Tab Ramos Contract Extension as Youth Technical Director and U-20 Manager

Don't like this but at least he is experienced now.

 

The important work is going on outside US Soccer every day. US Soccer is not as important to youth sports as some think. Youth soccer chugs along regardless of what they are doing in US Soccer. Somebody needs to be a figurehead in a bureaucracy. Better him than me.

 

Yay! More mediocrity!

 

Actual playing style and the feeling that we're getting closer to winning a youth trophy is not really that improved. Organizationally stuff has improved a lot. The addition of U-18, U-19 teams has been great. I feel that most core NT players will have a solid YNT experience because of this.

 

Tab's decision to invest heavily in U-18, U-19, & U-16 teams has been huge. US Soccer now has a YNT for every age year from U-14 thru U-20

That has plugged holes & allows YNTs to cast a wide net and build huge youth player pools

It's paying big dividends.

As a coach, Tab's tactics ("Tab-tics") have confused me and I've disagreed at times but he has gotten results with the U-20 team and put players on track for the USMNT. 2013 was just a bad age group but Tab has improved big time in 2015 & 2017, no doubt

He's been more good than bad for the program

 

He still got decent results with them though. We finished 2nd in qualifying and if Luis Gil would've scored on the penalty kick against France's U20s, we would've beaten the best team at the tournament and had enough points to advance to the next stage.

 

That is just scary.

Happy Birthday, Bruuuuuce!

🔴 Winning coach in #USMNT history
⚪️ Only coach to win 3 Gold Cups
🔵 Led 🇺🇸 to 2002 World Cup QF pic.twitter.com/oZeRnbgQhK

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) September 21, 2017

Wins then, wins now.

Happy Birthday to former #USMNT midfielder and current @ussoccer_ynt technical director, Tab Ramos! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/rZz252jJ6o

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) September 21, 2017

 

Giving credit to a Youth National Team coach for development makes no sense. He spends less than 5% of the year with any of our youth players.

Indicators of success are style of play, squad selection, and results.

He has been average at getting results but our ability to instill our will on opponents through possession has been non-existent.

We will never reach the heights of the game on a global stage with hard working athletes.

 

Just to get the percentages right, if the only tournaments and camps the YNT coach sees the players in 2017 includes the CONCACAF and U-20 world Cup, that would put it at 13% of the year with youth players. Frankly, his role is not just as a YNT coach, but as the Youth National Director. That role is more than just play, squad selection and results and dues have an effect on development, especially at the younger age groups.

That said, I do agree that more development takes place at the club, especially at the U-20 level which Tab directly manages.

 

does tab hire the youth coaches or is that the federation?

 

He cut Mukwelle

Get over it

 

I'm sorry but you have some major insecurities as a writer and journalist, I honestly feel sorry for you.

 

Yes and as a country we are still not producing enough high level talent.

 

For how long?

 

Agreed but it is growing. 15 years ago you basically had Bradenton. Those players and a few late bloomers made up the NATs. While it helped us outperform our talent level due to familiarity among the players, it did not produce more than around 20 or so prospects. We are now seeing a number of prospects both in MLS academies and others who go overseas. (compared to the old days where we had a handful in European academies and Bradenton. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix.

 

I think the familiarity issue is more important than we have realized. It may be why other CONCACAF countries are giving us (and Mexico last time) such a hard time. Eventually if the talent level keeps increasing it will make up for that difficulty. It's even possible the way things seem to be going that the familiarity returns because so many young players are close to breaking out in the Bundesliga. The German style does seem to be one that with the American work ethic and athleticism one to emulate. With Pulisic, McKennie and hopefully soon Wright, Sargent, Tatague and others all playing in a similar environment near each other they could be the core.

 

I thought you were Tab Ramos and if you're not I'll just correct something here. Investing in the various age groups was Klinsman's idea and not Tab's and if you're really the person I think you are then you're being very disingenuous. How many interviews has Tab had with MLS teams?

 

Tab is the Youth TD and oversees these groups.

 

A couple of articles discussing the issues above:

https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...ogram-lays-building-blocks-for-future-success

https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2016/11/28/jurgen-klinsmann-legacy-usmnt-us-soccer

 

It's widely known that Jurgen pretty much stopped doing his technical director duties and Tab pretty much took over. Tab moving from YTD to TD was in name only as he pretty much had already absorbed the duties.

 

This was a really weak cop out.

 

I disagree, on numerous occasions he has brought Akale into these discussions out of the blue. Akale was never a part of the discussion, Tab was the discussion. If he doesn't like my opinion on Tab then state that but don't bring other youth players into the spotlight because he disagrees with my opinion. It's simply not fair to Akale. It's simply a low blow to the kid, if he wants to disagree with me or make fun of me which completely acceptable and understandable based on your personal opinion then do so.

If my full profession was a writer in the domain of soccer in this country I would hope that I was a little more comfortable with people challenging my opinion.

 

Or I’m just being a wiseass

 

Is anybody gonna make a new U20 thread?