We have to do both. We can learn from successful soccer cultures around the world while also doing it "our way" to adapt to the American market. Transfermarkt is a notoriously bad source for contract details. I always take that information with a grain of salt. Particularly when it comes to MLS contracts, the details of which are often not made public.
That update must be somewhat new as I had checked transfermarkt before and no contract info was there. They've been wrong before when it comes to MLS contracts with option years. Carleton probably had leverage though. Durkin signed a short contract which expires at 19. This latest crop might have been able to get short 2-3 yr contracts from MLS.
I agree with some European leagues just have so many good levels right next to each other training so many good players for a few first team openings then sell scraps to other teams or lower teams for even 500K-1M for dozens of players reinforces good development. I just can't agree with you that all of our gaps in our development fall at the feet at Sunil and Don. Particularly Don Garber. His goal was to grow the professional game to a point where money and resources now exist to be able to fund development academies and hire top coaches. Don Garber helped grow the game to help development now we have to use that money wisely. I think we all forget how desperate our professional game was 15 yrs ago to extinction. Now we have stadia, crowds, real clubs that impact communities, not having to be embarrassed to say I'm a soccer fan. Many owners, many cities fighting to be a part of it.
I think you are probably correct. I also believe it will be the wave of the future for top prospects as they apply the threat of signing in Europe at 18. The lower level prospects will have less leverage and many of their contracts will likely be more like the traditionalf MLS contract that locks the players in.
The Galaxy is not shutting down the academy any time soon. That’s one thing I can guarantee. I’m sorry, one of the requirements of BS posting is you have to have a hard line stance on pro/rel and be ready to fight to the death for that stance if anyone ever challenges you on it. It’s in the fine print when you sign up.
Would make some sense if Carleton wanted to test the European waters when he turned 18. Perhaps Atlanta doesn’t feel obligated to develop him and give him minutes if he’s just going to go the EPB route. They got to sign a top US prospect and make a splash, he gets somewhere to train and play some low level games, then he bolts. I’m not saying that’s what’s going on cuz I have no idea, but it would make sense as to why they don’t seem very interested in playing him at all. At least, that’s the way it looks
Of course, but I'm exaggerating to make a point that I do think is relevant. If all the academy players leave when they are 18, sooner or later the Galaxy will shut it down. After all, what would be the point? The rumor last year was the AEG powers-that-be were starting to question why the Galaxy wasn't getting a return on all the money that they were putting into the academy, which is why Onalfo tried to play the academy players more. It didn't work out, but we have another generation coming behind them. But what this tells me is that AEG does want to see a return to its investment (reasonably) and that their patience is not limitless. If the Alvarez/Llanez/Mendez generation does not produce minutes for the Galaxy, I expect a reassessment of the academy approach. Why I made my comment is that there is a tendency for some around here to both want MLS to spend more on the academies and also have the academy players avoid MLS. In the long run, you can't have both.
It wouldn’t surprise me if AEG had that attitude, but for every Alvarez, Llanez, Mendez, there are players like Zico Bailey, Jorge Hernandez, Eric Lopez, Hugo Arellano, etc. who may not be ten million dollar transfers, but they could be low cost, good mls players for a long time. Eventually, if the league keeps growing, more of those star players will stay.
Carelton getting good reviews for his sub appearance in the losing preseason vs the Crew. Anyone see it?
Some comments worth listening to from Dan Hunt of FCD. He mentioned that the club is working on sending one of their youngsters over to Bayern for 6 months. It'll be interesting to see who that is. Cannon and Pomykal seem needed by the first team. Reynolds and Ferreira aren't 18. Is there a mechanism that the club can use to loan a non-18 year old to a European team? If he doesn't play in games? I think the perfect candidate here is Jesus Ferreira. He's not going to get significant playing time with the FCD first team this year and there is no FCDII. Training at Bayern for 6 months for this 17 year old might even be more beneficial than playing with OKC over that time. I hope the clubs can find a way to do that. [Also, we do have visual evidence of Chris Richards in Germany recently............................] Anyway, you don't need to listen to Dan Hunt for very long to know this is important to him. He doesn't necessarily have the finances to go nuts with it as FCD doesn't have the revenue streams of other clubs. And they just spent 56 million on the stadium renovation and HOF construction. Anyway, I know Dan Hunt does get a little abuse on these boards. However, he certainly sounds more committed to the development of American players than other owners. How often do you hear the owners of say.......the Houston Dynamo.............talking about the importance of youth and player development? How is the agreement between @FCDallas and @FCBayern different than others in the past? Hear what @DanHuntFCD had to say (starts at 22:22) + more. https://t.co/V2aiRUtjHl— ESPN's Soccer Today (@ESPNSoccerToday) February 19, 2018
Ferreira might need to stay until he gets citizenship. there are weird rules about having to e here for certain situations but I'm not nearly knowledgeable enough to know what his situation is and whether that applies to him. Good question on who could go before they are 18. Pomykal can/could have since I think he might have a Euro passport through Hungary but Ferreira right now would be considered Colombian.
