Richard “Richie” Ledezma at PSV Eindhoven

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by TheFalseNine, Jul 7, 2018.

  1. largegarlic

    largegarlic Member+

    Jul 2, 2007
    I was wondering if that's why we saw a handful of 15/16 year-olds get HG contracts this year. Those kids don't really seem to be in line to get serious first-team consideration this year, but I wonder if some MLS clubs thought it better to sign kids a year or two before they could plausibly contribute to avoid losing them for nothing if they have a break out year and catch the eye of Euro/Mexican clubs.

    It obviously has some downside, since they're burning money and maybe roster spots on players who aren't of immediate use and might never pan out, but it might also pay off down the line.
     
  2. a_new_fan

    a_new_fan Member+

    Jul 6, 2006
    college future? uh no hard pass on that...kid is pro already in his chosen field go forward not back.
     
  3. TxEx

    TxEx Member+

    Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, FC Dallas
    Aug 19, 2016
    DFW
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    @a_new_fan

    Soto was who I was thinking of but my point was that Soto has an offer if he attends Cal this fall and plays soccer for them for one semester they offered to give him a scholarship for life so that he can return after his pro-career is over. That is one hell of an inducement and four months playing for Cal = $50k+ in future would be hard for anyone to pass up.
     
  4. a_new_fan

    a_new_fan Member+

    Jul 6, 2006
    4 months playing at such a low level in what are crucial developmental months for a player. Dumbest idea I've ever heard skip college go pro either believe in urself and ur ability/work ethic/future or pack it in and just to college and hope maybe a spot in mls in four years will work.

    also I'd love to see this 'scholarship for life offer' though...does anyone have this in an article from the school?
     
  5. TarHeels17

    TarHeels17 Member+

    Jan 10, 2017
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dumbest idea you've ever heard? Really?

    There's tons of pro sports players whose careers end early because of injury and problems along those lines. 4 months for insurance on your career is a small price to pay.

    The scholarship for life was reported by multiple prominent soccer journalists. A school wouldn't release information about a scholarship it offered to a player, that makes no sense.
     
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  6. a_new_fan

    a_new_fan Member+

    Jul 6, 2006
    #31 a_new_fan, Jul 9, 2018
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2018
    four months in ur prime years is a big deal as a professional athlete.

    it makes no sense...especially since it would be a huge ncaa violation

    truth is just the offer is a huge ncaa violation.
     
  7. TarHeels17

    TarHeels17 Member+

    Jan 10, 2017
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  8. a_new_fan

    a_new_fan Member+

    Jul 6, 2006
    just an fyi...Cal is in the pac 10 so offering something that doesn't exist and is currently against the rules...would be a violation. Also one semester and then 15 years off...academically he most likely would have issues getting back in. They don't let you just enroll on courses from 15 years ago.

    listen though if the kid is done with his quest to be a professional player...then do it.
     
  9. TarHeels17

    TarHeels17 Member+

    Jan 10, 2017
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If you really need the exact specification so bad, why don't you find it yourself? It's on the PAC 12's website.
     
  10. a_new_fan

    a_new_fan Member+

    Jul 6, 2006
    Whole thing sounds like an fairytale why would cal be desperate to get a kid from arizona.
     
  11. If the kid ends up at PSV he can do both pro football and college at the same time. PSV would pay for him going to whatever education he's up to and perfectly to combine with pro football. In the Netherlands the top clubs have arrangements with educational entities to schedule excercise time with following classes.
     
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  12. irondeepbicycle

    irondeepbicycle Member+

    Real Salt Lake
    United States
    Jul 31, 2017
    This does seem like a second-best solution since clubs can't get training compensation. If players agree to it (which I would think most would) it seems lower-risk for clubs.

    I.e., Bryan Reynolds has been on Dallas' roster almost 2 years without a first-team appearance, which isn't cost-less, but when the other side of the risk equation is mid-7 figure transfer fees walking out the door for free, it seems like an easy call.

    FWIW, it does seem like RSL has stubbornly refused to play this game the past few years, which may be why the current exodus is happening.
     
  13. Pl@ymaker

    Pl@ymaker Member+

    Feb 8, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  14. a_new_fan

    a_new_fan Member+

    Jul 6, 2006
    its great for clubs lock kids in and force them to stay in us for pennies on the dollar. blocking any moves for the player in their peak developmental years. continue to use the...need to sign the hg to play in mls angle...then never play them.

    terrible for the player though they are blocked, being a hg hasn't worked out really for anyone and you aren't paid all that well at all.
     
  15. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes, you are right. Being a homegrown at RSL means you are never going to play first team minutes.

    If academies are going to lose most of their best players without compensation, there is no justification for them existing. Which would be a huge loss because they are starting to churn out very good talent. Soto, Ledezma, and even McKennie are players who didn't just play a little bit at their respective academies but rather played years and years there.

    Again, if these academies don't get to earn financial rewards for their development, you are going to get fewer McKennies, fewer Ledezmas, fewer Sotos and many others.

    That's the risk.
     
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  16. a_new_fan

    a_new_fan Member+

    Jul 6, 2006
    the entire hg thing is flawed at best. I mean its literally a draft you can only play for the 'local' team if you are a player and if you are in a region where they don't play hg kids...guess what ur done. I mean who is the best hg ever? yedlin lol.
     
  17. TarHeels17

    TarHeels17 Member+

    Jan 10, 2017
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Complete strawman. RSL gives more minutes to young players than any team in North America. You can't blame Richie leaving on RSL not playing young players.
     
  18. TheFalseNine

    TheFalseNine Moderator
    Staff Member

    Arsenal
    United States
    Jul 15, 2014
    Norman, Okla.
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
     
  19. punintended_13

    punintended_13 Member+

    Atlanta United
    Mar 22, 2010
    Atlanta, GA
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    people have seen this kid play: what should the expectations for him be? Is he on the same level as McKennnie in terms of ready to contribute as a professional or is he kind of in over his head at PSV? Any insight is welcome I just have never seen him play
     
  20. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    Nobody knew for sure how good McKennie was. He went way beyond expectations. The same with Pulisic. Which other talented players will make the leap too early to tell.
    Rogers seemed to be way more talented than Bradley when the went to Heerenveen.
     
  21. He was. Heerenveen and coach Verbeek in particular were very positive on him. They with great regrets set him free because of his homesickness. They were that high on his potential.
     
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  22. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    Homesickness is hard to predict. Landon might have been among world top players if not that. And none expected Dolo to have the career he had. So it's too early to compare Ledezma to McKennie.
     
  23. IIRC I wrote in those days that of the North American gang (Yanks and Canadians) at Heerenveen Robby was regarded as the best.

    Edit: When you use the search tool for north american by feyenoordsoccerfan you can find what I posted about them.
     
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  24. bballshawn

    bballshawn Member+

    Feb 5, 2014
    Delaware
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Ive watched him play for real monarchs once and he looked like he knew how to play nothing too special but that was his first game for them.
     
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  25. a_new_fan

    a_new_fan Member+

    Jul 6, 2006
    my comment was pretty clearly about HG in general and the entire structure of it. I didn't say RSL only...but if you want to think that rsl by playing the most players even balances out other clubs that literally play none go ahead.
     

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