Top 50 Under 20

Discussion in 'USA Men' started by Marcus OMalley, Apr 28, 2020.

?

How's the list?

  1. Nailed it!

    4 vote(s)
    20.0%
  2. It's great, well done.

    7 vote(s)
    35.0%
  3. Not bad, could use work.

    7 vote(s)
    35.0%
  4. Have you ever even seen the youth National team play?

    2 vote(s)
    10.0%
  1. Marcus OMalley

    Newcastle, Louisville City
    United States
    May 24, 2017
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Klingo3034 and Eleven Bravo repped this.
  2. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I love this... there’s a few guys I’ve never heard of... or, I’d say quite a few. Still, there’s a few out of place. For example, Indy Vassiliev is probably a lot higher. And I think George Campbell is a lot higher too... he’s got Miles Robinson level potential, in my opinion. Overall, great job!
     
  3. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why no Busio?
     
    adam tash repped this.
  4. Rahbiefowlah

    Rahbiefowlah Member+

    Oct 22, 2001
    Las Vegas
    Clarke and Nyeman pretty high, interesting. I’d like to hear more about Akalu. Good list, got me excited to feel some hope for the young colts. Love these type of things.
     
  5. David Kerr

    David Kerr Member+

    United States
    Oct 18, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don’t rate Busio at all
     
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  6. David Kerr

    David Kerr Member+

    United States
    Oct 18, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don’t ever see Vassilev being better than a championship level player tbh. He made a premier league debut in a team riddled with injuries. If I thought he was a center mid still I’d rate him higher but Villa seem to think he’s an attacker.

    George Campbell I like a lot but he is bad on the ball. I particular, his distribution is really bad for a ynt level center back. If his distribution and composure on the ball improve he could rocket up the ranks.
     
  7. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    I went back to your site and looked him up and I didn't see any details. Did you write up why someplace?
     
  8. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No Brenden Arronson? No CJ Dos Santos? No Richie Ledezma? No Cole Bassett?
     
  9. David Kerr

    David Kerr Member+

    United States
    Oct 18, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don’t see anything that is a standout quality in Busio. He is a good talent for an MLS club but when you compare him to the European level guys like most of this list he just isn’t at that level. If he was he would’ve made a bigger difference at the 10 for the u17’s last fall.
     
    50/50 Ball repped this.
  10. David Kerr

    David Kerr Member+

    United States
    Oct 18, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Brendan Aaronson, CJ Dos Santos, and Richie Ledezma are all 2000’s. This is a list of players born from 2001-2005. Cole Bassett is in the list
     
    DHC1 repped this.
  11. WVRevy

    WVRevy New Member

    Liverpool FC
    United States
    Aug 10, 2009
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As a list of "you should be paying attention to these players if you're interested in the future of the USMNT", it's phenomenal. Does a great job of integrating domestic players as well as those playing overseas.

    As a "ranking", however? I mean...I'm not sure how you justify having guys that have never really done anything ahead of a guy like Llanez or Konrad who are greatly valued by teams in two of the best leagues on the planet, even if none of them have actually made their debuts.

    My suggestion: next time, just divide them into tiers. More likely to be accurate calling someone a future World Cup starter or sub versus saying a 16 year old center back is better than a 17 year old striker. :)
     
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  12. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    I'd bet that 80% of the list won't have a career anywhere close to Busio. And 50% of the list will never reach the level that Busio is at today.
     
  13. David Kerr

    David Kerr Member+

    United States
    Oct 18, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I will take you up on that bet all day
     
  14. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    I wouldn't mind to lose the bet actually, but I'm pretty sure about 50% of the list won't reach an MLS player with interest from top leagues status, and whether there are 10 players with better prospects than Busio is highly questionable. Blaming Busio for U-17 failure is unfair, that's on the coach who decided to switch to GB's tactic all of a sudden. Somehow you don't blame Las who was really poor. Busio was the second best player on the team after Gio who was absolutely underwhelming as well.
     
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  15. Rahbiefowlah

    Rahbiefowlah Member+

    Oct 22, 2001
    Las Vegas
    Busioooo! Lol
     
  16. David Kerr

    David Kerr Member+

    United States
    Oct 18, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don’t blame Busio for the terrible performance. Most of the blame should go towards Gio, Leyva, and Saldana in my opinion. But when you are the team’s 10 and the team only manages to score one goal in three games and you as the 10 are supposed to be the creative focal point of the team then part of the blame goes to Busio as well.

