The current state of our youth national teams

Something to remember.......................the USSF is an umbrella organization covering a lot of different interests. Not just boys' soccer. So this US Youth task force includes people like Cindy Cone (formerly Parlow), as well as other interests. Lots of interests.

I might be the only one, but I don't count on the USSF for anything. Where is all the work being done? Its at RSL and LAG and FCD and Philly and NYCFC and Solar and Barca Arizona, etc. etc. That's where I want to see diversity, and I see increasingly more diversity. In those places, accomplishment matters. Results matter.

Why are people worked up about an impotent "task force" on the USSF that doesn't actually have the authority to do anything? I look at this "task force" and its the usual USSF suspects. Of course it is. The USSF put USSF board members on a USSF task force. Wow. Am I supposed to be outraged by that? I know, I know. Its about representation.

 

Clint doth protest too much, methinks ...

 

Got it. Nothing to see here. So because you don't agree with Woitalla, a legitimate concern shouldn't be posted in a thread dedicated to the state of YNTs?

I threw Hugo in there. He wasn't mentioned in the article. But since we are on the topic, what does his performance before and after have to do with his performance on the YNT, and, specifically, his talent identification abilities. If you didn't and don't like him as a YNT coach and were perfectly happy with the way his firing was conducted, make that argument.

In soccer terms, I'm more Colombian than Cordeiro.

Tab Ramos is indisputably latino and the only one of any influence in the federation. He is also indisputably part of the New Jersey old boys network, seems to have been marginalized recently by USSF leadership, and doesn't particularly espouse a latin style of play. But point taken, in that, in the grand scheme of things, he probably has more influence than a "youth task force."

What does Luchi Gonzalez have to do with USSF? Would that he had influence on the fed; we would be a damn sight better off.

Pointing out a legitimate concern does not make me "outraged." And pointing out a hand full of examples to the contrary does not make an argument.
I don't think you would argue that the soccer establishment for much of our history wasn't dominated by influencers from the UK and now seems to be influenced by more continental European ideas (Belgium, Netherlands, France, etc.) Why, specifically, are Belgian or French developmental techniques better than Brazilian or Colombian? Forty percent of our YNTs from U-14 to U-20 are latinos. How many of their coaches or assistant coaches are?
But there is outrage out there, and who is to say it is not merited? Paul Gardner, in a scathing follow up to Woitalla's piece said,

"Make no mistake. This is a sick Federation. There is no way that it can explain away the discrimination that the composition of the Task Force reveals. This is not a small committee -- this is a nationwide assembly of some 60 youth soccer experts. And it is an absolute disgrace. A slap in the face, a slamming of the door, a blatant exhibition of disrespect toward Hispanic soccer players -- indeed, toward the whole Hispanic community."

https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/83545/to-the-us-soccer-federation-in-anger.html

My larger argument, and I agree that it is simply a matter of taste and personal preference, is that we share a hemisphere with some of the greatest footballing nations in the world but, to a large extent, ignore any lessons we might learn from them. I have felt for a long time that to advance as a soccer nation, our domestic league should participate in Libertadores and that our national team should seek any and every opportunity to participate in the Copa America.

You point out, rightly, that there are many examples to demonstrate that we have made improvements in the last decade. There are also countless stories, not only reported by Woitalla, of hispanics (and other minorities), who obviously represent an outsized percentage of our soccer loving communities, finding access to developmental programs for players, coaches and referees difficult if not impossible. Are you prepared to argue that our current system does not favor wealthy families? As long as US Soccer’s aim is to grow soccer mostly within the suburban, middle class population, we are going to continue to see mediocre results from the men’s national team.

I know you like to sound like the voice of reason, and accentuate the positive in everything regarding the federation. I would rather point out the failings of an organization presiding over the shit show that is the current USMNT and leave the rainbows and butterflies to others. This latest slight of the hispanic soccer community demonstrates, at a minimum, severe incompetence if not blatant anti-hispanic bias.

 

By definition I think "grassroots" is done WITHOUT the USSF.
Its the wrong people having the wrong discussions about a topic that they have no authority to do anything about. Then everybody is having a discussion about whether Person X or Person Y should be in the room with this impotent group of nitwits.

Grassroots by definition is from the bottom, local level up. Not the USSF dictating what the folks at the local level should be doing. And at the grassroots level I see folks with diverse backgrounds doing the job.

If I was emperor of the USSF I would immediately disband all of the endless committees and task forces they have. Put as much power in the hands of the local folks as possible. The people doing the work. No more USSF "curriculum" telling youth teams how to play, for instance. Coaches and administrators on the local level can figure this out. No more people sitting with granola bars and yogurts in Chicago chatting about how coaches in Brownsville, TX should be doing their work.

Hugo Perez is doing the actual work. Last I knew he was technical director of Silicon Valley FC in California. That's where folks should want him. Not on another damn committee with the USSF. I think this is what got Hugo Perez in trouble in the first place. He told those folks where they can shove their idiotic ideas and policies.

