US v. China, April 10, 2014 in San Diego: Pre-, during, and post-game discussion

skybolt · Apr 15, 2014

lunatica said: ↑

I have to disagree a little bit with this part. If I understand correctly you are saying that no college players should be call up? That they have to go through U-23s and then professional league in order to get to NT? That means they have to be over 22 years old. I think this is definitely too late. By that time it's very hard to switch a point of direction in player's development and some good talent can be lost forever. Everyone knows that it's easier to learn when you're young and when you're older it's harder to get rid of bad habits. I'm not saying it can't be done but it's much harder. If you look at best NT in the world and their best players most of them get their first call up before being 21 years old. Schelin was around 20, Asslani 18, Sawa 14 (!), Ohno 19, Necib 19, Sasic 16, Mittag 18 and I can go on and on. I'm aware that these countries have different system but still, these are world standards and it was accurate if it comes to US players too. Without it there will be no Dunn and Brian playing at this level already. Maybe it would happen later, maybe not.
With rest of your post I pretty much agree. I don't want to replace the whole team every 4 years with younger players. It has to be done gradually.
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Let me clarify what I meant. I certainly agree and encourage calling up a few younger players to the national team (even if they're still in college). However, the process should not seem like a revolving door. Heck, Alex Morgan was called in while still in college. Same thing with Leroux and many others, which is a good thing. Under Sermanni's system it seemed that a few new young players were called into every camp, and then never to be heard from again. I personally can't see how this process acts as a development for these players. In the meantime, the rest of the team had to cope with different formations and new players every single match. I bet that if someone asked most of the current squad about Dunn, Engen, Brian or Press most of them would say only positive things. I think the frustration grows when someone like Tymrak is brought in and given starts in one camp and then the next camp it's Samantha Mewis and so on.

Blaze20 · Apr 15, 2014

lunatica said: ↑

I have to disagree a little bit with this part. If I understand correctly you are saying that no college players should be call up? That they have to go through U-23s and then professional league in order to get to NT? That means they have to be over 22 years old. I think this is definitely too late. By that time it's very hard to switch a point of direction in player's development and some good talent can be lost forever. Everyone knows that it's easier to learn when you're young and when you're older it's harder to get rid of bad habits. I'm not saying it can't be done but it's much harder. If you look at best NT in the world and their best players most of them get their first call up before being 21 years old. Schelin was around 20, Asslani 18, Sawa 14 (!), Ohno 19, Necib 19, Sasic 16, Mittag 18 and I can go on and on. I'm aware that these countries have different system but still, these are world standards and it was accurate if it comes to US players too. Without it there will be no Dunn and Brian playing at this level already. Maybe it would happen later, maybe not.
With rest of your post I pretty much agree. I don't want to replace the whole team every 4 years with younger players. It has to be done gradually.
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Well not to put words in skybolt's mouth but from what I garnered from that message was that the NT should not be in the business of developing youth talent. That should be left to the various youth teams, colleges and now the NWSL. I agree 100% with this. However, there will always be exceptional talents like Brian and Dunn that would make the transition earlier to the national team and do not need to go through the typical process. For these types of player's, you do not need to sacrifice much in terms of winning in order to integrate them into the national team.

lunatica · Apr 15, 2014

Maybe I just misunderstood

taosjohn · Apr 15, 2014

MRAD12 said: ↑

You can't tell me that in this country full of women's talent that there isn't anyone that can challenge Lloyd, Rapinoe, Wambach, Rampone for their position. I bet there is. But they have to be given a real chance, just like Klinsmann does with the men's team.
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Actually I'd be quite happy to tell you that there isn't anyone who can challenge for Lloyd or Rapinoe's position; the question is not whether I can tell you, but rather whether that telling will carry any weight with you, innit?

And we are actually watching people "challenge" for Wambach and Rampone's position, aren't we?

lunatica · Apr 17, 2014