If we discuss who is better now than Weah. If who between Soto and O-C has higher ceiling than IMO O-C. There are also kids in Barca, Real and now Milan (not all of them we will be able to get probably).
Can anyone who has actually seen this kid play want to give us an idea of how quickly we could see this kid break into training with the first team or even be considered in that realm? While we wait for someone to give a more educated answer, I'm doing some digging on their academy graduates or who they have 'promoted' to the first team. Most recently is 19 year old (born in '99) attacker Linton Maina. Came off the bench twice in Bundesliga action in the 2nd half of last season. The only other player to play relatively consistently from their academy in the last few years is Noah Sarenren Bazee, who's a 96. All in all, it seems pretty meh on whether or not they really go all in on their academy guys. Hopefully Gloster and Soto can make themselves a part of that group in the next 12-18 months.
What's the likelihood the Chris Richards Academy -> EU loan with option to buy path could get adopted by other teams to try and mitigate the loss? (It's worth mentioning SKC and EPB kind of blazed the trail.)
For how much we were hearing about Soto leading up to this, Hannover seems like a really strange choice. If RSL offered a better deal, which I’m sure would’ve come with playing time in MLS given their history, and Hannover doesn’t really promote from their academy, I’m not sure I see the logic here. Am I missing something?
He’s probably not considering that possibility. In his mind he’s going to be one of the few that DO get promoted from the U19s.
It might happen at times, but only if the player has been locked up in advance. If the player has Euro interest before he signs a pro contract in the US, this system doesn't work. It's easier for the player and cheaper for the Euro club to just sign him directly.
yeah they don't really, his example of Bazee started in the reserves 1st. Others who started in the reserves 1st are Anton, Bahre and Hubers. as for Maina, he's a different story, he did play 2 games last season. 1st was 4 minutes and the 2nd was 27 minutes, he had an assist in his 2nd game, where he lost his man with his skill to make it an easy goal. Recently he impressed vs a La Liga side and Man U scouts who watched the game were impressed and were interested in him. They see potential Sane in him.
speaking of Anton who came from the Academy/Reserves,the newly turned 22 year old has been named captain for Hannover's 1st team next season. as for Soto, you guys should focus on the U19 season, question of 1st team is for next Summer.
He's gonna score a bunch of goals and get called up to play with the first team after the winter break.
No not historically. Recently, the best American players have bypassed MLS (although McKennie essentially spent his most critical developmental years in an MLS academy). But historically (your words), the best American players in Europe have started in MLS before moving abroad and it isn't even close: Dempsey, Holden, Beasley, Bocanegra, Howard, McBride, Ream, Bradley, Altidore, Miazga, Cameron, Yedlin, Lewis, Sanneh, Friedel (technically started abroad pre-MLS but Columbus was his real launchpad). I could go on..
the 1st team has already 4 strikers (not even counting Bebou who can play CF) and Hannover II currently has Grosse who I mentioned the last page, even with 20 goals and 4 assists in 24 games was put in II. And Weydandt, a guy who was declared by Hannover as winner of the Summer camp, was basically their top scorer in preseason is also in II.
By historically I didn't mean back in the day, I meant based on evidence of past events (from the dictionary, "of, pertaining to, treating, or characteristic of history or past events"). It's the same as your recently. But thanks for trying to correct me when we didn't really disagree in the first place. Words - they keep having multiple meanings, so frustrating.
I've seen him play quite a bit and I rate him. I think he has the tools as a hold-up striker and finisher to be a solid European professional, maybe better. But I wouldn't expect him to even make a first team roster until late spring at the best. I'll be looking for consistent starts and goals with the U19s, and if he looks like he's one of the better strikers in the U19 Bundesliga, then maybe the first team or (more likely) a loan will be in the cards. It's a big jump in quality from the U.S. Development Academy to the U19 Bundesliga so it'll be interesting to see how he does.
I sure hope that’s his attitude. I’d just be more excited if he took a path with less friction. Schalke, Dortmund, and RSL all offer that in my opinion.
Maybe Dortmund and RSL, but getting into the Schalke academy is hardly a golden ticket. McKennie and Kehrer are the only recent examples of academy products finding a meaningful role in the first team. Sead Kolasinac too, though he spent time with the Schalke U23s. You have to go back to Max Meyer in 2012-13 for the next example.