August Edition of Ursuline 100

[TexanSoccer06]

Originally posted by Martin Fischer
Well I know Salyer can't play. I'd like to hear you back this up, if you dont mind.

[DigitalTron]

Yet another stellar job digging up the good stuff GersMan, thanks. :)

Hunter Freeman is the stud sweeper that is a rising freshman at UVa. He played well in the youth team and has continued his dominant defense. The kid has ball skills and is fast as well ... oh yeah, and he's got size to boot. His best aspect is he seems to read the game amazingly well for a player his age. He can beat people off the dribble and become a terror at outside back flying up the wings and crossing into the box. Or, he can become a dynamite central defender who organizes the defense ala Carlos Bocanegra. I think this guy is going to be special. Learning defense at UVA under Gelnovatch can only help. How long he remains there is debatable. Keep an eye on this one, because he could become an international defender if everything breaks right.

-Tron

[Jose L. Couso]

Great list!

I think your next list, will have a dramatic change in on player.

He has played very little in the last two games, but in that little time has caused so much havoc.

Once he gets fit to play a whole game, there will be very few players who will measure up to him.

Ben Olsen will definitely be in the top 3 in the next list.

[Martin Fischer]

Originally posted by TexanSoccer06
I'd like to hear you back this up, if you dont mind.

Sure. I have seen him play 5 to 10 times, with Maryland and the under 20s. My opinion based on observing him is that he is slow, with below average ball skills and not much sense of the game. All of this is relative to the standard of Division 1 pro ball in the U.S.

Second, he doesn't seem to be able to get much playing time at a low level of the German professional system. This is of less value, because soemtimes good players do get overlooked by their clubs, but combined with the first, is pretty solid for me.

[TexanSoccer06]

Originally posted by Martin Fischer


Sure. I have seen him play 5 to 10 times, with Maryland and the under 20s. My opinion based on observing him is that he is slow, with below average ball skills and not much sense of the game. All of this is relative to the standard of Division 1 pro ball in the U.S.

Second, he doesn't seem to be able to get much playing time at a low level of the German professional system. This is of less value, because soemtimes good players do get overlooked by their clubs, but combined with the first, is pretty solid for me. I respect you opinion, but you are the only person I've ever heard say he cant play.
And as far as no playing time with Bremen, a guy named Landon Donovandidn't get much PT with Leverkusen either......:).

[Martin Fischer]

Originally posted by TexanSoccer06
I respect you opinion, but you are the only person I've ever heard say he cant play.
And as far as no playing time with Bremen, a guy named Landon Donovandidn't get much PT with Leverkusen either......:).

No problem, as I am just a fan with an opinion and am not entitled to any specific deference.

As for the Donovan analogy, Landon, unlike Salwyer didn't have trouble getting playing time with the Bayern Reserves. A better analogy for you would be Twellman, who at times couldn't even get time with the exact same reserve team that Salyer is with -- the 1860 reserves.

[Soccernethost]

Just a bit more info that might be relevant...

Name, Age in 2006, (DOB) in order of birth by position:

Goalkeepers:

Kasey Keller - 36 (11/69)
Brad Friedel - 35 (5/71)
Zach Thornton - 32 (10/73)
Kevin Hartman - 32 (5/74)
Joe Cannon - 31 (1/75)
Matt Jordan - 30 (10/75)
Tim Howard - 27 (3/79)
Nick Rimando - 27 (6/79)
Adin Brown - 27 (5/78)

Defenders:

Tony Sanneh - 35 (6/71)
Greg Vanney - 32 (6/74)
Greg Berhalter - 32 (8/73)
Eddie Pope - 32 (12/73)
Frankie Hejduk - 31 (8/74)
CJ Brown - 31 (6/75)
Steve Jolley - 30 (10/75)
Mike Petke - 30 (1/76)
Wade Barrett - 30 (6/76)
Jimmy Conrad - 29 (2/77)
Ramiro Corrales - 29 (3/77)
Ryan Suarez - 29 (7/77)
Chad McCarty - 28 (10/77)
Steve Cherundolo - 27 (2/79)
Nick Garcia - 27 (4/79)
Carlos Bocanegrea - 27 (5/79)
Jim Curtin - 27 (6/79)
Rusty Pierce - 26 (7/79)
Corey Gibbs - 26 (1/80)
Danny Califf - 26 (3/80)
Phil Sayler - 25 (10/81)
Nelson Akwari - 24 (2/82)
"Gooch" Onyewu - 24 (5/82)
Alex Yi - 24 (2/82)

