Duck. Cover.

Few things about my being a DC United fan are as complicated as my feelings about Freddy Adu. I am a fan of the organization, the team, the atmosphere more than any one player. Freddy complicates that, because for so many others in the US Soccer (and the DC United) scene, Freddy Adu and DC United are so tightly linked. MLS's marketing of Adu gave rise to Freddy-mania, and brought a new set of fans to the red and black. Some of the old guard harbored a resentment of these people: "Do you know who El Diablo is? Then go away..." To me, it was always a silly division. Enjoy DCU. Enjoy Freddy. It is ridiculous that the two should ever be mutually exclusive.

Then we get an article like this from Steve Goff in tomorrow's Post:

D.C. United's Freddy Adu voiced his frustration with Coach Peter Nowak today,
saying he is upset with the amount of playing time he has received and that he
will consider leaving the club after this season.

DC United's anti-Adu contingent will seize on this. "Not a team player" will be the commentary. "Too big for his britches. Needs to be taught a lesson." There's truth here. Adu should not have said anything like this to the media. Steve Goff is a reporter, and while he's sympathetic to DC United he's there to get the story. MLS's golden boy unhappy and wants out? That's a story.

But I have no problem with Freddy feeling the way he does. I think Piotr Nowak has, especially this season, not used him as well as he could have. If I were Freddy, I would be frusturated as well, being sent to the bench after a game-winning goal against Real Salt Lake and earning Player of the Week honors. He wants to be a part of the US National team, and he's absolutley correct that in his current role Bruce Arena isn't going to give him much of a look. But you don't say it aloud entering a playoff run. You keep your mouth shut. You let the anger drive you on the pitch, fueling you as it did against RSL. You also realize that your natural position is a Center Attacking Midfielder, and while you're good, you aren't better than Christian Gomez. At least, not yet.

Piotr is not blameless here. Goff notes that "Nowak was surprised by Adu's comments." I can't see why he would be. He should know what Freddy is going through. And if he doesn't, then he isn't really paying attention. Freddy is 16, he's full of the casual arrogance that comes with that age, and he is able to outplay people with four times his experience. Piotr has the stoic resolve that, at times, is brilliant to rally a team behind; but also may make it difficult for him to deal with personal feelings. To Nowak, personal feelings aren't part of the game. To Freddy, at his age, they're probably something he feels intensely and, at times, can be overwhelming. That requires a softer touch that I imagine Piotr possesses.

This sort of thing was probably inevitable, but the timing is horrendous. The simple answer is to say "Freddy- grow up." True. But also true is this: "Piotr - He's not grown up, and he'll need understanding of things other than soccer to help him get there. He's not you as you are now, he's not you as you were at 16. Part of being an elder adult is to realize that kids say stupid things, impudent things. But you don't know everything either, and no one benefits if you make it a you vs. me battle. Forgiveness and understanding are soft skills, but important." Then you go to the off-season, and you discuss things. Maybe Piotr and Freddy don't fit well. Fine. But right now you are in it together, so do your best to get along for a few more weeks.

Addendum: I've reread this entire post, and let me see if I can say things in a simpler fasion: Freddy was very stupid to say what he said. Freddy is not DC United. Piotr may think he's completley fair about everything, but I don't think he is. I think Piotr gets an idea in his head, and it takes a lot (read: more than a necessary amount) of evidence to convince him he's wrong. Piotr is convinced Freddy isn't an every day player. It's tough to prove you are an everyday player unless you play every day. So Piotr may not have been using Freddy as often as perhaps he should. See also: Bobby Boswell. To Freddy, who is 16, life seems unfair. Life seems unfair to everyone who is 16. So he says something. Dumb. But, perhaps, not incorrect.

If push comes to shove, and I don't think it will since we're in the early stages of a media cycle here, I'd want Nowak to stay and Freddy to go. But that's an extreme case, and we're not there yet. There is plenty of time for reconciliation and understanding. Let's not forget that in a rush to choose sides.