Sounders U-23 team?

Discussion in 'MLS: Youth & Development' started by Yoshou, Jan 17, 2012.

  1. Yoshou

    Yoshou Fan of the CCL Champ

    May 12, 2009
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    http://blog.thenewstribune.com/soccer/2012/01/16/tacoma-tide-could-become-sounders-u23/

    Sounds like the Sounders are joining the rank of MLS teams that have a U-23 team. This is the first summer after former Sounders U-18 players went off to college and will be heading home. The Tide are also under new management after the majority owner had issues with funding and getting a stable home field. The Tide are also, apparently, the ones that initiated the contact with the Sounders.

    In previous years the Sounders have sent unsigned draftees to the Kitsap Pumas or Charleston Battery, so there was some speculation that former Academy players might show up in the Puma's roster, but the Pumas are a pro PDL team and this was increasingly unlikely.

    Read more here: http://blog.thenewstribune.com/socc...tide-could-become-sounders-u23/#storylink=cpy[
     
  2. LyotoM

    LyotoM Member

    Apr 1, 2011
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Tacoma Sounders? or keep the ol name
     
  3. Yoshou

    Yoshou Fan of the CCL Champ

    May 12, 2009
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It sounds like they will be rebranding. Whether that means they become the Tacoma Sounders, Seattle Sounders, or Tacoma Tide wearing rave green jerseys, I don't think they've decided yet.
     
  4. bettermirror

    bettermirror Member

    Jul 17, 2008
    Fraser Valley
    Either way it's good news for PNW soccer. Already the toughest division in PDL - just became tougher.
     
  5. Yoshou

    Yoshou Fan of the CCL Champ

    May 12, 2009
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hopefully it doesn't suck the air out of the other Western Washington PDL teams, most of which are already struggling to draw fans.
     
  6. bettermirror

    bettermirror Member

    Jul 17, 2008
    Fraser Valley
    hmmmm....yes let's hope!!!
     
  7. edwardgr

    edwardgr Moderator
    Staff Member

    Mar 6, 2006
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Tacoma South Sounders?
     
  8. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    I think every MLS team should have a U23 squad playing in the PDL, made up mainly of players from their academies who are still playing college soccer and supplemented by promising college players from outside the academies whom they can evaluate.
     
  9. Otergod

    Otergod Member+

    Sep 20, 2007
    indianapolis
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think their PDL sides could simply consist of former academy players still in college and current top U18 academy players. Keep it all in the family :p
     
  10. bettermirror

    bettermirror Member

    Jul 17, 2008
    Fraser Valley
    No use expanding MLS teams so they can have PDL sides. Expand MLS teams so they can run a proper reserve league schedule. Expand the rosters to 40. Play a 30 game reserve league schedule, have a reserve league cup, put the reserve teams in the US Open Cup (it's done all over the world - so not it isn't a ridic notion).

    Expanding the roster to 40 wouldn't mean raising the salary cap all that much as they'd not get paid much anyway.

    PDL is an excellent league in that it can fill gaps. But any 21-22 year old on an MLS roster currently isn't going to be learning a whole heck of a lot playing in PDL. The standard of play is too low. Whitecaps have basically said as well that having their u18's in the league (many of them just 16) didn't really serve their purposes. I doubt also that if you asked Morfaw, Davies, or Tan if the PDL games helped their pro development their answer would be yes.
     
  11. Otergod

    Otergod Member+

    Sep 20, 2007
    indianapolis
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Another 10 players at minimum contract would be 400,000 per team. PDL is pretty much regional with minimum travel and the players cost ZERO to the club as they are not officially signed. On top of that, MLS teams could use their PDL teams to allow those who joined their academies late to finish up their year by playing in their U23s in their respected city (or 75 miles away from their city).

    Expanding the Reserves League will surely happen, but the PDL notion is a cheap alternative to continue to develop your home grown talent before signing them to a deal.

    min contract is 40k. Not much in standards of sports contract, but 400k to players who will ultimately be riding pine and never see a minute is a tough sell to make at this point. Chicago PDL has seen tons of players come through it to MLS ranks. If only they would use it to expand their development of their academy instead it could prove more fruitful to Chicago, rather then the league.

    a 21-22 year old on a MLS roster wouldnt be allowed to play in the PDL. It's purely an amateur league. Players are not played, thus players keep their college availability. Hence why i suggest you make it purely your college bound academy kids and current academy kids. It is another chance for you to further develop the players you've spent money in developing.

    PDL is supplemental to college. With college only being 3-4 months long and most schools removing any offseason games to cut back on expenses, PDL will play a larger role in growth in these players.
     
