RSL. In the UK it stands most commonly for Radio Station Licence. In the fringe sports arena that is US Soccer RSL means one of the newest Major League Soccer franchises to sprout from dust, Utah's Real Salt Lake who play at the amusingly mundane sounding Rice-Eccles Stadium. Yes, stung by accusations that blogmarch is becoming a navel gazing muso's retreat, we is talking sport.
The only reason I'm aware of RSL's existence is the earth-shattering news that the Washington DC's teenage hotshot sensation Freddy Adu, once dubbed the "new Pelé", America's first (Ghana-born) soccer superstar is on the move.
Having made a sensational debut at the age of 14, complete with million dollar Nike sponsorship deal in pocket, Adu burst onto the MLS scene in 2004 and achieved an underwhelming 11 goals in 87 appearances. Last month, Adu completed a two-week training stint at Manchester United with not even a polite hint of a potential interest in taking up the offer from S'rAlex. The only feedback we have is that old red nose felt he had a "suspect temperament" but let's suggest that's a smart bit of Nike-managed hearsay.
Because by overtly telling the truth ie "I didn't sign him because he was crap" would have burst any remaining pretence that Freddie Adu is anything but the new Cherno Samba. Such was the hype around Samba's potential when still turning out for the England Schoolboys, the far-sighted Championship Manager chaps had him as a first choice Liverpool striker with 10 England caps and 2 goals to his name. In reality, Samba left the dizzy heights of Malaga B to make his English league debut at the age of 21 as a 78th minute substitute for Plymouth Argle.
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