YNT-eligible lower-division pro players: 2018/19 Offseason thread

https://www.brotherlygame.com/2018/...da-bethlehem-steel-philadelphia-union-academy

A lot of something in this one. 17 year old US U19 Nathan Harriel is coming to Phillys academy/BSC. The kid decomitted to Clemson, to try get a pro contract, seems odd that he would decomit and not just wait and see if he was going pro. It’s an interesting precedent. I have a lot of thoughts on this, most of which I’m too tired to explore. One quick one: academies like Dallas, LA, and RSL may produce the best/most players, but what Philly has may be more valuable if they can consistently recruit like this.

 

North Texas signed Ronaldo Damus (fantastic name) and Brecc Evans

Any FCD fans know much about Damus or Evans?

Damus looks interesting with his goal scoring record.
https://www.fcdallas.com/post/2019/...orward-ronaldo-damus-and-defender-brecc-evans

 

Damus is Haitian and even started one WCQ last cycle after Haiti were eliminated in the semifinal round.

 

Evans is a big center back who has been on the fringe of the YNT scene and just finished a strong season at Cal Poly.

 

I thought he plays LB.

 

Last time I saw him play, Dallas Cup final a few years ago he was at center back.

Could be another Matt Hedges.

 

I'm almost sure that I remember him playing LB. Maybe he played both. I remember thinking he should've been playing CB.

 

I suspect your are mistaken.

 

Terwege played left back on occasion. Can't remember Brecc Evans doing so.

Brecc and Damus are the kinds of players that this FCD USL should be signing. Raw materials. Damus in particular has an enormous amount of physical skill. If his game can be molded and developed, he could be an MLS player. By the way, I'm not sure he was at the academy long enough to actually sign an MLS homegrown deal. So we'll just have to see where that goes.

Evans was always overshadowed by the CB partners he played with at FCD. You put Evans next to Chris Richards, and it was fairly clear which of the two had the elite ceiling. Evans was just steady, steady, steady. Sometimes players like that end up being Jordan Cano, and sometimes they end up being Michael Parkhurst. He had a lot of injuries while in the academy. If not, we might have seen him more with USYNTs.

Here's a little video of him from his NCAA signing night.

 

I like that FCD put the contract details in the announcement.

1 + 1 for Damus and 2 + 1 for Evans

 

FCD says Damus is not HGP-eligible.

https://www.fcdallas.com/post/2019/...s-adds-twist-north-texas-sc-development-model

 

I said before that I think of this Austin team as having a ton of potential in terms of player development. There's talent there in Central Texas to mine. I'd have preferred San Antonio, whatever...………………….

Still waiting on official confirmation, but it appears the #AustinFC announcement party is set for one week from today, Jan. 15. MLS Commissioner Don Garber, Mayor Steve Adler and team Chairman/CEO Anthony Precourt the main presenters. #MLS2ATX https://t.co/3hzjwu0kWI

— Chris Bils (@ChrisBils) January 8, 2019

 

Los Dos offseason moves:

https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2019/01/10/la-galaxy-ii-exercise-2019-contract-options-five-players


Zubak, Vera, and Lopez return.

Jonathan Hernandez is out of contact. I'm not sure what happened to Bennett Sneddon, who isn't mentioned, but I think he must have left the club sometime in 2018.

He's no longer YNT-eligible, but I recall chatter about Adonis Amaya back in the day. His USL option was declined.

 

Would think this will be the MLS owned teams moving to USL L1 eventually.

“Right now, the Championship has 36 professional teams competing, and we’re launching League One with 10 professional clubs,” said Edwards in an interview about USL’s long-term strategy. “So it’s 46 professional teams across the country in our set-up right now. We’re looking at the ideal number [in the Championship] somewhere around 38 or 40, and that’s where we’re going to top out and cease expansion. What that means is there will be a number of teams—probably 10 or 12—currently in our Championship that will come out of our league over the next years and go into League One."

https://www.si.com/soccer/2019/01/1...ign=social-share-article&utm_content=20190114

 

Scott Donnelly has left as manager of Atlanta United 2.

https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/atlanta-united-fc/scott-donnelly-atlanta-united-usl-coach-mls/

 

Yup. They might get there.

Need to build up League One over the next couple of seasons before it can even be entertained.

Also, I would just say that the clubs actually in League One are there for a reason. I don't think they care all that much about results, and just want to focus on player development. So do those clubs really care about promotion to the Championship? I'm not sure..................

Do we want Los Dos in the Championship to be so concerned about being relegated that they take their eyes off of player development? Probably not.

 

What makes you think MLS II teams will suddenly "take their eyes off player development" just because they might get relegated? They would be getting "relegated" into a division that you think is better for their development anyway, so why would they care?

Whatever level they want to be in, the goal has always been to develop players. Otherwise, there's no reason to start an LAG II, or ATL II. Clubs would never be able to make money on their investment through anything other than developing players.

 

Anyone care to guess who the two European giant clubs interested in owning USL One teams might be?

 

I'll say Barca as one just because of the interest they've shown in the DA and NWSL. For the other, I'll guess Roma because https://www.soctakes.com/2018/09/27/as-roma-usl-cali/

 

way out of my lane here, but wouldnt this make a lot of sense for like a dutch club that could basically lessen the blow of having to pay the higher wages by having a higher degree of certainty about the players quality since developed him?

 

We have what I believe is the first confirmed USL Academy contract of 2019. Ethan Bryant '01 is back with San Antonio FC.

https://www.sanantoniofc.com/news_article/show/985703

 

It seems unlikely that a Dutch club that struggles to afford non-EU wages would have the funds to invest in a minor league soccer team in the US.

That said, you never know what club will embark on a quixotic, doomed quest in the nether regions of the US soccer pyramid. Crystal Palace, Deportivo Alavés, and Rayo Vallecano aren't exactly the titans of Europe, but they're the ones who actually put money down.

 

Sporting Kansas City is in camp and put out a preseason training roster

Thread eligible players in MLS camp, but on a Swope Park Rangers contract

Felipe Hernandez, Mid, '98
Wilson Harris Fwd, '99
Will Little, Mid, '98