USSF Development Academy 2.0

I wish that USSF would organize a type of All-Star event for the U-15s on up in Europe every year. Bet a ton of teams would be willing to host such a thing so they get first hand look at who's up and coming. Have them play against some of the local clubs at their age level to gauge their quality and allow our best in the MLS and non-MLS DA to be showcased for scouts all across Europe. Another big tournament like the Nike Friendlies could really help those who aren't stars on our YNTs.

 

I think you nailed it. A university cannot claim compensation from a company benefitting from a top graduate either. The whole compensation thing was created just for academies being a part of an club's internal organization. These academies donot charge a fee. The academies of Feyenoord, PSV and Ajax cost the clubs from around 9 up to 12 million a year. But no one pays for these costs in the form of a fee like those in the USA.
The difference is that the club academies in Europe arenot ment to make money, but to prepare talents for their first team. The purpose of the "Pay to Play" academies in the USA is to make money by charging fees.

 

I keep seeing this but most MLS academies do not charge. FC Dallas teams that aren't academies may charge but even then every team has scholarship spots for poorer kids who may pay 1/2 or nothing at all.

 

AFAICT, MLS teams do get their solidarity and training comp. For instance, when Salcedo left RSL they were compensated a substantial amount. They are much more plugged in to the transfer market of course. Also, MLS refused to pay compensation for a Jamaican player. That might have changed now.

 

Another FCD squad going for a national title today in Frisco. This one is the USYS national championships in the U17 division

And its gonna be a great game between FCD and Baltimore Celtic.
http://championships.usyouthsoccer...._2017_us_youth_soccer_national_championships/

This is the FCD "Premier" team, which is one step below the development academy squads. I looked at the roster for the event and didn't recognize a single name. Such is the depth at the FCD academy that their non-DA teams gun for national titles. Last year there were a number of the Premier Team players that got NCAA scholarships. I remember that some of the kids in that case had a reason to not want to commit the time required in order to be a DA player. Maybe they had another sport or other commitments, etc.

In another game in these national championships, a team affiliated with the Crew are gunning for the title in the U19 division. This is the prestigious trophy at this event, which is called the Reese McGuire Cup. At least they're called the Crew and they're from Ohio. Its the Challenger Crew Jrs Gold 98. Maybe a youth affiliate of some sort based in Cleveland.

 

Looks like we have some MLS squads at the Yuodon Trophy again this year. Looks like the Sounders and Dynamo there. At the website both clubs have teams in the U14 and U16 divisions.

891030244983025664 is not a valid tweet id

Wheels up, next stop Manchester! @DynamoAcademy @YoudanTrophy @HoustonDynamo pic.twitter.com/1iQB1s73WU

— Houston Dynamo Academy (@DynamoAcademy) July 28, 2017

Here are their groups in the U16 division:

 

A bunch of results have already been posted.

http://youdantrophy.com/sheffield-2017/groups/

I may need to look into buying some Maiden City paraphernalia.

 

Just an anecdote I'd like to share:

In 2016-17, 14 individual Americans played in a top 5 league or the advanced stages of European football. Here they are, sorted by league, minutes, with goals and assists:
2016-17 (Minutes, Goals, Assists):

Champions League:
Christian Pulisic (Dortmund, 599', 1, 3)
Fabian Johnson (Gladbach, 343', 0, 0)

Europa League:
Kenny Saief (Gent, 725', 1, 1)
Fabian Johnson (Gladbach, 175', 0, 0)

English Premier League:
Geoff Cameron (Stoke, 1628', 0, 1)
Brad Guzan (Boro, 900', 0, 0)
Lynden Gooch (Sunderland, 362', 0, 0)

Bundesliga:
Timothy Chandler (Frankfurt, 2817', 0, 4)
John Brooks (Hertha, 2115', 2, 1)
Bobby Wood (Hamburg, 2084', 5, 2)
Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt, 1711', 1, 0)
Christian Pulisic (Dortmund, 1514', 3, 8)
Fabian Johnson (Gladbach, 1249', 3, 2)
Terrance Boyd (Darmstadt, 378', 1, 0)
Aron Johannsson (Bremen, 267', 1, 2)
Weston McKennie (Schalke, 13', 0, 0)

