... though he's apparently also in camp with NYCFC. With that said, there is another NCFC guy there (Fortune), so maybe it's more of a guest player thing? I dunno. NYC does call him a trialist. https://www.nycfc.com/post/2020/01/12/new-york-city-fc-announces-travel-roster-florida-cup
Don’t know how well Tab will do on the field as a manager and the resources Dynamo ownership will give him, but at minimum I think he can be one hell of a TD for an MLS club. Especially in terms of USMNT fans.
I haven’t heard anything from down here, but Fortune and Taylor are both NCFC academy products. Fortune had a ton of growth this season and represents Trinidad and Tobago. He’s a classic #8 with a goal scoring touch. Taylor has been a rock at right back for years now. Losing Scally may mean that NYCFC needs a replacement. NYCFC played NCFC in the open cup last year and may have noticed them there.
Atlanta United 2 announced a couple of signings today: Daniel Steeman (1/31/00) - midfielder Phillip Goodrum (6/20/97) - forward, was drafted by Atlanta United today in the third round, 75th overall out of UNC Wilmington
Union Omaha: Christian Molina '98. Some sort of midfielder who has been called to El Salvador U23 but isn't cap-tied in any way. From the Houston area. Evan Conway '97. Forward from the Milwaukee area. Jacob Crull '97. Listed as a defender; at 6'1" he's probably a CB. Indianapolis area. CM Kobe Perez '97 and CB Daltyn Knutson '97. Both played for Tormenta FC last year.
Reno signed a forward named Benji Kikanovic out of Sacramento State. It looks like he left after two years. I can't find a DOB, but unless he took some time between HS and college he's probably a '99 or '00.
Big ups to Dave for being the first person to tell us about him on this forum... And these articles implies he's a 00. https://www.placerunited.com/news/2000-boys-victorious-dallas-cup-match https://www.placerunited.com/news/norcal-player-development-program-pdp-announces-regional-pool
Dengler is quite the nomad. After high school, he spent a season at a local JuCo, a season at Loyola-Maryland, a season at UConn and now Loudoun of the USL. That's a very methodical approach to moving up the system. Will be interesting if it eventually gets him to MLS.
North Texas announces two relevant signings. Ponder is a Canadian dual-national. A '97 centerback out of SMU. Rayo is an '01 forward/winger straight out of the academy. He already appeared on a bunch of occasions (12?) for NTSC last season. I believe Rayo recently had a cup of coffee with the US U18s. Interestingly, they let us know the contract details here. Ponder on a one-year deal with one option year. Rayo on a two-year deal with an option year. These are the 38th and 39th former academy players to sign pro deals with FCD/NTSC. 📰 NEWS: We've signed former @FCDallas Academy players Philip Ponder and Gibran Rayo!Welcome to the club, guys!➡ https://t.co/aEQ8LFtLEF pic.twitter.com/ffOUKwWJIy— North Texas SC (@northtexasSC) January 15, 2020
They did the same thing re: contract info last year with Brecc Evans and Ronaldo Damus (and maybe others). https://www.fcdallas.com/post/2019/...orward-ronaldo-damus-and-defender-brecc-evans One might guess at an intentional communications strategy here, though it's just a guess.
BREAKING: Republic FC sign Academy standouts Hayden Sargis and Mario Penagos to first team contracts for the 2020 season. Congratulations, @HaydenSargis and Mario! ➡️ https://t.co/8ipWA1NFfQ pic.twitter.com/mSG5w4RXrh— Sacramento Republic FC (@SacRepublicFC) January 15, 2020
Wonder where the Tanner, Beni Resdik's, Nico Carrera's and Kevin Bonilla's of the world are? Are we seeing a trend where the best players from the academy don't sign with NTXSC and they are left to sign the lesser players from the academy that are willing to go that route? Wonder if Tanner, Beni, Nico and Kevin will still get time with NTXSC this season over Gibran when the season starts. Interesting to see how this plays out long term. It would seem another route for these FCD guys is to get a good college deal locked up ( like Tanner and Kevin) go over to check out options in Europe once you turn 18 and if nothing there, go to college for a year. You could then re-evaluate.
