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<U>FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007</U>
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<SPAN class=art-title2>Captain Adu to lead US charge</SPAN> <TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=5 width=150 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
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<SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>It’s all smiles for young US captain Adu as he gets set to lead the side in Panama.
</SPAN><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(AFP)</SPAN> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">(FIFA.com)</SPAN> <SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">11 Jan 2007</SPAN>
<SPAN class=art-text>As the United States, led by well-travelled Dutch-born boss Thomas Rongen, prepare to head to Panama for <U>FIFA U-20 World Cup</U> qualifying, all eyes are on Freddy Adu. Although the current American squad has more professional players than at any time in the past, Adu still remains the highest-profile name on the team sheet.
Even after a failed recent trial at Manchester United and a move from powers DC United to upstart side Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer, Adu - still just 17 - is still one of the biggest names in American Soccer. Though still the third youngest in the US U-20 squad, the Ghanaian-born sensation - who was invited by the Black Stars to take part in this summer's FIFA World Cup in Germany - has become every inch the team's spiritual leader after three seasons as a full professional with DC United, with whom he won an MLS Cup in 2004. Also, his status as a veteran of two FIFA U-20 World Cups (UAE 2003 and Netherlands 2005) as well as a U-17 world finals (Findland 2003) will have team-mates looking to the teenager for guidance.
Named captain by Rongen - himself a former Ajax player and stand-out with the North American Soccer League outfits the LA Aztecs and Washington Diplomats - much is expected of young Freddy when the side head down to Panama on 17 January hoping to qualify for their sixth consecutive FIFA U-20 World Cup and tenth overall.
"He (Adu) has become our vocal leader and he also shows the way with the way he plays on the pitch and in training," said Rongen, who coached Adu and the American U-20 side to the quarter-finals at UAE 2003. "He is a unique player with a unique set of experiences and skills. He takes his job as captain very seriously and he is an important bridge from the coaching staff to the squad."
In addition to Adu, the side is brimming with top-class professional talent. Nathan Sturgis, Tim Ward, Josmer Altidore, Quavas Kirk and Danny Szetela all play their club football as full professionals in the US top flight.
From overseas, Rongen will be relying on Robbie Rogers of Dutch outfit Heerenveen, Johann Smith on the books at Bolton, and Preston Zimmerman of Hamburg to bolster the team.
This new influx of professionals into the U-20 fold - long dominated by University players - is something of a double-edged sword for Rongen. "The depth and quality of this team is well above previous cycles in the US," the coach remarked. "We are deeper in terms of quality and professional players to choose from, but that means we are also running into troubles getting players released."<TABLE id=IMGTAB height=150 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=left summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR id=TRCAP><TD vAlign=bottom align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>Josmer Altidore was recently named US Young Player of 2006 after a fine first season in MLS with the New York Red Bulls. (photo courtesy of USsoccer.com)</SPAN></TD>
<U>FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007</U>
<SPAN class=art-title2></SPAN>
<SPAN class=art-title2>Captain Adu to lead US charge</SPAN> <TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=5 width=150 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=paddingall><TD vAlign=top>
<SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>It’s all smiles for young US captain Adu as he gets set to lead the side in Panama.</SPAN><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(AFP)</SPAN> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">(FIFA.com)</SPAN> <SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">11 Jan 2007</SPAN>
<SPAN class=art-text>As the United States, led by well-travelled Dutch-born boss Thomas Rongen, prepare to head to Panama for <U>FIFA U-20 World Cup</U> qualifying, all eyes are on Freddy Adu. Although the current American squad has more professional players than at any time in the past, Adu still remains the highest-profile name on the team sheet.
Even after a failed recent trial at Manchester United and a move from powers DC United to upstart side Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer, Adu - still just 17 - is still one of the biggest names in American Soccer. Though still the third youngest in the US U-20 squad, the Ghanaian-born sensation - who was invited by the Black Stars to take part in this summer's FIFA World Cup in Germany - has become every inch the team's spiritual leader after three seasons as a full professional with DC United, with whom he won an MLS Cup in 2004. Also, his status as a veteran of two FIFA U-20 World Cups (UAE 2003 and Netherlands 2005) as well as a U-17 world finals (Findland 2003) will have team-mates looking to the teenager for guidance.
Named captain by Rongen - himself a former Ajax player and stand-out with the North American Soccer League outfits the LA Aztecs and Washington Diplomats - much is expected of young Freddy when the side head down to Panama on 17 January hoping to qualify for their sixth consecutive FIFA U-20 World Cup and tenth overall.
"He (Adu) has become our vocal leader and he also shows the way with the way he plays on the pitch and in training," said Rongen, who coached Adu and the American U-20 side to the quarter-finals at UAE 2003. "He is a unique player with a unique set of experiences and skills. He takes his job as captain very seriously and he is an important bridge from the coaching staff to the squad."
In addition to Adu, the side is brimming with top-class professional talent. Nathan Sturgis, Tim Ward, Josmer Altidore, Quavas Kirk and Danny Szetela all play their club football as full professionals in the US top flight.
From overseas, Rongen will be relying on Robbie Rogers of Dutch outfit Heerenveen, Johann Smith on the books at Bolton, and Preston Zimmerman of Hamburg to bolster the team.
This new influx of professionals into the U-20 fold - long dominated by University players - is something of a double-edged sword for Rongen. "The depth and quality of this team is well above previous cycles in the US," the coach remarked. "We are deeper in terms of quality and professional players to choose from, but that means we are also running into troubles getting players released."<TABLE id=IMGTAB height=150 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=left summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR id=TRCAP><TD vAlign=bottom align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>Josmer Altidore was recently named US Young Player of 2006 after a fine first season in MLS with the New York Red Bulls. (photo courtesy of USsoccer.com)</SPAN></TD>
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