I don't think it will be that much of a change. If anything it should help the REALLY elite players get better because they will have more consistent coaching. Scouts and such will still need to scout high schools to find the late bloomers.
On the NFHS rules video I just watched (part of until it froze up ...) they claimed just under 400,000 male high school soccer players last year (+/- 350k female iirc). One guess on the difference might be 1.1 million high school aged male soccer players and 390,000+ actual high school soccer team members. Playing for ~2 months per year is probably insignificant if they're not playing with a club team the rest of the year and many of the best were already playing club soccer all year and not playing in high school anyway.
lol- you know what I meant and it was not this... When you combine this with talk of NCAA ending spring soccer you pretty much make all top players go Pro.
Interesting article showing that while strikers get paid, defenders seem to be a good judge of how a MLS team will do. http://www.soccerbythenumbers.com/2012/02/how-efficient-are-player-salaries-in.html
Fascinating study. And, if I read it correctly, there is a statistical edge to midfielders over forwards as well. This may be another reason for excitement for this season as the Rapids continue to stockpile talented midfielders.
Always been the case. I once looked at all the teams that were #1 in goals and in several years many of them failed to make the playoffs. On the flipside, I don't think I found a team (maybe one) that had the lowest goals against that did not make the playoffs.
Stop me if you've heard this before... League to crack down on harsh tackles: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...otect-players/2012/02/17/gIQAPIYwJR_blog.html Wake me when the league actually does something to prove that the Mullan suspension wasn't a harsh overreaction to whining Sounders fans.
Can they review video of playoff game 1 against KC last year. They could suspend a few guys I am thinking.
Well you are correct. In fact the league needs to take appropriate steps to eliminate dangerous play. After the fact review of dangerous play, unsporting conduct (dives, etc.) and improper referee decisions should occur weekly like clockwork with appropriate and sometimes harsh penalties being applied. Consistency aside, Mullan earned his suspension and more. Moreover, his poor judgment and shamefully risky tackle ended Zakuani’s season and could have been worse.
Wow, just wow ! Nigeria ?!? One of the most dangerous lands in the world right now. Also, GSmith hosts Spurs tomorrow AM in FA Cup action. FoxSoccerHD.
Except without consistency the suspension was pointless and unfair. Mullan deserved 10 games, but Mondiani and Leathers deserved significantly more than they got, and countless of other players deserved suspensions for tackles that could have, but luckily didn't, do as much damage as those 3 did. Until MLS actually backs up their words with actions those tackles will still happen and Mullan got taken to the woodshed not because MLS is serious about cleaning up the game but because MLS felt a need to appease some outraged fans.
So, I am willing to give Oscar a chance as coach, but I couldn't help but notice that our old coach Gary Smith just got a result against Spurs in the FA Cup this morning. I think Gary's still got some genius left in him, and I like seeing him do a good job. He never really got a fair shake in Colorado. Go Stevenage and go Rapids!!
GS had a chance and he won the 2010 cup. I think it was pretty clear what he could do. The Rapids organization decided to go in another direction. We are now in the midst of that new direction. If you look over your left shoulder and squint, in the distance you can see a very large women hunched over a prone, comatose equine, singing (the women, not the equine). Let it go.
Question: How do international spots work for the Canadian teams? Are US citizens considered internationals? Came up as I thought about ways to clear up an international spot on our roster by trading Janiere to one of the Canadian teams. (But now that he has somehow become a forward--see roster on Rapids site of those in Hawaii--i guess we should keep him ).
Canadian teams treat US players like locals, however, I believe they must have 3 Canadians on roster.
