While it was directed more at the USMNT there had been a fair amount of discussion about the US reliance on older players finally giving way to a wave of younger players. IF there was a link in strategy and development between US Soccer and MLS perhaps we’d see more young US players being brought into MLS teams at a younger age in hopes they get the development that would allow some to contribute to the USMNT before they reached 30. Hopefully these young men go back and get their degrees someday but it’s going to take dozens of 18-20 yo players hitting the league to find the 6-8 that bloom into great 20-24 year olds.
I would LOVE to see a structure where there's a couple different USMNT's that play. Have an older one for specific friendlies and competitions, and have a second (or more?) for other friendlies. Other countries do this. It's more than the USYNT, it's actually the senior team doing it. This gets them experience in good competitions. Even mix them up a bit, later in the year.
Not there was any doubt, but Hundley officially a Homegrown, along with Wake Forest defender Sam Raben (not an early departure). https://www.coloradorapids.com/post...-matt-hundley-and-sam-raben-homegrown-players
All-American goalkeeper Trey Muse has officially left Indiana, forgoing his final two seasons of eligibility to sign a homegrown deal with the Seattle Sounders. https://www.soundersfc.com/post/201...diana-goalkeeper-trey-muse-homegrown-contract
Updated list. Frankie Amaya, Fr. M, UCLA - FC Cincinnati (Generation Adidas) Tajon Buchanan (Canada), So. F/M, Syracuse - New England Revolution (GA) Griffin Dorsey, So. F/M, Indiana - Toronto FC (GA) Brecc Evans, Fr. D, Cal Poly - North Texas SC (USL League One) Matthew Freese, So. GK, Harvard - Philadelphia Union (homegrown) Siad Haji, Jr. M, Virginia Commonwealth - San Jose Earthquakes (GA) Matt Hundley, Fr. F/M, UCLA - Colorado Rapids (homegrown) Mohammed Kamara (Liberia), Jr. F, UCLA - Paderborn (Germany) Tommy McCabe, Jr. M, Notre Dame - FC Cincinnati (graduated early) Benji Michel, Jr. F, Portland - Orlando City (homegrown) Trey Muse, So. GK, Indiana - Seattle Sounders (homegrown) John Nelson, So. D, North Carolina - FC Dallas (GA) Manny Perez, So. D/M, North Carolina State - Glasgow Celtic (Scotland) Dayne St. Clair (Canada), R-Jr. GK, Maryland - Minnesota United (GA) JJ Williams, Jr. F, Kentucky - Columbus Crew (GA) Marcel Zajac (Canada), So. F, Akron - Hamilton Forge (Canadian Premier League)
While not shocked, I'm kinda surprised there haven't been more homegrown signings (not counting seniors). Figured it would be closer to 8-10 this offseason.
Initial offer to Muse was peanuts (league minimum). It will be interesting to see what that contract actually is worth. He will be in USL for awhile.
another possibility... https://www.thebentmusket.com/revol...rennicks-signing-homegrown-deal-with-the-revs but also: Source: No movement on US U-20 player Justin Rennicks as of right now. Revs still have no deal on the table. Frankfurt, Celtic, Fulham all monitoring situation.— MLS Transfers (@MLSTransfers) January 5, 2019 (via this thread: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/european-opportunities-for-justin-rennicks.2039270/)
That would be 12 out of IU's top 14 players from last year moving on including 10 starters. I wouldn't worry too much those programs reload as opposed to rebuild.
IU knew that 2019 was going to be a big challenge with all of the graduating seniors. But, with GA/HG taking their starting GK, RMF, and now possibly their starting Fwd. I think this leaves Maher as the remaining IU jewel.