Midfielders:

Chris Armas - 33 (8/72)
Brian Massionneuve - 33 (6/73)
Claudio Reyna - 32 (7/73)
Eddie Lewis - 32 (5/74)
Steve Ralston - 32 (6/74)
Chris Klein - 30 (1/76)
Pablo Mastroeni - 29 (8/76)
Richard Mulrooney - 29 (11/76)
Ben Olsen - 29 (5/77)
John O'Brien - 28 (8/77)
Dema Kovalenko - 28 (8/77)
Peter Vagenas - 28 (2/78)
Sasha Victorine - 28 (2/78)
Brian West - 28 (6/78)
Francisco Gomez - 27 (1/79)
John Thorrington - 26 (10/79)
Kyle Martino - 25 (2/81)
Kelly Gray - 25 (4/81)
Brad Davis - 24 (11/81)
DaMarcus Beasley - 24 (5/82)
Bobby Convey - 23 (5/83)
Kyle Beckerman - 22 (2/84)
Justin Mapp - 21 (10/84)

Forwards:

Joe Max-Moore - 35 (2/71)
Brian McBride - 34 (6/72)
Ante Razov - 32 (3/74)
Jovan Kirovski - 30 (3/76)
Jeff Cunningham - 29 (8/76)
Clint Mathis - 29 (11/76)
Josh Wolff - 29 (2/77)
Taylor Twellman - 26 (2/80)
Chris Carrieri - 26 (4/80)
Edson Buddle - 25 (5/81)
Conor Casey - 25 (7/81)
Landon Donovan - 24 (3/82)
Alecko Eskandarian - 24 (7/82)
Devin Barclay - 23 (3/83)
Eddie Johnson - 22 (3/84)
Santino Quaranta - 21 (10/84)
Freddy Adu - 17 (6/89)

[TexanSoccer06]

Originally posted by Martin Fischer


No problem, as I am just a fan with an opinion and am not entitled to any specific deference.

As for the Donovan analogy, Landon, unlike Salwyer didn't have trouble getting playing time with the Bayern Reserves. A better analogy for you would be Twellman, who at times couldn't even get time with the exact same reserve team that Salyer is with -- the 1860 reserves. Twellmen led the 1860 reserves in scoring his first year there. IIRC, Donovan said he couldn't even get playing time with the Leverkusen reserves.

And Salyer plays for Werder Bremen.

Cheers,
Tex

[Martin Fischer]

Originally posted by TexanSoccer06
Twellmen led the 1860 reserves in scoring his first year there. IIRC, Donovan said he couldn't even get playing time with the Leverkusen reserves.

And Salyer plays for Werder Bremen.

Cheers,
Tex

OK, so we are done being nice.

First, Twellman, rarely got off the bench in his second year with 1860. In the first year, Twellman scored some goals but leading scorer? According to http://www.kicker.de/content/saison/torjaeger.asp?folder=5250&object=&liga=37&saison=2000/01&spieltag=3&spielpaarung=&turnier=

some guy named Fuchs was tied for third in that regional league, without Twellman on the list. Or do I have the year wrong?

Second, my recollection is Donovan played some for the Bayer Reserves, regardless of his now recollection.

Third, my bad on Salyer's club. Though not much difference in quality between Bremen and 1860, pretty much mid-table stuff.

[GersMan]

September version coming soon - I'm grateful for all the feedback and welcome any more you might have in the next week.

For September I'll go with the same format, but it will probably be harder for a non-pro to get ranked. I'll an expanded "players to watch" list for college and amateur players. Keep in mind that that list especially will be based on a lot of your reports.

[FlashMan]

I would think Petke might drop like a stone in his placement given his miserable summer...

...though maybe a couple of lousy months shouldn't be held against someone too strongly.

