Here's your all-purpose thread/sticky for generic YA news -- odd "Whatever happened to..." questions and posts, questions, and other stuff you just aren't quite sure what to do with. Here's last season's: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/all-about-yanks-abroad-catchall-thread-2017-18.2066313/ Here's an archive of YA "All About..." threads (they used to be much more interesting and active, worth a look if you want to see some blasts from the past): http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/all-about-yanks-abroad-thread-archive.914322/ Here's the Detective Work thread: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/th...-guy-is-a-yank-detective-work-thread.1987805/ And since these threads always need to start with an old-school photo -- why don't we go with, oh, I dunno. Beasley at Man City, perhaps?
Second post: Shaun Maher is retired from playing professional soccer in Europe, but he’s still sharing his knowledge of the game with younger players. Maher, the brother of Fayetteville Academy assistant soccer coach Jimmy Maher, held a camp for local soccer players recently at Fayetteville Academy. A veteran of professional play in England and Ireland, Maher said he brought a different voice and his own perspective of the game to his young students. https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/h...ccer-players-get-tips-from-european-pro-maher
Not sure where to put this, but it's relevant to tracking youth players in Mexico. 12 of the 18 Liga MX clubs have withdrawn their reserve teams from Liga Premier de Mexico (the third tier) this season. This makes sense to me; from afar I've observed that players who age out of the Liga MX U20 league get dumped onto these teams and then almost never make it to Liga MX or even Ascenso MX. My guess is that the lower-level reserve teams are a relic of the system before the advent of the Liga MX U20 and U17 leagues and finally clubs have realized they really don't need the reserve teams any more. Anyway, many of the fringier YAs in Mexican academies may be out of a job and the overall number of players down in Mexico should be reduced as a result.
Ok who’s going to make the thread? Ronaldo Jr who was born in California is now playing for the Juventus U9s. Don’t think I’ll make the dive but someone else who is more bold can.
Just logging for the heck of it that BC Jr. Fintan Devlin is apparently Irish-American and played in some Irish academies. https://bceagles.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=10318 http://www.extratime.ie/player/11120747/fintan_devlin/
Not sure why I can't find this guy???? Fabian Hurzeller - Player/Coach at Pipinsreid In Regionalliga Bayern. I have written about him many times - but now I can't find his Thread. Starts today as Pipinsreid visit Augsburg II in a league match. Both teams struggling this season, so fsr
Someone wiser than I can decide if he merits a thread in the Academy forum but I found this kid's story fascinating. St. Louis Park soccer talent a throwback to playing for the fun of it Trained outside traditional youth soccer, Zinedine Kroeten leads St. Louis Park into playoffs snip: So utterly bored playing soccer, Zinedine Kroeten used to pick dandelions during games. A decade later, his talent developed largely outside the typical youth soccer industry, Kroeten has grown into a skilled midfielder on a strong St. Louis Park boys' team. Playoffs begin this week and the Orioles are the No. 2 seed in Class 2A, Section 6. A rare opportunity awaits him in November: A two-week trial with Werder Bremen, a club in the Bundesliga, Germany's top professional league. His journey is as improbable as a hockey or basketball player learning the game almost entirely on the pond or playground until high school, and then drawing NHL or NBA interest. http://www.startribune.com/st-louis...wback-to-playing-for-the-fun-of-it/496015751/
https://www.paokfc.gr/en/profiles/evangelos-spartiatis/ http://aufc.ussoccerda.com/sam/teams/index.php?team=7401876&player=582106674 Illinois-born forward formerly in the academy of PAOK of the Greece Superleague; now in Atlanta United's academy.
Erik Wynalda says a player he signed for Las Vegas, Gabriel Robinson, had some Germany opportunities I haven't quickly been able to learn more about: Eric Wynalda on Robinson: “He’s a guy that that had a trial in Germany last year and some interest in the third and second division there. I don't think he has seen a real opportunity yet, so this will be it. I’m taking a chance with him but I feel that he's up to the task. One thing you’ll remember after watching Gabe play is he’s great in the air, he’s a very strong incredible athlete ... but the throw-in, I’ve never seen anybody throw a ball 60 yards, it’s quite a weapon and we’ll use it.” https://www.lasvegaslightsfc.com/news_article/show/982820
There's a high school Jr. from Illinois named Diego Camarena who, according to MaxPreps, was the fall-season points leader nationally, and second in goals with 67. A player of this name, born in 2003, was briefly in the Chivas academy. Might be the same guy, but not sure.
A player who recently transferred from St. John's to Valpo... ... trained with AC Milan Allevi Nazionale U-18 in Milan, Italy and was a captain for Everton FC Westchester Academy. https://www.valpolife.com/sports/college-pro/72274-domicolo-joins-valpo-men-s-soccer-program And his godfather is Mike Sorber!
Here's a story about American pro indoor GK Boris Pardo, who evidently spent some time at Colo Colo as a youth. https://www.yurview.com/san-diego-sockers/boris-pardo/
The USL social media folks are apparently "roasting" their boss with this photo that appears to be from his YA days. Is this what they call the good ole days, @EdwardsUSL?Today's #TBT courtesy of @YTFC. pic.twitter.com/EhFY90wOLi— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) February 21, 2019
An American defender named Ben Kucera who just signed with USL Birmingham Legion was apparently playing in the Czech Republic at some point: Kucera spent the 2018 season locally with the Birmingham Hammers of USL League Two. The center back had previously played in the Czech First Division with FC Slovácko. https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/999793 https://www.santaclarabroncos.com/sports/m-soccer/2014-15/bios/kucera_ben_y6fe
An American attacker named Tyler Savitsky who just signed with USL Birmingham Legion was apparently recently in Denmark: Savitsky also spent the 2018 USL League Two season with the Hammers, but followed that up by playing with Danish Second Division club Næstved Boldklub this past fall. https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/999793 https://www.gopoly.com/sports/msoc/2017-18/bios/savitsky_tyler_db57
From the "one we missed" department, here's a guy named Jesse Corke who just signed with the Cosmos: Corke, 26, is another local player added to the squad. The Valley Stream, N.Y. native played collegiately at Molloy College and most recently played with German club Westfalia Wickede. “Jesse has come in and proven he can play at this level and will contribute,” Mendes said. “He is a fearless ‘keeper and moves well in the net.”
'00 Ecuadorian-American Jeciel Cedeno, with NYRB's academy and a couple of USL-C appearances, has previously been with Barcelona SC's setup in Ecuador. Before that he was originally with Union City SC in New Jersey. (I know T'markt lists only Ecuadorian nationality, but his IG bio has both the Ecuadorian and USA flags).
At some point it appears an American '02 named Brian Montanez who was with Atlas moved back to the States. http://www.ligamx.net/cancha/jugador/110655/brian-guadalupe-montanez-sandoval https://eclipsesoccer.com/teams/eclipse-boys-2002-silver-north/