Right so guys like Cherundolo and Dempsey go abroad and prove Americans can soccer, so now euro clubs are recognizing that there is cheap decent talent available. That doesn't mean in and of itself that our players are any better. That's why the simplistic assumption of causation bugs me in that article. It's lazy. Then again maybe I'm just betraying my academic background.
Disclaimer: First thread post so I do apologize if I do something wrong I have been reading a lot about Haji Wright and Christian Pulisic who are reportedly making moves to Budesliga youth teams (Schalke and Dortmund respectively). Now just watching a lot of YNT games and seeing our teams doing fairly well and showing lots of potential and even getting some call ups to the senior team. (Hyndman, Rubin, Morris so on and so forth) I would like to know among this crowd of new names who are you most hype for? Who should we really focus on and support? Obvious Criteria Im going to go with U-23 and below, which adds a ton of guys but to see some guys who are currently on the USMNT who have really stood out at the Olympic level (Mix, Bedoya, and Terrence Boyd who I hope comes back into the picture) and also who it is more than likely will play for our Mens team. Not the questionable like Fagundez or Zelalem (we can hype over them later) let me know who your favorite is. Two of mine are.. Rubio Rubin (FC Utrecht) Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund U-17) I am super excited to see Rubin and Pulisic develop, Rubin obliviously for what I think was a great performance against Colombia, I think he is a bit rough but shows a lot of potential. I think its nice to a MLS youth guy move onto Europe and has a chance to make a name for himself. Christian Pulisic who is just tearing it up on the youth team, I absolutely love watching him and Wright link up, that kid can ball! Let me know what you think or who I should look into.
I'd like to think that we as a fan base have learned our mistakes of hyping youngsters, though it still can be an entertaining discussion. That said, it should probably be contained in one thread which already exists here http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/usynt-top-prospect-lists.2010970/ That thread will definitely give you some more names to look out for.
Hahahah, I always forget hype is a cursed word when it comes to young guys. I was not meaning it in the sense of "Over-Hyping" Which I believe is a totally different emotion. I am not over hyping any players potential.
Well, we've already had 10 players eligible for the next U23 Olympic cycle get full USMNT callups. [Yedlin, Brooks, Green, Hyndman, O'Neill, Gil, Cropper, Rubin, Morris, Packwood] If we take those obvious answers to your question out of the picture, my answer might surprise people: Kellyn Acosta I think since he's been around a while, we forget how good he is. We're used to his performance level. A 19 year old defender who's already played over 30 strong games for FC Dallas. Love his potential even more than some of the "hyped" attacking players. I get it. Chicks dig goals, not outstanding defensive positioning If you ask me which current U20 is most likely to be playing in the Champions League 10 years from now, I'd say Kellyn Acosta............................... We have a group of young defenders that come into MLS games and have uneven performances (EPB, Miazga, etc.) Acosta seemed to step right in and be great at the MLS level as a really young player. Next year's going to be big for him.
" Love his potential even more than some of the "hyped" attacking players. I get it. Chicks dig goals, not outstanding defensive positioning " 25/10
will be watching Carter-Vickers for the 3rd time tomorrow. I'm close to consider him a top 5 YNT prospect http://www.imgacademy.com/img-cup-livestream
I've got an interesting idea. Let me hear what you guys think about it. Why don't we vote using the poll function on the best USYNT prospects 1-25? I can put up a poll with 5 or so names for each number and whoever wins the poll gets that spot in the rankings. Then we'll do the next number, add a player to the poll, and so on and so forth. When its done we'll have the 2015 Big Soccer US USYNT Forum Top 25 prospect list from a consensus by the posters of this forum.
It sounds like a fun exercise, but shouldn't we place restrictions on the pool? Prospects could range from Olympic-eligible '93s down to '02s, like Joshua Pynadath in the Real Madrid youth academy and Efrain Alvarez on the Chivas USA U14 team. In some ways it's easier to pick '02s, as we really can't see their eventual ceiling (we can always dream of a high ceiling in such young players), as compared to '93s, where we have a better idea how they'll turn out.
After seeing Flores recently he has kinda fallen down a peg in my book. Good thing my opinion has zero impact on his success
I just want to know if more than two or three people are going to participate. So if you plan on participating, can you please rep this post? Thanks.
Bump. Its been about two years, a lot of fluctuations. Anyone want to give it a go at a top 10-20? Cap it at age eligible players (97's or later).
What the hell: 1. Pulisic 2. CCV 3. Zelalem 4. Akale 5. Perez 6. Taitague 7. Ebobisse 8. De la Torre 9. Glad 10. Carleton
1. Carter-Vickers 2. Pulisic 3. Wright 4. Palmer-Brown 5. Carleton 6. Glad 7. Ebobisse 8. de la Torre 9. Taitague 10. Perez
97s on: 1. Pulisic 2. Zelalem 3. Carter-Vickers 4. John Hilton 5. Carleton 6. Efrain Alvarez 7. Timothy Weah 8. Josh Perez 9. Nick Taitague 10. Mukwelle Akale
As talented as they are, Alvarez and Hilton are very young ('02 and '01), so it's trickier to project them than someone like Pulisic, who is already seeing 1st team minutes at BVB. That said, on just pure talent right now this is a pretty good list.
cool thing is the US doesn't need to hit a home run with all these players. If one of these players in each position proves to be as promising a prospect as we hope the USMNT should be in much better shape ST: Weah Sabbi Koreniuk LW: Perez Carleton Gaines AM: Akale Alvarez Acosta RW: Taitague Lennon Wright CM: Zelalem de la Torre Goslin DM: Swanson Adams Durkin LB: Robinson Nelson Gloster CB: CCV Barbir Gruno RB: Hilton Palmer-Brown Olosunde GK: Marcinkowski Lopez Budnik With regards to Hilton/Alvarez I feel comfortable saying those are two of the best prospects I've ever seen play in person at that age level, and they consistently are playing up against older competition. This list also does not include possible dual citizen additions that I feel will represent the US in the future including Edwin Lara and Timothy Tillman. I've got a good feeling both will end up in the US camp.
Solid list except left back looks weak and isn't Palmer-Brown more of a CB than RB? If it's a numbers game, then every position aside from right back have good probablities