The next time the U18 National Team gets together, here's hoping they call-up Jorge Flores, an 89 from SoCal who just won Chivas USA's Sueño MLS: Chivas USA Wants You! contest, giving him a spot on the club's U19 team. It would appear that's still a non-professional role so he's basically a glorified amateur player still, but he beat out over 2,000 people trying out for this one spot. They whittled it from 2K to 60 then 24 then 5 then 1 and he was the guy. http://web.mlsnet.com/news/team_new...tent_id=86489&vkey=pr_cdc&fext=.jsp&team=t120 The above link says he's a left mid and was born in the US to Mexican parents and that he played HS and club soccer in SoCal. Is he better than other kids in the US pool? I dunno, I've never seen him play. But what could it hurt to look at the kid? Obviously some people who know a thing or two about soccer in the Chivas organization think the kid has some game. And calling him up would likely make a few headlines in the Hispanic media and help send the message that the USSF is targeting younger Hispanic kids for its youth national teams. I think it will take a while, like generations, but I really believe that if Hispanics in this country start seeing more than just token representation of Latinos on our national teams that they will eventually start supporting the USA instead of going to the stadium and rooting for Mexico or El Salvador or whomever. Yeah, some will always root for the old country, but if the USSF is giving Latinos a fair shake and they are making our teams and representing the US, I think we'll see more than a few fans start cheering for us, instead. Jorge Flores to the 18s won't change much but it's a step in the right direction and doesn't really hurt anything.
PS - While I'm making suggestions for U18 national team call-ups, please give Brandon Manzonelli a look, too!
This is a good idea. Maybe for season 2 they could work out an automatic call-up to the appropriate US youth team camp. I hate to sound like Paul Gardner but it would be a good way to reach out to young Hispanic players that the USSF system often seems to miss.
I understand why we miss young players in this country (size of country, birthdate discrimination, money, politics, stupidity, incompetence, nepotism, but if someone shows something somewhere on a larger stage (napoli and this seem like legit large stages to me) then they need to be looked at. The same way we would look at any player with an American relation for senior Nats back in the day, we should look at any possible US youth player out there that shows something.
If you have ever watched the Golf Channel, they have a show called the Big Break where players are trying to win exemptions to have to qualify for a tour event. Maybe one of the perks of this stuff could be an invite to a Nat Pool camp?
Why don't you look at the Cal-South ODP pools. I think for the most recent group (94's) about 3 of every 4 has a Hispanic name including 5 different Garcia's. Seems to me this shows some interest. Also the fact that he plays in the CSL supports the point of view if a kid can play some club team will want him. Things have changed in the last 5 or so years and Club soccer in the area has become Hispanic centric on the boys side. It will be only a matter of time before more of these kids start moving to professional and National teams. To give you an idea of the depth, the team Flores played on was in the 3rd level (although technically second since Premier goes from U17 to U19). Don't believe for a second that to Gold and Premier teams aren't looking for great players to add to their teams.
... and to elaborate further, of the initial 78 players named to the Cal-South '94 Boys ODP pool approximately 60 have Hispanic surnames. (The girls' pool has significantly fewer Hispanic names) At the end of this coming weekend, the pool will be narrowed to 36 players. http://www.calsouth.com/topstory_94_player_pools.htm
Talked to some kids from a major Texas club this winter. They said, "We don't do ODP, they only take Mexicans." Sour grapes? Could be. But it will give you an idea of how things now work, and you can look at the names of the Texas selections to verify. In my area, at my kid's club age group, 3 players are in national pool, and 2 players managed the tricky feat of being named Regional ODP while being born in the second half of the year. All 5 are Latino. Not bad given that Latinos are maybe 15% of the ODP applicants and 40% of the total player pool. Probably still good marketing to bring this winner in, but it sure doesn't seem as if the Latinos are being held back as is.
Does he want to get called in right now? He's up for decision on whether he gets a pro contract at the end of this season, right? While I'm all for calling him in as well, he might be better served by focusing solely on his (potential) club right now.
Re: Brandon Manzonelli -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Just saw the latest post on the Talk to Manzo forum. Seems as if the Matrix DVD he was in is available. He gives a review link from ESPN and the Matrix website. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns...iews&cc=590 1 Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 9:48 am Post subject: MATRIX DVD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About three years ago Gallagher got together with Manchester United Soccer Schools and put on a camp. I met a Man Utd. coach named Charlie Jackson. He was really impressed with my quick feet and moves. After the camp he told my mom that I could go all the way if I had it in my heart, because I certainly had it in my feet. He also told her that if we ever came to England, to look him up. Well about one year ago we decided to look Charlie up and take a trip to England. When we got there I did some training with him. We went back about a month later and trained some more. I liked it in England so much that I wound up staying for a lot longer than originally planned and just trained and trained. While I was there Charlie and his business partner Tahir asked if I would participate in a DVD and film for both UEFA.com and Matrix. Which of course I did. Which gets me to this point. The DVD is finally available. It's a training DVD with me hanging out with Riquelme and lots of other stuff. It is fantastic and if you are interested in getting one they are availabe at http://www.matrixsocceracademy.com/ Once you enter the website you can click at the top of the page for the online store and that is where you can purchase it. Enjoy!! _________________ Brandon Manzonelli ManzoSoccer.com
Dude, on how many different threads are you going to post the info about the video? You need to learn to be more subtle.
Well he is a friend of mine and I just wanted to let people know about it. Didn't mean any harm, sorry.
2,000 at a tryout? I'm not sure anymore, but back in the late 80's those were typical tryout numbers for a Scott Gallagher or Busch team. I remember a tryout where 83 goalkeepers attended.
Heard that Brandon Manzonelli is getting called in to take a look at him by the U18 US National Team in about 2 weeks.
Makes sense, very glad to hear it. Hope it means that he's confident of his club situation. That would be double good news.