Ben Lederman at Raków Częstochowa (Poland)

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by Clint Eastwood, Apr 18, 2011.

  1. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
  2. Brandinho

    Brandinho Member

    None
    United States
    Feb 22, 2007
    New Jersey
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    If you're this kid's family, I don't know how you just pick up and leave to live in Spain. If his family does it for him, they are unbelievably dedicated, but I couldn't blame them if they said no.
     
  3. Scotty

    Scotty Member+

    Dec 15, 1999
    Toscana
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    Why don't you put Barcelona in the thread title? That's what the club is after all.

    Unless you're in the know, "La Masia" could be some mid-table team in Guatemala.
     
  4. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    It's interesting that they didn't have any help for his parents but I guess they still found a way to relocate.
     
  5. SeaOtter

    SeaOtter Member

    Nov 7, 2006
    Atlanta, GA
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    You may already know this, but.......I doubt that Barca were allowed to offer any help with the move outside of giving advice and making the right introductions. Helping with the move might be seen as some sort of payment which would violate the "trafficking of minors" regulations that FIFA has set out.
     
  6. Dr Jay

    Dr Jay BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 7, 1999
    Newton, MA USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    I agree. In sports like gymnastics and figure skating, its not unusual for a parent to move to a new city so their kid can get training by an internationally known coach. Young tennis players have been moving to Bradenton to be trained at Bollitieri for decades.

    As a parent, even if you do have the desire and means to do so, you have worry that this sends the wrong message to an 11 year old - i.e. the whole world revolves around you.
     
  7. DaPrince84

    DaPrince84 Member+

    Aug 22, 2001
    MD
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    they will help the family, but will not say so on the record
     
  8. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    Well...........because he's only 11. He's so far from actually playing for Barcelona, that I thought it would be extremely premature to say "Ben Lederman at Barcelona." Technically yes........in reality not really.

    Has there ever been an American soccer player that's moved to Europe at 11 year old, and actually succeeded? It's still a one in a million shot...................
     
  9. sidefootsitter

    sidefootsitter Member+

    Oct 14, 2004
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    That's right.

    Or with Bela Carolyi or a bunch of Russian figure skating coaches.

    I reckon Barcelona has at least a dozen of multimillion dollar sponsors, which would not hesitate to offer a comfortable living wage to the parents of the top tier prospect.

    Since the kid himself will have his basic training and schooling expenses picked up by the club, this arrangement would not even have to entail a high outlay level. Something under $100K - peanuts for a $500M in revenues club - should do the trick.
     
  10. SUDano

    SUDano Member+

    Jan 18, 2003
    Rochester, NY
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    I think its too strong of a statement. How about we love you enough that we will help you pursue your life long dream. Without knowing the parents we really don't know if the kid controls the parents or if the parents are level headed, thoughtful parents who are making a decision based on the opportunity to train with Barcelona, the best football training on the planet. Unfair to conclude anything.
     
  11. SUDano

    SUDano Member+

    Jan 18, 2003
    Rochester, NY
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    Ben Lederman US 11 Yr old at Barcelona Training School.
     
  12. Brandinho

    Brandinho Member

    None
    United States
    Feb 22, 2007
    New Jersey
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    Fixed. Sounds sexier.
     
  13. chad

    chad Member+

    Jun 24, 1999
    Manhattan Beach
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    I can think of a 13 year old!

    Well, I mean, he was American when he left anyway.
     
    1 person likes this.
  14. Scotty

    Scotty Member+

    Dec 15, 1999
    Toscana
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    Then put "youth team" or "youth system" in the title then. Because when it comes right down to it, FC Barcelona is the club that he's with. I mean, how often do we refer to the name of the team's training facilities (that's what "La Masia" is) instead of the team's name?

    It's a nice idea to want to try and protect the kid, but it also seems like you're trying to have it both ways: wanting to report on an American kid at Barcelona, while at the same time trying to keep it some kind of half-secret. Why bother? It is what it is.
     
