Obviously the vets have history but some of them are mediocre (Ulloa), inconsistent (Barrios, Lamah, Guerzo) and struggling to regain form after injury (Diaz, Acosta). With that in mind are the kids really worse? They can mix and match with the vets depending on the opponent but keeping Hayes from starting seems stupid at this time. The winger draft picks can be as invisible as Barrios right now but learn from it. Pomykal can gain valuable experience if you don't think Diaz should start on turf or against select opponents. Someone needs to start a fire under some of those guys and playing the kids saying, you need to be better or you need to talk to your agent about leaving could get them re-engaged or put some money back in the Hunt's pockets by reducing salary outlay for similar results. As for MLS being against selling I don't think the MLS front office gives a crap what Dallas does. They aren't NYRB, LAG, or even everyone's new darling AU. Selling players in or out of the league shouldn't be an obstacle. Embrace who you are. "Tomorrow's stars, today." Should be the motto. If they churn out enough kids abroad, someone is going to make it big every few seasons, just like McKinnie and they'll forever be attached to FCD, where they got their start and the support to go abroad and really make a name for themselves. The FCNs, Buli.2, Belgium can't afford big transfer fees but that's why there's such a thing as sell on fees. Get them into situations where they can be seen by scouts throughout Europe and sold onto bigger and better things just like the rest of the football world. They money and the prestige will follow. Besides Hayes, Cannon, Pomykal are more fun to watch than middling, settled in Central and South American talent.
My vision for them is to use as many HG's as possible and then fill in around them with really good DP's and try and win titles. Let the HG's move on when they're ready but sell the kids on being able to get playing time early on a good to great team and then move on. the team will help you, not hinder you and you will have a lot of fun and hopefully win a lot of silverware while here.
I've never really been on board the "play the kids" bus. At least not to the extent some of you guys are talking about here. But I have a genuine, non-combative question: Are there real world examples out there of teams that win hardware while following this "play the kids" strategy? For full disclose, my priorities are absolutely to win trophies and everything else is secondary to that. If we won every playoff game 1-0 and got all of our goals from own-goals that wouldn't bother me a bit. We could field a full eleven of 18 year olds or a full eleven of 36 year olds. Anybody around here remember "Winning is our ethnicity"? I sort of feel like "Winning is our preferred age group" as well.
Generally teams that "play the kids" can't financially compete against the big teams in their leagues. Even a team like Tottenham likes to play their kids when possible in part because as far ahead as they are moneywise versus the rest of the league they, themselves, are tens of millions behind MU, MC, Chelsea, etc. As long as the Hunts won't pony up the money, then play your kids vs play young cheap CA & SA talent should sell itself to the fanbase and the Hunts. Most teams are trying to balance play their kids so they can be sold and the team can stay solvent vs not being relegated. FCD doesn't have to worry about solvency or relegation so again what's holding them back from being the premier youth development program in the US? They talk a lot of talk and to some extent back it up but my position is that they could do more in that regard. Pomykal's supposed to be one of the better 99s and yet he hasn't even really gotten a shot to earn a full time job. Injuries have been a part of that but the dumpster fire last season held him back as well. As for trophies, hard to win hardware when you don't have the best players due to payroll and transfer fee restrictions. Anything can happen of course. The MLS has way more parity than most leagues and right now the West is weaker than the East. For me though all the talk hasn't been backed up far enough by the playing stats of these younger players. This is what the Hunts say they want, now it's time to deliver.
I've started tempering my "play the kids" impulses a bit lately, and I think that I'm starting to see what El Profe is doing. Everyone looks at Cannon and Hayes and wonders why they weren't playing more last year. Maybe they weren't ready last year, either physically or mentally. Maybe Profe intentionally held them back make them hungrier for a spot in the 11. Whatever it was, it worked, and both guys are playing like they don't want to ever give up their spots. Would they have played like that last year? I dunno, but I'm inclined to think not. And for all of the talent that Pomykal and Ferreira have shown in their cameo appearance for the senior team, maybe they're not yet ready for 25-30 games a year as a professional. Of course, this is why we've needed FCD2 for a while now.
When you have unambitious owners like HSG, year after year you begin searching for the positives under every rock and pebble. The "play your kids" mentality is one of the positives that keeps coming up over the years. Having a top academy is a source of pride for any fan. To see our youth playing well in MLS and abroad is a positive that can sustain us on our search for hardware. I want a star above the crest as much as the next fan. These owners though...
Personally, I've never advocated for them to get that many games but to get occasional sub minutes and even more occasional starts when necessary. I advocated that for Cannon last year and don't really believe he would be any different this year had he started 4-5 games. I actually think it's more odd to not play him at all and them have him be the full time starter the next year. Seems getting a taste and learning what the level is is how most teams prepare players. Worldwide very rich teams don't play the kids unless they are exceptional except for a few teams. Dortmund, Schalke are ones who compete for titles in a big league who do it. One of the reasons I think Pomykal should get more time is because I think he's in the ballpark of how good McKennie is and FCD isn't as good as Schalke.
https://sbisoccer.com/2018/07/fc-dallas-homegrown-chris-richards-joins-bayern-munich-u-19s-on-loan FC Dallas homegrown signing Chris Richards is joining the ranks of young American players in Germany. The 18-year-old defender, who signed as an FC Dallas homegrown player in April, joined Bayern Munich’s U-19 side on loan
So Richards is starting with Bayern against Man City. I know a few of the main guys are gone but that’s got to be mine blowing for him.
I just hope when he all the players return and he goes back down to earth it doesn't sink him. One of the bad things about playing for Bayern in these friendlies is he isn't having to play like he would for FCD. Bayern could see enough in him to purchase him but if he comes back and tries to start next year I don't have a real handle on where he stacks up against Ziegler and Reaves.
I would say if he actually was starting/1st team caliber for Bayern they should move either of those guys to make room for him. But reality is if he impresses this year, he is likely to be bought by Bayern and then loaned out to continue his development. He very clearly has European aspirations, and someone is likely to be interested in him if Bayern is not.
It takes different type backs to play for Real and Bayern than FC Dallas. Those teams control play with accurate passing and occasionally have to fend off a counter. I understand your logic but if he's only a slick passing speedster then he might not be great for a grinder like FCD. I actually haven't seen enough and suspect he's much more than that. I have a feeling he'd give Zieglar a run for his money. Hedges would be a good pairing for him as I like the tall player paired with a quicker guy.