If this is correct, why would Tab say he's calling Tillman up to a U20 camp in March? (Aside from Tab possibly not knowing the regs.) To be clear, I am not challenging your notion about the FIFA rule. There's definitely a rule that keeps you from playing in qualifying for one FIFA event for one team and for a second team in a different set of qualifiers or the WC those original qualifiers were for. What I'm suggesting is the interpretation of the U19 participation for Germany may not prevent Tillman from playing for the US U20s this cycle.
Because if the kid wants to experience a US camp, the U20 level makes the most sense. It's his age-group and I don't see how giving a guy with 0 first team appearances a USMNT call up is a good idea. Unless FIFA has changed the rule since Green switched to the USA, this is the same situation as that.
This is what I'd have right now as the team. GK: Scott, Garces DF: Adams, Perez, Rogers, Araujo, McKenzie, Gloster, Lindsey MF: Durkin, Sands, Goslin, Booth, Carleton, Pomykal, Amon, Taitague, de la Fuente FW: Sargent, Weah Garces Adams-Araujo-Rogers-Gloster Durkin-Booth Carleton Pomykal-Weah-Amon
We've seen Llanez and Mendez with the u17s. Mendez wasn't anything special, and we have a plethora of attacking mids in Carleton and Pomykal. We've seen Llanez and Konrad on the field at the same time, and Konrad carried the u16s. Konrad is just another level, which you have to be to play up two years in qualifying. Llanez also likely won't have very much MLS experience at all at the point of qualifying, which means it would be silly to call him over guys like Amon, Carleton, and Pomykal. Just because Gary thinks they're good doesn't mean they're actually good. I mean, if his brother is so great at developing young talents, then why do they all peak at 18?
Llanez has been one of the better players of his age group, and was the biggest snub of the U-17 team. Mendez is a very good player, who had a bad camp. Have you watched these players consistently? As a LA resident, I've had the privilege of watching the Galaxy youth teams that have pretty much dominated DA competition with FC Dallas over the last few years. I'm telling you now, the train of thought you're illustrating is why we are going to continue to lose or fail to develop the rich talent pool that is the Latin American population in this country.
Tough competition. He's in the #6 mold. I don't think he's better than Durkin or Sands, but he might be next up at the position.
I don't know, he's played well against grown men and is pretty good on the ball. I need to see more of Durkin and Sands.
No one is disparaging Llanez. He'll probably play a big role for the U-20's during the 2021 cycle, but making the 2019 team will be very difficult for him, as he'd be playing up a cycle and he plays at probably our most talented position. Is he better than guys like Amon, Taitague, Pomykal, Carleton, de la Fuente? That's nothing against him, those are some very good players. I think the best way he could get himself on the radar is first team appearances, which is how Amon got himself on the radar. I'm going to disagree about Mendez. I have not been that impressed. If he makes the U-20 team this cycle, I think it'll be in the Torre or Herrera mold.
Yeah...................I think we need to have a little patience here vis-a-vi Kleiban. The little bit of a dead zone the Galaxy have had with homegrown signings of late is due to his predecessors. We'd also think differently of the Galaxy programs if Alvarez was still playing for USYNTs. Quality always trumps quantity.
I’m hearing this might be the last U-20 WC. Big word is “Might” FIFA is considering scrapping it Going to either a U-18 or U-19 WC every year instead
This wouldn't help out our players. A lot of them get European interest with a good U-17 or U-20 WC. Countries like England, France, Germany aren't effected much because their players are already very well scouted, and they have those UEFA tournaments to play in, which are often considered more important.
That seems to be what be Euro powers are intending with every new wrinkle. No more friendlies against European teams and now harder for players in other countries to get discovered. This is one reason why those against MLS are being short sighted. US players are at a distinct disadvantage over European nations of similar strength because our players can't go there until 18 except for the few who have Euro passports and have all kinds of restrictions in their leagues that limit foreign signings. Instead of hoping foreign teams and leagues develop our players in the long run it behooves us to have MLS be a real competitor. If you look at the recent signings and compare to other leagues it seems like MLS is on their way to moving into the 5-10 range. Now if only they can make their academies into that range too.
Agree x100 I want MLS to change in a number of fundamental and philosophical ways: 1) Be willing to sell young players more 2) getting younger American/Canadian players on the field 3) being able to protect against losing young player for free (it is a huge discouragement to see Jones/McKennie leave without their clubs receiving a dime) 4) Giving young players a choice of which team suits them - ending geographic homegrown restrictions, ending the draft, etc. That being said. I criticize MLS because I want it to improve. I am under no false impression that the United States can outsource its own youth development. It can't - and anyone who thinks they can are kidding themselves. Even if a few very good young players leave for Europe every year, that still leaves a HUGE role for MLS in terms of development. Who knows if the players that move abroad are going to flame out like Junior Flores and countless others? I strongly believe any kind of serious idea for improving American player development is going to have to include MLS. And MLS is going to have to implement a lot of changes itself to get kids on the field.
I think they are doing more and more of this but just like the league itself it just takes time and patience which most of us have little of. The first five years of MLS were just to get started and the next five was to keep from going under. After that stadiums were all the rage and in the last five years the academies are a real priority. Continual improvement and a spotlight will turn into a flood in five more years. Too much money not to do it right. A few tweaks are still needed to make it explode.
Of course. The product in MLS is better now than it has ever been. But there are honest questions of whether or not a superior product is helping American development? It's tough to reconcile 1) having much bigger budgets to spend on players while 2) finding more minutes for unproven kids. At at time when MLS teams are going hard in central and South America for quality players along with having an ever increasing number of American players who are good but generally have no options among better leagues in Europe, the bar is getting higher and higher for young players to get on the field in MLS. Competition is good but playing young players over established veterans will always be a risk. It could pay off big for teams but not enough managers are taking that chance. I am not in favor of rules that set a quota of minutes that must go to young players that meet certain age requirements. That can backfire. What it's going to take is for financial incentives to sell (like teams can keep all the $$ from a sale) along with managers with balls who simply are willing to trust young players to get the job done. Things are moving in the right direction. I enjoy watching MLS games and I go to several every single season. But some deeper philosophical issues beyond tweeks remain There is no way for American soccer youth development to improve without MLS. It's part of any serious solution. I am looking forward to seeing how the league embraces this responsibility.
They need to make a mandate where a young player has to be on the field, kind of like Mexico does.....get these kids on the field and stop bringing in 30 year olds. Build your youth programs and sell these kids for big money.....its not that hard of a concept
The influx of players into the league isn't 30+. Of the 73 new players coming into the league in 2018 from other professional leagues, the average age is 24.7. The average age of the 9 designated players coming into the league in 2018 is 22.7. The league isn't bringing in old players. What is happening is that you have career American MLS players who are just getting older, who never really had opportunities in better leagues abroad, and are staying in the league. They're still good & they can help teams win but these are the type of players young American players will need to beat out in the eyes of their managers. How do these career MLS players (mostly American) get phased out earlier in favor of younger Americans? That's the issue. Not the newcomers. I don't like rules mandating playing time for young players. I just like managers with guts.