  15. gmonn

    gmonn Member+

    Dec 8, 2005
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    This was great to hear. An American following in the footsteps of Messi (whose family, father, at least, moved with him to Barcelona after Messi got into the same program at 11 or 12), Xavi, and Iniesta. Of course, he's also following in the footsteps of hundreds of kids who washed out of the program somewhere between the ages of 11 and 23.

    Still a step forward for American soccer for a kid to even get this experience.
     
  16. MHaifa1913

    MHaifa1913 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Metro
    United States
    Dec 21, 1998
    New York, NY, USA
    Club:
    Maccabi Haifa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    Yay! Another Orr Barouch and Alex Zahavi for me to watch.
     
  17. gmonn

    gmonn Member+

    Dec 8, 2005
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    He's one of the CMs here, I believe. Looks like he has a head start on the Barca style. Nice to see a team playing like this in the US.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzBtx9eEckY"]YouTube - bu 10 soccer[/ame]
     
  18. StarvingGator

    StarvingGator Member

    Jun 22, 2007
    The Hospital Bar
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    Barca tries very hard to keep their kids as humble as possible. I think that's evident in their final product. Given their talent and level of relative domination, Barcelona's players really don't commit the sins of bragging and arrogance most others do.

    As for the thread title, while if it were any other club, we'd name it "Ben Lederman at Club X" and not think twice (or pay attention to the 11 year old), part of me hopes the "in" title keeps the name-brand obsessed away.
     
  19. StarvingGator

    StarvingGator Member

    Jun 22, 2007
    The Hospital Bar
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    Not really. If you know what La Masia is, that's far more meaningful than just another youth academy.

    If you don't know what La Masia is, why do you care about the whereabouts of an 11 year old? ;)
     
  20. Minnesota FC 518

    May 22, 2008
    Minneapolis, MN
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    this part is not true and is an annoying thing about them. they bitch to the media all the time about teams that bunker against them instead of trying to play like them. well obviously teams are going to bunker, barcelona would slaughter them even more if lesser teams tried to play like them. and they always yap in the media about how cesc fabregas has to go back to barcelona, as if it's some divine right.
     
  21. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    I like Barcelona, but they are not humble by any means. They are arrogant off the field, looking down on every other team and telling them about it and when things don't go their way on the field they start buzzing around the referee like angry bees.
     
  22. Rainer24

    Rainer24 Member

    Jan 6, 2008
    Nashville, TN
    Club:
    VfB Stuttgart
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia


    And any other elite team is different? Barcelona's superstars are decidedly more grounded than players of similar status at other big clubs.

    Give any person that follows the game Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi have them pick which is an a-hole. Arjen Robben vs. Iniesta? Ribery vs. Xavi? Pique vs. Rio Ferdinand? Dani Alves is a jerk, but he was not brought from the academy. The people who start out there as kids are usually nice guys, despite all the celebrity, which you also see in their coach.

    Yeah, any team that good is going to be kind of arrogant. As long as they are better than everyone else, don't see the problem with it.
     
  23. gmonn

    gmonn Member+

    Dec 8, 2005
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    You should follow Guardiola's press conferences to see what kind of attitude is drilled into the La Masia boys.

    You get the occasional, wow, they didn't even try to play, from a frustrated player.

    They don't buzz around the ref any more than any other team does in huge games. British homer commentators might have led you to believe otherwise.
     
  24. I<3F50

    I<3F50 Member

    Nov 27, 2007
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    What!? Pique is a huge asshole and Xavi and Iniesta also both played their part in trying to pry Fabregas away from Arsenal.

    The idea that Barcelona players are humble and that it's drilled into them mostly from La Masia is a complete joke. It's just like any other youth academy out there.
     
  25. gmonn

    gmonn Member+

    Dec 8, 2005
    Re: Ben Lederman at La Masia

    It's far better than any other youth academy out there, though. Eight of its products on the world cup champions, eight of its products are starters for Barcelona. Produced all three of the last balon d'or finalists. It's insane. If they have the same humility as other youth academy products, that's saying something, because they've achieved a hell of a lot more.

    That "prying Fabregas away from Arsenal" is ironic, because you know where he came from.

    Ben Lederman just got into Hogwarts. Let's hope more Americans follow him.
     

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