I completely agree. Players are better off not signing, playing with the reserve team prior to college soccer, and then either signing a pro contract (with FCD or abroad) or heading to college. FC Dallas also has to start moving on some of these younger players. Cannon should be sold this winter. If Dallas doesn't sell him, that doesn't send a good message to other young players. Here is one of the best fullbacks in MLS that now needs to play in a better league to improve, and Dallas hasn't yet shown that they'll sell him on. The kid also has to realize that he's going to fall behind players like Dest and Adams playing for UCL teams, if he chooses to sign an extension at Dallas instead of refusing a contract extension, and asking to be sold. We can't only blame the teams here. The players have to want to go abroad, and improve. Some of them don't. Jesse Gonzalez had options in Europe. He preferred to sign a lucrative contract with Dallas. He's not going to be as good as Steffen and Horvath from the same birth year. Maybe he'll get a few NT caps, but he can't maximize his ceiling playing in MLS. The same will happen with Cannon, if he doesn't move. I think he needs to move soon because he's getting close to that age where he's not a cheap punt anymore for European teams. It's too early to say what will happen with Pomykal, Ferreira, Servania, Pepi. I don't think any of these players would benefit from being moved onto a European club yet. I do however think that in the next year or two these players should improve to the point where they will need to transfer to Europe or they won't reach their potential. That might not apply to Pepi as he's a little younger, but it should apply for the other three. Pepi could definitely be transferred onto Europe, regardless. Look at what is being done with Scally. If an offer like that comes Dallas way and the player wants to move, the club should sell him. Some of these players also will not ever be good enough to play in Europe. A player like Cerrillo is a might be an example of that. Reynolds may be another example. Not all HG players are going to be of the same caliber, and you might develop some of them well by turning them into MLS starters. However, Dallas does need to start showing that they can develop and sell some of these players. They are already out of HG roster spots, and offering lucrative contracts to players such as Pomykal and Ferreira (which they shouldn't be doing). It's good that these players are playing, but they need to now start selling these players to Europe.
There was an article recently by a twitter account that follows FCD talking about FCD players home and abroad. https://www.bigdsoccer.com/2020/1/15/21062748/hoops-home-abroad-winter-break-update the shocking part of the article is these are the youth players in Europe that spent time in the FCD Academy: 1. Weston (Germany) 2. Chris Richards (Germany) 3. Chris Cappis (Hobro) 4. Johan Gomez. (Portugal) None of those players were FCD HG. Maybe Richards was but it was a sign and trade deal. None of them spent any time on FCD first team or with the USL team. If an FCD player wants to get to Europe ( the highest levels of the sport) the route there is not through the first team, as of yet If Pax and Jesus spend a few years in Frisco and then go to a big league it will change that. But as of now, there is no history of that. (looking at you Reggie) The concern is guys getting comfortable in the substandard MLS and making good money like Pax and Jesus and never being the players they could have been, hence hurting out National team on the global scale. As an aside, the concern with Pax is his durability. Particularly in a smash and run league like MLS. He is getting the heck beat out of him each time he plays and not sure how long that will last.
It feels early (maybe it's not) but NCFC has nevertheless announced that Armour, along with Trace Alphin and Luke Hille, will be with them this season on academy contracts.
I have a feeling that GKs should either go to EPL or stay. Nothing good happens in between. Horvath sitting in Brugge is a disaster. Steffen is in EPL so he is good despite of an average year on a lousy team in BL. Otherwise he would be thinking about dropping to sub MLS league next year. Absolutely no guarantees that Gonzalez won't have better career anyway.
New England Revolution II announced that they signed 1998 midfielder Ryan Spaulding. He ended last season with North Carolina FC.
When he was negotiating his contract, he asked for more money and Bruce Arena told him "you'll get nothing and like it."
Real Monarchs apparently paid transfer fees to Greenville and Richmond for '99 Chris Bermudez and Joe Gallardo. https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/christopher-bermudez-at-pachuca.2068560/ https://www.uslleagueone.com/news_article/show/1078535 Can't imagine they are huge, but still interesting to see lower-league USL clubs getting cash from an MLS-affiliated organization.
RSL paid $7k for Gallardo. I'm hearing @RealMonarchs paid a $7,000 transfer fee to acquire Joe Gallardo. That may not look like much on the surface, but: 1) That's a significant boost to a third-division club.2) Teams pay $10k-$30k for loan fees for young internationals. This is good business for both. https://t.co/1Nm5sLc7bS— Jeff Rueter (@jeffrueter) December 5, 2019 RSL also paid a small fee ($10k) to OKC Energy for Alvin Jones.