News: Thursday, Oct 19 , 2017

Lost in the Crew story that is justifiably gaining so much attention is that rumors are starting to fly that several MLS B-teams in USL are going to drop out. Apparently Vancouver is, and there have been rumors about Orlando City, Seattle, and NYRB.

If they are abandoning the entire concept of getting young players playing time rather than rotting on the bench (or stands), I could not be unhappier about it. It would set back American soccer markedly.

If they will be moving to more of a San Jose/Reno or Houston/RGV partnership, then that is great. As it is, there is a bunch of filler on these B-teams who realistically never have a chance at MLS, so I can understand why MLS teams are not happy paying their salaries.

Ideally, some teams will also have USL3 teams during 2019. That would be an ideal place for top prospects to play without being overwhelmed by the competition, such as what is happening with Portland and LA this season in USL.

Hopefully some reporter will actually do some research on this topic and come out with a fully fleshed-out story.

 

as far as the 3 canadian teams- TFC, vancouver and montreal- the proposed new Canadian Premiere League primarily geared towards the development of young players might be the place these 3 teams place their young talent- it might start in 2018 or 2019- i also believe that TFC is abandoning their USL team, so the CPL might be a playing format for their young talent- the city of hamilton is leading the CPL movement

as a further note, there is a rumor that a growing suburb of vancouver- surrey- is getting interest from an investment group to build a new stadium and it might be for a CPL franchise- whitecap players could be loaned out there

just a guess, but the 3 MLS teams will need a place for their young canadians to play and the CPL might just be that place

 

There are three incoming USL teams to take up the slack, so that may help. The problem is that an MLS team needs more than two or three developing players getting real playing time in someone else's system, but a full roster is beyond any team's needs. Without the revenue to justify significant added extra expense, the B sides are understandably in jeopardy, especially for teams without a development focus. The hybrid model is the right answer for most; off-loading some of the expenses while still controlling development.

 

At the Division 2 level, that is likely true. I think things change when USL3 comes online, though. I wouldn't be too surprised to see some teams' U18 DA teams pull out of the DA and play Division 3 instead, with a handful of older prospects added in. That wouldn't really add much more expense given that everything is already paid for (those 18 teams already exist and older prospects are already under contract) and expenses are unlikely to change much. I suspect Portland and LA will take that plunge, maybe Seattle and Dallas as well.

 

That would make sense. Some may stay with both a U-18 and a D2 B side, others go with just a D3 side. I like each team having the freedom to act as they see fit on development, as long as they are actually doing it.

 

S2 is moving to Tacoma starting next season where the Tacoma Rainiers will run the business side and the Sounders the team side.

They are looking to build a soccer stadium right next to Cheney Stadium.
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S2 is used to sign academy kids, sign drafts picks and sign young talent from elsewhere to evaluate and develop for potential 1st team contracts.

Look at S2s roster this year. Numerous young players from Cameroon. And Nouhou Tolo started with S2 and is now with the first team. He will be the starting LB next year.

I don't think the Sounders are getting rid of S2 any time soon.

 

They won't be allowed to pull the u18 team from the academy.

Plus teams use the b/2 teams to sign players. You only have so many roster spots on the 1st team.

What teams already do... At least the ones pushing development, they keep pushing players up in level based on their play. So you end up with u18 academy players getting USL minutes. U16 players getting u18 minutes. U14 getting u16 minutes and the best u12 players on the u14 academy teams.

For the kids ready to get the USL minutes, an affiliate team where they loan a few players doesn't work for that.

 

TFC is not abandoning their USL. They are moving it to downtown Toronto.

 

We'll see. Already the top academy teams don't experience much in terms of difficult opponents, and it won't be long before things have to change. Dallas and LA, for example, routinely rout their opponents. That's not exactly helping with their development if they are challenged just a few times a season.

Right... I'm not sure what your point is. They could do that at D3 just as well as they could at D2. I mean, they did up until this past season, after all.

That works fine up to U18. But if teams drop their USL2 teams, which was the point of my post, there will be nowhere for their top academy players to play except for U18. Given the wide range of competition there, that's not the best solution going forward.

Assuming they get playing time. Plenty of kids get loaned out, then rot on the bench.

 

I must have misread your post. I thought you were saying they were going to get rid of the b/2 teams altogether. Not simply drop to the 3rd division within USL when it starts up.

The affiliate route is a waste of time. Better than nothing though I guess... Maybe...

FC Dallas needs a USL team badly.

FC Dallas and the galaxies academy teams don't just steam roll all the competition and go undefeated...

And these academies go and compete in international tournaments as well. The top players get national team call ups.