Write On Sports LLC - ""A" Is For Altidore, Not Adu" by Gareth Sleger

"A" Is For Altidore, Not Adu

2006-11-02 20:33:34 | By: Gareth Sleger

The first name that will come across most minds when talking about the future of Major League Soccer is 17-year-old Freddy Adu of D.C. United.

And for that, most people would be wrong.

Enter Josmer Altidore of the New York Red Bull, a 16-year-old rookie that has caught the MLS off guard.

With just seven games remaining in the 2006 regular season, Altidore became New York's saving grace as the Red Bull made a late-season surge for the last Eastern playoff spot.

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound striker scored three goals, two of which were game-winning/season-saving, in four regular season games. He also was New York's lone goal scorer in the playoffs.

The very fact that Altidore even made an appearance late in the season is surprising, considering his coach, Bruce Arena.

When New York hired the former U.S. Men's National Team coach midway through the season, Altidore could only assume that any chance at playing with the first team was gone.

After all, when it came to this summer's World Cup finals, Arena opted for experience with Brian McBride (34) as Landon Donavon's strike partner over Eddie Johnson (22), who was prolific in World Cup qualifiers, scoring seven goals in seven games.

But the situation in New York was different. While Johnson was already a proven top level player trying to earn a spot among the country's best, Altidore was a noticeably quiet second round MLS draft pick who spent much of the year with the Red Bull reserves (three goals and one assist in nine games).

However, Arena became stuck with limited attacking options with Edson Buddle and Mike Magee injured and had to look elsewhere. Besides, after taking criticism from many for being too conservative, it was time for him to take a chance with a young player.

And Altidore's first goal couldn't have been more fitting for his emergence into the league.

Showing his range, power and confidence, the youngster came off the bench and screamed a 30-yard shot in the 83rd minute to give New York a 1-0 win against Columbus, another team looking to grab the final playoff spot.

The next game-winner came in his first career MLS start, scoring in another 1-0 win, this time over Chicago, a playoff-clinched team still reeling after winning the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open three days earlier.

With Altidore's two game-winners in the final seven games, New York squeaked in to the playoffs (beating out Kansas City by one point) to face No. 1 seed D.C. United.

And in the playoffs, the out-of-nowhere-teen-sensation proved his regular season performance was no fluke, while outperforming fan-favorite Adu at the same time.

After a quiet D.C. 1-0 win in the first leg that saw sub par play by both teams, Altidore made history in the 70th minute of the second leg. He became the youngest to score in the MLS playoffs and gave New York, yet again, a 1-0 lead. The strong header would have given the Red Bull a 2-0 lead, but an earlier effort by Altidore went off the post.

The goal tied the aggregate at 1-1 and gave New York a chance for an upset, but a slip in the Red Bull defense saw Christian Gomez give D.C. the win 16 minutes later.

Altidore was one of the very few things that went right for New York in the playoffs, displaying great ball control and decision making in his first playoff experience.

As for his teen-counterpart, Adu was suspect at best.

Adu seemed desperate (maybe from the bar Altidore has raised), taking ill-advised shots in opportunities he should have passed. If Adu has one strong suit so far, it's setting up a goal. He finished third on team in assists with eight, two resulting in game winning goals. However, he took 55 shots at goal and finished only two.

But, as a result for his playoff performance, he was substituted in both legs.

Adu may have moved on to the Eastern Conference Championship with D.C., but it's Altidore that's shown he is ready to steal that MLS spotlight next season.

Just like Adu, the hype around Altidore will continue to swirl. Not because of his age, but because of his already tremendous talent.