I'd would take Pulisic out because he is established already. and add some young bloods in Spain: Shaq Moore, at Levante UD in 2nd B and Liga in Spain ('96), Hayden Lyn Canizalez at UP Plasencia in 3rd Div ('98), and Ander Egiluz at CD Basconia (98). The last two in 3rd Div National, the same as Akale ('97). All three can easily substitute Weah, Durkin, and Silva PS @Eighteen Alpha was correct about his Shaq M. prediction He surprised and impressed everyone
You're obviously titled to your own opinion, but if you think that anyone who has ever touched foot in Spain is a better prospect than Durkin, you may have way too much faith in their developmental system.
So have we completed an analysis of the top players everybody listed a year ago and see how accurate our projections were a year later? Would be interesting to see who emerged out of nowhere, our outperformed expectations, against those who were likely hyped due to location, etc.
It is not simply touch foot in Spain. It is about the level of competition they have faced growing up and will face in the future. You are only as good as the people you play against. For Example, Durkin never grew up playing top academies in a relegation and promotion system or grew up playing against LOTS (not some) of players who have gone pro in Europe. It's not an attack on Durkin, but DC Unitted Academy and Richmond kickers can finish dead last in the league with no consequence. Not having the pressure of having to win makes you less competitive. It is the opinion of elite scouts and many people who know a whole lot more than me. I opinion is evidence-base. We can talk forever about whether or not Durkin belongs on the list or not. Perhaps the list w=should be top 25 and not to 20 to recognize all of the youth prospects
Are you seriously trying to argue that a couple of dudes in Spain's third division are better prospects than Chris Durkin because of pro/rel?
People say this, but then have trouble explaining how a kid like McKennie moved to Europe..................and was making his first team debut in less than a calendar year. Did Schalke just sprinkle him with magical European fairy dust? Weston McKennie signed in Europe when he was 18. Chris Durkin turned 18 this month. As that was after the end of the January transfer window, the first opportunity for him to sign abroad is this July.
I appreciate your critique, but that was nearly a year and a half ago. I've made more recent versions of a list since.
And this is the case in every country not in the top 8 countries. Spain, Germany, etc. Unless we can conquer the time space continuum and have all US soccer player born in the top footballing countries in Europe we will have to grow our own soccer culture and infrastructure to rival them.
Yes. Magical European fairy dust is a real thing. It is manufactured in Germany, Spain, France and they do not like sharing it with England or Russia. Italy is having a harder time finding the scientists to mix it correctly and Netherlands forgot and didn't use enough this last couple years. The formula is ever changing and very difficult to mine, mix, and administer in the correct doses to the right players and the right ages. It is very inconsistent over time and the formula is constantly changing. Some countries master its manufacturing while others incorrectly convince themselves they have it down.
It's pretty funny that the Durkin -> Benfica news came out right after that. I generally forget about the whole "Eurosnob" vs "MLS Fanatic" thing on these forums since nearly everyone is pretty rational, but this stuff is just ignorant. It's almost like you should watch players before rating them. So you're saying that Benfica shouldn't buy Durkin and instead should buy random guys in Spain because "it's not simpy touch foot in Spain" ?
Like the list a lot as a whole- the one disagreement I have is on Parks. He's accomplished quite a bit for a 20 year old and his ceiling seems quite high as well. I'd have him right up there with/behind CCV.