Starting a new thread because we were still using the 2017-18 one. Looks like CONCACAF is holding the U-15 Championship next month. Portugal and Slovenia also participating. No other details AFAIK. Looks like the U15 boys' Concacaf Championship will be Aug. 4-11, with Portugal and Slovenia participating. pic.twitter.com/Wlqg8h4G6s— scuffed (@scuffedpod) July 5, 2019
And forgive me if this is the wrong time in the cycle to start a new thread. I have trouble keeping the cycles straight in my head.
We've talked about Nico Carrera a lot, the FCD U17 CB that US U17s have kicked the tires on. His brother might be the better prospects. A U15 goalkeeper with a pretty high ceiling from I've seen. #FCDallas U15 GK Antonio Carrera @pelusafcd13 has been invited to MLS/adidas Elite Goalkeeper Program in Munich in late July. It’s a training collab. with German Fed.What an opportunity. This kid is a big time talent with a bright future. pic.twitter.com/k2KXHaKrVR— 3rd Degree (@3rdDegreeNet) July 4, 2019
Top Drawer Soccer Best XI came out today. From the last roster, 3 guys were on the national roster that went to Italy, and were somewhat unsuccessful. There are also 5 guys on the best XI noted below that were not on the roster that I feel should get their chance...and maybe can help get a better result. We will see if the national team coaches see these players as Top Drawer does. Below are the listed Top XI (removed the boys from Canada): There were a number of terrific individual performances during the week in the U15 age group. TopDrawerSoccer names a Best XI from the 2019 Boys Development Academy U15 Playoffs. GK Isaac Nehme, Colorado Rapids - Out of full disclosure, Chicago Fire goalkeeper Christopher Brady was awarded the Golden Gloves honor from USSF after the event. And Toronto FC Dino Bontis was the champion of the event. That said, Isaac Nehme was the most meaningful goalkeeper to his team’s success. The Rapids (!!!!) finished the season undefeated. Yes, zero losses all year. Nehme was a major reason why the team was successful in 2018/2019 and he showed well in Oceanside. D Antonio Leone, Los Angeles Football Club - USSF awarded Leone the Golden Ball for event, as the best player. The LAFC center back propelled his team to a spot in the championship game. D Angel Martinez, Seattle Sounders - Martinez is a dominating figure in this age group - even playing up a year. He bossed the defense and even became a weapon in the attack when the Sounders were searching for a goal. D Ryan Quintos, Chicago Fire Soccer Academy - Fire only gave up two goals in three games in Oceanside and Quintos was a major reason why. He was terrific throughout the competition and rarely put a foot wrong. M Dylan Presto, Los Angeles Football Club - Presto put his name on this list with that performance in the game in the championship game. Presto scored twice in the first half as it looked like he sealed a title for his club before Toronto FC made a triumphant comeback in the second half. F Moises Cuartas, Weston FC - Cuartas scored in every game during Weston’s time in Oceanside. The talented winger had some jaw-dropping moments in Oceanside including a nifty meg against the Impact. F Darren Yapi, Colorado Rapids - Yapi is another tall winger who had a good showing in Oceanside. He scored a terrific goal against LAFC. Austin Brummett, Seattle Sounders - Brummett had a number of standout moments during the week in Oceanside. He won countless aerial duels, and became an obvious threat on set pieces.
The current U15 cycle is 2018-2019, and the following U15 cycle will be 2020-2021. All of the U15, U17, and U20 cycles end in odd-numbered years. I'm pretty sure you can also say the U16, U18, U19 cycles end in odd-numbered years. Only the U23s end in even years.
Best 23 for '04: GK: Slonina, Alguera, A. Carrera DF: Duenas, J. Reynolds, Sasaki, Lau, Leone, Morales, Cortez, Stephens MF: Craig, Flax, Hot, J. Torres, Rotundo, Lima, L. Torres, Sullivan, Oliva FW: Toure, Rincon-Rodriguez, (I haven't seen another YNT caliber CF) Slonina Reynolds-Leone-Morales-Sasaki Craig-Hot Rotundo Sullivan-Toure-L.Torres Others worthy of being listed in some capacity: A. Johnson, Yantz, Fenton, A. Rodriguez, Villatoro, Lambe, Pukstas, Borsos, Cisneros
I would expand the list to include these guys: GK: Isaac Nehme DF: Ryan Quintos MF: D'Alessandro Herrera FW: Austin Brummett
I don't know anything about Herrera or Nehme. I've seen Quintos play once. He didn't look like a bad player, but not a YNT player, IMO. I've seen Brummett play a few times, and I don't think he's a YNT caliber player either, but I could be wrong.
I have doubts about Toure. Toure's profile on USSDA says his year of graduation is in 2020, but he's a 2004, how can that be? The TopDrawerSoccer page also lists the year of graduation 2020, but that year would be the graduation for 2001 and 2002. It's a mistake?
I read some explanations that Adu graduated three years earlier because Ghanaian schools were so much better than American. Is it the case for Guinean schools as well?
The listing isn't wrong. It doesn't make a lot of sense, but I think it was JR Eskilson who confirmed that it's correct.
Two '04s made their senior friendly debut for Sac Republic. F Rafael Jauregui (last with US U15s in May 2018) and D Jonathan Dadzie (no U15 calls).