Ha Ha Buzz's list of future FCD homegrown signings lists almost everybody! And doesn't include all of the NCAA players! Cerrillo looks to me like "the next Victor Ulloa." Maybe not a kid that's going to get on a national team radar, but could have a long career at this level. Rock Steady. Quiet heartbeat of the U19s while others in the academy have garnered the headlines. I'm surprised Buzz pegged Sealy as the other he wants to see signed right away. Maybe its because Sealy has been playing so far "up an age group," but he still looks really raw to me. Got a ways to go, as does Beni Redzic. Both seem to have fallen out of the US U17 reckoning (of course kids like Pomykal, Richards, Roberts, Cannon, McKennie, etc. from FCD did as well). The idea of NTX is to give kids like Sealy and Redzic a place to develop. We'll see.
Here is a twitter thread with forum-related youths in MLS preseason camps: DA/unsigned youth players included in MLS preseason:— Joey (@USAprospects) January 23, 2019 A few interesting ones, I like Sebastian Berhalter playing with the Crew. There are quite a few 02s out there as well
I am high on Cerrillo and think he will surpass Ulloa's production and ability if given the chance and minutes. However, they have been talking about his signing around there for many months so wonder what the hold up is? He should be on the MLS roster and not the USL roster in my view. Particularly if they lose Gruezo. The rest of that list was just throwing out names. Rezdic is not at the pro level yet and needs to show a lot more before I would put him in that category. Loses the ball way to much and production is way down this year. I could see Sealy and Rezdic getting a chance at the USL team but verdict is out on pro potential. FCD has a history of signing a lot of kids (more than any Academy) but not producing many true pro players (Ulloa, Acosta, Cannon) out of upwards of 20 signings. The story is still being written as the current crop look to be their best yet (Roberts, Pomykal, Ferrara) so time will tell.
Agree but will add that the initial group seems to have given insight that players that deserve a HG offer need to be more than only technical. Very similar to Tab's first U20 group. Once they are playing against men who are extremely fast and physical they need to be pretty athletic them selves. Sure Ronaldo and Messi are very technical but they are also extremely fast and quick. The newer players at FCD getting HG offers are just as technical while being better athletes and the U20's are doing the same thing. I actually think the US has a huge advantage on most of the rest of the world here just because the population is so large. IF they can also be as technical as other countries soon.
FCD has probably learned a lot from all the HG signings they have had and now are more focused on what works. Your post reminds me of a conversation I had with the head coach at a major D1 program in the ACC. He said he had a kid one year that was the most technical player he had ever seen but he couldn't put him on the field because of his lack of athleticism. You definitely need both. Kids like Pomykal and Roberts have deceptive speed to go along with great touch, vision and balance. I still worry the MLS may be too much of a brutish league for skilled players but that is changing as well. This year will be exciting to watch.
https://www.dcunited.com/post/2019/01/22/dc-united-sign-academy-product-donovan-pines Official announcement for Pines
https://www.sjearthquakes.com/post/...-academy-product-cade-cowell-homegrown-player San Jose signs Cade Cowell
Interesting since he only moved there in September, according to this article: https://www.sjearthquakes.com/post/...er-cade-cowell-among-newcomers-quakes-academy Also, it appears SJ likes signing their kids. I wonder if they'll like playing them. It would also be nice if they had a USL team, but alas.
Yeah, Cowell is from the Modesto area. I think this is a desire to lock him down. He has only ever played one game above the U17 level in the DA, so it would make sense if he stayed in the DA for at least another year.
San Jose have talked the talk. Will be interesting to see how they walk the walk. A bunch of their kids are still really young. Akanyirige just turned 17 in December. Fuentes is about to turn 17. Perhaps a debut for those kids this season, but I'm not expecting to hear from them for another year. And you are certainly right that San Jose is one club that we can now get after regarding a USL team.
We're getting a daily media blitz regarding the young'uns at FCD. I'll keep posting it I guess................ Youth movement at Gonzalez's #FCDallas? Homegrowns know "nothing is given" https://t.co/fkjNJCgyQf more fine work from @crooke86— 3rd Degree (@3rdDegreeNet) January 23, 2019
Cade Colwell is the type that Seattle has built their academy on recently as lots of the best Sounder's prospects are Hispanic Americans from overlooked places like the Central Valley.
New from me: Until the Union sign their new midfield general, Brenden Aaronson is getting the keys to the creative engine.The Union really like the 18-year-old Medford native, who plays what he calls 'a magical position': https://t.co/zL0VJmAMJm— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) January 23, 2019
I just hope Luchi doesn't fall into the rut of playing the same players all the time, even if they are not producing as Oscar did. I foresee the starting lineup on day one as : 1. Gonzalez in goal ( I prefer Maurer) 2. Cannon Right Back 3. Hedges CB 4. Ziegler CB 5. Pedroso LB 6. Gruezo Holding 7. Acosta the number 8 8. Pablo at the 10 9. Barrios on right wing 10. Santiago on left wing 11. THE COBRA at the 9. This would be his safest lineup and what I expect to see. Hopefully Pax plays on either wing a lot, Thomas plays for and overtakes Pablo, and Cerillo gets time in the middle. In truth with Pax and Servania being gone on U20WC duty a lot it may hurt their time on the field for FCD. Ready to get it started.
It’s not like the U20 WC is 3 months long. Dallas and everyone has half their schedule remaining after the U20 WC.
Figure with camps, warm up tournaments, and then WC that is lot of time away from the team. FCD doesn't like players missing and you can definitely get knocked down a rung if you miss time with the group, at least in the Academy when Luchi was there.
The same Kellyn Acosta that was run out of Frisco last year? Just kidding, I hope you are right and Pax and Servania and maybe Jesus play in the U20WC and then come back to light it up and start for FCD, and then move on to Europe.
Fuentes debuted last season. I still don't expect many minutes for him this year, but he does have that under his belt. Hopefully consistent appearances in USL this season.