United hopes teen star has high impact in MLS
It wasn’t long ago that Andy Najar was plucked from daily pickup games in front of Edison High to star for the school’s varsity soccer team. These days it’s the Honduran national federation, who would gladly like the 17-year-old in their own player pool. Perhaps the U.S. team is next.
For now, it’s D.C. United’s turn, as Najar is poised to redefine the club’s history of developing prodigious young talent.
“I was fortunate enough to be here through the whole Freddy [Adu] mania,” said United goalkeeper Troy Perkins. “I’m telling you that this kid’s far beyond that now.”
United head coach Curt Onalfo said Tuesday that he had no apprehension about using Najar, whom he has dubbed “El peque?o guerrero,” — the little warrior — when D.C. opens the 2010 season at Kansas City this weekend.
“I am nervous because I’m young, and I don’t have much experience as a professional,” said Najar via an interpreter. But midfielder Clyde Simms said there were preseason matches in which Najar “was the best player on the field.”
“He has great instincts, and with guys like that, you got to be careful not to give them too much information,” said Onalfo. “Let them play. It’s a breath of fresh air.”
Najar, who came to the U.S. at age 13, was told he was too young when he first tried out for the D.C. United Academy team in 2007. By the time United’s first team began training this January, Najar had a locker inside RFK Stadium with his name on it, a sign of how badly the team wanted him on a permanent basis. He’s missed a nice chunk of his junior year of high school to participate in preseason, but with a work visa in his possession, that’s now a moot point. The team does intend to provide him with a tutor so he might earn a high school diploma or GED.
“How we have him, I don’t know, to be honest with you,” said Perkins. “His potential is limitless. He’s athletic. He’s so quick, and he’s good with the ball, and he’s tough, physically tough to get into. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure that kid goes nowhere but the top.”
