My question is: Who has the talent overflow this year? There are too many good players for 3 academies. Always, there's enough players for 4 Academy level teams and some years - as with the 94/95 group - there are enough good players for 5 or 6. Where are they this year? [snark]Just as an aside, I remember a number of years ago posting about how strong this IL 94/95 group was. Everyone shot me down as a homer. At this point, I think we're all pretty sure I was right...[/end snark]
The talent is spread out among the rest of the local clubs. "The Next Level" (below the academy level) continues to improve, with a number of programs having solid teams. Agreed there is enough talent for academy expansion, but only the 3 established academies have built the infrastructure to support the academy program. Eclipse has the infrastructure; we'll see if they can build the boys' side to the level they have developed the girls'. Any other organizations with the infrastructure to support a "true" academy? (I'm talking beyond a community level)
Michael Bradley (using the USSoccer twitter account) and Brad Guzan had this exchange yesterday: Never lost a game to Magic in my entire career @bguzan RT @brendanrennie25 How much better are the Sockers than the Magic?? #AskMB— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) September 4, 2013 @ussoccer @brendanrennie25 well you were two yrs younger, and as for the clubs, clearly the magic!— brad guzan (@bguzan) September 4, 2013
How did the 94/95 group proved to be strong? Is not just a question of enough talented players and proper infrastructure but also coaches. As for Eclipse, I'm not sure I've seen them build their boys program even after they had one team win the National title a few years back (of course, that group of boys left along with their coach to the Fire). I'm not even sure Rory has the ambition to compete with the Fire, Sockers and Magic on the boys side. He knows where his bread is buttered and that money is made on the girls side. Frankly, I'm not convinced that Chicago needs another DA club and that's because I don't think that there are that many good players or if there are, I don't think they have the ambition to be part of a DA club.
If we're talking REAL reality, then the true truth of the matter is that we don't need ANY DAs here. Now, based upon this warped version of such where we accept that the same group of 20 or so coaches and 3 organizations can have at their full disposal, for the last 20+ years, the most talented potential soccer players in a metro area the size of Chicago - while still not producing a single significant field player - then we need 4. You can also apply the same warped logic in reply to your first question. So, if you want to talk about real life soccer player development, there is no conversation to be had, because it is clear we are not doing any. But if we're talking the bizarro "development", then my arguments hold up.
I'm not interested in bizarro "development", whatever that is. I'm talking about real development. If 3 organizations can't do it for whatever period of time, then how is adding another DA club going to improve the reality? It would just be more of the same....."development" for college soccer, give me a break. Meanwhile Mister Klopas doesn't have one class player at the Fire produced by any of the 3 DAs in the area, especially one that is 18 years old. The blame is on the clubs, the coaches, the parents and the players. But for me, from all the coaches currently at the Fire, Magic and Sockers, only two know how to develop good players/good teams and they are not even coaching at the DA level. That says it all, really.
One U23 USMNT player from Naperville is about as close as we get in Chicago for that age on down (three other younger pool players). The issue isn't just Chicago, which by the way, for the population of this state, has a pathetic record of player development, but the entire US system. Not a single 20 to 23 year old player from the USA is rostered on any of the Champions League field of teams, whereas all those professional teams have one or several rostered of that 20 - 23 age group. No matter what we wish for, the Development Academy teams need to win. It feeds the prestige of the program, which fills the uLittles with players, and the clubs run for revenue (and pride), for profit, or not for profit. And, while Chicago isn't producing players, don't blame the clubs for trying, which they are doing in earnest. As said before, until the USA signs 15 year old players to binding pro contracts, which encourages development = value = asset, nothing will change. Ages 15 - 22 are the most critical for development. Under that age, USA can hang with anyone in the world. Then the ROW slowly separates itself from USA until by age 22, it's a non-issue, the best countries are miles ahead.
I disagree with you on this point of your post. But definitely agree on the others. My contention is that whoever has the 15-18 year olds has the responsibility to teach them properly.
I really do not think they try. In the case of my son he has played for one club for 9 years and has become a pretty good player. I ask him all the time do they ever tell you what you are doing wrong. His response is no evertything is good. My response to him is then Ishould be a lot richer being your agent lol. The thing with the DA are you get a good game every week and the kids seem to work out away to win. I have to agree 1000 percent until the clubs can get some skin out of players. Training in USA will stay the way it is for along time. The model for success is not there to improve.
This Sunday Fire/Magic Academies go head to head. First game U18 11:00 A.M. and continue until the final game u13/U14 at 3 P.M. What better way to spend a Sunday watching good youth soccer no matter what some on this Blog say.
I disagree that the DAs have to win games. I think they need to develop at least one 18-year old player per year who is ready for the MLS from the get go. Of course, on the other hand we need at least some MLS knuckleheads to give these players a chance to play in MLS rather than play those overpaid no-good headless chickens like Logan Pause for example. Why do we have to wait for players to become 25 years old to start playing some decent soccer? Can't we develop 18-year olds who can do that? Why is it important to win games when after 5-6 years there isn't even one good 18-year old (Chicago) DA developed player playing in MLS? Whenever that happens, that's "winning". Bingo!!! So far it ain't happening, before and since the creation of the DAs. And the parents aren't helping either.....
