The world is full of trolls. They're called BigSoccer users. #Fact Tell me something I don't know. I was told by people watching this at StubHub that this was a friendly. I'm not kidding. This Under-18 side played liked they just discovered the sport last week. Act like you've been there and close the game off professionally. They didn't. And when you don't, you won't go far. This loss is on them.
You play friendlies like this one against Mexico so the players can understand what the "next level" is. If some kids got a wake up call....................then that's a positive result. This is a U18 friendly. The actual result couldn't possibly be more meaningless. It's all about learning opportunities and experiences. And previous posters are right in that a bunch of top U18 defenders weren't at the camp. This gave some other kids some learning opportunities. If failing to close out this game means that the boys understand what they'll be confronted with then the games actually matter, then it will have been a positive experience for them. I mean, you said they didn't close out the game professionally. Well that makes sense. Few of these boys are professionals.
Pros treat friendlies as friendlies, only an amature would be upset with the results. But if you were to have any take aways I would think they would come from the first half when both teams had their starting line-ups, not at the end the game when both teams have made multiple subs.
Good points. However, I am not pleased at the way the USA let Mexico off the hook. Our depth has issues.
In any case, I've already made my verdict of this U-18 team: Guilty of giving up a lead and letting Mexico off the hook. As charged.
Actually, the Magic became better right after new ownership and a direct consequence of much greater number of sponsored players.
Dont forget Elijah Rice who is from las vegas and a 2nd florida player. They had a california player for 6 months as well. Novakovich was in Wisconsin before Magic where he was only there for a couple years.
Was he even there that long? He looks to have joined them after playing his junior season in high school in late 2012, and his last appearance for them was in October 2013.
Looking at the lineup, that seems like a bit of an exaggeration. Yes, we were missing a couple of top defenders, but even so, most of the defenders we used (Chavez, Glad, and Pelaez) have had plenty of YNT experience. USA: 1-JT Marcinkowski (12-Jonathan Klinsmann, 61); 14-David Chavez, 18-Mauricio Pineda, 17-Justen Glad, 20-Pablo Pelaez; 8-Jorge Ruiz,10-Jackson Yueill (23-Kyle Scott, 61), 4-Ben Swanson(capt.), 7-Mukwelle Akale (16-Sebastian Elney, 61); 11-Sebastian Saucedo, 19-Coy Craft (6-Collin Fernandez, 88) Hopefully, they eventually post some video.
You may be right. Magics best players are usually recruited late and from out of state. Wasnt Academy designed to develop your local talent?
No. Didn't read that in the bylaws. Our player development benefits greatly when players pursue their level and intense training that they want no matter where it is. Concentration of talent makes everybody better. To force players like Jordan Allen to stay in Rochester and their academy doesn't make him a better player and doesn't get him to the pros at a young age. Should apply to anyone who wants to pursue the game at a high level and thinks they need to travel to another city with better players and better coaching to do so. Its all about options.
Although troubling for me to do so, I agree with you here. USSF should make rules that both allow and encourage the best players to play together. Unfortunately, USSF has chosen to enact rules that restrict a player's (and Academy club's) options. Such micromanaging has led to diluting the talent in the Academy rather than concentrating the talent in the Academy.
In part yes, because the socal Academy teams have been diluted by the rule. That's a nice way of saying that some of the best players do not play Academy because of the rule. But the USSF also doesn't allow a top player to play ODP, or to guest for a top USYSA team at Surf Cup or Disney or Dallas Cup or the National Cup. Someone (I think Hararea or scoachd1) noted that from early December through February, many of the socal Academy teams had very few games. If an Academy coach and the player both agree it is in the player's best interests, why shouldn't he be allowed to play in a top non-Academy tournament, or in ODP Regionals, or for his high school during the December-February window? How does USSF in Chicago know what's in the best interests of every player in socal all year round?
Yeah bummer that we'll all have to adjust to new rules and figure out how to make it work for players who want to play HS soccer.
No, the issue is that top players have had to adjust to not being able to play in events that they and their Academy coaches believe would be good events for them to play, or to play for other teams that they and their Academy coaches believe would be in their best interests. If a player for Real Socal U18 Academy is invited to play as a guest for FC Golden State in Dallas Cup this year, and if his coach is fine with him going, why shouldn't he be allowed to play in Dallas Cup? What "soccer reason" exists to justify a rule disallowing his participation in Dallas Cup? The issue is not, and never has been, about what's in the best interests of the players. It has always been, and remains, an issue of USSF wanting to micromanage players throughout the country, despite not knowing (and apparently not caring) what's in their individual best interests.
Sucks for that player. One time I couldn't go on a family vacation to Florida I really wanted to go on because my parents said I commited to my basketball team for the whole season. I feel your pain.
Sure, its great for players to have that option and not have to be claimed regionally forcefully by your closest mls team if you deciide to play pro. A player in Chicago is already regionally claimed by the Fire eveon if he hasnt played for them. Knowing that, in this case, do Chiacgo locals really want to fully commit to a club that eventually will bench you for a plaayer from Florida, Vegas, Etc. And 20-25 other players?
Rules have to make sense and not just follow blindly. Should be productive and not counterproductive when it comes to player development. Just a thought