[kyledane]

As a displaced Galaxy fan, I get to watch the E'Quakes a lot and with a pretty objective eye. I have to say that ranking Ramiro Corrales higher than Barrett in the defenders list is pretty absurd. Barrett has made more progress than any other player on the Quakes in the past two seasons and is now on the verge of a Nats callup, I believe.

Corrales is still trying to figure out where he fits. My take is that he is a d-mid all the way, unfortunately for him the Quakes already have one of our best there in Mulrooney, so he's most often been seen filling in for injured midfielders like Lagos and Russell. He has done an occasional turn at right back, but most often Jimmy Conrad plays there (a pedestrian player who has no business on these lists either, IMHO). If you like Corrales, fine, put him in with the midfielders. But I'm pretty sure he won't make that list either. Better to leave him out altogether until he settles somewhere and shows he's worthy.

Also, and as a Galaxy fan I hate to say this, but you have Victorine and Califf way too high. Both have been major disappointments over the last year (including late last season) and are looking more and more like middling MLS pros rather than future Nats.

[Maximum Optimal]

Thought folks would get a kick out of viewing this thread from August 2002. Interesting that Sanneh was viewed as such a cinch to be on the 2006 team even though he was already 31 at the time. He didn't even make it into qualifying. It is a useful reminder that time catches up to even a seemingly indestructible player. When planning for 2010, we have to be prepared for any over 32 player not to be there. If they do make it, then it is a bonus.

[flem16]

Thought folks would get a kick out of viewing this thread from August 2002. Interesting that Sanneh was viewed as such a cinch to be on the 2006 team even though he was already 31 at the time. He didn't even make it into qualifying. It is a useful reminder that time catches up to even a seemingly indestructible player. When planning for 2010, we have to be prepared for any over 32 player not to be there. If they do make it, then it is a bonus.

Repped

Nice find!

So it looks like our starting lineup for the Czech game was "ranked" as follows:

---------------------Keller (2)-------------------
Dolo (5) ---Gooch (9)---Pope (2)---Lewis (4 @ AM)
-----------------Mastroeni (3 @ DM)--------------
Convey (5 @ AM) --------------------Beasley (2 @ AM)
--------------------Reyna (1 @ CM)-----------------
----------McBride (1) ----------Donovan (1 @ AM)--------

Interesting based on her list that we had our 1st, 2nd & 4th attacking/holding mids on the field at the same time but in three different positions (forward, LM, LB)

It shall be interesting to see what happens between now and 2010. Dare I say the pool is much deeper than it was back in '02.

[SteveWWJ]

I think the interesting thing to look at in this list are the guys that have made the biggest leaps.

Excluding players not on this list... it looks like Jimmy Conrad had done the most to move himself up the depth chart. It's pretty impressive, when you consider that he was 25 at the time, had been in the league for three years, and didn't even get his first US call-up until Jan 2005.

He was #25 back in 2002, and would probably be in my top 5 right now, imho.

[cpwilson80]

This needs an update in the worst way.

[Postmaster]

This needs an update in the worst way.

Yes! Based on Bob’s roster selections, I think he may still be referring to it!

[MLSNHTOWN]

OK ...I will do one....I am bored today....

[sidefootsitter]

The funny thing is that, going to Rob's thread starter on Aug, 1, 02, there's more turnover among the attackers than among the defenders.

And fogetahabout the GK's - the same faces there.

[MLSNHTOWN]

OK here we go....the August 2008 Urusline 100.

Best 100 players in the USA now, by position, with an eye toward the 2008 World Cup. Once again, no age ceiling. Youth players receive consideration. If a player has retired from international football, I have taken them off the list and included them in the "retired" section. Meaning I think they would have made the top 100 if they had not retired from international football. Also, I am not including Rossi and other players who have chosen to play for other national teams. I am sure this will need some editing by others, but here goes.

Goalkeepers (10)
1. Tim Howard
2. Brad Guzan
3. Marcus Hahnemahn
4. Matt Reis
5. Joe Cannon
6. W. Hesmer
7. Adin Brown
8. Jon Busch
9. T. Perkins
10. J. Conway

Retired: Friedel (int'l), Keller (Seattle?)