We sorta keep track of it in the US Youth National Team forums. Maybe not with a list that we keep up with, but with a lot of debate and discussion. If you're excited by this sort of discussion, you should join us! There are very few impact players that enter the draft these days after the first 10 picks regardless of age. And so many of our elite youngsters are now in MLS academies (or in the process of moving to academies like US U17 Josh Sargent), that the first round of the draft is very much dominated by foreign-born players. That trend is just going to continue as MLS academies continue to exert their influence. Your list keeps growing, by the way. Three more have been added. Reggie Cannon of FCD from UCLA, Nick Lima of the Quakes out of Cal, and Jose Hernandez of RSL out of UCLA. FCD in particular, has signed four homegrown players since September (Pomykol, Ferreira, Reynolds, and Cannon). They've also lost potential homegrown signings McKennie to Schalke and Montalvo to Tigres. Its like an assembly line. The average age of FCD's first team right now is ~23 years old!
Thanks for the reply... only saw it today. To your one comment about the draft. MLS just posted an article today on what happened to draftee's. In the coming years I expect only first rounders to make MLS teams, while the draft becomes about catching college kids who slipped through academy cracks, and stocking USL reserve teams. http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/...spective-how-did-last-years-class-fare-season
In fact the coaching staff/front office of FC Dallas' USL affiliate, OKC Energy, is with FCD at the combine. In other words, FCD is basically drafting for their USL affiliate. With all of their homegrown signings recently, they have very few roster slots available.
the american public needs to get wowed, the mls academies for all their good...do not produce magic...hence the mls has some attendence problems with many teams..everyone knows this. When Maradona deduted at 15 years of age..the coach's instructions were...nutmeg the first opponent that comes at you and enjoy yourself..the rest is history.. tactics can be learned so on and so forth later at around 16,17. But children should be encouraged to be ball hogs,the ones that have any talent will developed the rest can play recreational soccer. We all know bigger is not better in soccer... Who's tearing it up in the mls currently...the short,skinny kids from Argentina,Paraguay,etc..with an Argentine coach no less...that should be the model in developing magic,,,then and only then should it be paired with German engineered soccer. oh try getting grass fields in the middle of cities...
@kevinminkus presenting "Improving Long-term #MLS Roster Management with Survival Analysis" #GLASC @MLS pic.twitter.com/1zt2xmZboe— Analytics Conference (@AnalyticsConf) July 13, 2017 slides https://github.com/kcm30/prospect-d...Improving_Long_Term_MLS_Roster_Management.pdf
Nobody talks about the great deals is for MLS homegrown the sell of Davies to Bayern? And the new kids are start this years, and the progressive growth the products of the academies? Tyler Adams, Davies, Chris durkin, James Sands, George Bello, G. Busio, Wan Kuzain, Jaylin Lindsey, Jeremy Ebobisse, Cole Bassett, Reggie Cannon, Liam Fraser, etc... I think this is just the tip of the iceberg
Odd you missed probably the 2nd or so biggest group which is half of the starting lineup of RSL. In addition to the 3-4 that just bailed on the academy to sign in Europe.
It's true, RSL has make a amazing job, with the kids...they have a excellent team, and a lot are home grown...
Sorry, I just came back to big soccer and I am wondering why these threads are all dead? Is there another place to discuss this and MLS next / mls next pro, etc?