U18 MNT at HDC 11/17-11/24

By my count, 17 players affiliated with an MLS Academy (Steffen is from one of the Union affiliates). Not that these are all the best 24 players of the '95 age group, but still cool to see that many. Plus, two based in Europe (Henkel and Koukladas).

 

Maki Tall was called in, but "school exams and obligations" will prevent him from making the trip.

 

The same applies for Cannouse at Hoffenheim

 

They are having it over Thanksgiving? Interesting.

 

Does anyone think Nicholas Pappacena from Weston will ever get a call up? He's got 12 goals in 9 games which is pretty impressive. I'm sure he's close to leading the academy in goals right now.

Also, I'd like to see probably the two best players I've seen in the Northeast Division get called up in Arun Basuljevic of Reb Bulls and Andrew Tinari of Albertson. Both are talented players.

 

That's the time when high school students in this country can make it. However, since Thanksgiving is an American holiday, Canouse and Tall cant come because of the date. Oh well.

 

A lot of these kids were YNT players prior to getting an MLS affiliation. It'd be nice to see the process working more in the opposite direction, which MLS teams are adding new faces, not just re-branding the old ones.

And it continues to be incredible how little new talent our DA scouts are able to identify. Since last spring, have they identified a single new player from within the DA? (I think Iloski is new, but his visibility grew out of that Nike program.)

 

NCAA commitments so far from this roster:

As always this can and will change if kids sign homegrown contracts or go abroad.

Note that of the uncommitted players, Murillo and Moreno both play for MLS clubs.................

Ethan Horvath was trying to go to Europe for a while. Bristol City? Then he was at Real Colorado, but I see he's not on their DA roster.......................

GOALKEEPERS (3):
Santiago Castaño (New York Red Bulls Academy; Union City, N.J.)-2014; uncommitted
Ethan Horvath (Unattached, Highlands Ranch, Colo.) Uncommitted
Zackary Steffen (Maryland; Downington, Pa.)-Maryland

DEFENDERS (6):
Michael Amick (De Anza Force; Sunnyvale, Calif.)-UCLA
Suliaman Dainkeh (D.C. United Academy; Reston, Va.)-Maryland
Trevor Haberkorn (Solar Chelsea SC; Roanoke, Texas)-Furman
Jalen Markey (Seattle Sounders FC Academy; Renton, Wash.)-Syracuse
Matthew Miazga (New York Red Bulls Academy; Clifton, N.J.)-Michigan
Christian Sady (New England Revolution Academy; Boston, Mass.)-Air Force

MIDFIELDERS (6):
Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; Plano, Texas)-FC Dallas Homegrown
Marco Delgado (Chivas USA; Glendora, Calif.)-Chivas USA Homegrown
Jacori Hayes (Baltimore Bays Chelsea; Bowie, Md.)-Wake Forest
Piakai Henkel (Amiens FC; Arcata, Calif.)-Amiens FC, France
Brian Iloski (San Diego Surf; Escondido, Calif.)-California
Antonio Murillo (Real Salt Lake AZ, Las Vegas, Nev.)-Uncommitted

FORWARDS (9):
Jordan Allen (Real Salt Lake AZ; Rochester, N.Y.)-Virginia
Paul Arriola (LA Galaxy Academy; Chula Vista, Calif.)-UCLA
Justin Dhillon (LA Galaxy Academy; Rancho S.M., Calif.)-Cal Poly
Benjamin Lopez (Real Salt Lake AZ; San Diego, Calif.)-Syracuse
Kosta Koukladas (Rot-Weiss Essen; Orange County, Calif.) -Rot-Weiss Essen, Germany
Amando Moreno (New York Red Bulls Academy; Morganville, N.J.)-uncommited
Zach Pfeffer (Philadelphia Union; Dresher, Pa.)-Philadelphia Union Homegrown
Ben Spencer Jr. (Chivas USA Academy; Albuquerque, N.M.)-UC Santa Barbara
Travis Wannemuehler (Indiana Fire Academy; Evansville, Ind.)-NC State

When I lived in Syracuse, that program was pretty nondescript. Now they're advancing in the NCAA tournament, and brining in top recruits. They brought over the coach from Hartwick, Ian McIntyre..............who's completely woken up this sleeping giant. He's bringing in talent from the Northeast US (particularly NY, NJ, Penn) as well as Canada & England. His two recruitis from this particular U18 camp are from about as far away as possible...............the Seattle and RSL academies. Interesting new "soccer school" to the landscape. I don't think they're going away............................

 

I noticed that as well. I used to live in upstate New York and Syracuse's program was invisible. Now they are recruiting kids from washington? Wow

 

Let's go Orange!

 

I went to Syracuse too (graduated in 2010) and never could have foresaw this. They have 2 other U-20 pool players on their side. Incredible. I went to a few games when I was in school but the team was crap. So glad to see them turn it around with solid recruiting.

 

Syracuse have the TFC academy in their backyard, all they have to do is take advantage of it.
Their transformation started last year when they added Canadian u20 players Jordan Murrell and Skylar Thomas. This year Alex Bono, their freshman keeper, is unreal.

They'd be well served to keep scouting TFC.

 

Not to mention the best "upstate" New York kids. This is a good program to keep an eye on.

 

I watched Alex Bono play for Empire United and was very impressed. I left thinking he had to be one of the very best keepers in the entire DA system.

I have to wonder if he would be treated as a homegrown product by the NE Revolution since he played for Empire United before they became Empire Revolution. My guess would be "no", but who knows what passes for rules with MLS.

 

This is interesting, came across this from that U18 Europe trip, put out by RSL.

http://www.realsaltlake.com/news/2012/09/rsl-academy-players-named-us-u-18-national-team

 

84% of the players named born in first 6 months of year. None born in Oct, Nov, Dec. This roster not as heavily loaded with January players as the pool. FWIW...

 

isn't this just good use of development $$?

world famous barcelona seem to be doing the same thing. [see post 105 at: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/barcelona-signs-ben-lederman-to-academy.1746469/page-5]

17 out of 22 is about 77%.

 

Read the book the Outliers and it will explain it all .

 

Goes to show that no one has come close to perfecting this business. Barcelona's soccer people are unequaled, but they could clearly benefit from a bit of science, as well.

 

Up 1-0 on Canada, Henkel with the goal.

I'm following J.R. Eskilson for updates.

 

Just have to read the first 2 chapters!

 

3-1 final, other goals were by Spencer and a last-minute insurance goal by Moreno. Not many surprises in our starting line-up, Acosta in midfield.

Steffen, Allen, Dainkeh, Haberkorn, Amick; Acosta, Arriola, Delgado; Henkel, Pfeffer, Spencer

 

When was the last time we posted a shutout with this team?

 

To be fair, we did score all the goals tonight.