Serie A:
Josh Perez (Fiorentina, 15', 0, 0)

Of those 14 players, 7 (Johnson, Saief, Chandler, Brooks, Morales, Johannsson and Boyd) were nearly entirely, if not entirely, raised in Europe. The 7 remaining are Guzan, Cameron, Wood, Gooch, Pulisic, McKennie, and Perez. Wood was raised in Hawaii, far from the confines of MLS academies, and moved to Germany very young. Gooch has played for Sunderland since he was 10.

Of the remaining 5, the ages go as such: 32, 32, 19, 18, 18. That's quite a large gap. I know there's obviously some players in that gap in MLS that could play in Europe, and some players like Yedlin and Horvath are moving into contention, but the point stands nonetheless.

 

Wood was born in Hawaii but moved to Irvine to play youth soccer with the Stikers FYI

 

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017...teams-opening-academy-pipeline-inner-city?amp

 

Check out @ussoccer's Tweet:

60 U.S. Soccer youth member organizations have aligned to standardize 🇺🇸 player development.

Milestones ⚡️📊 | Presented by @LibertyMutual pic.twitter.com/oOh284OopA

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) August 1, 2017

 

Seattle has been killing it in the Youdon trophy. Both teams went undefeated in the group stage conceding a grand total of 2 goals.

At the U14 level they went undefeated in the group stage, even beating Man United. If I'm reading their tweets right it looks like they beat ManU 5-0! Looks like they're playing Sunderland tomorrow in the semifinal.


Just as good in the U16 division. They'll play Basel next in the semifinal.

 

Some additional good results to report on the youth levels.

FC Dallas qualifies for two finals at 2017 Copa Chivas Internacional and wins 2004 age group.https://t.co/M0u9jsaBll

— FC Dallas Youth (@FCDallasYouth) July 30, 2017

 

You can see some of the score lines at the bottom of this article. Not a bad article either.

https://www.soundersfc.com/post/201...ks-defend-title-2017-youdan-trophy-tournament

 

Check out @LAGalaxyUpdate's Tweet:

893283659880333312 is not a valid tweet id

Toronto, FC Dallas, Atlanta, & LAG will face Mexican clubs.

 

I'm intrigued by that Rotterdam team. Who are they and where does that Rotterdam come from?

 

U14s finish 3rd with a 2-1 win over Kawasaki Frontale @YoudanTrophy A exquisite overtime free kick the difference. #SDP #TheFuture https://t.co/I5yuwI6KB0

— Sounders FC Academy (@SoundersAcademy) August 4, 2017

U16s are currently playing the title game. They were up 1-0 late, but Everton have now drawn level. Seems to be going to extra time.

 

The sounders won on penalties.

The Concacaf U-15 tourney is starting Aug. 13 - http://ussoc.cr/9d77

 

TFC play in a lot of good tournaments. 3/4 of their academy players also play in several YNT camps a year vs opposition in Central America and Europe. They get tons of immense international experience.

How they can't produce more players is beyond me. Especially given Toronto is a ridiculous city for young talent.

 

Julian Araujo, an '01 CB formerly of Santa Barbara SC, has joined Barcas new Arizona residency at Casa Grande, per Will Parchman.

That's a really good pickup.

 

Should we make a thread for 2017-18 season?

I started these seasonal threads for the DA because the actual discussion of the DA was getting bogged down by long development discussions.

Would seem like that news fits in one of the seasonal threads.

 

I'd say yes, go for it.

 

Go for it, as the 2017-2018 DA season starts in less than a month.

 

Here's a small local article about him (we're all wishing him well here on the Central Coast!):
http://santamariatimes.com/sports/l...l&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=LEEDCC