  12. bettermirror

    bettermirror Member

    Jul 17, 2008
    Fraser Valley
    400,000 added. In a league that wants to be taken seriously and move up the world power rankings as far as league goes that's pennies in the grand scheme.

    Additional problem is, OK, so the players cost ZERO...what players are they going to be attracting!? Just the locals and any other lucky kid who happens to be able to afford a summer there and/or find employment while training there.

    21-22 year olds on MLS rosters ARE allowed to play in PDL. Go look at the Whitecaps PDL rosters and see all the first teamers that played. NCAA has laxed their rules so this sort of thing can happen.

    Whitecaps MLS roster players that were also on PDL last year: Boxall, Davies, Duckett, Knight, Morfaw, Nanchoff, Sylvestre, Tan, Teibert, Wagner.
    http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2011/8986445.html#STATS

    They all played at least 2 games. Which is fine because it prob means they needed a game, and/or they were coming back from injury. Which is a great reason to have a PDL team. But the reality is none of these guys were put there to become better footballers. They were put there because they needed game time for one reason or another.

    Anyway, you and I agree. PDL is great for the kid that plays college. But for the kid that is 21-22 in MLS the league doesn't serve a whole lot of purpose that an expanded reserve schedule couldn't do for greater value.

    For example, Whitecaps put some outstanding first teamers into some of their final reserve games such as Davide Chiumiento. I can imagine how much that benefited the youngster who was in direct competition with DC on the other team....as opposed to that youngster being in PDL and playing some guy who plays college at University State College of the North-South (fictional example so as not to start an argument about so-and-so college is good for so-and-so reason!).
     
  13. Otergod

    Otergod Member+

    Sep 20, 2007
    indianapolis
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Vancouver participates in what has been classified as PDL-Pro. PDL-Pro is (apparently) a group of PDL teams whose players do in fact get paid to play. However, what this does prevent is any college bound player to play alongside them, though allowing them to play against them.

    Vancouver U23 is a mix of residency and First stringers who need PT to develop their game. However, any of Vancouver's players who go to college could not play for their PDL team. The rules have laxed which allows the academy players to play along side pros in a non-professional match. (IE) they could play in friendlies or reserve matches, but not MLS league matches. Therefore you will note that those who are not on the Vancouver Senior squad are typically the older kids of the Academy.

    I dont see the positive of having a PDL-pro team as you are neglecting a decent chunk of your players that have graduated the academy. As you mention, having your 21-22 players who are also playing reserve matches, friendlies and training with the first team on a squad versus players who are simply from college trying to get in a couple of games during the offseason to stay sharp is not very productive.

    This is why i say MLS teams use the PDL teams to further the development of those not signed. Having your past academy players who are still in college getting more games and training under your coaches mixed in with top academy players seems more beneficial IMO. If you want your reserves to get more games, schedule some more games... :D
     
  14. bettermirror

    bettermirror Member

    Jul 17, 2008
    Fraser Valley
    according to wikipedia (i know, i know!) you can't have any current/active NCAA players on a PDL Pro roster. This wiki site doesn't say it prohibits anyone from a PDL-pro roster from the moving over to NCAA. Anyway, whatever....doesn't really matter to me...just a discussion for discussion purposes.

    It's easy to say "get your reserves more games then" but who do you suggest they play? I'd prefer the reserve league to be expanded thus allowing for more HG signings...Now that being said, clubs like Tottenham have decided the reserves is a waste and don't have one. They just loan out anyone they can and keep or cut those they can't. Man United seems to be headed the same way and SAF hasn't been gushing over the reserve league the last 2 years. (and just look at all the loaned players they have out now...). There is also a club in Italy (can't recall which right now) that loaned out some 30+ players last year including an entire teams' worth to a Spanish club that then won promotion to La Liga and retained 6 of those 16 or so they got from Italy....

    So there are two sides to the reserve league coin!
     
  15. Yoshou

    Yoshou Fan of the CCL Champ

    May 12, 2009
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  16. bettermirror

    bettermirror Member

    Jul 17, 2008
    Fraser Valley
    The few and very proud Tide fans will be disappointed to at least not retain some of their colours. Maybe the PDL team can wear the bright yellow CCL/USOC uni's!? :)

    Glad to see another team enter the league - one that is already an exceptional division for the level of play that it is. Tough on teams like Kitsap, Abbotsford etc though!...
     
  17. ThreeApples

    ThreeApples Member+

    Jul 28, 1999
    Smurf Village
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They spelled the league's name wrong in their logo.
     
    1 person likes this.
  18. GOALSeattle

    GOALSeattle Member

    Oct 13, 2007
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  19. GOALSeattle

    GOALSeattle Member

    Oct 13, 2007
    Seattle
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  20. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Awkward!
     

Share This Page