No question about that, but it doesn't seem like a bad signing at all. A few years ago he was the best young American defensive prospect in years. Obviously he's not that anymore, but he's still affordable and young. Heck, he's only a year or so older than some of the four-year guys who will be drafted this year.
He did start regularly in the NASL for the Carolina RailHawks in 2012 before being signed by Toronto. I'm not sure that proves he'll be good for Tampa in 2015, but it's something. Whatever happens, I'm far from convinced that talent will be what determines Gale's level.
I want Gale to do well. I am a fan of the train of thought that someone who once had promise, can fulfill that promise in the right situation. Maybe this is Gale's right situation. He is young enough where we shouldn't right him off.
Fwiw, I think that a lot of it was being an extreme early maturer and/or having an unreliable birth certificate. Not only had Boss finished growing by age 15, he was also filled out and coordinated in a way that an equally tall guy like Brek Shea wasn't (and Shea was a good bit older). In the intervening years, Shea and everyone else narrowed the gap, and some guys have overtaken him.
Just to piggy back, Gale also, as an early developer, didn't have to learn how to problem solve under uncomfortable pressure because of his size, strength and overall superior physicality for his age. He could always out power or out quick his way out of a problem. This doesn't seem like a big deal at the time, but when he starts playing in games where he is not physically superior to everyone, than physical pressure to the point where it makes him uncomfortable becomes a new challenge that he has not spent years learning to deal with - like every other player his age has been forced to deal with. This leads to him appearing to choke when put under minimal pressure in games that would seem like normal, no big deal pressure to everyone else (Does anybody remember under 20 qualifying?). It leads to false bravado as the player desperately attempts to maintain his confidence. It leads to making decisions about one's career that are designed to keep up appearances rather than to make him better as the player attempts to stop the back sliding of his stock as a player. This is a book that I have seen with so many early developers. Gale followed it to a T. I think Baleron is probably right. He has found his level at NASL. The hope is that he can have a quiet, solid career. Publicity is not the friend of an early developer who finds himself behind the eight ball while he balances trying to get better with the public's declining perception of his ability. It isn't that he can't learn to deal with high pressure, just that he is a decidedly late developer at a core part of the game that you can't see until he is actually under uncomfortable pressure. Do you admit this about yourself or try to protect your image as the next great talent? In addition, an early developer doesn't have to develop great work habits growing up because he is physically superior. When he runs into a serious problem, will he have the emotional strength to power through it? Often, his development as a player has not helped him to become strong in this way. Again, not something that you can see, but something that is every ounce as important as one's physical gifts. The worst case of early developeritis that I ever saw was David Stokes, who played for DC United several years ago and is now a high school coach. David was a huge, super athletic guy who, when not under pressure, had pretty good technique. The problem was that he would choke under pressure in ways that were hard to believe. I remember he would just stop defending and bear hug attackers in order to get them to stop shielding the ball away from him - in the penalty area. Nothing bad was happening. He just could not handle people doing things successfully against him. Eventually David Stokes also found his level with the Carolina Railhawks.
I was looking over some old U20 rosters and wondered -- anybody know what happened to Matt Goldsmith, of the '99 team? He's the only guy who might not have gone pro from the 18-man Finals roster. Albright Chris Beasley Jamar Bocanegra Carlos Califf Danny Cherundolo Steve Downing Nick Futagaki Ryan Garcia Nick Gibbs Cory Goldsmith Matt Gomez Francisco Howard Tim Morrison Lee Pierce Rusty Rimando Nick Thorrington John Tsakiris Shaun Twellman Taylor Given the time, that's not a bad roster. I count 10 guys with U.S. caps and five with WCQ appearances. Three are among the greats and others were big contributors. (Might have missed some but I think that's right.) Unfortunately, I don't have any more info on that pool (or, for that matter, much on any pools before the 2003 cycle).
Very interesting squad. Cher, Boca, Timmy are legends of course. But also, Albright and Rimando made WC squads. Twellman and Gibbs got awfully close. Califf was in the conversation as well. Really can't ask for much more from a YNT.
