Bradenton served its purpose at the time. There were no (or very few) U17 players getting time with professional teams when Bradenton was implemented. It provided the highest level of competition for these players. We are in a different situation now and there are plenty U16/U17 players training with MLS and USL teams, which is a higher level than could be currently provided with a U17 squad in residency.
But you didn't answer my question "Whom exactly Bradenton produces after the first class?" The answer is nobody. So what's the point of sending the most talented kids to the place that isn't even able to have MLS level output?
I answered your question. It's another misleading question. Bradenton is not meant to produce players. Teams do not produce players at 15-17. They are produced before that age. You can't put a kid into La Masia at 15 who isn't good, and hope he turns into a good player. You either have the talent at that age or you don't. At 15-17, it's about where players can best develop into first team professionals. I explained this in my response to you.
Hernandez-Foster didn't emerge later in the cycle. He was with the team from the first year. He improved a lot the second year, and made himself into a starter. I'm not sure Kayo or Yow are such great examples. Leyva and Pepi were added in the second year because they were a year younger. This has been something we've seen every cycle, whether there was Bradenton or not. I don't think they help the point you are trying to make. What about Saldana, Armour, Odunze? They were retreads. I'd also argue that players such as Anderson, Tolkin, Jasson also belong in that retreads category because they got chances early in the cycle, didn't play well, and were called back at the end, even if they missed large portions of the cycle. I don't see any substantial difference between this issue with Bradenton and without. We were told that it would change so much without Bradenton, but I think if anything last cycle, it was worse. Wicky even said that he didn't want to make very many changes from qualifying. The team he selected for qualifying was a mostly retreads roster, so he selected the retreads and then decided he didn't want to make changes. The coach right before Wicky was starting to turn over the roster, and Wicky went right back to mostly a group that was retreads.
Why nobody was developed to the MNT level in 18 years? That's not a such unreachable level. If the output is sub par MLS player why did we need that? We have plenty good coaches at youth clubs, and now we can see the results of their work (see players rankings thread). 1985-1995 birth years hole is the Bradenton achievement partially marked by foreign recruitment.
I think I could get behind a Bradenton type of program for non-MLS Academy players that live too far from a MLS Academy. This needs to be completely Fed funded and they could play in the top tier of DA.
If a play is usynt level and lives too far away then they need to be looking at MLS academies that offer housing for players. Tons are doing it now and there really isn’t an excuse for the ones that don’t now unless they are waiting to go to Europe. Now that it is available you should be at a club where you can train with a first team if you are serious about going pro.
My point is Bradenton isn't what you are making it out to be. Everything you were saying Bradenton provided is actually provided at USSDA programs. You brought up Seattle, I didn't. But since you did I am going to defend Seattle. The kids in the Seattle Academy are better off there than they would be in Bradenton, hands down, across the board by every measure. Seattle players get better competition on a daily basis then they would at Bradenton. Seattle has multiple YNT players in their system at every level. If players are good enough they move up in age to challenge them. That includes playing with and against seasoned internationals on the first team. You want to talk about scouts? USSDA tournaments are heavily scouted. Even then, Seattle has played and beaten many European Academies. Don't forget their run to the GA Cup Championship. https://www.soundersfc.com/post/201...come-first-mls-club-win-generation-adidas-cup Now I am curious, what kind of competition did Bradenton actually play? Trying to find this information online is a pain. Cause if they were simply considered the IMG Academy team in USSDA, they weren't anything special. If they were the team playing in PDL... Meh... What was Bradenton actually providing that decent USSDA programs weren't. I am not even talking about the very best USSDA programs.
Brandenton gave players the chance to train with the best of their age but now players have the chance to train with pros as early as they can which trumps Brandenton. I would be all for a usynt residency if it actually had some success which it really didn’t as it’s record of producing USMNT starters was horrible. The only guys even in the USMNT picture from residency are Jozy Altidore, Omar Gonzales (ugh), Paul Arriola, Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, and Josh Sargent. In a 14 year span of residency to produce that few of players actually at USMNT level shows that it is ineffective. The amount of residency players who aren’t even in the sport anymore or who are in USL (essentially not in the sport if you’re older than 20) is downright depressing.
Besides Altidore wasn't at residency, he was at Shultz Academy, Pulisic whose dad is a professional coach went to Germany at 16, Adams signed and played with NYRB at 16.