One of the worst arguments I've seen on this website. So you are saying Pulisic's career is a failure? He started at 17. Should American players now not be considered professionals until 21 or 22?
You've once again missed the point. Naming a few young Americans having success for teams with completely different wage structures within MLS doesn't really help out a player at Atlanta United. And the numbers leaguewide are bad, have been that way for a few years. Individual examples are misinformation. I don't know the exact criteria for how this would be researched, but I think most eventual WC players who started out in a league comparable to MLS were playing regularly at 17.
For the 2017 season, Toronto(Delgado), Orlando(Mueller), Seattle(Broldoan, Bwana), and Portland(Farfan) had higher team payrolls than Atlanta's. https://www.denverpost.com/2017/04/25/mls-team-payrolls-2017/
I don't know as much as many here but I thought I'd throw in a few thoughts. 1. I don't really believe that there is any conspiracy involved in Carlton's lack of playing time. 2. I am surprised that Carlton has received so little time. 3. Nobody seems to know exactly what Carlton's contract says. I believe that could be the root of some of his playing time issues and also could determine whether or not he and his agent have a "good deal" or not. It seems to be common opinion that his contract ends when he is 18. The primary question lies in what happens after it expires. Does the club have an option year? two? are there any possibilities for exit? What are Carlton's plans? Does the contract end when he turns 18, or does it end of the season. I believe that the answers above, combined with Tata's opinion on where Carlton is and how fast and far he can improve are the key to understanding the situation. First, I will say that I don't believe the club's desires change much based upon the answers above. I believe that either way, playing Carlton is beneficial to AFC. Tata is the key. Tata's goals are primarily to win the championship. To do so, he must try to maximize success during league and more importantly maximize success during playoffs. To do so, he needs to maximize the quality of the bench (Carlton and friends). Obviously, if Carlton is not going to be here during playoffs (ie contract ends w/birthday and he has a mechanism for leaving) then Tata won't have Carlton in his long term plans. Tata would have very little reason to help develop Carlton beyond another young player even thought that other player has a much lower ceiling. That other player may still be able to improve and help the team during playoffs while Carlton will be useless to AFC while he is playing for FCEuropa II. If this is the case, Carlton signing for AFC really hasn't been a bad deal for Carlton. He gets to practice with AFC, play a few minutes and go to Europe when he is 18. Or I could be completely off base and should instead be buying tinfoil for my hat collection. Is this happening? I have no idea but I do think it is definitely possible.
I think this is solid analysis but it’s missing something, imo... Tata is going to play focus on the short term over the long term. Reasons, he rarely rotates the XI and he gave extensive minutes to Anton Walkes, a teenage loaner, from Tottenham.
The point being is that Tata plays ‘his’ people. For some reason, he liked Walkes and for some reason, he doesn’t trust Carleton. Meanwhile, everyone talks about Carleton yet ignore Miles Robinson’s career being ruined by Tata, as well. To be honest, I’m conflicted with Tata...Atlanta United is my MLS team and I love Atlanta’s style of play, but there are certain things I cannot stand about Tata.
I know you mean in general, but I could go back and document all the times I've criticized that he used Walkes over Robinson and has not given Robinson the chance he deserves. It's certainly over 10 times by now. I think its an issue that gets overshadowed. Carleton is talked about because he rates among of the very best in the player pool among younger Americans. The others (besides Bello who this doesn't apply to because he's not yet ready) do not. I certainly understand the conflict. I wouldn't tell you or any Atlanta fan whose also a USMNT fan how to think about this situation. Its a bummer, unless you are only an Atlanta fan who doesn't care at all about the USMNT. You can't agree with both sides here because that just doesn't work, its mostly about the degree to which it matters to each fan of both AU and USMNT. Some people care more about club over country, others care more about country over club.
Well for the record, I’ll always be country over club... maybe because I was already in my 30s before Atlanta United was even a thing or just because I love the pride in country in the sport. Either way, Atlanta is not unique in this matter. But something needs to give that incentivizes playing domestic homegrown talent. It’s part of why I keep harping that HGP rules should be revamped and also focus on cap exemption, to where that label means a lot to the club and in the same way that a DP slot means.
Let me introduce you to John Wooden — “Be at your best when your best is needed." There are very few players who have a large sample size of WC appearances. Zusi played to a high standard when he got the opportunity. How many Americans have more than 2 World Cup assists? I don't think any. But, let's all dump on our all time WC assist leader, who did it in 4 matches. The disrespect he gets here is really surprising.
Were you a fan of Jeff Mathis with his great postseason batting average, despite the fact that his hitting was atrocious in the regular season?
The Hex and WC are a good enough sample size. Zusi was brilliant as a secondary attacking threat from the flanks, the sort we lacked this cycle.
There would be nothing more MLS than Carleton leaving Atlanta on a free to go sign in Germany and get a good run of minutes with a mid level-lower level Bundesliga team.
I really haven't seen enough but can he? Tata answer of he's 17 there is nothing to worry about is fine. What's the rush. Atlanta has a lot of big attacking guns. I see nothing wrong with having him train with the first team start with the second team and earn his way up.
Catcher that played for the Angels (I’m assuming ralleemonkey is a fan) that has a career batting average of below .200. For those that aren’t fans of baseball; that batting average is horrendous. Mathis does have a career postseason batting average of .379, albeit in an obvious small sample size capacity.
That feeling when you make your ATL UTD 2 debut tomorrow 😃 pic.twitter.com/Z8Wiww4TJl— ATL UTD 2 (@atlutd2) April 20, 2018 https://www.dirtysouthsoccer.com/20...ely-to-play-with-atlanta-united-2-on-saturday
Thanks, the reason that I ask is that I personally believe we are in or at the beginning of a period of change while MLS figures out/decides upon how to aler it's approach when it comes to handling contracts of young American home grown players....especially the elite homegrowns like Carlton, Durkin etc. I think it is obvious that they are potentially a great asset to MLS but they also come in with completely different bargaining power now that European teams are starting to really show interest and that a significant number of top players have already opted to skip MLS and wait until their 18th birthday to sign in Europe. I am sure that MLS looks at McKennie, for example, and has nightmares over what could have been. They are likely also having nightmares over losing Sargent as well. Today's top young Americans have leverage to force MLS to make concessions in the contracts if MLS wants to sign them. I am not saying that altering contracts to end in the summer will become standard practice but that some prospects will have the leverage to demand that if they choose. Other concessions might be buyout clauses and/or other creative contract language that would give players an option of leaving to Europe by 18 or 19 but still guarantee MLS teams financial reward (transfer fee etc).