Since you know them personally, can you elaborate on how USSF screwed up royally? Was it really because he wasn't called in for the Portugal friendly that cause him to switch?
First you have to find out what was the mistake to learn from it, no? Was not visiting a household to say you are interested a mistake? Or not calling in a player to a friendly a mistake? Just need to find out what was really the 'mistake' that was done.
Like I said, it’s a multitude of things. Imo it all started with us soccer attempting to pressure him not to sign with a club in Mexico, when they were clearly the clubs most ready to give him a chance, and the clubs where he could break through the quickest. His development would have been stunted in the us, and his parents don’t live super close to any huge youth clubs or mls academies out in Santa Rosa. He was always an important player for the youth teams, but it certainly seemed like he was denied chances in favor of inferior players on more than one occasion. Rongen lying certainly didn’t help matters, and he did lie. Jonas dad has always had the same story, and it seems like rongen and the ussf have changed theirs at least two or three times. Not calling him into the friendly certainly hurt, but it was an issue that us soccer had been creating for years, so they really have no one to blame but themselves. My final take: jona would have loved to play for the USMNT, I know he was close friends with a lot of the guys on the youth teams growing up. His family was open to it, he had been brought up in the system, etc. but at the end of the day, it’s tough to blame him for choosing the best route for his professional career. A World Cup bound team with plenty of talent, or a team in disarray, that couldn’t qualify, and clearly cared more about other players? Not that tough of a choice
Maybe Dave Sarachan is a brilliant coach and a genius at talent evaluation, though... ever consider that??
So the issue with Monterrey is new twist and interesting to hear. I know that the USSF is in general not allowing transfers of minors to Mexican clubs. This is a change from, say, ten years ago. In reality, FIFA does not want any transfers of minors across countries. It's supposed to be only allowed where both the team and the player are living 50km from the border. So yeah, this is USSF enforcing a FIFA rule. The issue has been that when you start enforcing a rule after years of winking at it there is going to be pushback.
I don't think most intelligent BS members blame Jonathon for making a choice he and his family believe is in his best interest. The concern is if USSF did enough to convince him to play for his birth country, and whether or not USSF has been forthright and open about those encounters.
I seriously can't remember one time since early 2017 where Adams was not considered by at least some as the best prospect outside of Pulisic.
I think at least one person already has. Worth noting that Tab Ramos personally visited with dual-nationals Uly Llanez and Alex Mendez of the Galaxy academy. [We dont' know what they talked about, but one can guess he visited to assure the players that they were in our plans.] Both played an important role in the US U20s championship at the recent U20 CONCACAF Championships. So that criticism about Mexico putting forth that little bit of extra effort that the USMNT/USYNTs didn't...……………...has been corrected. Worth noting that the guy who recruited Gonzalez away from the USYNTs to Mexico...…………….is in the running for the Galaxy Director of Soccer Operations position. Dennis te Kloese. Would be a really interesting hire away from the FMF
I not going to stand up and applaud Tab for doing what he should have done. Our expectations for proper behavior of coaches under the USSF umbrella are really low if you think we should. Again, nowhere near something to cheer about. It's not a 'hire away from the FMF' it's the free market behaving normally.
On the Scuffed podcast (everyone should be listening to it), Tab said he has talked directly to Mendez about playing for the USA or Mexico. He further stated that he has no doubt he is committed to the USA. Tab said the recent quotes were based on the way the question was framed. Kind of like when they ask players on ICC tours if they would like to play in the USA; of course they will say "sure, maybe one day".
Just what I was thinking. Look at what's been going on with prestigious universities and the likes of Jorge Salcedo. Now think "Mexican Fed and the Galaxy." Yeesh. Dennis te Kloese could be better positioned now for a lucrative side gig. And the Galaxy is strategically positioning their brand by celebrating their kids opting for Mexico, as well as the U.S.
Is there any evidence Gonzalez would've turned down a WCQing cap from Arena? Seems JG switched after we had gotten knocked out. Can't blame him for going with the better chance of making the WC. Also gotta write that the emergence of Adams, Sands, Durkin, and Canouse makes this situation a whole lot less interesting.
I guess it didn’t work out so well for Jona. https://www.socceramerica.com/publi...aign=21269&hashid=IUsf5WVmc_JBMFojJBG2pqpJ8oU
Seriously. There is more money for MLS/SUM in developing players for the Mex NT than U.S. MexFan is a *huge* untapped market for MLS. And, listen to Garber's interview w/ Grant Wahl, he doesn't give a fuc k about developing players for the USMNT.
I've said it before, I'm all for calling up duelies who are not quite ready, but look like they may develop into a useful player. Call them up as the last player on the roster. When the game is no longer in doubt, get them in and captie them. The player knows what's up - why they're being called in. The parents know what's up, why they're being called in. They are free to decline the call up if they are undecided. If they decline, then that gives us an idea of what kind of resources to put into their development. It's a pretty straightforward situation.