Youth Yanks Abroad 2011/12 Update

So sorry. Didn't see it. Well Bradley is still fairly young but go ahead and edit it if you want...apologies!

 

Generally we only cover the U23 and U20 players here. Bradley's a senior international long established in the side. If you are looking to discuss Bradley I'll suggest this thread


https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1919456

 

Its all good, I didn't see or realize or see it was a youth thread...Again my sincerest apologies! Go ahead and edit it by all means.....

 

http://www.yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=content&id=9004

Here's an interesting article by Brian about 20 year old Thomas Delaney of Copenhagen.

He's been on-and-off our youth radar for quite a while.

Part of the article:

Since he has always been involved in Danish soccer his entire life, Delaney has never really thought about playing for the United States. That changed earlier this year when he received a call from US U-23 head coach Caleb Porter to discuss his international options.

"A couple of months ago I talked to Caleb Porter," Delaney revealed. "He called me along with [another person] from the US federation. He just wanted to talk to me about the team and how they work. He heard about me and saw some videos. He asked if I was eligible."

Delaney enjoyed his conversation with Porter and was appreciative that the United States showed interest in him. But with his Danish roots being so strong, Delaney declined the offer to play for the United States at that time. Such a move would be permanent because it would require him to file his one-time switch with FIFA.

Delaney, however, did leave the door open slightly for playing for the United States if he does not make progress in the near future of breaking into the Danish national team..................

 

Preston Zimmerman might kill someone if Delaney ends up switching to us.

I guess yes," Delaney said when asked if the US would be an option in the future. "I'm convinced I want to give it a shot to make the national team for Denmark. I feel like I'm a Dane and that should be my priority

 

If he isn't good enough for Denmark, he'll likely be mediocre at best for us.

He's gone

 

yeap, "vaek"

 

Basically another Daniel Potts.

 

Not quite, because not being good enough for England still means potentially helpful for our team.

 

Well they both play for their respective country's youth teams. If neither of them make it, they might give the US a more serious look. I was talking more about their ties to the US though.

 

Yeah, but Delaney said he wants a call up soon or he'll consider switching. What soon means matters. As a 20 year old, not playing for Denmark isn't a big deal and he could be a contributor to our team as a 24 or 25 year old.

 

http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/us-ynt-standout-villyan-bijev-debuts_aid24153

Updates on Villyan Bijev and Alejandro Guido. Both seem pleased with the respective moves that they made. Also, both pleased to be called into the under 20 and 18 camps respectively.

 

Poster in YA claims Caleb Stanko is being groomed as a right back for Freiburg and is progressing nicely.

We seem to have a solid group of back line prospects abroad with Ocegudea at left back in Monterrey, Cunningham in Oslo, Brooks in Berlin and now Stanko at right back. Good to have an optimistic group early for the backline considering how past cycles have seemingly struggled with defenders.

 

I know I've asked already but does anyone know if Kevin Hoyos wants to play for the US?

 

Cody Cropper apparently made Ipswich's bench this weekend.

 

Ruelas also made his season debut against Tijuana last night

 

Finally... another guy who had pretty much fallen off the map.

 

Greg Garza gets his first Primera start. Corona and Castillo also in the starting 11 for Tijuanamerica.

 

Wow, I know it's always easy for hindsight to be 20/20, but really.


Greg Garza vs Jorge Villafana?

Just curious.

 

Villafana's professional starting experience vastly outmatches Garza's. Now don't take that to mean that I think that necessarily makes Villafana better, but it could have played a role in the roster decision. Villafana was actually a bright spot in the tournament though, he got burned by El Salvador's winger a couple times, but that kid was wicked fast. I will say that peoples' uninformed, narrow-viewed bashing of Garza has worn on me. Garza is definitely not a prospect to dismiss, as much as people on here like to say he is. From everything I've heard, he seems to be in a really good situation down there. We'll see where his development takes him.

 

Greg Garza is more of a natural LB.

 

No Garza was terrible at the U20's....and really hadn't played many meaningful games since then.....Just another in a long line of LB's that didn't deserve to be anywhere near the NT but the woeful depth there puts him in or near the starting lineup.

 

My cousin, Tony Salciccia (21 years) who was on the U18 I believe is touring Italy with his Cal college team in a few weeks. Should be a good test for the team.

 

He played 90 mins for Tijuana today and looked decent defensively.