I've also seen that Sargent won't be playing first team this year. However, I doubt it has to do with the transfer window as he is not being transferred.
From San Pedro Sula to Salt Lake City, @RealSaltLake's @dannyacosta117 is living the American dream: https://t.co/ydArn4Sd4g pic.twitter.com/66J8F1HmLi— Major League Soccer (@MLS) February 2, 2018 Danny Acosta. Good read about his journey, growing up in San Pedro Sula, making it to the RSL first team. God knows we need gritty players who fight and love the game. God knows we need a left back.
The closest career path wise to Pulisic (if not age when it occurred) is Parks IMO. Prestigious club, yo yo between 1st and 2nd team, one off the jewels of the B team snapping around the first teams heels, highly regarded by the coach, and he passes the eye test to most. Not to mention his game is just so damn intriguing, is he a larger deuce? Or does his calmness on the ball remind you of Matic? He has a little bit of that Pogba magic, he tackles fairly well but doesn’t really impress a gritty defensive midfielder. He’s my pick.
The difference is that Parks is soon-to-be-21 and Pulisic "broke out" when he was 17. Pulisic's timeline and career path is an outlier. We kind of have to set it aside.
Especially, considering the type of club Dortmund is. However, at a far lesser club, Amon is on Pulisic's trajectory. The Danish league starts back up in 8 days and Amon is looking like a consistent starter possibly. The Danish league has actually produced a lot of talent lately.
Of course Jonathan Amon is like 6 months younger than Christian Pulisic. Trajectory is nowhere close. That's not to say I don't like Jonathan Amon. I haven't seen enough of him to have formed an opinion. Pulisic really benefited from his Croatian passport and was able to start in Europe at 16. Most of are prospects don't have this luxury. By the way, folks might be interested in this tweet from Corey Gibbs. He's in Germany right now with Weston McKennie, Atlanta United academy product Zyen Jones, and current FCD academy defender Christopher Richards. Jones was recently trialing at Schalke, etc. while Richards turns 18 in March. Richards supposedly really impressed at the recent USYNT summit. Guiding the boys in the right direction. The bottom picture sums up the relationship between us. Good times in Germany and a bright future for these 3 boys! @WMckennie @Kingzyen @eastmamba @#TeamWass #Germany @s04_en @s04 @ussoccer @DFB pic.twitter.com/9mgmhsiyOo— Cory Gibbs (@corygibbs) February 1, 2018 I also really like this little video posted by Corey of Eddie Johnson training with recent MLS Superdraft pick and Gen Adidas forward Mason Toye. My boy @eddie_johnson7 getting @MasonToye98 ready for the #2018MLSCombine. Hard work and dedication pays off! I love it boys! @mls #Priorities pic.twitter.com/9asFBNVnLL— Cory Gibbs (@corygibbs) January 8, 2018
CCV in a Championship team of the week. Still just the one cap. Championship Team of the Week 👏👏👏👏Full league statistics: https://t.co/7094SxKrhN pic.twitter.com/UC1FsieWCo— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) February 4, 2018
I want to see Richards play more before I say he's one of our elite young players, but based on the one game I've watched, I'd say he looks to be on that trajectory. I don't know if he'll be a "2018 breakout youngster" for first team playing time just because he can't sign with FC Dallas or Schalke until the summer, but I think during 2018 he could be recognized as one of the top up and coming young American players.
Couldn’t agree more. Richards was definitely one of the players who stood out in the few games I got to see of the DA last year. Seems like Schalke is determined to try out every American. It’s like they’re just watching our DA teams and trying to pick up any player they can. Hopefully, they’ve seen something other teams haven’t and all of these kids turn into studs for them. I know there are other teams scouting, but Schalke seems to be the most active.
Schalke and the Bundesliga clubs aren't alone. Just go to the Dallas Cup and watch the swarm of scouts from all around the world there (and at other events). Especially LIga MX and FMF scouts................. Clubs are looking for any method in recruiting that'll give them a competitive advantage over their rivals. Players like Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Jonathan Gonzalez, etc. are available in the US on free transfers.