Reality has changed quite a bit since I started posting on this board. At this point, there is no reason we should not be developing young players - very good ones. We now have a better than viable pro league that kids really want to play in. We have well organized leagues 15-22. The better college players play May-November. Stop making excuses already and teach the kids how to play. I think though, that the coaches who hold the important jobs just can't get it done. I truly believe that if they could they would. There's no reason for them not to, and every incentive for them to do so. So this means either the top people need to move elsewhere, or the top jobs need to move elsewhere. I'm starting to believe the latter is more likely than the former.
I agree with everything you say......except that 18-22 year olds do not have a well organized league to play in. We need something between DA and MLS teams.....a reserves league. In theory, there is no reason why we can't develop better young players. But in reality the problem why we don't is the same as always.....the same coaches hold the important jobs of working with the talented players. After so many years, it's evident they can't get it done. So the question is, who is going to remove the current ones and replace them with different ones? Do the people who can do this task see the need to replace the coaches or are they just as "blind" to the issue? I don't think the top jobs will move elsewhere. They will remain at Magic, Sockers and Fire. We know that the top people at Sockers will never move. So that leaves Magic and Fire.
Looking at the Magic's Staff (website). Seems like they are adding some decent coaches to the mix as well as growing their girls program at a nice pace. That said - a few years out under LM, how does the club look these days in comparison to Sockers and Fire? And not just from a DA perspective - I am talking about he
Had to bring the thread back one last time. Chicago Magic vs. Chicago Fire tomorrow in Bridgeview stating at 11AM should be some very interesting games. Fire 18 is on a roll it is a young squad with some veteran players at key positions. The Magic is a veteran club but missing the scoring of A.Novakvich who is training in England. My money would be on the Fire but small field and a pretty good defense it is anyone’s game. The U15/16 game is a big game for the Magic which needs a win to keep its playoff hopes going, for the Fire they will not be punching any tickets to the playoffs this year at this age group. Not that they are lacking players at this age but more than a few are playing up an age group. The last match of the day 13/14 will be an interesting matchup. Last fall the Fire beat the Magic 6-1 let’s see if all the training this winter has done the Magic any favors. People always ask about American soccer well come out and watch the teams go at each other. A highlight many of these kids are going to play college soccer at some of the finest institutions in the country. We are proud of all of them.
2-1 Fire, two quick goals late in the first period. As one coach said not a bad game both team actually played some good soccer good soccer. Magic really needs a striker
Saw Sockers u14 girls (White) play CL Force yesterday. Sockers dominated the ball the entire game but their keeper popped the ball on a save instead of catching it - why these keepers do this is beyond me. Nonetheless a Force girl had a brilliant play and scored off of that taking the game to 1-0. Sockers later nailed a header - real beauty, off a corner kick and brought the match to 1-1. Sockers dominated the game however with excellent posession ball - using the entire field and running the Force girls pretty tired. They (Force) were nothing but physical - should have been at least a half dozen yellow cards out there and frankly I would have stopped play and warned the Force coach altogether. It amayzes me why parents buy into the sort of game that the Force played. One player stood out and the rest of the team had no basic fundementals at all. Like I said - just a run and dump and playing the player - not the ball. They hustled to the ball as best as they could but in addition they wanted the win more. It's a retention and a pride thing for them to beat a big club and sometimes - that's enough to pull out a win or even a tie in this case. But at the end of the day as a parent, I would rather have my kid playing posession with control of the field then just pounding around pusing players off the ball.
So it looks like improvements across the board in the area. Magic have had some solid success with the boys at the top of the heap while building out a strong girls program. While I cannot comment on the Fire Jr boys end, they are logging in an astounding 63 girls teams for Fall 2014! Not sure of the quality of coaching as many of the teams I have seen were not that good but it's a HUGE pool of players nonetheless. With the right coaches and ideology they could develop into a more serious club for females to play. Sockers FC did not fair well in Regionals this past weekend - watered down girls teams with ECNL taking away the top plays to Seattle did not help. The boys struggled but on the DA side they have done very well indeed! Not sure what happened to their Wisconsin clubs that they had just over a year ago? Napeville is growing while McHenry is struggling with multiple other clubs in the area. But overall I believe these clubs are on an upswing with player talent and numbers.
I coach out west. My experience with your top clubs are that they provide really good, structured, coaching. Possibly too structured, but I believe that may be a smarter way to go considering your big, big, handicap. Although your players are good athletes and show good discipline, my impression is that you will never be able to overcome the difficulty of trying to develop soccer players with your.... weather. Indoor is all fine and dandy. Makes a big difference, but nothing replaces the ability to play 6 days a week, hours on end, outside. I can't imagine what it would be like to go out in that weather 4-5 days a week and try to play or coach the game. All in all, I think the Chicago area does a really good job. Your weather isn't an excuse, its reality.
I must be out of it - or no longer care as much, but I just realised that Lemont Raiders went to Fire Juniors. I heard this at Soccer City over the weekend - guess Fire took a handful of players under their wing and the rest feel like outcasts - moving on to other clubs for Spring if not sooner. Fire are just buying a large pool - albeit they are going after groups with potential and success (Raiders/Legends and more...). Sockers now have two former Magic coaches - recently added Ducci. However I would sure like to see them expand a bit more as well. Not that I agree with building a bigger talent pool to piece together better teams at the top - as much as I think the development style of play is better served being expanded beyond their current 3 locations.