Much ado about Davies
When the soccer paths of Freddy Adu and Charlie Davies first crossed, Davies was 13 years old. In the seven years since they played together on an all-regional team, Adu has become one of Major League Soccer's star attractions and Davies has kept a much lower profile, only returning to prominence this year, his second full season at Boston College.
But, in recent days, Adu's career might have reached a plateau and Davies's career appears to be taking off.
Adu was traded from MLS regular-season champion D.C. United to Real Salt Lake last week. Davies returns to his Manchester, N.H., home today from Sweden, where he has a signed a contract with Hammarby IF.
Like Adu, Davies was projected as a top MLS draft choice. But, though Davies was offered a high salary by MLS standards, the league was not willing to place him on Adu's level. When Adu entered the draft, it was arranged for D.C. United to be in position to choose him. Davies hoped for a similar arrangement, plus a contract matching Adu's $1 million-plus annual income in salary and sponsorship.
"The MLS didn't want to pay what Charlie wanted, plus he wanted to play for the Revolution or D.C. United," Davies's father, Kofi, said yesterday. "Hammarby made a great offer for him and now we all have to get passports so we can go to Sweden. I am happy but it's bittersweet because of the distance involved in going to see him. I haven't been on a plane in 30 years. But the way they treated him in Sweden, it was like the coming of Pele."
Davies has not been overly-hyped -- he was cut from the US Under-20 national team, then sustained a career-threatening knee injury. But he can be a spectacular performer, speedy and tactically astute with a scorer's instincts. Davies scored 15 goals in 16 games for BC and added six goals in eight games for the semi-pro Westchester Flames this year. His most impressive performance might have been in an April scrimmage against the Revolution, when he converted twice, including a bicycle kick goal.
"[Hammarby's] commitment to him makes this a different situation," BC coach Ed Kelly said. "Not many players go from college to Manchester United, Ajax, or Chelsea. This is a steppingstone."
Davies was offered a contract by MLS in late November. In the first week of December, Davies traveled to St. Louis for the Hermann Award presentation (he finished second behind Notre Dame's Joseph Lapira in the voting for collegiate player of the year). Then it was off to Amsterdam for a tryout with AFC Ajax .
"One of the concerns was that he would be locked into the MLS for six years," Kelly said. " Hammarby had looked at him in the ACC [tournament] and, in his heart, he wanted to try Europe. He is willing to take gambles, off the field and on the field, and that is what makes him special as a player. I have no doubt he will succeed."
Davies's four-year contract with Hammarby is worth about $175,000 annually with a $400,000 signing bonus. MLS offered Davies a contract worth about $1 million over five years, not including bonuses. A crucial difference between Allsvenska clubs and MLS is the Swedish league is quite willing to export talent. Scandinavia is known as a proving ground, especially for British and German clubs.
"There is no question Hammarby is looking to bring [Davies] there and move him on," said Natick-based agent Patrick McCabe . "That is the goal of every team over there, to sell players for a profit. They have sold several players directly to the Premiership."
Hammarby's roster is now beyond the three foreign player limit, with Sebastian Eguren (Uruguay), former Dallas forward Toni Nhleko (South Africa), and forward Paulinho Guara (Brazil) also on board.
Davies is among the few New England-born and raised soccer players to sign their first professional contract in Europe. Another former BC striker, Irishman Paul Keegan, has been offered a contract with Motherwell in Scotland's Premier League. Keegan, 33, who performed for the Revolution from 1996-2000, has been playing for St. Patrick's Athletic in Ireland.
Among the next area prospects could be Davies's brother, Justin, a senior at the Brooks School.
"One of the reasons Charlie turned pro is because he wants to play for the Olympic team, and everyone on that team is professional," Kofi Davies said. "And, after that, he is looking at the 2010 World Cup. If he stayed in college he wouldn't have a chance."
