy would have his nike money pulled. Nike would want nothing to do with him if he left USA to play for Ghana. Its that simple. He would not be marketable anymore.

Ghana has tried this before and to no avail. This will be no different. Freddy has played for this nation since he was young and he has stated many times he is very proud to wear our colors.

by the way, David Regis is the player you are thinking of, not Eddie Pope.

I think choices on this sort of thing are very individual and certain people will have differing opinions. From what I know of Freddy, he has deep respect for both Ghana & the USA but feels more closely tied to the US national team.

I think it is up to the individual and what feels right to them. I perfectly understand the opinions expressed by AfricanStreetBaller & Adriano10.

I also understand Freddy's position (if I understand him correctly). I think what "your country" is depends on how you feel. Perhaps he feels both are "his country."

I don't think we should judge others on their decisions in this sort of thing. My opinion is that he should be respected if he chooses to play for Ghana or the US. The fact of the matter is, while he learned to play a bit before he came, he truly learned the game here.

Of course I want him to play for the US.Anyway, where ever he plays won't impact my opinion of him.

Oh, and on the Nike thing, I'm not so sure that Nike would pull their sponsorship if he decided to play for Ghana. I think it would depend on the public reception of him and the degree to which his popularity went down.

hes not going anywhere...

i understand ur point..u.s. and ghana are in the same group..if adu represents the u.s. and not ghana..how do u think he will feel when he pllays in the biggest stage of his career against his own country..i know if it was me i wouldnt feel unwelcomed and would feel like a target and a traitor

I posted this, Yesterday and it got deleted. Where did it go?

I had an article and everything!

Must have been a board glitch, but see if you can find that article for us CR

"We have decided to contact Adu to ask him to decide whether he would like to play for Ghana or the United States. We have just over a month to persuade him to come. I believe that if he has sentiment for Ghana, he will play for the Black Stars. And playing at the World Cup would be a big opportunity for him to show the rest of the world, not just America, that he is a great (soccer player)."
-- Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic, telling BBC Sport the Black Stars hope to convince 16-year-old Freddy Adu to play for them in the World Cup. Adu has played for the USA in U-17 and U-20 FIFA world championships but is eligible to play for the USA or his native Ghana in the World Cup.
- www.Socceramerica.com

What I think will happen is freddy adu will think about it for a while because they are willing to have him play in this wc, but then he will start to think about his future and he will decide to play with the US. And I dont know if anybody had said this in this topic yet, but once freddy plays with either mens national team, there is no going back.

News:Freddy adu has been called up to the national pool.

nah freddy aint gonna go

dont worry lol

if you watched freddy playing in the international all star game. He obviously is the same talent he was 3-4 years ago. As he had one of the best, if not the best performance on the pitch

True, but these defenders were barely going 50% in this game and gave Freddy the space to shine. We have seen flashes of brilliance throughout this year in the MLS and if Freddy could just be alittle more consistent, he would be an outstanding player now. If Freddy is going to show up to camp and play the way he did at the all-star game, he has a chance. He always seems to play better surronded by players with more skill.

Freddy can make it if he plays smart, runs at defenders with confidence, and plays his game. I still remember that late game-winner he notched after coming on as sub, just burning a defender and launching a shot in the top corner. This is what we need to see from him, he's not going to play the holding mid spot, and we need him to attack with confidence and flair.

What did he do in the all star game that was so impressive? Did he do any moves?

He basically ran the offense with Ronaldo and Adriano on the field. He ran at defenders and beat them one on one quite a few times. Of course he did some skillful moves as well, but Freddy also showed maturity when he got trapped in a corner instead of trying to take on both defenders and get out on his own. He made a nice move and a good lay-off to someone.
Again this was an all-star game, so I don't know how much to take from it. It was impressive to say the least though.

Yep i rate Rossi very highly. I am however a MAN UTD fan so i am bound to.
Also i dont think rossi ever had any reason to think about playing for the US National Team he has Italian heritage through and through and spent his maturing years 12-17 in his home country around his parents and granparents. Yes adu has spent more years in US now (8 in Ghana 8 in US) but the point is his heritage is Gharna through and through. Also without trying to insult you by being derrogative of your league, but I believe he is not that special a talent, and would not play in any top league in Europe. i think he is part of a marketing campaign by Nike and MLS to raise the profile of football in the US, basically being used. Do not be surprised if he joins the US squad in the world cup, doesnt play, becomes binded to the Nation, not aloud to play for Ghana and fades away. There will be a peice on TV in 10 years time: Whatever happened to..... Freddy Adu.

