John "Xuxuh" Hilton at Dordrecht (Netherlands)

Xuxuh’s return Stateside a reminder young Americans abroad have it tough

http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/the9...de-a-reminder-americans-abroad-have-it-tough/

 

More people need to be aware of cases like Hilton, Lederman, Wright, etc. I remember last year people posting comments on Facebook whenever MLS or another outlet would post about 17yo Pulisic having success claiming the reason we fail as a soccer nation is because we don't have more kids developing in European academies. These people are fans of MLS and US soccer and they don't have a clue about these restrictions and how serious they are taken.

 

In this case no news is bad news.

 

@CreightonMCFCjoey said in another thread that he's somewhere in Holland again, but @Giggsy1986 said it's not Ajax.

 

I would normally agree with you, but this is a kid that obviously wants to play in Europe ASAP. He turned 16 in June, and hasn't played a minute for an LAG youth team. He could easily be injured but it makes more sense to me that he's somewhere else.

 

There was someone in some thread about young talents that said he spoke to a US Soccer scout who said Xuxuh is back in Holland. I've not read anything but there's that.

 

I have no idea where Xuxuh is right now although I hope he is back somewhere in Holland. I had a conversation with a US Scout where we were walking through what he had heard about our prospects in Europe and I had asked him who his favorite prospect was. He said Xuxuh but he finished it with "but apparently Ajax doesn't rate him". That's all I have.

 

ah gotcha! I must've misunderstood. Thanks for the clarification.

 

Here is a player named "John Hilton" in August playing against AZ for something called Wooter Academy:

Wedstrijdselectie Wooter Academy: Nordin Bakker, Stany Dankerlui, Touvarno Pinas, Dominique Kivuvu, Jermano Lo-Fo-Sang, Mitchell Burgzorg, Rafael Uiterloo, Rida El Barjiji, Gregory Nelson, Milano Koenders, Gleofilo Vlijter, John Hilton, Brahim Atmani, Amine Ennali, Delano Paskald.​

https://www.az.nl/nieuws/remise-jong-az-tegen-wooter-academy/1

This seems to be some kind of training/camp/etc. company founded by Nordin Wooter, who some of you may remember if you are of a certain ... vintage.

 

Just by googling some of his teammates in that game, it seems like its a setup for players that aren't rostered, which, well, makes sense. While Xuxuh is easily the youngest guy on the roster, there are other prospects that have been in and out of top Dutch academies, and a bunch of 30 year olds that look like squad players on second division teams, and stuff like that.

Also of note, Kai Koreniuk was on the other side in that friendly.

 

Sorry, no. It seems like a high end pay to play academy. It has been around at least a decade.

 

All this will end well, of course.

 

Anyone have any info on how he did this year? I found this article for September with a sentence about him but otherwise I can't find anything.

https://voetbalinhaarlem.nl/zandvoort-o-23-vs-kon-hfc-o-23-lust-oog/

 

Nope, Last time he was mentioned to have joined former Ajax player Wooter's academy, which is a kind of pay for play academy, but without teams in the regular KNVB competitions.

 

All that’s certain is he pops up on Pynadath’s Instagram story somewhat consistently.

 

going the way of gale agbossmounde

 

Except Hilton actually exhibited tangible talent, there was a time when he was considered the best US prospect in his age group. The mismanagement of his career thus far (due in large part to an overzealous father) is quite frankly tragic.

Agbossmounde on the other hand was an earlier developer with some athletic gifts but without the requisite work ethic, soccer IQ or skill to make it as a pro.

 

Cheezi Meltz was always going to have a better career than Xuxuh