I don't want to say I disagree, bit what about the academy and steel is a huge success? I honestly don't think the steel will exist past 2020
Not to mention most MLS clubs have a youth system and second team now. Having these things is just keeping up.
It's early, maybe this will blow up in my face, but I think McKenzie and Trusty have proven themselves as quality MLS starters. That is tangible production from the Union development program. Two cheap, high quality young players that are viable for your starting XI is a big success in my book. CB specifically wouldn't be a position you want to allocate a lot of money to in a salary cap league, so I think that's great.
I hope you're wrong about the last part, but for the first, I'm not sure you can really answer that yet. Realistically, the set up is four or so years old so you won't have a whole lot for another 5-10 years. It does look like the players who get time there have more polish than the Pfeffer's and McLaughlin's had at similar points in their development.
Total agree with this. Having an academy shouldn't be anything to beat your chest about. It's a necessity. The Union are doing it well, but it's arrogant and stupid to think we can do it better than any other team. It's just one of many things they need to do to keep pace. My point is they ARE doing it right at the moment, and it HAS been successful.
Just out of curiosity, why is that? Is it that you think the Union will not (or will be unable to) keep up with it, or that the entire USL infrastructure will blow up and an entirely new minor league universe will replace it at the exclusion of MLS2 teams? Or is this just *shakes fist at Sugarman* talk?
The academy is becoming a success. There were four academy products starting on Tuesday. Two are regular starters for the first team already, and one is making the 18 on a consistent basis. That's a huge improvement. Also, the USYNT's have a lot of Union Academy players in their ranks in the past few years. Steel as a development team is successful. Trusty, McKenzie, Fontana, Burke, Epps & Jones all have gotten valuable experience and improved while playing with BSFC. Not every player is going to be a superstar. If the Union can continually get quality depth, starters and spot starters through their Academy and BSFC that only serves to free up budget room for the difference maker players like Ilsinho, Dockal, Bedoya, & Medunjanin. Steel might not be around in 2020, as they likely will move somewhere else when/if they can't get a better stadium and likely rebrand. The Union's reserve USL team will likely still be around though. The Union have said as much, as playing at Lehigh hinders their ability to schedule games (no lights).
You are aware that Steel is owned by the Union right? This isn't a Harrisburg situation. They aren't going to move the team out of the region for pure logistics. Players routinely bounce over to the USL side to get minutes when they are not in the 18. Steel may well move on from Leigh due to the stadium issue, but it will be within the region.
I think that’s what he meant. I wonder if they’d go over to Coca-cola Park in Allentown eventually... steel Stacks dream still seems to be alive in some capacity... currently seems like a waste of a big market. They should be drawing better up there,
Yes I’m fully aware that the Union own and operate BSFC. They practice in Chester after all. At more than one STH town hall meeting it has been stated that they need to get a better stadium situation up there. If they don’t get that figured out, relocation would be a real possibility. That came straight from the front office. Not being able to play at night is hurting them not only attendance wise, but also scheduling games as well.
I know they aren't making money, Id go as far to say they are losing money. I think it would make more sense to bring it to Chester as union 2, play games in talen (or a college around here) and forget about trying to make it a viable product on its own. I see them making that move, but of course that's just my opinion
As of right now they have openly stated to sth’s At town halls that BSFC’s main purpose is player development. They are not currently concerned with it losing money. If they manage to sell Trusty for a $3-5M in a season or two, that will make BSFC worth the losses.
Have you watched the same team I have? Who is gonna pay the Union 3 million dollars for trusty? As long is they stay the course, I expect him to regress and be on the bench next year. And that's exactly why I think they close up shop in Bethlehem and bring it here.
I wouldn't merely say keeping up, respectfully, since the Union's academy is probably ahead of the majority of the league. But, I agree that what the Union has is not necessarily novel. Where the Union fails to keep up with the MLS Jones is not being able to supplement a youth system with a quality first-team approach to player and coaching acquisitions.
That’s a nice part of it, but folks who know a lot more than I about the comparisons between academy structures say this. In addition, I taught a student who left my school to join the Union academy school full-time. What I hear from my soccer player students is nothing but high praise, they even prefer it to the Red Bull academy setup, even though I think the RBNY academy is ahead of the Union right now. I have taught more than one kid who have been a part of the Union academy.
I think you can objectively look at the academy and say it's better than pretty much every team except RBNY, RSL, FCD..... maybe SKC is in the mix. That's a majority of the league. Could even argue they have better infrastructure/path than FCD.
I'm not sure growing your own cheap labor is a sign of success. Well, for Sug it definitely is. I'm not saying the homegrown guys are all bad, but just having them on the team (a shitty team) can define this as a success. As soon as other teams start banging down the door with bags of money in hand, I'll consider it a success
This is the right take. We hear all the time in the $millions of investments made into the academy. Tough to pat ourselves on the back for a few free players who cost millions to produce. I’d heard a saying in the restaurant business, if you want to make a small fortune owning a restaurant, start with a large fortune.
The kids might not be ready to be sold, but they have that ambition at least: https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/ph...ons-u-s-open-cup-win-over-new-york-red-bulls/ Quote: Since Curtin was a center back as a player, his criticism on the young duo is a bit tougher, but he also was quick to compliment their play despite producing their worst performance as a center-back pairing. “I give them a lot of credit for their growth and sticking with it,” Curtin said. “I don’t think it was their sharpest game, but maybe I’m critical and too hard on them because I see too much talent in them. I see where they can go and what they can be. That’s what Earnie (Stewart) and I want from them. We want them to play in Europe and tonight wasn’t a European-type performance from either of them. Honest truth. I know they will bounce back against Vancouver because we believe in them.”
A business model based on selling youth players is one way to keep a club in existence, but never leads to that club getting any better.
Well, the Academy teams are playing well...........even after losing players to BSFC: https://www.brotherlygame.com/2018/...9s-head-into-playoffs-unbeaten-since-november This is promising, and hopefully a sign of more players earning minutes with the Union.
I seriously wonder how long until the “outside” players are phased out of the steel and it’s all Academy or depth players.