Wow. My thoughts were not along the ODP model (i.e. bringing players in once a month for some training). My thoughts are more in line with what they do in France. From what I've read, they go out, scout the best kids and bring them to train them the whole week, then go play with their clubs on the weekend. I do agree that the current clubs will never be happy about it.
The problem with what Bill's talking about-- {edit, in fairness to Bill, he might not have figured out that your post was dated 2009} --is that ten people armed with just their fists are more powerful than one guy with a knife. So you don't just walk into the saloon with your knife showing and say "I'm taking what I want here." Since you don't have a gun, you're a lot better off with a smile on your face and the knife well-hidden. You wait, you co-opt some of them, until there's only one guy willing to step to you . . . and then you cut his ass up. What I'm saying is, MLS is not powerful enough (the 'gun' in the metaphor would be objective, irrefutable proof that MLS youth systems do a better job) to walk in to the room of the people who control the system--the parents--and say 'you've been had, these guys are selling you snake oil, come with me, this Aspiring thing I've got really works' and expect them to believe you. People who've been getting taken for years and years almost by definition don't believe they're getting taken, so telling them they're getting taken without strong evidence is worse than useless; it just tips your enemies off to your approach. The parents, as I said, control the system. The reason youth soccer has developed as a bunch of shysters is because parents, who know nothing about how the game really works, are particularly susceptible some sweet talk and a funny accent. Also, MLS is really late to this party, and the 'shysters' have not only smoothed out their act, they've started to try to legitimize themselves, as any mafia will do. The youth soccer scene, on its own, had already evolved to the point where some clubs at the top were trying for and delivering more than winning 'the 18th Annual Pointless Local Cup' every year. Sure, they still resort to the old stat-padding Pointless Cup shortcuts whenever they need a cheap boost, but the Chicago Magic also sent Jon Spector to ManU. It's even worse when you're a team that doesn't exist yet or just started to exist. The one thing worse than snake-oil is vapor ware, and your sales pitch as a youth development system had better not look like the pipe dream of an out-of-town owner that's just gotten a new toy. If you're gong to "take people on," you'd better do it with a product that, well, exists. All of that describes where the Sounders were in 2009. So they spent a year playing nice, doing the co-opting including Mr. McCormick, proving that they are not going anywhere, and that the Sounders are the kind of brand (30,000 STHs) that people want to be a part of . . . and now it's time to take care of all family business.
The Sounders had an academy player play for their 'reserves' last Friday in a 3:1 win over Oregon State U. Sean Okoli http://ussda.demosphere.com/teams/10876653/10994847-10876678/11995470.html
He can't be labeled a homegrown as he was a member of the U-17 NT. The best shots on the Sounders roster are Sean Okoli, DeAndre Yedlin or Ryan Herman. Those three have been called into national camps (in addition to palodichuck)
If he gets in enough practice time with the Sounders FC Academy, yes, he (Paloduchnik) can be labeled home grown. The actual rule is 80 training dates over 12 months. And, it is not related to the U18 group alone. A player can be added to the Home Grown list at any time from the U14 age group up. In order to be a “Home Grown Player” for an MLS team, the player must train 80 dates over a 12 month period of time preceding the Home Grown Player distinction. These rules can change but this is the current rule for players in the MLS youth systems. ---Sounders Youth Director Darren Sawatzky
"Members of the U17, U20, and U23 U.S. National Teams cannot be added to an MLS team's Home Grown Player List, but a player already on a Home Grown Player List can maintain that status if selected for a U.S. National team at a later date." This is directly from the NY Red Bull website. Palodichuck was a member of the U-17 national team. Darren's response to your email was (my guess) about service time, not about this.
Those 'rules' can be appealed using special circumstances, such as...Seattle had yet to establish its Academy / roster when Nick went US. http://www.examiner.com/x-413-Seatt...ademy-teams?cid=exrss-Seattle-Soccer-Examiner The Sounders are 'nice' enough to have a guy on the squad who they can't claim, because he is a local who needs the extra work. However, they are also crafty enough to be working on an exception / change of the rule.
GS, I guess I don't understand why it would matter. Whether not Sounders youth team was in existence, Palodichuck was still a member of the U-17 National team.
We all know that MLS has a bad habit of making up rules on the fly. The league hasn't had to confront complex situations regarding youth academies because they haven't been around long enough. The Dilly Duka example didn't set a good precedent for Seattle's chances of "claiming" Palodichuk, but's not a perfect example because Duka was older when he joined up with New York. I think it's a positive thing for Seattle one way or the other. If they can't count him a homegrown player, if he turns out well they can at least hold him up as an example of a "product" of the Sounders academy when recruiting kids down the line.
Upoladed some insider videos today from Sounders FC Academy tryouts: http://www.examiner.com/x-413-Seatt...dmonton-kid-tries-out-for-Sounders-FC-Academy
New article on Sounders academy: http://www.soundersfc.com/News/Articles/2011/02-February/Beyond-the-Field.aspx
BTW, if anyone is curious there was an Academy Open House session a couple days ago that an ECS member went to and gave a pretty thorough write-up about, here: http://www.weareecs.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=75&t=12028 Not tons of new info, but more detail on what the plan is.
It sounders very professional. With the quality of the Sounders' DA teams this season, and with a good plan going forward, I think we'll see some decent homegrown signings in the next few years.