Kevin and Michael Hoyos in Argentina

That's all well and good but how I rate Hoyos now compared with before his accident are completely different.

And no, I'm not doubting Estudiates and the quality of its coaches but as with all clubs, the % of players that successfully come out of its youth system is low

 

Matias Sanchez of Columbus was once a starter for Estudiantes de la Plata. Think about that

 

Zusi didn't really "break out" as a star player until his third season as a pro, at age 24/25. He barely played his first two seasons for KC. So let's give Hoyos some time also. I'm not saying he's the next Donovan or Dempsey, but he could be valuable in the future, and we should do all we can to recruit him to the Nats. If that means offering him a Gold Cup spot, I'm all for it.

Recruitment of Michael could also pay dividends down the road if Kevin turns into a good player. If Michael plays for the US, Kevin's heart may be tugged in that direction as well. (De Guzman and Boateng brothers excepted).

 

Do you not pay attention and just randomly make suggestions not based on reality?

Because anyone who has been following the situation knows that it's not only preposterous to suggest Hoyos would play for the US anytime soon - in a friendly, let alone a confederation tournament - it's insulting to the existing players in the pool who are actually, ya know, playing and it is maddening to the rest of us and makes you look clueless.

I mean, seriously, the kid hasn't played in like 2 1/2 years and you want him to play for the US in the Gold Cup? Get real.

I'm not having a go, as a man once said, I just think it's idiotic to suggest a kid who hasn't played in years and is clearly not the same after a car accident would be a candidate for the Gold Cup and makes the person suggesting it look less-informed.

 

Fair point. I admit I haven't watched him, I don't know if he's on the "cusp" of the first-team or not. Similar players who are on the "cusp" of their first team have been bandied about as gold cup options (Lletget, Gyau). I'm not saying the Gold Cup roster should be all 20 year olds, but it's ok to take a flyer for a few roster spots on future talent.

 

But the player has to earn it. The stats I’m about to quote are from this ESPN FC link… http://espnfc.com/player/_/id/143288/michael-hoyos?cc=5901

For his pro career, Hoyos has made 13 appearances in the Argentine 1st division – 7 of them starts – and 2 more appearances in Copa Sud America. Of those appearances, 1 is since his car accident in April of 2011. In those games, he’s scored one goal.

Now, compare that to some fringe Gold Cup candidates at midfield and forward.

*Conor O’Brien has played 48 games in the Danish top flight since 2011, or around the time of Hoyos’ accident, and scored 7 goals and had several assists.

*Flavor of the Month Jack McInerney has played 50 MLS regular seasons games since 2011 (plus 2 playoff games) with 30 starts and scoring 15 goals and 3 assists.

*Mike Magee, the Flavor of LAST Month, has played 62 regular season MLS games since 2011, starting 50 of them, and scored 15 goals and 4 assists. Get this – in his 4 seasons with the Galaxy before this year, he played in 17 playoff games – all starts – and scored 8 goals and an assist. So, he has more PLAYOFF games with the Galaxy than Hoyos has games played with his club.
(Plus he played a scoreless half in goal!)

*Andrew Jacobson has played 66 games – all starts – since 2011 with 4 goals and 6 assists.

*Danny Cruz has 54 games since 2011 – 43 starts with 4 goals and 9 assists.

*Perry Kitchen was a 19-year old rookie in 2011 and in his MLS career he’s started 69 regular seasons games (with 1 off the bench) and scored 2 goals and an assist.

*Since he returned to MLS in 2011, Kenny Cooper has played 75 games 63 starts – and scored 27 goals and 6 assists.

*Chris Pontius has started all 73 games he’s played since 2011and scored 19 goals and 10 assists and was a Best XI player.

*Andrew Wooten has 7 appearances in the Bundesliga (2 starts, 5 off the bench) with 1 goal) and 24 appearances in the German 2nd division with 5 goals and 3 assists.

And none of these guys have been capped by the US (with the exception of Cooper and he hasn’t been capped since 2009) and none of these guys are locks for the Gold Cup. While I suspect a few of them might make the Gold Cup roster, it’s entirely possible none of them make it. (Some of them shouldn't make it.)

And they have all played more and been far more productive since 2011 than Hoyos has in his entire career and many of them have experience that pre-dates 2011 that Hoyos doesn’t.

Hoyos is only 21 so there’s still plenty of time to work himself back to full health and make himself a viable national team candidate. I, for one, hope he does and I’d welcome him to the USNT if he shows he can consistently play well in Argentina or MLS.

(I’d like to see him on the field at the same time as U20 players Benji Joya and Brandon Allen because then we’d have Joya, Hoyos and a Hoya. Yeah, I went there!)

 

BTW, if you want to think about a Latin American-based American player who has played for another national team who might be a good Gold Cup candidate, I’d suggest Atlas’ Ricardo Bocanegra, who has played 46 first division games in Mexico – 32 of them starts - and would provide some nice creativity behind the forward.

But that's a thread for another place.

 

The keller4president comments on the previous page are satire, right?

 

That's the tournament a cuople years back where USA brought purely college players, right?

Saw those saem games.... Argentina in general is just being run like crap by Grondona, and his mafia. The youth is goign caput in the country. Hoyos is for me, your typical american CM. Hard worker, fast, but no creativity, no 'argentine finess'.

We have plenty of 'Hoyos' here in the US. Although he may get a better look if he decided to come to MLS, as I think he probably could find a team willing to take a look at him....He's now that I think about it, Santino Quaranta. That's who I'd compare him to.....think about that.

 

Apparently a headcase though, who has a rep for partying and being a 'badboy'....but yea...kids talented.

 

Tino got some US callups if I remember correctly

 

Tino' was somethign special for his time. In this era, there are WAY better CM's than Tino'. He wouldn't garner the same attention as a 16YO now a days. His play does remind me a lot of Hoyos though in the matches I saw him play for Argentina.

 

The current U20 set up is very poor in Argentina, but Hoyos' generation was very strong.

Of the the starting XI of that Sub 20 World Cup in 2011 in Colombia, all are starters in their clubs, many are in europe exploding like Erik Lamela at Roma and Roberto Pereyra at Udinese. Others, are starters in Argentina at River (Pezzella, Gonzalez Pirez, Cirigliano, Iturbe) or Ferreyra who was the leading scorer in Argentina last season and was champion with Velez.

Just because the youth national teams in argentina are complete shit, doesn't mean there isn't any talent coming through. After all, it is the clubs, not the national teams, that produce the players.

Most clubs in Argentina, particularly River, Racing, Velez, Belgrano, etc. are still working very well in the youth divisions

 

I'm not saying he won't pan out as better then zusi. Personally I've never seen him play. Simply saying the reserves/Maryland comparison doesn't work when comparing the two.

He may pan out, he may not. We will see as time goes by

 

This is beyond stupid. Posters calling for players they've never seen, no nothing about, suffered serious career altering injuries in a car accident and STILL saying they have more potential than X player or should be called up for X tournament. Ludicrous, welcome to my ignore list.

 

Hoyos ONCE had potential but probably not anymore.

 

On the bench today for Estudiantes

 

it ends 1-1 Hoyos doesn't get off the bench

 

Too bad

 

At least he's making the game day roster. Most wondered if he was going to play again.

 

Progress. Hopefully this is the start of working himself consistently back into the 18. He does that, and then starts getting some PT and then starts producing and THEN we can revive that talk about switching to the US.

 

What was the initial prognosis, right after the accident? Was he ever supposed to make a full recovery?

 

http://owhentheyanks.com/2013/07/03/hoyos-to-greece/

 

Worse places to live... as long as the checks clear.