Admitting a mistake is impossible for a lot of people. So they double down and look even more foolish.
It's definitely something Mike would have said. But iirc the story was relayed to me by another person who was close to KCJr.
By the way, KCJr. can be seen on the FCD training ground at times working with kids. He opened a soccer school at the nearby Performance Indoor Training Center. I don't know if that's still going on, though. That was pre-COVID.
Ok so you picked two players. Lewa and Kante. how about Bayern’s typical starters neuer: schalke starter at 20 Pavard: spot starter at Lille then starter at Stuttgart basically at 20 Upamecano: starter at Salzburg at 18 move to Leipzig right after one season and starter pretty quickly. Sule:starter at hoffenheim basically at 18 Davies: we know Kimmich: starter at Leipzig from 18 but not in bundesliga til 20 Goretzka: schalke starter at 18 Gnabry: Arsenal farting around break out at Bremen at 21 Muller: starter at Bayern at 20 Coman: spot player at juve at 18 contributor at Bayern by 19. Point being is lewa and kante are outliers. If Pepi plans on being best in the world being in a challenging environment by age 20 is important, on average. go ahead mention drogba or other outliers
Pepi needs to go Europe. Look on Busio’s progress. In MLS, the defense give too much time and space to strikers. You can receive the ball then finishing your morning caffe, then shot to score.
First, I picked Lewa because of the chatter in this thread targeting Pepi as a Lewa replacement. Secondly, in your missive I see a number of "basically" starters, "spot starter(s)" and even a 2nd division player to prove your point. But thirdly - and most importantly - you did all that writing to ultimately say that Pepi must be in a challenging environment by age 20. Pepi is now 18. Did you not read where I wrote that he can use another season at Dallas, with the pressure of being the man, and leave at 19 without missing out on development? Last I checked, 19 is less than 20. But please, carry on ... you are on a roll.
Ha yeah I posted that and then forgot to say btw I know you likely don’t disagree with this plus I realize he still has time to age in MLS and progress as you are saying. ended up more argumentative sounding vs discussion adding if you will. that being said, it is always a bit of a trigger for me when folks mention top level development outliers like Lewa or Kante. They’re more uncommon as top players than common so I do think we should want a player like Pepi getting into tougher competitive environments before he’s 20/21 if he can. the other failure of my post was to note how many of those names at 18/19/20 were on mid-level teams in the bundesliga getting lots of playing time before bayern and Pepi has to be careful to, just as you said and I totally agree, make sure he’s in a position to get playing time.
I'd like to see him bag more but I can't help but think that with US games too he will be pretty worn out.
Seems like we might start hearing news of formal bids for Pepi soon.................... 🚨 Ricardo Pepi update- #UCL Bundesliga club say they're willing to do "everything possible" to get Pepi 🇩🇪- Ajax talks still set to begin "imminently" 🇳🇱- Serie A club to lodge an opening bid in the coming days 🇮🇹Report 👇 @90min_Football #USMNThttps://t.co/wqBGpVcqPZ— Chris Smith (@Chris_SXI) October 1, 2021
CAREER GOALS AS A TEENAGERDiego Fagundez 22Eddie Gaven 20Jozy Altidore 15Ricardo Pepi 15Freddy Adu 12Danny Mwanga 12Cole Bassett 11Jesus Ferreira 10Kekuta Manneh 10Andy Najar 10— 3rd Degree (@3rdDegreeNet) October 2, 2021
The funny thing is I have already seen the argument, numerous times, that he has become a completely different player after 6 weeks at Venezia -- again, trying to completely discount that he massively developed at KC. We would no doubt see the same argument about Pepi, if he played well abroad.
Which is ridiculous. However, being in a new team/structure/tactical setup/league all contribute to learning different things than you already have. Different clubs/leagues have different demands on a player, and this will only help make a player more well-rounded.
Very much of an aside, but what a wonderful way to be 19. Busio is living a dream. Playing in Italy, in Venice of all places, and thriving. He’s going to look back on this period of his life fondly. I’m stoked he is doing well. I like Busio on the National team.
I'm not sure this says much. For one, the league is better now. And two, it's the manner of his play. There's a reason European teams (and good ones) are interested. You can't say that for a lot of the guys on that list.
Some posters like to infinituple down on being wrong. Like a certain poster that hates Matt Turner, and anyone else in MLS.
I've been screening the last two weeks the Amsterdam newspaper "de Telegraaf" with direct access to the Ajax board and the one that always gets news first to get the scoop and nothing about Pepi. Doesnot mean there's nothing with certainty, but it seems to me highly doubtfull.
Absolutely. There are a bunch of young men right now in the very enviable position of being able to make a lot of money playing soccer in some wonderful European locales to an appreciative audience while they're young and in peak physical health with hopefully their whole lives as well as careers ahead of them. Of course, as tends to be the case with humans, especially those without a lot of experience to fall back on, we tend not to fully appreciate what we have until we don't have it any longer. I hope they do. As people as much as players.
Exactly what I was thinking and feeling. Some of these guys are in great situations. I look back at my earlier years and realize how good I had it. The problem with youth? It’s wasted on the young! Regarding the October window of games, I suspect we’ll see Busio play at least 50% of these games. That’s my prediction.