Tristan Bowen signed by LAG!

[ATLGunner]

A new era begins in the MLS.

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2008/10/galaxy-set-to-m.html

This hopefully will also be the step forward for this forum to become more active.

[galaxyfanz]

we'll see if he works out. Talent evaluation hasn't seemed to be good by us lately. But he did have a good year in the Super Y league, and he has been training with the 1st team according to galaxy blog, so hopefully it means something.

[AlecW81]

we'll see if he works out. Talent evaluation hasn't seemed to be good by us lately. But he did have a good year in the Super Y league, and he has been training with the 1st team according to galaxy blog, so hopefully it means something.

It means LA can't afford to bring anyone in that would cost more than a developmental salary.

[Stan Collins]

It means LA can't afford to bring anyone in that would cost more than a developmental salary. It's really a product of the rules. Unlike the teams that have put more into their programs (and also have gotten less resistance from the local club scene), the Galaxy basically have one prospect that might reasonably become an MLS player. MLS let's you use one Generation Adidas contract on one of your own youth players at a time (though he could graduate quickly if he gets the PT).

For a team like the Red Bulls, they have several guys -- Walter Hines, Matt Kassel, Jonny Exantus--who could make the leap, but no dead-lock can't-miss blue-chippers.

So for the Red Bulls, signing one means you could wind up losing another, which creates something of an incentive to wait on all of them and see who progresses (especially if you think, as the Red Bulls did, that none of them would be productive their rookie year).

For the Galaxy, no such dilemma. If you only have one quality prospect, you can sign him with no impact to your cap or roster, and you risk possibly losing him by waiting (there was a rumor, for instance, that Exantus was going to be prusuing his development in a combined academy/University experiment going on in Belgium), what do you do? You snap him up.

If they get anything out of him next year, it'll have been essentially for free.

[scoachd1]

It's really a product of the rules. Unlike the teams that have put more into their programs (and also have gotten less resistance from the local club scene), the Galaxy basically have one prospect that might reasonably become an MLS player. MLS let's you use one Generation Adidas contract on one of your own youth players at a time (though he could graduate quickly if he gets the PT).

For a team like the Red Bulls, they have several guys -- Walter Hines, Matt Kassel, Jonny Exantus--who could make the leap, but no dead-lock can't-miss blue-chippers.

So for the Red Bulls, signing one means you could wind up losing another, which creates something of an incentive to wait on all of them and see who progresses (especially if you think, as the Red Bulls did, that none of them would be productive their rookie year).

For the Galaxy, no such dilemma. If you only have one quality prospect, you can sign him with no impact to your cap or roster, and you risk possibly losing him by waiting (there was a rumor, for instance, that Exantus was going to be prusuing his development in a combined academy/University experiment going on in Belgium), what do you do? You snap him up.

If they get anything out of him next year, it'll have been essentially for free.

You gave a nice summary but I think it is even more clear cut than that. I think Bowen was the one and only Galaxy youth player in their program until they started forming teams for program in late summer. If so, they could not have possibly signed another player (quality or nor) for almost two more years at which time the rules will probably have been long changed after a few good players start signing elsewhere. I'd actually like to see a rule where you could take one or two GA's per team per year - possibly in exchange for giving up a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick.

[sostoked]

You gave a nice summary but I think it is even more clear cut than that. I think Bowen was the one and only Galaxy youth player in their program until they started forming teams for program in late summer. If so, they could not have possibly signed another player (quality or nor) for almost two more years at which time the rules will probably have been long changed after a few good players start signing elsewhere. I'd actually like to see a rule where you could take one or two GA's per team per year - possibly in exchange for giving up a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick.


I'd rather see unlimited pickings. Roster sizes are limited anyways...

[scoachd1]

I'd rather see unlimited pickings. Roster sizes are limited anyways...
But the rest of the league isn't going to agree to rules where LA could sign a unlimited amount of LA talent on Gen Adidas contracts.

[narko]

If a player comes through your academy, he shouldn't count against the salary cap or the roster limitations.

[Stan Collins]

If a player comes through your academy, he shouldn't count against the salary cap or the roster limitations. Bowen won't count against either, it's just that MLS has decided you can only have one such player at a time.

[narko]

Bowen won't count against either, it's just that MLS has decided you can only have one such player at a time.

;)

I know... I'm just saying... no player should

[SonicDeathMonkey]

Bowen won't count against either, it's just that MLS has decided you can only have one such player at a time.

Do you happen to know if it's one player a year, or one player at a time?

[Stan Collins]

You can bring in a player a year (actually, you can bring in two, but after that other teams would get to poach whoever you've got left), but to gain roster protection, like Bowen, it's only one at a time.