So there

There really is no argument here because Freddy Adu will not play for Ghana. It would be a terrible decision if he did anyway. Freddy has made it crystal clear that USA is his nation. Heritage only goes so far, you have to represent your country now. Not your grandparents or your parents, you represent your country.
Your arguement is flawed though. Rossi born in New Jersey, he is an American citizen. His real concern should be if Italy even want him, he shouldn't have turned a cold sholder to the US. Its pretty hard to make the Italian national team playing in England. Its close to impossible, and Rossi isn't even getting youth call-ups. But you say he spends his maturing years in Italy....yet Freddy spent his years here. Yet Freddy should play where he is born and Rossi should play where he matures. Interesting.
MLS is a pretty solid league, and Freddy is no show. He is a geniunely solid player, that will succeed. He will either be in Europe in June 2006 or July 2007, so you will see him soon enough. You knock the MLS all you want, but I seem to remember Fulham getting beat 2-0 by the Columbus Crew in the summer.

By the way, if he doesn't appear in a game at the World Cup, he isn't tied to us then. He has to be capped to be tied. So he must appear in a game.

Are you trying to say that Rossi should play for italy, because he matured there, coming there at 12, and yet adu who came to america at 8 and got ALL his professional coaching and training here and never played for any teams in ghana, should play for ghana? what?

^^^^^^^^^^^MUY BUENO^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-GREAT POINT

Whatever happened to this...?

Ghana Manager had only 1 week to convince him and it looks like Freddy's with USA since he's going to Training Camp

---------------

USA won't let him play now, cause he's too young and he's not skilled enough for this level of play. They'll bring him on the team in maybe 2 years or possibly less.

If he goes to Ghana now, he'll be stuck with Ghana for the rest of his life! They don't have a real career there either. I doubt he'll go, but you never know.

Why choose to play with Ghana, then the soon to be the best team in the world in a few years!!

You have to agree with me here, USA has a way brighter future in Soccer than Ghana does!

No its an opposite situation Rossi was born away from his Heritage but moved back. Adu was born with his heritage but moved away. So what i am saying is you should play for your HERITAGE.

Also adu was a prospect before any of the hype and coaching. I have know about him since he was 9. Are you saying that he learnt his skills in a year? No he was born with some talent and then overhyped.

Adu should play for the US, we've bent over backward to make him and his family happy, there would be no reason for him to play for Ghana, I don't even think he would make the Ghana squad at this point anyways.

So no one should play for USA?
Is that the moral of the story here?
Well I guess, except native americans, but then they really weren't the first here. So we have to get into all that again.
Anyway, cheers to Freddy for sticking with his country. I have the feeling he will be rewarded with a cap pretty soon.

Did they really say that? well USA dosen't let him play, although I wish, so if they give him a chance in Ghana then he should play with them. I think he should stay in USA though. Good he stayed, that's nice.

Would you have really treated him so well if he wasn't talented? Or just the normal way you treat Africans?

He was a top prospect and major marketing tool for UsSoccer. Of course we're going to treat him well so he continues to shine for us.

what?!!!??!!?!

what i was saying was is that we set him up with the MLS team of his choice bump him way up the youth squad latter and now we've brought him into the US camp...we treat him really well b/c many americans think we need him to make soccer work in the US

i don't know if this post was attempting to make my statement seem racist but I had no intention

With all due respect to all here, I think the only opinion that matter's is Freddy's.

I think views such as "he should play for the US because we helped his family" or "he should play for the country of his birth" have little bearing on the situation.

The decision is Freddy's and not ours. My opinion is that a player of "mixed" heritage, should play for the country he feels that he identifies most strongly with. In Freddy's case, it seems he most identifies with the United States. After all, he's spent the majority of his life here.

Personally, I'd respect him if he played for either country. It's his choice not ours.