Other seemingly former Tijuana youth players: Franco Mestre Raul Rodriguez Lorenzo Ramirez All unregistered. Samuel Velazquez, who moved back to the US and played for Nomads in the DA in 2015-16, is now back with Tijuana and playing for their Segunda Division team. Unfortunately Velazquez, the Segunda Division teams are the prospect version of the Land that God Forgot.
I just wanted to add a note that Xolos has gone from this incredible flow of information and youth rosters to El Zippo. Guess they changed the way they do their social media. It's much harder to know what's going on there than last season.
An actual U17 roster: The First XI for our Under 17 squad vs. @TigresOficial #GoXolos pic.twitter.com/omURKTKib7— Xolos (@xolos_en) November 23, 2016 Ernesto Espinoza, Jonathan Esparza and Antonio Nava start. And Espinoza scores: 16th min. 1-1. Gooal!! @xolos_en ties the match with an Ernesto Espinoza goal. #GoXolos— Xolos (@xolos_en) November 23, 2016
The U17 squad for the next playoff round against Chivas: These are @xolos_en Under-17 First XI vs. @Chivas in the first leg of the @LIGABancomerMX semifinals. #GoXolos #FuerzaTijuas pic.twitter.com/IKCptK9Txj— Xolos (@xolos_en) December 1, 2016 They lost 4-0.
Two former YAs at Tijuana got MLS contracts today. Brandon Vazquez moved to Atlanta and Adrian Zendejas was bumped up from SKC's USL team to an MLS contract.
What's the point of spending a year or two in Mexican youth sides if you're just going to end up back in the States? I think historically we do considerably better at developing our own talent than Mexico does ours, and it's part the style clash, part culture shock, and part vested interest. All things near equal, they'll show more faith in Mexican players and give them longer leashes. Our players who develop in the U.S. and then move to Mexico, have discernibly better track records. The former USS technical director wanted to push Mexican development over American, but it ignored history for our guys. It was solely a preconceived notion and superficial theory. The only merit I saw in going to Tijuana over LA previous for SoCal players was the Galaxy's reluctance to integrate youth players under Bruce. But now that he's gone, things may be handled differently there. More of those guys would be better served staying close to home, and after Vasquez was productive with Tijuana u-17's but stagnated in their system, I think this is a good move for him. Vasquez and Carleton both w/ Atlanta - that team should be an interesting follow when they're incorporated. Hopefully they at least make benches this upcoming season. They are still both quite young.
Well the point is there is no MLS team or even USL/NASL team in SD. So why drive up to LA when you can go across the border in about an hour? Plus, TJ is taking a very bi-national approach. They don't care if you are American/Mexican or Ghanian they will play you if you are good.
I assume they're not living at home still, and commuting to Tijuana. It's a reasonable drive for parents either way, it's not the top priority, and they should have plenty of visibility for the LA area teams. That's especially going to be the case with a 2nd LA team on the horizon. Many are going to clubs further away from the border than Tijuana anyway. It's a cultural thing to some degree. For whatever explanation one can come up with, our players don't seem like they are doing well developing in Mexico. It's been a bit of a black hole, from a national team standpoint. And I'm not counting players who were just tried. It's been many years since one legitimately developed in Mexico has been an asset. If you're going to go abroad, it might as well be to a decent or better league's club's reserve team in Europe, provided they've noticed you.
TJ is taking a very import-South-American players approach. Only about 31% of their Apertura minutes went to Mexican or American players and about 5/6 of those minutes went to veterans. Young players of any origin are not getting many opportunities there. Arriola was available all season and managed to play 147 minutes.
I meant in general. Even if they are recruiting for just roster fill they are actively searching here in so cal and actively marketing in SD/OC/IE
Club Tijuana Under-17 First XI vs. @Chivas second leg semifinals @LIGABancomerMX #GoXolos #FuerzaTijuas pic.twitter.com/Hgxt0DBHbS— Xolos (@xolos_en) December 4, 2016 18th Min. 1-0 GOOOOAALLLL!!! @champi_nava with a goal (4-1 aggregate) #GoXolos #FuerzaTijuas @LIGABancomerMX semifinals 2nd leg.— Xolos (@xolos_en) December 4, 2016
Scored again: 50th Min. 2-0 GOOOAAALLL!!! @xolos_en Under-17, @champi_nava buries a shot on a pass by @IvanGacelo (2-4 aggregate) #GoXolos #FuerzaTijuas— Xolos (@xolos_en) December 4, 2016
I don't think Carlo Chavez has his own thread. He played sparingly this past fall and is now listed as unregistered. A few years ago, he started regularly and often captained Tijuana's U20 team, but he never played much at the U20 level.