 

No argument here. But that’s different from your original response to the article and doesn’t refute the perceived bias in the federation.

 

I agree that the big fish to fry are in the higher levels that are doing a pretty good job including latinos and that the Task Force seems dubious. That said, it still seems significant that none of 60 members is latino.

You probably raised a bigger issue while stating that the USSF simply put USSF board members on a USSF task force. Why are there not any latinos on the USSF board? Even if it it's simply a matter of optics, that is not a good thing.

 

Don’t agree with much he says but credit where due:

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Glad to see @Susaeta getting the word out.

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That's the main thing with this. I don't get how people can get outraged over there being a lack of diversity at the USSF when that's just a side effect of having a federation ran like it's an old British monarchy. Diversity isn't what you focus on here - it's bringing in literally anyone who will improve the culture of the company and align it with the majority of leading modern enterprises, which by extension will include having more diversity initiatives, focusing on educating its employees, and everything else that an actually successful company does nowadays.

 

Not sure I am seeing the outrage on this front anymore. If the issue is we should have someone of latino heritage on the task force, then, clearly that is agreed. Out of 60 people there should be a person from every race and creed in the group.

If the problem is people don't think the US Youth National teams are diverse enough or don't provide opportunities to Hispanic or latino players that is simply incorrect. Take a look at the U17 roster that is in Europe right now. Take a look at any youth roster over the last few years and see if there are latino or Mexican American players identified and given time on those rosters. Take a look at the a number of the free to play MSL DA rosters and the make up of the teams. Reality does not stand up to that complaint anymore.

 

if i a disproportionate number of our best young prospects are mexican american then it stands to reason someone somewhere inside those communities knows something about nurturing youth talent

 

Landon chimes in:

Landon Donovan addresses Latino exclusion from U.S. Soccer Youth Task Force

https://www.socceramerica.com/publi...novan-addresses-latino-exclusion-from-us.html

snip

“We want U.S. Soccer, we want our clubs, we want MLS, we want our national team to reflect what our country looks like,” Donovan said. “Certainly, that includes Latinos, so we should absolutely have people who understand that segment of our demographic.”

No man of Latin American origin or descent is serving on any of the Working Groups.

“I'm not Latino,” said Donovan, “but I consider myself as Latino as one can be without actually being Latino -- because that's what I grew up around. I have a very good understanding of the Latin American player, mentality and lifestyle as it pertains to soccer. But I agree with you we should absolutely have representation from every piece of our country.”

Donovan said he never saw a list of the members on the other five Working Groups. Two other Working Group members also said they weren’t aware of who was on the Working Groups beyond their own. And one said they wouldn’t be surprised if most members didn’t know who comprised the other groups.

“I'm not in any of these conversations,” Donovan said. “I haven't been part of any of the interviews. I'm not privy to all of it. But, yes, I do think it’s vital to have [Latino representation].”

 

Robin Fraser is the new head coach of the Rapids. Doesn't prove anything one way or the other but there is at least one. He also coached for Chivas and has been an assistant coach for NYRB and RSL (per Wikipedia).

I don't know any others off the top of my head but that doesn't mean anything either.

 

So no one has mentioned Hugo Perez scouting for FMF now?

Hugo Perez joins Mexican federation as youth national team scout https://t.co/CidK4p9LXt @MikeWoitalla pic.twitter.com/ffJXu5QhQr

— SoccerAmerica (@socceramerica) October 1, 2019

 

At 8:48 AM this morning, in the U17 thread. No more sleeping in for you!

 

I'm beginning to hate the USMNT and Fed at a level unparalleled save for my loathing for Dan Snyder and Bruce Allen. Great Job ----wits! Worst Fed EVER.

 

I generally agree with what you've said, but for me there is still a lingering issue of the circumstances surrounding Perez's departure from U.S. Soccer. Everyone is assuming that it's just another ******** up from the USSF. But nobody there has ever revealed or explained the reasons for booting Perez. Yeah, maybe it is a ******** up, but there's a possibility that they had legit reasons, but were advised by counsel that because of employment law considerations they should say nothing. I guess we'll never really know what went down, and given USSF's incompetence in so many other areas we'll assume Perez was also wronged.

 

What is the actual purpose or function of the US soccer youth task force? Did they put out a mission statement?

 

Soccer America has done extensive reporting on the Perez firing over the years. And not just Woitalla. What it boiled down to, IMO, was they got tired of his suggestions/criticisms.

 

I have also heard he couldn't pass the power point and excel portions of the USSF licensing courses. Those are the most heavily weighted portions and they wouldn't budge in passing him.

 

alexi thinking he is checkmating someone while just generally sounding like a bad faith argument as owning someone on the internet idiot

 

Lalas has assumed the role of professional troll/provocateur in the US soccer media sphere. Ignore him.