Anybody know anything about the teams that failed to qualify out of CONCACAF for the following U20 tournaments: 1995 (75/76 birthyears) 1991 (71/72) 1985 (65/66) 1979 (59/60) 1977 (57/58) I'm mostly interested in the more recent ones, but would love any info.
Travis Clark updates us on the status of the 2009 U17 World Cup team. It should really put into perspective how much a crapshoot U17s are. http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/where-are-they-now:-2009-us-u17-mnt_aid35657
The 1995 roster--actually the qualifying tournament was played in August 1994--seems to be one of the great mysteries of US soccer, but here's an old post with some of the names: http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads...-20-v-costa-rica-r.162476/page-3#post-3971590
Interesting. It's possible that every single guy on that roster signs at least one pro contract, and as of right now we're looking at least four possible MNT contributors. Is that good for a U17 group? Bad? About right? I haven't really studied the numbers at the U17 level, so I can't honestly say...
Anybody know birth years for Aaron Cunningham, Jody DeBruin, Grant Naylor or Steve Patterson? Guessing at least some of the rest of the '95 pool came from the 1993 U17s (76/77 mostly)... http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/u17worldcup/japan1993/teams/team=1882394/index.html ... or the 75s from the 1991 team: http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/u17worldcup/italy1991/teams/team=1882394/index.html
I think that the level is about right for most U-17 teams. Most U-17 players do sign pro contracts but I think it will be first if the whole group does it.
Wait -- Diego Restrepo is turning 27? I'm ... getting old. (He's on trial with DCU.) Diego Restrepo, who turns 27 next month, starred at the University of Virginia before joining America de Cali in Colombia, Tachira in Venezuela and the second-tier Tampa Bay Rowdies. He has recovered from an Achilles’ tendon injury suffered last winter. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...es-eight-additional-players-to-training-camp/
Here's a quiet lower-division success story: The Fort Lauderdale Strikers bolstered their attack Tuesday with the signing of Colombian-American forward Jose Angulo. Angulo, 27, joins the Strikers after two seasons with Pittsburgh Riverhounds of USL Pro. In 2013, Angulo captured four separate individual honors including: the 2013 USL Pro MVP award, the USL Pro Scoring Champion award, and USL Pro All-League First Team recognition. The forward also shared the USL Pro Golden Boot for his league-leading tally of 15 goals which tied Dom Dwyer’s single-season goalscoring record. http://www.nasl.com/article/uuid/28...dd-proven-goalscorer-jose-angulo#.VNqGiLDF9P0
Another guy still going strong in the lower-divisions at 27: The Fort Lauderdale Strikers announced Wednesday the signing of seasoned NASL defender Jordan Graye. Graye, 27, comes to Fort Lauderdale after spending the last three years in the NASL with the Carolina RailHawks. The 6-foot-2 defender also brings MLS experience with D.C. United and the Houston Dynamo to the Strikers backline. http://www.nasl.com/article/uuid/gs...rikers-add-nasl-veteran-defender-jordan-graye
Here's an interesting one, maybe: Stefan Jerome is apparently (since I don't see him on the roster) on trial at Charleston: As the attacking storm lifted, Charleston’s starting team began to wrest control of the match from the NASL club, and the flow of the game shifted the Battery’s way after the 33rd minute, when midfielder Dante Marini and forward Stefan Jerome replaced replaced Jamaicans Dane Kelly and Navion Boyd. With Marini generating pressure down the flank, Jerome nearly poached a goal off a rebound in the 38th. From that point on, Charleston largely controlled the run of play, creating off-target shots by Marini and Jerome before going to the break. http://charlestonbattery.com/news/battery-sink-armada-1-0-on-savage-goal/
Restrepo is now an Independence (USL): http://uslsoccer.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209905394&DB_OEM_ID=32800
Peri Marosevic is now an undergraduate assistant coach with Michigan. http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/020915aaa.html
Victor Garza and Moises Orozco have popped up on the roster of Ararat Yerevan in Armenia. They've appeared in both of Ararat's first two games after the winter break.