Another threadless player is Jonathan Esparza, a '99 defender who was a regular starter for the U17 team during the Apertura. He also got one appearance for the U20s. He's currently listed as unregistered. It seems a little surprising that Tijuana would cut a player with that profile loose, but the Liga MX database can get a little wonky during the offseason. I wouldn't be shocked to see that he's still with Tijuana after all when the Clausura starts up again.
A lot of Xolos in this U18 squad: Roster by Position: GOALKEEPERS (3): Eric Lopez (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Trey Muse (Seattle Sounders; Tukwila, Wash.), Alec Smir (NC Fusion; Greensboro, N.C.) DEFENDERS (10): Jose Alfaro (Chicago Fire: West Chicago, Ill.), Jonathon Esparza (Club Tijuana; Chula Vista, Calif.), Daniel Jones (New England Revolution Academy; West Hartford, Conn.), Jack Maher (Scott Gallagher; Caseyville, Ill.), Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union; Bear, Del.), Jake Morris (Seattle Sounders; Kirkland, Wash.), Stirling Russell (Seattle Sounders; Bellevue, Wash.), Aedan Stanley (St. Louis Scott Gallagher SC; Columbia, Ill.), Angel Uribe (Club Tijuana; San Diego, Calif), Aristotle Zarris ( LA Galaxy; Casa Grande, Ariz.) MIDFIELDERS (7): Abdi Faris (IMG Academy; Bradenton, Fla.), Christian Cappis (Texans SC Houston; Katy, Texas), Jose Carranza (D.C. United; Manassas, Va.), Andrew Paoli (San Jose Earthquakes; San Jose, Calif.), Brian Perez (Club Tijuana; San Diego, Calif.), Brandon Servania (FC Dallas; Brimingham, Ala.), Noah Verhoeven (Vancouver Whitecaps; Surrey, B.C) FORWARDS (8): Shaft Brewer (FC Dallas; Sacramento, Calif.), Griffen Dorsey (Colorado Rush; Evergreen, Colo.), Ernesto Espinoza (Club Tijuana; Chula Vista, Calif.), Will Inalien (Portland Timbers; Taramac, Fla.), Justin McMaster (Philadelphia Union; King of Prussia, Pa.), Alfred Perez (Weston FC; Miami, Fla.), Emanuel Perez (CASL; Garner, N.C.), Justin Rennicks (New England Revolution Academy; Hamilton, Mass.) http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/201...m-jan-23-30-in-bradenton#.WIZJ4v5Krdg.twitter
For those who prefer pictures: .@xolos_en youth players called to #USMNT @ussoccer_ynt Esparza, Uribe, Perez and Espinoza at U18 camp in Florida. #GoXolos #WeAreSoccer. pic.twitter.com/vFJmYyjdFh— Xolos (@xolos_en) January 24, 2017
Played a 1st team friendly against LA Galaxy: Club Tijuana: Luis Michel (Dilan Nicoletti 66’), John Requejo (Angel Uribe 89’), Hiram Munoz, Juan Carlos Nunez (Luis Martinez 80’), Matias Pizano (Ramon Ceja 89’), Pablo Meza (Amando Moreno 58’), Carlos Vargas, Juan Carlos Medina (Adrian Ramos 63’), Luis Chavez (Antonio Nava 86’), Jorge Alberto Ortiz, Henry Martin (Daniel Lopez 86’) http://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/0...axy-open-preseason-play-1-1-draw-club-tijuana
For sure Requejo, Uribe, Moreno, Nava. Not sure on any others. Since Xolos stopped tweeting their youth XIs, it's really hard to keep up.
Ramon Ceja is from Reno, Nevada Edit: Born in Mexico, but raised in Reno http://www.alianzadefutbol.com/nota.php?id=683&lang=en
Looking for more troops in So Cal: There's still time. Come see us tonight. Xolos Academy FC tryouts at San Ysidro High. #GoXolos #WeAreSoccer #FuerzaTijuas #FuerzaYasser pic.twitter.com/15I2DpJCM7— Xolos (@xolos_en) February 16, 2017