It's even easier to listen to what the people who work with a player everyday have to say. FC Dallas to FC Schalke. everyone keeps parroting the same thing, and it's very specific and unique praise. Not your typical media lip service.
I agree completely, add to that the USMNT needing some new blood at CM and it adds a lot to the appeal at least for me.
True. I think the optimism is that fact that Schalke are promoting him to their first team. Don't need my opinion, the club''s opinion speaks volumes.
A good chance that with both Acosta and McKennie, FC Dallas will be playing a big role in the USMNT central midfield in years to come.
Speak for yourself, there is plenty of videos of games on YOUTUBE. You just have to do your homework. So far, this kid looks to be legit.
Point them out then, and I can educate myself, and rep you in the process. And if youre talking about the Hannover friendly that is one of the two I watched.
https://www.derwesten.de/sport/fuss...nd-schalkes-groesste-talente-id210835227.html I got a chance to take a look at Elgert's comments in German. The SBI translation is decent, except that Elgert actually said at the end that McKennie is incomprehensibly strong at headers (kopfball) on both offense and defense. The author of the SBI piece, Tolmich, also left out a minor but somewhat interesting detail earlier: Elgert says McKennie can be a tower in battle: wenn es nicht so läuft, which (I think) means idiomatically "when it's not going well."
Makes sense. From watching a couple of their games, McKennie was the target in the air on almost every single free kick in a dangerous area.
As a life-long Philadelphia sports fan, I've learned that being pessimistic and afraid to dream of future success isn't any more fulfilling than dreaming big. Even, or perhaps especially, when the pessimism is proved correct, I'm still heart-broken. Therefore, I think it's important to dream big and to enjoy the possibilities: pre-season (in any sport) is the best season for Philly fans!
I don't see anything wrong with some on here being excited about his prospects, even if at times it is a little overboard. I've been on this kids train since seeing him play 2 years ago, but at the same time his situation is a bit different than some of our other prospects. It is much easier for players like Pulisic or even Wright to break into these teams and perform well. The responsibility of being an attacking player is nowhere near that of being slotted into the backbone of any side in the middle. I say this not to diminish the accomplishments of any attacking player, because the skill set needed to be successful and the skill set a kid like Pulisic has is incredible. I say all of this so we don't become disappointed if McKennie doesn't get the first team minutes we all hope for this season. Breaking into a top side as a #6 or #8 is just incredibly more difficult than breaking into a side as a striker or winger and much of that has to do with the responsibility that comes with playing a #6 or #8. It is simply a much greater risk in playing a teenager anywhere in central midfield than it is playing a teenager as a striker or winger.
All of this is true. But most of the hype for McKennie is coming from his club team itself. So it seems he is a big part of their plans for next season, which would make him a shoe in for a World Cup roster selection.
I understand - but hype isn't what I am speaking of and hype doesn't get you on any roster. Schalke is in a little different situation than some other clubs when trying to bring a young CM into the first team. The most ideal situation would be to have McKennie brought in as an #8 with a world class #6 beside him to cover. Schalke doesn't have that player at the moment - and I doubt they will come August. My point is that there will be struggles with a teenage CM in the Bundesliga - everyone should be aware of that from the off. The key is for Weston to get through those struggles quickly because when European places are up for grabs, patience isn't always something a manager can have when it comes to bringing a player through. For me, he is a WC player - I hope this season really puts him on the world stage.
To me, "big" plans at a major club for a teenage CM usually mean cup starts and sub minutes. Don't get your hopes up too high. As noted above, it's asking a lot of a teenager to play in the spine of a team without serious defensive help.
I think everyone knows what this year for him means. On the bench for the first couple of games, unless there's a blowout. A sub appearance, then another, and yes cup games. Then it's really up to how he plays, how the other CMs play and injuries. I don't think anyone expects him to be regularly staring for Schalke by December. If things go well and he shows he can be trusted to help close out a game, I hope he gets the Harry Winks treatment. 2nd half subs to help lock down a lead and when he proves himself as being responsible, he gets more game time. 500 or so first team minutes should be his goal.
I don't know what it means until I see it. Weigl was pretty young when he took the reigns of the bvb midfield
Actually, Weigl is a very good example. I am not sure that he took the reins, but he was inserted into the first XI after a month or two. However, Weigl had the perfect situation where he could slot in alongside Gundogen and behind Micki (who was player of the year). The squads that have that veteran #6 are the ones that seem to be able to get a young CM more minutes and relieve some of the pressure. Schalke does not have that at the minute. Off the top of my head, there are not may teenage CM that have come through big clubs without having that protection from CM partners. Pogba did it next to Vidal and Pirlo - Sanches struggled at Bayern, partly because Alonso isn't a cover type of player - I really can't think of another teenage CM that came through a big club without some kind of protection, although I am sure there is an exception or two. There are so many intricacies involved with playing CM in any big European league - often times the young ones just aren't ready. However, I think McKennie could be an exception and am sure hoping he is.
And maybe Hyndman! [Although he really wasn't at the FCD academy very long before he moved to Fulham.] I say we start Acosta/McKennie in front of Hedges/Zimmerman with a little Ferreira/Pomykol wing action and jesse Gonzalez in goal. Maybe a little Reggie Cannon developing at right fullback? Lets just add on a few players from Dallas Fort Worth and we'll have a nice little national team. Greg Garza at left back. Lee Nguyen as the #10. [DFW midfield is nuts right now as players like Dillon Powers, Victor Ulloa, Jared Jeffrey, etc. probably wouldn't even make our bench.]
The only sporting hype coming from Schalke is that McKennie and likely Wright will get time with the senior squad in pre-season camp to look at them. Very similar to the Julian Green at Bayern situation when Green was 18.
eh not really. Mckennie has been hyped extensively by the club, and a lot of quotes making it seem he would get plenty of opportunities next season. A LOT more actual praise than Green was given at Bayern.
Have you been listening? The hype has been more extensive than that, and more extensive than anything I heard about Green coming from Bayern. No-one in management at Bayern ever said that Green was "made for the Bundesliga," for example.
I have not been listing to poorly translated interviews or BS posters hyping a young player beyond reason. I am a home town Schalke fan and pay a lot of attention to people around the club who are generally spot on about our young players. There isn't anyone around the club saying that this season, Weston will a) make the first team 23, b) get consistent playing time, or c) be an occasional starter. He will get a look in pre-season but likely will be at best with the second team. The 04 has had hyped youngsters before ( Ozil, Draxler, Holtby, Sane, and Myers to name a few). We currently have Goretzka, Geis, and Bentaleb as starters in the double pivot. What we immediately need is an aggressive ball winning high energy CM.