Because he’s also reporting on the draft and players coming into the league. It’s not all about the US U-20 team I’m sure Cincinnati fans (and there are many of them) care how he plays
The MLS draft stopped being interesting years ago. They've stopped airing it on TV. The draft has lost most of its good prospects due to homegrown deals, more players playing professional soccer at an earlier age and players leaving earlier than in the past. If you are watching the game, I think there would be more interest in telling his readers about Durkin or Taitague than Amaya or Dorsey. The metrics could say otherwise though.
I guarantee the SuperDraft will be trending on Twitter. The SuperDraft isn't nearly as important, but Americans love drafts in any sport. Plus, Cincy has a huge fan base and I'm sure they're interested in what Ives reported.
Really encouraging about Taitague: Others who impressed in the #USMNT U-20s vs U-19s : Chris Durkin, Paxton Pomykal, Ayo Akinola, Samuel Fowler, Blaine Ferri, Ben Mines, Julian Araujo, Jesus Ferreira to name a few.— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) January 9, 2019
Sometimes things are covered because the media likes having a paid junket to Florida. The Draft and Combine are easy trips to sell to editors. Nobody wants these things to end, so they keep hyping it. Sounds like MLS HQ has crunched the numbers on flying all these college players in and hosting them and realizing quick what a monumental waste of money it is. Especially when most will be in USL at best.
A bit off topic, but I've been wondering for the longest time what exactly was U17 keeper Chituru Odunze's connection to the US. Some sources have claimed he was born in England and raised in Canada, so I was thinking an American parent. After some digging, turns out it's his birth in North Carolina. Also, surprisingly, he does not have Canadian citizenship yet. If he plays a match for the US in the CONCACAF U17s -- say, in the last match of the group stage -- and hasn't yet obtained Canadian citizenship, then he can never play for Canada, just like Diego Fagundez can't play for the USMNT. Born in North Carolina, the 6-foot-7 goalkeeper moved to London, England at a young age, spending time in the @ChelseaFC Academy, before settling in Calgary, Alberta.#VWFC— Whitecaps FC MLS Academy (@WFCAcademy) November 26, 2018
A lot of US soccer media types have gravitated towards specializations. Galarcep has always covered the combine and the draft fairly closely. Back when SBI was more influential, he also covered college soccer more closely than many. TBH it feels like there's a lot less coverage of the combine/draft this year than in years past. There are plenty of problems in US soccer. US soccer journalists covering a US soccer-related event that's happening during the offseason when not much else going on is a weird thing to get irritated about.
The metrics don't say otherwise. Almost no one cares about college soccer or the draft. Ives has totally scaled back his coverage over the last decade, he used to do video interviews from the combine with guys like Jalil Anibaba and Will Bruin and whatnot but eventually stopped, because who cares? He said as much recently, here: But here's what you're missing: sending a couple tweets about Amaya and Dorsey takes almost no effort, and in fact does not in any way interfere with also sending tweets about Taitague or Durkin... They're not mutually exclusive. Which is why he did both. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dichotomies
Everybody knows that the draft has now become a search for the "hidden gem." The young player that can be developed into at least an MLS-caliber player. Maybe that is Amaya in the right environment. We've been hearing in a number of places, not just from Ives, that Amaya is being looked at for a top selection in the draft. Ives isn't making this stuff up out of thin air. Of course he's going to pay attention to him and report on his performance. By the way, there's also been a lot of reporting that a lot of teams are trying to trade down in the draft in order to pick up assets. That includes FC Dallas at #4 (the pick they got for Kellyn Acosta). I think this draft crop looks particularly weak, and clubs are looking to see if they can pick up any GAM/TAM/WHAM whatever in exchange.
The United States U-20 team defeated the U.S. U-19's yesterday 2-0 with goals coming from Nick Taitague (by all accounts the MOTM) and Anthony Fontana.— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) January 9, 2019
I heard 1 of the 2 goals was from a PK in the 2nd half and that Fowler and especially Shakes, had some amazing saves to keep the score close.
Good to see Ferri called out by name as Gruther Furth probably doing good things for him. Pax playing well as usual and hopefully this is a springboard to getting overseas. Would anticipate there are a number of euro scouts there watching.
Is it simply cost or is it laziness or is there some higher reason that the games from this camp are not streamed?
You've made me long for the days when it would've made perfect sense to use my ample free time to watch YNT intrasquad scrimmages. If that kind of thing is important to you, my advice is don't have kids.
Back in the day I knew Deadheads who seemingly had mysterious financial sources and could just follow the band from city to city. I mean, it's great listening to Morning Dew and St. Stephen, but what what else is going on. Maybe when I hit the lottery I'll be a USYNT groupie and watch the U20s scrimmage the U19s to my heart's content.
Fun day at U20 @ussoccer_ynt camp after tough match vs U19s yesterday. ...... Soccer Tennis Champions ! 🏆 @Jesusfcd27 @brandonservania @stotlezarris and Ato Akinola. pic.twitter.com/9rEPYGhsLb— Tab Ramos (@RamosTab) January 9, 2019
Here's one team's valuation of the draft: The story:Union trade all their MLS draft picks to FC Cincinnati, deciding draft isn’t of much use https://t.co/e6eIR1Ny2r via @phillydotcom— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) January 10, 2019
There's a lot to chew on in the article attached to the Tannenwald tweet: http://www.philly.com/soccer/mls-su...incinnati-20190110.html?__vfz=medium=sharebar I'm not sure I would trust the Union to lead the way on this, but there must be general agreement on the declining value of the college draft. Still, it was surprising to read that the draft won't even produce 13 quality players - the Union have the 13th pick - and that 5 draft picks (including the 13th) could be had for a relative pittance.
Philly has a USL team and an aggressive academy. They've got plenty of ways to bring in prospects and roster fodder. Arguably they got Cincinnati to pay them to not have to care who the Galaxy just took with the 60th pick.
It's amazing how quickly things change. We can all remember when not only were all the 1st rounders making MLS rosters, but much of the 2nd rounders as well. And who can forget those hidden gems coming out of the 3rd and 4th rounds. HG signings, guys leaving for Europe, plus the influx of promising young prospects from South America have all contributed to the diminishment of the draft. Aside from a few GA players, the rest are 22-23 year old guys who have little hope of becoming MLS regulars.