In the context of youth soccer...I think (don't know), but I think there's no argument that Bundesliga A-Jugend offers opportunities for player development ... above any U.S. U19 club. Not sure how the opportunities provided by Regionalliga A-Jugend are perceived to compare against those offered by U.S. U19 clubs. ? Would be interested in any opinions and the reasons behind them. (Same ballpark, one definitely a level above the other, ...., can't be compared,...etc.)
Not sure what you are asking. I was not aware that there were any reputable 'U19' squads in the USA or Canada. What are you trying to compare? Why do you mention the Regional League?? (which is certainly much more than a U19 league in Germany). The A-Junioren Bundesliga was only started this season. I know of a few young Cdns in that league and there is nothing really that can compare to the football environment for them back in North America (except perhaps as a roster player for an MLS team).
I'd like to compare the player development opportunites offered in the U.S. to that in Germany...at the top age youth group (U18/U19), but limit the comparison to German 2nd Division A-Jugend. (No question about the Bundesliga.) For example...which would be expected to be better for a young player...playing for a good Regionalliga team...or playing for one of the top clubs in the U.S. ... for example : F.C. Delco U19 or a top Regionalliga A-Jugend team? I chose Delco because it was recently listed as the top youth club in the U.S.
I guess I'm confused by your terminology. Do you want to compare the calibre of a German professional club that plays in the Regional Leagues but that has a U19 team (like FC Saarbrucken or Stuttgarter Kickers for instance) to a US U19 club? There's no doubt in my mind that the player would be better off in Germany, simply due to the environment (i.e., apprenticeship vs after school).
No, he wants to compare the level of a US U19 club to the level of the German Youth Regionalliga, with is the second level in the German Youth pyramid (the first would be the Youth Bundesliga which plays in 3 groups a 14 teams. Before the Youth Bundesliga was started this season, the Regionalliga was the highest level). Every club has a U19 squad btw, it's mandatory. As for the original question i have no idea, as i know even less of the US youth than about the German youth. But i could imagine that the Youth teams of professional clubs in the Regionalliga work quite professional too (and have the chance to promote).
Essentially...that's it, except I would want to be sure to include the top amateur clubs also. It's always been my opinion that the player development opportunities and basic level of soccer played at the Regionalliga level are many and quite high. A least a little better than that offered by U.S. clubs, although the U.S. seems to be catching up. (I think it will be a while, though.) JMHO However, my opinion does not match with the consistently poor luck or showings for the U.S. players who play on Regionalliga teams...at U.S. events or training camps. I'm really guessing here...but I'm assuming it may be due to the different styles of play. When the U.S. players who play Regionalliga go over for U.S. events like training camps for player identification...I'm guessing they may just look out of place due to their style of play. A group from Europe (mostly Germany) went over this summer to a player id camp. Some of the boys play for Regionalliga teams and some lower. They came back with a group criticism of "can't keep up with the speed of play". I've seen enough youth Regionalliga games...that this doesn't add up to me. One of the players was seeking a soccer scholarship to a U.S. university and the coach told him he wasn't interested (didn't even care to take a look at him)...because he played Regionalliga. The coach suggested he should be playing for a team like Mainz 05 or Eintracht Frankfurt...and then he would have been interested. Just doesn't make sense to me.
Well, the so-called top amateur clubs in Germany (nearly the entire 3rd division and the best teams of the 4th division) are all fully professional. As for the rest of your post: now i am confused . Where you talking about the men's (a topic i could comment about) or the youth's Regionalliga (a topic i couldn't really comment) ?
I apoligize for the confusion. I'm still talking about youth's Regionalliga. I could be wrong, but I think the Regionalliga Youth Development opportunities and general level and style of play would have snugged up quite close (right next to, but just below)...to professional programs. I think (or thought) Regionalliga did not offer the same as Bundesliga (1, 2, or even the youth level) or MLS (for young players just starting)...but it was closer than that offered by U.S. youth clubs. However the results of young Americans, who play at the youth Regionalliga level, not to mention the university coach example) in player id camps, events ... do not back up my assumption. Odds are when an American Regionalliga player trys out in the U.S. ...he is not going to be successful. I'm wondering if the U.S. clubs have actually caught up to at least the youth Regionalliga level...so the Regionalliga players just don't perform as well as I think they should ... against their U.S. based peers.