I’m told the New England Revolution have completed the signing of U.S. U-20 and Indiana University forward Justin Rennicks to a Homegrown Player contract. #NERevs #MLS— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) January 17, 2019
All-American centerback Donovan Pines has officially left Maryland a year early. https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...nd-star-donovan-pines/?utm_term=.5f35b7d129f4
Updated list. Frankie Amaya, Fr. M, UCLA - FC Cincinnati (Generation Adidas) Tajon Buchanan (Canada), So. F/M, Syracuse - New England Revolution (GA) Griffin Dorsey, So. F/M, Indiana - Toronto FC (GA) Brecc Evans, Fr. D, Cal Poly - North Texas SC (USL League One) Matthew Freese, So. GK, Harvard - Philadelphia Union (homegrown) Siad Haji, Jr. M, Virginia Commonwealth - San Jose Earthquakes (GA) Matt Hundley, Fr. F/M, UCLA - Colorado Rapids (homegrown) Mohammed Kamara (Liberia), Jr. F, UCLA - Paderborn (Germany) Tommy McCabe, Jr. M, Notre Dame - FC Cincinnati (graduated early) Benji Michel, Jr. F, Portland - Orlando City (homegrown) Trey Muse, So. GK, Indiana - Seattle Sounders (homegrown) John Nelson, So. D, North Carolina - FC Dallas (GA) Manny Perez, So. D/M, North Carolina State - Glasgow Celtic (Scotland) Donovan Pines, Jr. D, Maryland - DC United (homegrown) Justin Rennicks, So. F, Indiana - New England Revolution (homegrown) Dayne St. Clair (Canada), R-Jr. GK, Maryland - Minnesota United (GA) JJ Williams, Jr. F, Kentucky - Columbus Crew (GA) Marcel Zajac (Canada), So. F, Akron - Hamilton Forge (Canadian Premier League)
A couple more underclassmen sign homegrown deals... Wake Forest All-American midfielder Omir Fernandez has signed with the Red Bulls, giving up his final two seasons of eligibility. I’m told the New York Red Bulls have completed the signing of Wake Forest sophomore standout winger Omir Fernandez to a homegrown player deal. #RBNY #MLS— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) January 20, 2019 The RedBulls haven't officially announced the signings but A) they announced he's in camp with them and that would be an NCAA no-no were he still in school and B) Ives is rarely, if ever, wrong about these signings. To that end... Ives reports, and others confirm, that Virginia freshman centerback Aboubacar Keita has signed with the Columbus Crew. We have confirmed the @SoccerByIves report that #Crew96 has signed Homegrown product @Aboubacar_11 to a contract. https://t.co/A6QOJy3Xnz— Massive Report (@MassiveReport) January 21, 2019
Updated list as we've reached 20 players. Frankie Amaya, Fr. M, UCLA - FC Cincinnati (Generation Adidas) Tajon Buchanan (Canada), So. F/M, Syracuse - New England Revolution (GA) Griffin Dorsey, So. F/M, Indiana - Toronto FC (GA) Brecc Evans, Fr. D, Cal Poly - North Texas SC (USL League One) Omir Fernandez, So. M - New York RedBulls (homegrown) Matthew Freese, So. GK, Harvard - Philadelphia Union (homegrown) Siad Haji, Jr. M, Virginia Commonwealth - San Jose Earthquakes (GA) Matt Hundley, Fr. F/M, UCLA - Colorado Rapids (homegrown) Mohammed Kamara (Liberia), Jr. F, UCLA - Paderborn (Germany) Aboubacar Keita, Fr. D, Virginia - Columbus Crew (homegrown) Tommy McCabe, Jr. M, Notre Dame - FC Cincinnati (graduated early) Benji Michel, Jr. F, Portland - Orlando City (homegrown) Trey Muse, So. GK, Indiana - Seattle Sounders (homegrown) John Nelson, So. D, North Carolina - FC Dallas (GA) Manny Perez, So. D/M, North Carolina State - Glasgow Celtic (Scotland) Donovan Pines, Jr. D, Maryland - DC United (homegrown) Justin Rennicks, So. F, Indiana - New England Revolution (homegrown) Dayne St. Clair (Canada), R-Jr. GK, Maryland - Minnesota United (GA) JJ Williams, Jr. F, Kentucky - Columbus Crew (GA) Marcel Zajac (Canada), So. F, Akron - Hamilton Forge (Canadian Premier League) Four freshmen, nine sophomores and seven juniors so far.
Keita is a good signing. I’m glad to see Crew sign him so he doesn’t waste more years in college. Now, I hope he gets the needed experience. Pines was one who probably should have been pro earlier too. But, can’t really say DC United gets much right.
I agree with you on Keita. He was ready. I disagree with you on Pines. Prior to this year, he was unprepared (my opinion). Without a DCU USL team in 2018, his development may have been stunted.
Freshmen mature fast at UVA. More importantly, it's hard to imagine Maryland making a title run without him.
I have the mentality that young players need to be pushed and challenged. It will help their development. I haven't watched Pines all that much, but in a MORE professional setting, I believe his development would have been more advanced had he been playing/training more than August to November season with limited contact. We won't truly know, but Pines could have been even better than he was this year. I'm not too confident that a sophomore-to-junior year would really boost his development when there is 20 hours of contact in the fall per week and 8 hours of contact in the spring per week compared to a professional team setting.
http://www.celticfc.net/news/15699 Interesting development on Manny Perez (NC State) and Andrew Gutman (Indiana). what are the positives and negatives of these signings?
Large and historic European club signs two US collegiate players and loans back to two US second division clubs for continued development. Doesn't this put a favorable light on where US soccer is heading? Or is it just circumstances coming to play? I really do not know, looking for some insite.
This deal has me a bit perplexed. I know a little about Manny Perez, so here it is. 1. Had the opportunity to sign with NCFC from their USSDA Academy team in 2017, passed on opportunity to play at NC State. 2. After one year at NC State passes on GA deal with MLS, has mediocre sophomore season at NC State, spends a 1/3 of season with US Under20 squad. 3 now this, how is this deal better than starting a number 1?
Another underclassmen has left a prominent program to sign with a team in the upstart Canadian Premier League. This time it's UConn Jr. midfielder Munir Saleh, who has been a starter the last two years for the Huskies, who has signed with York9 FC. http://york9fc.canpl.ca/article/york9-fc-adds-three-canadian-players If top Canadian underclassmen start consistently leaving for CPL teams, I wonder if it will impact how top NCAA programs recruit north of the border.
Unless you're getting into an Ivy League school and education is your sole focus, I have no idea why a Canadian player would now go the NCAA. Even after playing pro, you can still play Canadian university soccer after.