Youth Yanks Abroad, '97-'00 YOBs: 2018/19 Thread

I maintain that Silva was always one of the best players in his age group, and was a victim of Richie Williams bizarre managerial decisions in that U-17 cycle. Williams had no business changing the starting goalie from Silva to W. Pulisic. Silva was always the better player.

I watched some of Silva his freshman year at UCLA. He did reasonably well, considering the circumstances. It looked like a pretty talented team, but one that played nothing like a team. Mental mistakes all around. They'd be more talented than other teams, but find a way to not get results. And it seems like it was a combination of that and a much worse group of talent his second season. I like some of the keepers in some of the younger age groups (Garces, Las, Muse, Scott) and think thats where the #1 will come from, but in a three year window from '96-'98, I'm not sure Silva isn't the best of the Marcinkowski, W. Pulisic, Klinsmann, Caldwell, Vom Steeg, etc contingent.

 

If he's a free agent, he can sign at his birthday and play right away, apart from getting a work permit of course. But from FA point of view no problem.

 

Check out @zlebmada’s Tweet:

Boom. Turns 18 on Sept. 6, the same day as Richie Ledezma. So both could be in Europe this fall but may have to wait on official competitions until the spring because of registration a la Josh Sargent. https://t.co/lU9SL2NoTl

— scuffed (@scuffedpod) July 13, 2018

Check out @KeithCostigan’s Tweet:

Am told Galaxy academy product Alex Mendez is training with Freiburg.

— keith costigan (@KeithCostigan) July 13, 2018

 

If they haven't already, the MLS teams have to approach the league office and ask for help. We've discussed training compensation/solidarity payments mandated by FIFA, but the USSF has claimed U.S. case law prevents its implementation. Therefore, MLS itself should look for a creative workaround so some relief is given to teams that lose promising players.

 

I am pretty happy that Mendez and Ledesma are going out and getting looks with European teams. But I'd like to pose a question to everyone here: How often do we hear about a youth player going on trial at a European team do they actually sign with them?

Is it like 1 in 3 trials? 1 in 5?

To me Mendez and Ledesma have the talent to play on a European team, but who knows what happens with work permits and other outside issues.

 

Yeah and I think there are also trials we don't catch just because it's some random American who has the right connections. And this is not to say that these trials aren't great or that we shouldn't be talking about them.

 

I might be wrong on this, but because Ledezma, as well as Mendez, signed a USL academy contract, they both should be eligible to play right away in Europe.

 

I thought Ledezma was just on loan from the academy side. It may not have been Ledezma but I know someone was. Obviously, I don't know if this changes anything but it might.

 

How does that work if they don't have an EU passport? If you sign with USL can they sell you to Europe even if you are under 18 and have no EU passport?

 

Players don’t need an EU passport for Germany or Holland. Although, Holland has higher salary minimums for non EU players.

 

Thanks, but I also forgot Fifa Rule 19 may prevent them going over before 18 as well. Way too many hurdles for our young player to get to Europe.

 

We need to keep a comprehensive list of alumni of MLS academies who never signed with an MLS team (or their USL affiliate) and had their first pro deal overseas.

Got to be a pretty interesting, and as we can see, growing list.

 

Is that different? I’m no USL expert, but I thought that that’s what academy contracts are.

My bad, explained that poorly. I meant to say that they technically already had a pro deal, they’re allowed to sign outside a transfer window on a free. That helps Alex/Richie since their birthdays are both right outside the Summer window.

I don’t think they can sell players on academy contracts, though, and of course these guys have to wait until turning 18 to move to Europe, which is why the whole Academy contract thing is an important footnote in the first place.

 

Yeah, once a player is 18, Germany is the easiest of the bigger Euro leagues for Americans to sign. Spain, England, and France much harder.

 

Second day of training w/ @slbenfica U23 🇵🇹🔴⚪️. Have goals for 2018-2019 #ILoveThisGame @ussoccer_mnt @ussoccer_ynt ⚽️🇺🇸 #LetsGetIt pic.twitter.com/kTo6asEyT6

— CJ dos Santos (@cj_dos_santos) July 12, 2018

 

If Mendez gets an opportunity to play at Freiburg, he should take it. LAG has not shown that they are willing to play young Americans. He needs to either be playing regularly with the first team soon or go abroad, considering the low level. He's too good for the U-19 DA, and he's at an age where he should be towards the end of his USL career. Is there a plan for him to play in MLS next season? I doubt it. LA seems more concerned with building a Hollywood retirement side.

Ledezma's situation is different. I wouldn't say passing up PSV is wise, but RSL is a viable option.

 

So, amateur players from overseas on their first deal turning 18 can play right away in Holland but not Germany, where they have to be registered within a transfer window.

 

I doubt it is different in Germany, but I really dunno it.
You have to be completely free of any membership or contract to sign at any moment in the Netherlands.
Since the Dutch pro and "amateur" leagues are connected by pro/rel, changing clubs for amateurs also are restricted by transfer windows. Since recently it is now possible to transfer as an amateur in the winter stop too, while that has been restricted before to the summer.
Amateur players without a contract in the Netherlands are members of a club and need to "transfer" in the summer after the season by signing out of their membership of the old club and going into a membership of the new amateur club. When moving to a pro club it is essential to sign off in the summer window before a certain date.
Transfer windows only apply to players that are under contract with a club. When they arenot they are free to sign up at any time with a club as it is with a normal business and employee.
Transfer windows also are void when a club and a player tear up a contract, basically making him a free agent from that moment on.
But that doesnot work for a pure amateur.

 

Richard Ledezma started for Jong PSV today, in a friendly vs Darlington FC. They won 3-1.

Today’s teams v Jong @PSV pic.twitter.com/K4kf8h0e7V

— Darlington FC (@Official_Darlo) July 14, 2018

 

'02 Tillman and '01 Butler start and '00 Richards comes on as a sub in Bayern U19 victory. Butler scored the 2nd. Tillman started playing up a few years as the #8, then re-entered as the #6. Per reports Richards had a good showing. #usynt https://t.co/7vfl1hiH2y

— Joey (@USAprospects) July 14, 2018

 

I am hearing RSL academy forward Sebastian Soto might not be involved in this U-20 camp in North Carolina after all due to a trial in Europe.

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) July 14, 2018

 

Is he gonna sign with Jong PSV? Because that'd be crazy. They finished above Telstar last year, and they must really like him if he's playing with them.

He's the youngest guy in that starting lineup. 5 99s, 3 98s, a 97, and one other 00 that's older than him.