Based on discussion in this thread, some may find this interesting.............. Report: FC Dallas and Bayern Munich sign talent development deal https://www.bigdsoccer.com/2018/2/1...as-bayern-munich-sign-talent-development-deal
Is this just FCD holding a grudge against Schalke? Or is it BM doing what it does, see what is working for its rivals and buy it? Maybe both. Would think it would be better for the players to have a deal with Schalke, which at least shows great interest in American players and has developed them. Need more information on the deal. Probably just sending coaches and players in the off season to train.
Well, I don't think think it has anything to do with a grudge against Schalke. We don't know if Schalke was interested in this sort of relationship. A little more information came out today. Three FCD homegrowns (Cannon, Reynolds, and Pomykal) have already taken a trip to train in Munich. That was in December. So yes, FCD taps into Bayern's methods for player development, coaching development, etc. From the Bayern point of view they're using FCD to tap into the US market. In the future you might see Bayern youngsters, like Julian Green of a few years ago, come to FC Dallas. And they'll perhaps be able to grab the "next Weston McKennie," as well as tap into FCD's scouting network in North America. #FCBayern and @MLS side @FCDallas partner to create pathways to professional soccer.📰 https://t.co/7uqfCMlrU9 pic.twitter.com/4NZkQMMzWk— 🇺🇸 FC Bayern US 🇨🇦 (@FCBayernUS) February 13, 2018 "They recognize the top young American talent comes from FC Dallas" - @DanHuntFCD on partnering with @FCBayernUS ➡️ https://t.co/1eeSqkAyB6 pic.twitter.com/ivOA555Q22— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) February 13, 2018
There seems to be a German rule that amateur players signing their first pro contract can't appear in competitive games unless they are registered within a transfer window. Junior Flores got caught by this but Haji Wright avoided it by signing a deal with the Cosmos first. Some speculated that Sargent had signed the same kind short term deal that would get around this restriction but it looks like he didn't.
Joe Scally (turned 15 on December 31) just put in a good shift for NYCFC during the preseason against a Liga Ascenso team. I've mentioned before in the 2016-17 thread that I think he was the most under the radar player in the U-17 cycle, but I think that was underestimating his game. Best field player for that cycle right now, IMO. Scally looks like he could compete in this NYCFC team right now. He's so good athletically, and that might be cause for concern that he could be out-athleting everyone his age, but he's also pretty much the youngest player in his age group, and now showing up against grown men, so I think the concerns are lessened. He's a very good defender, a very smart footballer, and constantly makes good plays going forward against players of all ages.
He played a couple games with STL FC U23s, so it is definitely possible that he did. He's not 18 yet, so we have no way of knowing.
Ah, that would be a different wrinkle. I wonder if the USSF paid him for his call up in November and if that would get him around that rule.
Another youngster on the move to keep an eye on.................. Zyen Jones to sign with Schalke ahead of 2018-19 season https://www.dirtysouthsoccer.com/20...-to-sign-with-schalke-ahead-of-2018-19-season
My understanding is it is a promotional deal. Helps FC Dallas be known as "the" destination for local kids. Helps BM get a sneak peak into potential American talent, where Schalke is kicking their back sides right now. But in terms of substantial cross-training of young players and/or coaches, not much there.
No. Not really. There have been some in the past. FCD has had partnerships in the past, Spurs with San Jose, etc. etc. See the linked Hunt interview below for why he thinks this'll be different. That's not what Dan Hunt is saying.............................. He believes its going to be pretty substantial. We'll see what happens. How is the agreement between @FCDallas and @FCBayern different than others in the past? Hear what @DanHuntFCD had to say (starts at 22:22) + more. https://t.co/V2aiRUtjHl— ESPN's Soccer Today (@ESPNSoccerToday) February 19, 2018