Your reply was clear as mud! Are you talking about German youths playing in U19 Regional Leagues trying out in the USA? What tryouts are these 'American Regional League' players in? You could post all day but NEVER convince me that any US based U19 community/district program is a better development environment than playing for any German pro club. At younger ages, I would agree with you, but not over 16 or so. It's all about atmosphere and competitition.
I'm consistent, if nothing else in my posts. Being pretty unclear from the beginning to the end. The players I'm talking about are the very few U.S. players who have had the good fortune to play on German youth Regionalliga teams. Some have done quite well, as consistent starters, for some pretty good teams in youth Regionalliga. This has been going on for several years...probably back to the mid 90s. Given these players' experience with Regionalliga, I would think that at least one or more would have been identified in some U.S. based player id camp, which they have gone to, ... as being a player with very good potential...possibly worth a look at one of the youth Nat'l team id camps. The German youth Regionalliga trainers seem to be satisfied with their play...and no doubt Regionalliga represents a fairly high level of play. How can these players be successful in youth Regionalliga, yet somehow apparently not show much at U.S. camps ... primarily U.S. (Olympic Development Program) ODP camps? For some reason they don't impress the U.S. coaches as much as U.S. youth players who have developed via playing for U.S. based clubs. Why would a U.S. university coach be so turned off by the fact that a young player was playing youth Regionalliga ? If I were a university coach and a youth Regionalliga player was interested in playing for my team, I would be very, very interested...but that's not the standard. I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything. Just trying to get a clue as to why some very good players don't do well at camps with their U.S. peers. I would have expected the Regionalliga players to really stand out, but unless I'm mistaken...that has never happened. None have never really come close. One explanation would be that U.S. youth clubs have at least caught up with Regionalliga. I'm not claiming that is a good explanation...just one. I'm not sure...even about the younger ages. I've recently seen some fairly intelligent and enjoyable to watch soccer played by some very young German players. Saw same type of thing in Belgium while I was living there.
It's probably just the German preference for not naming our leagues. To go back to your original question again, although i haven't seen much youth games (you have probably seen way more in Germany alone): there are many teams in the Regionalliga who's men's teams compete in the 5-8 division and lack any professional infrastructure and don't have the main goal to develop Bundesliga players. Of course i have no idea how US clubs work, but i'd guess that this is something to keep in mind when comparing the two.
I would think that's still a step up in structure from the US youth setup where the kids pay substantial club fees and the main goal is to get as many kids in your program college scholarships as possible. As for the reasons why these US kids in the German system don't get looks for the youth national teams, the U17s come almost strictly from the Bradenton setup, so at any level U17 or below, there's really no chance of any outfield player outside of that setup to get the call. After that it's a matter of getting into the right spot at the right time and that's just more difficult to do in Germany. It does change a bit with regards to the senior team in that if you can manage to work your way into a top professional club in Germany, you will start to get looks for the senior team regardless of your youth team history.
I tend to agree about the step up...across the board for any youth Regionalliga...compared to same age group opportunities in U.S. I think there is "something" extra offered to young players here. I think CanuckFan touched on it : "It's all about atmosphere and competitition." I know the Bradenton system is a fine system, but I think the U.S. Youth player id system is missing some players, who could very likely help, by overlooking the guys who are successful on successful youth Regionalliga teams. I would bet my boss's paycheck that if Germany was interested in putting together about any age group youth baseball team, they would know about and be very interested in any youth German players who play baseball at about any level on U.S. teams, especially the successful ones...in addition to the players developed through whatever German based system.
u19 comparisons having first hand experience with A-Jugend in Germany, i can readily say that for the most part when a skilled U.S. player comes to Germany and spends a year or two there before ascending to A1-Jugend that they can make significant contributions at the A1 level. the trick is for that individual to make it to the u23 level (also known as reserves) in Germany where the thinking, strength and speed of play is light years ahead of what would be the equivalent in the US - NCAA college soccer / PDL / Prop 40.