YNT-eligible NASL/USL players -- 2016/17 offseason thread

Discussion in 'Youth National Teams' started by Dave Marino-Nachison, Nov 15, 2016.

  1. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Markets the USL or NASL should be in, not counting the potential MLS expansion cities:

    Albuquerque
    Austin (I know!)
    Birmingham
    Boise
    Buffalo
    Cleveland
    Des Moines
    El Paso
    Eugene
    Fresno
    Ft. Myers
    Hartford
    Inland Empire
    Laredo
    Memphis
    Milwaukee
    Norfolk, Va. Beach
    Omaha
    Portland, ME
    Providence
    Spokane
    Stockton
    Tucson
     
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  2. Peter Bonetti

    Peter Bonetti Member+

    Jan 1, 2005
    1970 WC Quarterfinal
    That list would be a great start.

    Topeka? Little Rock? Chattanooga? Wilmington, DE? Are those towns as strong as Stockton or Inland Empire or Laredo? Who knows? Honestly, I see so much movement at this level that I am probably getting greedy. Good list though.
     
  3. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    #153 Dave Marino-Nachison, Feb 14, 2017
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2017
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  4. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I wonder what happened with Atlas. As far as I can tell, he never popped up in the Liga MX database and didn't play in any games.
     
  5. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    USL Prez speaks with TDS:

    You guys continue to add teams year over year. Have you identified an end game? Is there a number you’d like to hit in terms of teams and conferences where you’d feel comfortable stopping expansion?

    “There’s no rest for the wicked. We don’t have a finite number. We’re working towards a three-conference structure. That’s something our board of governors are in favor of, that’s something we’ve been working towards for the last two seasons. We think maybe as early as 2018 we’ll be able to break into an East, West and Central Conference. We’ve got a couple of expansion markets we’ll be announcing very shortly in the coming weeks for our final couple of spots for the 2018 season. At that point I think we may well be able to get into a three conference structure. Certainly we’ll be able to do that in 2019 if we don’t achieve that in 2018. But I think 2018 is very doable.

    “We’re looking at a three-conference structure and it’ll be a sensible number of teams per conference. That’s where we’ll find that resting place (for clubs). I don’t know if it’s mid-30’s or high-30’s or what it may be. It’ll be a sensible number that we can operate that remains competitive. We’re focused on markets that are in those regional areas that can contend with other local teams and create those exciting derby games and sort of regionalize the competition in a way that makes sense on a number of fronts while still growing nationally.

    “There will be more expansion to go, and we’re looking at markets where ownership groups are committed to building 10,000-seat soccer specific stadiums and I think are very exciting, dynamic markets. There are a number of markets that don’t have professional soccer and I think would be tremendously successful in the USL. A number of those will be coming in over the next two to three seasons.”

    Once you get to a certain expansion point, provided the number is there in terms of clubs, has there been any discussion or interest put into making some sort of internal, self-contained promotion/relegation system within just USL clubs? Do you think that would ever make sense at a certain point?

    “Never say never. It’s something we probably would have the ability to do, if we had two divisions. It’s something that structurally we certainly may have the ability to do that. It’s not something we’re going to be looking at or able to do imminently. But it’s something we’ll look at moving forward.”
    https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/tds-qa:-usl-president-jake-edwards_aid41460

    A league with 30-odd teams doesn't necessarily need two divisions -- just some kind of clear conference structure. Much bigger, and it might.
     
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  6. Peter Bonetti

    Peter Bonetti Member+

    Jan 1, 2005
    1970 WC Quarterfinal
    #157 Peter Bonetti, Feb 15, 2017
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2017
    What he didn't address is the HUGE differences in franchises within USL. Fully 13 out of 29 teams last year averaged less than 2000 fans per home game at the same time that Cincinnati averaged over 17,000, Sacramento averaged over 11,000, Louisville averaged over 6,000, etc. These clubs have completely different goals, realities, etc. To keep them in the same league, pretending they have remotely the same goals, etc., is not sustainable. It isn't like they are close. The league champion averaged less than 600 fans per home game. Which leads me to the next point that he did not address...

    What about the MLS II teams that improve the quality and prestige of the league on the field, but will never, ever be an attempt at division II level soccer, as described by US Soccer? A lot of those clubs have no intention of being division II clubs with, as described by Jake Edwards in the article, 10,000 seat stadiums.
     
  7. Peretz48

    Peretz48 Member+

    Nov 9, 2003
    Los Angeles
    Check out @LAGalaxyAcademy's Tweet:


    I wish we knew who the academy guys were. Arteaga is a '00.
     
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  8. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    USL Orange County has been stockpiling guys with YNT experience and they now have another:

    Amirgy “Ami” Pineda, 19, is a player who has been ever-present on the youth soccer scene in Orange County with the Fullerton Rangers, winning two national championships in the process. He became the first American invited to train at the Nike Academy in England, and subsequently joined the LA Galaxy Academy. Pineda has seen time with the U.S. U18 National Team program, and provides versatility in the midfield with the ability to operate in a number of positions centrally or out wide.
    http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/759596?referrer_id=2349190
     
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  9. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Richmond signed '99 midfielder Simon Fitch to an (amateur) academy contract. Apparently he was on an academy contract last year, which I missed. I don't believe he played in 2016 and he'll only be eligible through the summer, assuming he follows through on his commitment to George Washington.

    http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/759011?referrer_id=2333971
     
  10. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    I always wonder why a dad and a coach would risk his credibility to sign a player when it's so obvious there's only one reason the kid is on the team.

    This kid hasn't played organized competitive soccer since the fall of 2014. Then, it was at the NCAA D-II level, where he made 15 appearances - none of them starts - and didn't register a point. Then he didn't return for his senior season - this, after having been at two different colleges as a freshman and sophomore.

    Maybe the kid plays much better for his dad. Or maybe college soccer just wasn't for him and didn't allow him to flourish to his potential. But on the surface, this sure looks like a coach signing his son even though his son doesn't have the pedigree to make the team.
     
  11. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    Marcelo Palomino (as well as Lucatero and Charly Flores) played with RGV against a Dynamo academy squad, getting an assist.

    Palomino’s presence with the Toros on Thursday, as well as the performances of Flores and Lucatero, was a positive for Toros Head Coach Junior Gonzalez.

    “[Palomino] did some really good things for us not having trained with us, which was really good,” said Gonzalez. “I'm hoping as we continue to grow that we get more and more players coming up to the pipeline that can help us. Is important that we allow those younger players to get into a professional setting." ​

    http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/764480?referrer_id=2333971

    MP is an '01 and still an amateur.

    http://www.ussoccer.com/players/2015/02/02/14/26/marcelo-palomino#tab-1
     
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  12. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    Swope Park announced a bunch of academy signings:

    The Swope Park Rangers announced on Friday the club had signed Sporting Kansas City Academy’s Ezra Armstrong, Chase Bromstedt, Leroy Enzugusi, Max Rugova, Steven Tekesky, Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal and Patrick Wilkinson to Academy contracts for the upcoming USL season.
    Bromstedt and Tekesky stand out as guys who I believe graduated from high school in 2016. The former is committed to Tulsa but wasn't there in 2016 and isn't part of their incoming class.

    http://tulsahurricane.com/news/2017...-to-national-letters-of-intent.aspx?path=msoc

    The latter recently said he would attend West Virginia.
     
  13. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Jaylin Lindsey is a notable absence from that list, having made two appearances on an academy contract for SPR last year. I wonder if they are trying to get him on a professional contract.
     
  14. Brotheryoungbuck

    Jan 24, 2015
    parts unknown
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  15. C-Rob

    C-Rob Member

    May 31, 2000
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  16. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hanson's DA profile lists his nationality as Ghanaian, FWIW. Perhaps we'll get more info when Portland officially announces.
     
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  17. C-Rob

    C-Rob Member

    May 31, 2000
    Hanson has played for the US 18 team in friendlies, so even if he does not have citizenship, he is presumably en route. Of course, we've seen how long and winding that route can be.
     
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  18. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    So is it me or does it look like Portland has found a loophole in the MLS rules by signing USYNT players and undrafted college underclassmen to their USL roster. Presumably they are doing this with the full intent of moving them to the first team eventually. Wonder how long before other teams start doing the same thing.

    I mean, what - besides the randomness of MLS rules and the inconsistency with which they are applied - would stop LA or Seattle from signing, say, Jonathan Klinsmann, John Nelson or Christian Enriquez, to a USL contract, parking them with their reserve team for a year and then adding them to the MLS roster a year later, completely bypassing the draft?
     
  19. SUDano

    SUDano Member+

    Jan 18, 2003
    Rochester, NY
    Some would call it a loophole, others would call it a great idea and an enhancement to US soccer development.
     
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  20. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thus far, the key seems to be making sure the players in question aren't too well-known in soccer circles.

    Eventually, MLS will be forced to make a controversial rule decision when someone forces the issue by signing a bigger name. The history of MLS rules/regulations tells us they will not anticipate this and lay down rules now.
     
  21. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That may be YOUR opinion, but to MLSHQ I'd think it has the unmistakable and unpleasant whiff of free agency. :)
     
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  22. SUDano

    SUDano Member+

    Jan 18, 2003
    Rochester, NY
    Signatures are already dry so I'll take the former. Seriously I will fall on the side of improving US soccer development culture each and every time. MLS has shaded their rules all the time with DP, HG, TAM, GAM, and FA for older players. I laugh everytime someone mentions single entity rules I look at all their special rules. What's one more.
     
  23. Balerion

    Balerion Member+

    Aug 5, 2006
    Roslindale, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    T2 announced their squad today.

    Augustine Williams '97 is back

    Lamar Batista '98 and Harold Hanson '99 have signed as rumored. Hanson is listed a 5'9" defender, so presumably a fullback.

    Christian Herrera '97 is there on loan from Real Monarchs.
     
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