So, Freddy. You're not happy on the bench. Good for you. Welcome to the big leagues, kid. I guess when everyone's been telling you how great and special and phenomenal you are since you were five, eventually, you're going to act like a spoiled brat when you don't get your way. But here's something to consider, Fred: even if you could go play for one of your dream teams like Chelsea or Real Madrid (which you legally can't until you're 18, so just relax), you'd just be sitting on the bench in a different country. If you can't win a starting job over Ben Olsen and Christian Gomez, do you really think you're going to start ahead of Zinedine Zidane or Arjen Robben? And, yeah, maybe next year you could switch teams in MLS and start for the Metrostars or Real Salt Lake or the Colorado Rapids or the Columbus Crew, but trust me when I say you're going to miss playing for a championship team. Oh sure, you may get a few more goals and a lot more attention, but when you're surrounded by mediocre players on a team that's trying to rebuild instead of the veteran guys who started ahead of you in DC (some of whom have 4 championship rings), you'll appreciate what you had there. Even high-profile columnists like Michael Wilbon agree with you, although he's more interested in taking MLS' marketing department to task for false promises than "helping your career". But not all is lost. Despite your teenage outburst, Bruce Arena is still going to call you into National Team Camp. If you won't listen to your club coach, maybe your National Team coach can teach you the importance of being a team player.Meanwhile, DC United has to put aside your distraction and start the MLS Playoffs tomorrow night. If Coach Nowak lets you on the field after your public airing of dirty laundry, try to put your money where your mouth is and score another goal like this. The more you do that, the more you'll get on the field. And then you won't have to cry, to the press or anybody else.
UPDATE: Good grief, kid. Do you really want the "troubled superstar" tag at age 16? Apologize already.
1 comment:
I was all prepared to say that Wilbon and others like him are far too quick to whine...but after reading his article I have to say it makes a lot of sense. Not so much that the kid should be playing all the time, but that his expectation to, and the fans' expectations to see him play, were really well founded. Big promises, however unwisely made, were never met.
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