Sergiño Dest

Here's a post I made on the Sept friendlies thread. Maybe its a better fit here.

On the fence with what to do with him the next week.

1. Play him and show him that USSF is committed to him like we have been for YEARS.
or
2. Just have him in camp but don't play him a minute this time around. Tell him we want a commitment come the Nations League. One way or the other but we aren't giving you minutes, taking time away from other committed players, until you decide.

You can certainly go about it professionally and cordially. Tell him they understand he has a a tough decision to make. But we have limited first team minutes and they need to be used as best we can.

 

I think you play him against Mexico.

You expose him to football at that level. If he flops, he won’t hear from Holland any time soon. If he enjoys it and does well, I think he buys in. If he still remains uncommitted, you figure out the best path at that time.

 

We have to test players for WCQing. Unless he commits, give Dest some time, but not all of the time at RB.

 

Trying to play games with the kid sounds like a poor strategy to me. Call him in, let him make the decision. He hasn't turned down a call yet. If he does, then deal with it. But preemptively holding him on the bench as some sort of ultimatum or punishment for something that may or may not happen is a recipe for creating a problem.

 

Shrug. We're pretty far away from playing important games.
Plenty of time to prepare for WCQing later.

If you're going to bring him into this camp, go ahead and play him.
These are just friendlies. You don't have to start him, but give him a taste of this level.

He and Berhalter probably had an honest conversation already about his status.

THe USSF has been aggressive with Dest, making him an important part of his U17 cycle, his U20 cycle, and now called him up quickly to the USMNT. Not much more they can do. If he still chooses Holland, then we just have to respect that decision.

 

I agree that you still have to go through the process like you would with any other player.

I did find it funny that Dest was visibly insulted by the Dutch call-up to their U23's. You could see the "nah, man" look on his face. He was also appreciative of the level of preferential treatment he has been given by the US. Players do want to feel wanted, like they're part of a family of sorts. I imagine that he probably has that with the Nats to some degree.

 

He hinted he would make his decision soon. That aligns with the Nations League cap tying games in a month. Not sure which way he will decide but I'll guess he makes his decision then if called by the US. I'll also guess he says yes but it's just a hunch on my part.

 

I dunno how you can deduct that from the video, but I already admiited not being good at reading people's faces or body language.
So let's suppose you're right. In that case he's a prick that hasnot a clue about his standing in the pecking order of the Orange squad. Koeman doesnot call up guys that feature in Klopps dream selection, nor high quality youngsters that are in the Young Orange squad and already have proven themselves a whole season first team play. He was a last minute decision by Ajax to offer him a contract out of the Young Ajax squad, not like others at the start or half way the season. That indicates that he was still a doubt in the minds of the staff if he was Ajax material.
He took his chances, which is great for him, but still for being considered for the iconic Orange shirt has shown nothing that that warrants even considering selection. So if you're right and he feels pissed, I say : "Piss off".
Some posters came in with: "but...but Ajax...first team...mighty Ajax ..."
Let's be clear about that. He's not established first team starter at all. He just had the opportunity due to certain circumstances.
On top of that we had other backs from Ajax that were far more integrated, played many CL/EL matches and were hyped to the hilt by Ajax fans and press/media. They made it into the Orange team with that far more impressive resume than ...what does Dest have to show ...These guys went down the drain and are now nowhere to be seen. Ricardo van Rijn was one of them. Tete was another.
Dest hasnot got a scratch of what these guys brought in when selected as Orange players.

 

Gotta say that I panicked a little on hearing the news. But after some thought it seems like a throwaway gesture by the Oranje. The number one reason being that they did not qualify for the Olympics and there is literally no YNT tournament left that he can play for Netherlands. So what can they say to him? Hey, we never talked and you will never play for us but think about us just in case you get good enough to play for the full NT. That's just CYA.

Edit: Actually he would be eligible for the UEFA u21 in 2021 and the 2024 olympics.

 

You are 100% right. I think people underestimate the luxury the Dutch have in terms of multiple quality players at most positions and elite players at some. They don't need to make speculative call-ups like the US does. If Dest does indeed stick with the United States, short of him becoming the next Jordi Alba, they will not miss him.

