No one expects phenoms in 2 years but if they aren't playing regularly at age 25 or 26 its either make , break or continue to be a reserve role player. I mean how long is the life of a soccer player 27, 28 0r 29? Sooner or later, time and opportunities grow short especially when you never play.
Yes, but it's never the hard and fast rule. D.J. Countess. Youth National Team Goalkeeper. Picked to play for the Metrostars in 2001. Left MLS after the 2005 season as a member of RSL. Had 52 appearances in MLS. Jon Conway (you remember this guy, right?) Low draft pick of the San Jose Earthquakes in 2000. Left MLS after the 2011 season with the Chicago Fire. Had 92 MLS appearances. One guy played 4 seasons in MLS and the other 11. Which guy started right away? Should the 11 year vet have been cut after year 2?
Apples and oranges as Gk's and even defenders are different than offensive mids or forwards. You can't really compare the positions.
Plenty of offensive players needed time to develop. Garza has 195 minutes in 2 years. Alan Gordon had 340 minutes his first 2 years. 39 career goals David Estrada 198. 5 career goals Heck, Kyle Beckerman had a whooping 125 minutes his first 2 seasons. 32 career goals Brian Ching got a measly 228 minutes with the Galaxy and was cut. He had to play a year in USL before Yallop brought him in for a tryout with SJ. 82 career goals
Passing, crossing and shooting, to me, fall under technical skills. In that area, I'd say he's pretty good from what I've seen in Open Cup games and such. Passing and defense incorporate technical aspects of the game, but lean more towards the decision making/ability to read the game, I think. That is where Garza seems to struggle. Whether that's because he's wanting to do things that his teammates aren't expecting him to, or what, I have no idea. If you take the Wondo incident, and under the presumption that he did shoot rather than attempt a cross, the first question to ask would be "What was the reason for not passing the ball?" Considering the non existent playtime for Garza after that, I'm curious if the coaches asked that question. If they did, then the answer must have given them an indication that there wasn't much to be gained by putting him out there again. That sounds suspicious to me. Given the willingness to forgive mistakes for guys like Hernandez and Lenhart, it seems strange that a missed shot instead of a cross would be enough to take you out of consideration for playing. At that point, it seems more likely there is an overarching problem.
*Some* passing and shooting skills are technical. A simple square pass is not technical but a tricky pass to get around a defender using the laces or outside of the foot is technical. A straight hard shot is not technical but a curling, knuckling, dipping or chipped shot is technical. Crossing and corners are technical skills for sure though. Defending includes many technical skills at the highest levels of the game. One reason Garza might not be making the right decisions is failure to pick up his head and look around. There are many players who can dribble very well while looking down but few who can pick up their heads to ascertain the situation. At times he also appears to check out mentally and not be ready for the ball. That was the main problem with Opara ... it cost us a couple goals in the Galaxy playoff game in 2012. As for chances, Yallop did give him another one a few weeks later against the Timbers. Unfortunately Garza made a meal of a scoring opportunity once again. Yallop blamed the problem on lack of confidence, which I assume was also evident in team practices and scrimmages. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_23089004/san-jose-earthquakes-coach-says-sam-garza-lacks
Yallop's own problems with the team getting points may have had a part to play in Garza ceasing to get minutes, too. The mistakes Garza made may have cost the team points, and thus, when you are desperate points, it makes some amount of sense to go with somebody else. It's unfortunate for Garza, certainly, and may have hurt the team in the long run. It is hard to imagine that Cato would have been preferable over Garza, but there are only so many details that we know for sure.
When you consider this statement was only made 5-6 weeks before Yallop left, I'm sure he wasn't messing around. He was either feeling pressure from management or himself needing and wanting to see immediate results and when he made this statement he was probably disappointed with Garza's progress. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_23089004/san-jose-earthquakes-coach-says-sam-garza-lacks
"Quakes loan Bingham, Garza to San Antonio Scorpions" (SJEarthquakes.com - Thursday, 2/27/14) GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Its probably a good move for Garza. What he needs right now is consistent playing time, and this loan is probably the best way to get it. That said, I still think the best way would be for the coaching staff to just back him 100% and live through the results short term, but thats a tough call.
We should call you Nostrafalvus. This is incredible stuff - he's either going to make it, break it, or continue to be a reserve role player. How did you know!? :--)
Not too hard to deduce when your coach disregards you in the press. I remember one assist two years ago and that was it. I think his GA contract is about done as is Bingham's and that is probably another reason on why they are both gone. Also, Garza is from Texas.
pleased with this. exactly what he needed. Lets hope it has the same effect that the loan with Morrow had
They want these guys to be seeing regular playing time. They sent Bingham to keep him sharp. Doesn't do him any good to be pulling splinters out of his butt sitting on the bench. Garza needs confidence building.
I know Bingham wasn't happy sitting. Poor kids making only $100k a year aren't happy sitting on their duffs playing soccer.
"Real Salt Lake bring in former San Jose Earthquakes player Sam Garza on trial in hope of bolstering attack" (MLSsoccer.com - Wednesday, 7/9/14) (Getty Images) GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
This happened fast enough, that you know, maybe we could have traded him to RSL for something/anything.
"“We just want to take a look at him because he's a great kid,” Cassar said. “I think maybe in the right system he could be really effective.”" That system is any effective system (e.g. not the Quakes system). Garza is a big and very disappointing loss... watch him terrorize teams for RSL.