    But Busio has never stood out as a european level prospect to me watching him with the ynt’s, DA, USL, or MLS for 4 years now. Busio is good at a lot of things but isn’t great at anything which is why I don’t think he goes very far. He will be a great MLS player, but we now have a generation full of players with the potential to be European level players.

    The 2002 age group is very poor and Busio was a good player in a bad age group. Does Busio make the 2000’s team in 2017? Probably not tbh. The field players for the 2002’s I think are legit Euro potential are Gio and Kobe. Kayo has promise and a really high ceiling but Wolfsburg have work to do with him. Busio’s MLS performances haven’t screamed top prospect as he’s just been a connector and played it safe, he needs to do more.

    But should we count Busio out completely? Absolutely not, Brendan Aaronson has shown that players can rapidly increase out of no where. I’m just not as high on Busio as I am on others.
     
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  17. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    There are plenty of questions for most of the kids of this age. Is Kobe fast enough for a FB? Is Kayo anything but a top athlete? Will Nyeman ever gonna get stronger, faster or he stopped growing 2 years ago?
     
  18. Rahbiefowlah

    Rahbiefowlah Member+

    Oct 22, 2001
    Las Vegas
    I think the takeaway is Gio Reyna is good.
     
  19. David Kerr

    David Kerr Member+

    United States
    Oct 18, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Kobe is 100% fast enough. Kayo will have to develop his touches but he can definitely break through by the end of the 2021-22 season (2 full seasons at the club).

    Nyeman may have stopped growing but he is fast enough to keep up in Europe, he just has to put on muscle and with his current skill level he’d instantly be an impact player on almost any team. Moses has the biggest boom or bust of any prospect in the list. If he booms it will be huge, picture him as the American Iniesta. Don’t count him out if he doesn’t get many minutes in 2020 or even 2021, Paxton Pomykal didn’t break out until last season when he was 19 and Pax is in the running to start in 2022 as the 8 at the rate he’s progressing. Moses only turns 17 this year, give him time, the kid is going to be a star.
     
  20. Yaya toure

    Yaya toure Member

    Liverpool FC
    United States
    Jul 23, 2019
    Still salty Quinn Sullivan isn't here.
     
  21. David Kerr

    David Kerr Member+

    United States
    Oct 18, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I was pretty high on Quinn but as an attacking mid/winger he has to produce more at the DA level to be in the top 50. If he carried his 2018-19 season production into the 2019-2020 season he’d easily be top 25. If I did a top 100 he’d be in the late 50’s or early 60’s.

    As you guys all are aware, these lists fluctuate constantly. I’d love to hear others lists. The more discussion the better, general education for all of us on the youth player is always more than welcome.
     
  22. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    The list is full of those "boom or bust" types. Historically most of them turning into busts and NT players come from somewhere else. Kayo sounds like bust unless something unusual happens. Nyeman used to be the top prospect since Freddy, then he stopped grow, now he is the tiniest player on the field, still high IQ and quickness make him a good prospect at 16, might not be enough at 19. How fast enough is Kobe? Do you have any clips? He might be next JOB, but plenty of "almost fast" skilled FBs happened to be Villafanas.
     
  23. David Kerr

    David Kerr Member+

    United States
    Oct 18, 2019
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Kobe doesn’t need lightning speed to be an elite fullback. There are tons of fullbacks in Europe that are not super quick. Is he fast enough to keep up in any level he plays at and lock down speedy forwards? Yes, he is.

    Kobe also has the technical skill of an elite fullback in Europe. His passing, crossing, and composure blow away every other fullback in the pool. Kobe is just as much of a lock as Gio Reyna in my opinion. Kobe has to improve his 1v1 defending but outside of that he is right behind dest for the most talented fullback in the pool. The only way Kobe doesn’t become an elite left back at the men’s level is if he has a severe career ending injury.
     
  24. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    As of now I see him as a FB with elite attacking skills and unknown defensive abilities.
    Lightning speed isn't a must but would definitely help. For me Jonathan Gomez looks as more complete player with higher floor. But that's not the issue, they both probably will be fine. I just don't see that many "no miss" players on your list. And even those who do look like "no miss" aren't till they prove it. Josh Perez, Wright, Zelalem, Durkin, CCV, EPB, Ferri, 3 Acostas! and many others looked as good or better.
     
  25. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    damn. I would love to believe that.
     

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