And I will say I like Dest but he's not a "can't miss prospect" at this point. Julian Green was playing minutes in the Bundesliga as a teenager. Now, I would be surprised if he ends up playing at the level Green is currently playing at because I think his technical skills and understanding of the game are better but if he ultimately settles in at an Alfredo Morales (mid-table Bundesliga starter) or Tim Ream (upper English Championship) level, would that really surprise anyone? I'd venture to say that's significantly more likely than him becoming the next right back at Bayern or Juventus. But, for the US, we need all the Bundesliga/upper Eredivisie starters we can get. For the Dutch, not so much.

 

Isn't he playing games with us? It works both ways.

There are finite caps available. We need more than one RB.

 

Not really. WCQing starts in less than a year.

 

He's a teenage kid with a giant decision in front of him with friends and family members on both sides of the divide. US soccer is supposed to be a responsible organization above getting petty with young players just coming into their own with a lot to decide. Getting tough accomplishes only creating conflict. Maybe things change if he declines a call, but that hasn't happened yet.

 

Agreed, for many reasons. Call him up and don't waste his time - he's a busy man. Mostly, it plays up one considerable advantage we have over the Netherlands, the immediate (opportunity for) playing time.

 

I'm pretty sure the cat's out of the bag now - hope it wasn't one of you guys who spilled the beans.

 

It's not just a luxury, players are eager to play in that iconic shirt worn by the greatests in the game ever and consider it a privilige to wear it. As such players do the utmost to reach a level of quality as high as they can in the hope it's enough to be that wanted as a selection player. They go through the Young Orange drills to see if they really are good enough to make the jump.
It's the players drive to become better and better that is the reason why the Orange squad is already for decades one of the leading teams in the world.
If we would be a team that needs begging and sucking up a nobody, it would mean we arenot one of the leading soccer nations. In that case we would be bottom dwellers.
Just remember, we did brush aside in the Nations League group the reigning World Champion and the preceding World Champion and in the semi final whiped out the WC 2018 semi finalist. This team and these players would be an insult to Dest because he wasnot given a straight pass into it? Really?
How delusional one can get if you really think that kind of stuff.

 

berhalter all in on dest, you love to see it

 

Smart decision. Gregg seems like a smart guy.

By doing this you 1) Publicly exemplify institutional reward for climbing the ladder at high level clubs, 2) Publicly exemplify institutional reward for commitment to the US Youth National Teams, 3) Expose Dest to the US/Mexico rivarly, 4) Test Dest against high level international competition, and 5) Show the players that positions are open for competition.

 

He has performed very well in the US set-up. He has put in work there. I would imagine that he believes that he has proven himself in the opportunities he was given. He had an outstanding performance in the U20 World Cup, a tournament that Holland did not earn a place in.

If I was Dest, I would rightly believe that I have already outperformed much of my Dutch cohort and do not need to take a step backward in a trial period to compete against them.

 

This is some good news. Kinda odd to declare a starter before game day, but I'm on board!

We can only hope Egg is learning a bit...took his first year to putz around, waste a bit of time, go with some of the lame experience to try to win a Gold Cup, and now he's moving on.

I sincerely doubt it, based on his words about Toronto's Lions and some of his other call-ups, but this with Dest and calling up Morales gives me hope. Sure, it's very very slight hope, but that's more than i've had the last 5 years.

 

I also found it very odd that he stated he will start. Anyone know the broader context of the conversation or interview? It’s strange also that that’s the only that seems to be out there today.

 

I've always been hopeful because he played in MLS but also Holland and Germany. He'd have to be very dumb to think all MLS players are better than players at Champions League teams in Europe. I think he is very deliberate but not dumb. It may not be as fast as a lot of us want but a lot of times former players who are now coaches don't want to rush prospects before they're ready and set them back if they have a few bad games.

 

You're probably more optimistic than I am, but I hope you are right. This is a guy who has what, maybe 3 or 3.5 years in the job, and he's effectively wasted 33% of that on Trapp/Bradley/Lovitz/Zardes.

I'd like to think he's improving, but how many managers would be able to ignore a guy playing Champions League/regular Dutch league minutes as an 18 year old? The more hopeful one for me is Morales, and I hope he gets a legit chance in these games vs. a "well, we brought him in, but Trapp showed more in practice, so he only earned 30 min sub appearance."

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence.