YNT-eligible NASL/USL players -- 2017 In-season thread

That's not great. Whitecaps 2 hasn't been good, but they utilize a lot of young canadians and OCB 2 is actually a solid midtable USL team that averages around 1,000 fans per game. OCB 2 even has some nice young bright spots like Pierre da Silva and Kraft. I'd like to know more about why they want to not have a USL team.

I'd really like for AUFC to get one, for pretty much the same reason FCD should get one.

 

I would imagine it is expensive and the benefits are negligible unless you have enough prospects to be worth it.

OC2 could have gotten similar return loaning Da Silva and Kraft to Tampa.

At this stage most teams and would be best with a true working partnership in my opinion.

Few exceptions for teams like LAG, Dallas, Atlanta, Red Bull’s who have enough talent to be worth it.

 

Why is this an option? I would think every team should be mandated to have a reserve team. The league is just going to allow them to not have a way to develop young players?

These kids obviously aren't going U-19 to the first team all that often, so why should they get rid of the reserves?

 

I still think the long-term solution is loans for the Pierre da Silva types who are ready to do well in D2 and MLS2 teams in D3.

I suspect that MLS teams are crunching the numbers and deciding that the returns on their D2 investments aren't justifying the expenses. Maybe cheap regional USL D3 will be a better fit.

People saying that loans are fine are forgetting the problem that led to MLS2 teams in the first place. Throwing players at the mercy of affiliates who are focused on winning is a problem. Setting up an RGV situation is a problem because it severs the link between the U19 DA team and the USL team.

 

Got a link for that?

 

920472669677654016 is not a valid tweet id

 

Supposedly OCB 2 will stay up next year according to Orlando's beat reporter:

Club spokesman told me Orlando City B will play next year. Also writing an OCB column today with some other info, will be up later.

— Alicia Del Gallo (@OSAliciaD) October 18, 2017

 

Said article

Basically cut everybody over age 20.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...r-insider-alicia-delgallo-1019-story,amp.html

Also said some owners see USL as a waste of money as vast majority will never even turn into rotational MLS players.

 

Yep. It wouldn't surprise me to see more MLS teams drop their USL teams. I hope the Galaxy give Los Dos more time, but so far it's been a disappointment.

 

I doubt they'll drop them altogether, but I do see some MLS 2 teams migrating down to USL3 where the inexperience of the youth they are trying to get playing time might actually be able to match up with opponents who aren't so much better that they can't play coherently as a team. Portland's idea of trying to snag teenagers from across the country and world makes sense for this environment. So too would it for teams like Dallas and LA with a ton of talent that come through their academies.

For other teams, partnerships with existing teams might make more sense. If there are only going to be 4-6 kids at a time in your system that have a chance to make a big impact, there may not be any point to having a B-side full roster filled largely with filler.

 

Bethlehem manager Brendan Burke on Matthew Real:

I asked Brendan Burke about the progress of left back Matthew Real, who could be the next prospect to move up to the Union. Burke’s view: pic.twitter.com/Tnpp7fsTFL

— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) October 18, 2017

 

Here is the updates that I've seen on twitter so far:

Bethlehem Steel:

Below is a statement from the Philadelphia Union in response to last night’s USL rumors. pic.twitter.com/malG3KqeBb

— Philadelphia Union II (@PhilaUnionII) October 18, 2017

Straus reported (all unconfirmed):
Sounders 2 not playing, then another source says they are playing
Whitecaps 2 not playing
OCB B not playing

Nipun Chopra reported:
Sounders 2 not playing
Swope not playing
RB2 not playing, then he says another source says they are playing
OCB B not playing

The beat reporters for both Swope Park Rangers and OCB B say both teams will be playing next year. I bet every USL B team will play next year aside from Whitecaps 2.

I think Red Bulls and Swope have gotten a decent return already from their 2nd team, so I doubt they lose their teams.

 

If this reserve team thing is going to work then it is going to have to be at the division III level. The clubs are going to need regional play in a format similar to the development Academy. That is the only way that they can maintain quality at the same time that they cut costs and make the process more affordable to them.

