After Rocky First 2 Seasons, Adu Is Starting to Settle In

"I see a young man who is more comfortable on the field," Chicago Coach Dave Sarachan said of Freddy Adu. (Joel Richardson - The Washington Post)

Player and coach worked out their differences last winter, though, and Adu arrived at training camp with renewed purpose and enthusiasm.

"I just wanted to be in a situation where I would play and learn faster," he said. "As a kid, it's not easy when you never know what is going to happen on any given day, when you are in or out of the lineup. I guess I didn't deal with it well. I had to earn my place.

"I think that's what Peter was doing -- he wanted me to work and earn my place, and in doing so, it has made me a much better person and a much better player. In the end, it has worked out."

Adu is far from a finished product, still prone to lapses in concentration and questionable decision-making, but "his awareness of the game is getting better," United midfielder Ben Olsen said. "He can hurt you in a lot of ways. He's becoming a force, someone other teams need to be worried about."

Adu's evolution is clearly a source of pride for Nowak, who was blamed by some observers for his pupil's erratic play and off-field behavior the previous two years.

When last season ended with a 4-0 playoff loss at home against Chicago, it appeared either Nowak or Adu would have to go. Nowak and his staff were disgusted with Adu's attitude and Adu seemed in need of a fresh start.

These days, their relationship appears as sound as when he joined the club 2 1/2 years ago.

"The team believes in him, the coaches believe in him," Nowak said. "The expectations are still very high, but they are realistic. . . . We push the first domino and everything begins to happen."

According to assistant coach Tom Soehn, Adu was slow to adjust to the professional game because "when he first came to us, he wasn't from a real structured environment" at the U.S. under-17 residency program in Bradenton, Fla. "When you get into the pros, it is very structured. Being here three years and understanding without being told has made him a better player."

From a technical standpoint, Adu has gained a greater awareness of what is happening behind him as well as in front of him. Instead of concentrating solely on attacking, he works harder on defense and understands the importance of clogging passing channels and pressuring opposing players when they have the ball.

It is an imperative skill for a player who usually lines up on the left wing and is responsible for a large parcel of field.

"Before, I would get tired because I would run around so much defensively -- I was clueless where to put myself," Adu said. "Now I know where I should be and that gives me the energy to attack."

It is his attacking skills, after all, that attract the most attention. Those, too, have gotten better as he has learned to make crisper runs without the ball and work seamless combinations.

"He's one of those special players," Nowak said. "He gets the ball and he has that moment where the whole stadium is like, 'What is he going to do?' This moment, everybody waits a long time. There aren't many players like that all over the world."

Adu seems increasingly likely to make his long-awaited move to the world stage next summer when he turns 18 and becomes eligible to sign a contract with a major European club. First, however, is the matter of a second MLS championship in three years.

"If it's going to happen, it's going to happen," he said of his overseas prospects. "What's important now is D.C. United. When the team is successful, individuals are successful. Individuals are put in situations where they can shine and people are looking at them. Right now, people are looking at us. I don't want to get carried away with it. I've got to keep working and proving myself."