I know that NASL has shown an extraordinary lack of self-discipline but I believe that a merger between NASL and USL is necessary in order to make a Division II/Division III combination work - if we could get the NASL teams, but lose the NASL management. That way USL could stop trying to crowbar too many teams in to division II status that are not going to survive at that level.

These things have a way of evolving through survival of the fittest. Everybody thinks that they know the best way to set things up. The fact of the matter is that reality will show us which formats work and which ones don’t over time. Clubs won’t buy into formats that are too expensive and don’t pay off for them. People won’t come see games that they don’t believe to be worth the money spent.

 

I agree, but I don't foresee a time when NASL and USL merge. But especially now it'd be helpful because of all of the smaller markets both leagues are going after.

 

Seattle Sounders 2 are moving to Tacoma.

Red Bull’s develped Adams and Long in USL, which is probably the best return on investment on USL in MLS.

Swope has a number of younger talent and needs a spot for them to play. Same with Union, LAG.

If a MLS team could get a legitimate partnership with another team that would be ideal in lots of cases. In general those have not been great.

 

USL playoffs started a few minutes ago with Louisville vs. Bethlehem.

Trusty, Real, Jones starting. Samuel, Aaronson, and Pellegrino on the bench.

 

In terms of development.

I like the way S2 selects their roster.

Academy players signed to USL contracts, drafted players signed to S2 contracts, young foreign players signed to S2 so they can evaluate for 1st team contracts and then academy players playing up to push their development.

S2 has a number of young players from Cameroon. Nouhou Tolo went this route and will be the starting LB next season for the 1st team.

S2 is moving to Tacoma next season where the Rainiers will run the business side and the Sounders the team side.

They are still looking to build a soccer stadium right next to the baseball stadium.

This allows them to still train at Starfire with all the academy teams and 1st team. Which is very important imo.

Just loaning players isn't always best for development. And taking them away from training with the club reduces opportunities to go practice with the higher level teams to push development.

 

Ben Mines came in for NYRB II and scored.

Gif of the goal:

BENJAMIN MINES!!! First touch of the match full of quality!#CHSvNY | #DefendTogether pic.twitter.com/Ryw93RfF5x

— New York Red Bulls II (@NYRBII) October 22, 2017

 

Rumor that part of the reason for all the rumors of the demise of the MLS USL teams is that USSF is adopting a strict standard in light of the NASL lawsuit. Basically is can't push NASL down to D3 while granting USL lots of D2 exemptions at the same time.

This is why SS2 is moving to Tacoma next year. Tacoma Rainers are going to run the business side of the club including rebranding the team, but Seattle is going to run the Technical Side. Unlike Houston - RGV both rebranded Seattle 2 and Academy will continue to train at Starfire. This is the ideal type of partnership to me.

 

Agreed. Getting young player some professional minutes and some professional training is #1 priority. It's probably better to have the business side given out to smaller groups so they can handle it like a minor league team, while the MLS team can handle the players and such to ensure it develops with their team. I'm fine with that. But I hope this change doesn't deter any MLS sides away. I would think it would be more appealing.

 

This approach seems like the perfect blend.

The team competes as a separate entity with a better ability to draw fans, but the first team, second teams and academy all still practice together. The games are close enough that academy players and young pros can get minutes with the USL team.

Of course not all MLS teams could pull this off USL team really needs to be located no more than 1:30 away.

Philly also does this with Bethlehem Steel. The practice in Chester and only play games in Bethlehem. Of course Union both own and operate both clubs. Bethlehem gets way better attendance than other MLS owned teams.

 

http://sbisoccer.com/2017/10/nasl-m...iminary-injunction-decision-to-come-this-week

NASL made it's case in court today. We won't hear anything about it until later in the week.

Also in the article - North Carolina FC is definitely jumping to USL and the San Francisco Deltas are definitely folding.

Regardless of the decision, NASL is a complete mess. Even if they get everything they want in court, I can't see this league lasting another complete season. They would be lucky to even start the next season. The court's decision will probably be announced Friday.