He's over 3 years younger than MLS Rookie of the Year Austin Berry. So no it's not even close to too late for an American CB that just turned 21 y/o, but it's up to Gale.
Well, it's up to his soccer brain, and from what I have seen in Sweden, Carolina and the U20's he better follow the yellow brick road with the scarecrow because he needs all the help he can get.
How does a guy get so far within the USNT when he's seemingly lacking so much in his understanding? I don't get it.
There's still hope, no doubt, however players usually either get it or they don't by age 21, not to mention having the requisite technical skills.
Welcome to the world of USSF player identification. If you're a stud at U14 there is no possible way you can't be good for the rest of your career, and vice versa.
The first time I saw him play a full match was the first qualie match in Guatamala. I was astounded at how poorly he knew how to play the game and said it. It was glaring. The usual excuses came. It's just one match, you are being to harsh, he'll get it, blah, blah, blah...sorry, it was so glaring I wasn't sure how he was on the team and I doubted his pro career. I have done the same for several other players and just recently had the BS intelligencia spin it, and say...any person who is so certain definitley doesn't get it. No, people who don't get it need to make excuses and can't make concise decisions, waffle, make excuses. Wait...give it time. Yes, there are many occasions where u give it time...there are also quite a few where u merely waste your time. Gale has issues. Typical light switch guy. Many pray it will just flip on and all will be well. Rarely happens when a guy is that out if it. No, wait, u can't say that about anything that fast. It means u are the clueless one. No, I just post with the clueless to take a break from work. No different here. Successful, proven decision makers are just not liked. We decide to fast and are to hasty. We can't possibly understand in that short a time say the rank and file complainers. Just luck I guess when those decisions are right 99% of the time......or maybe BB is my dad. I think Gale is another TFC disappointment waiting to happen. Couldn't happen to a worse run club. Interesting how the same folks always get it wrong while some almost always get it right.
I have seen plenty of players come into the league later in their careers completely blinded deer in the headlights only to eventually adjust and become successful pros later in their careers.
How has he gotten far with the NT? Because Bradley foolishly gave him a cap with a "C" roster in a friendly where he played like 5 minutes? The sad part was that he was one of our top CB options at the time of U20 WCQ in 2011. I didn't see anybody on this board screaming that Andrew Farrell deserved a spot on that roster instead of Gale.
Well, Gale didn't deserve the cap at the time. Then people who follow the USMNT and don't necessarily follow the YNT or Gale's career at that point, all of a sudden had these huge expectations on a kid who turned 19 the same day of that South Africa friendly as our future world class CB. Many of us who had followed his progress knew he still had a long ways to go. I root for him because a) he plays for the U.S. and b) the story of he and his family getting to the U.S. is remarkable. But it's just wait and see mode. He is a kid at one time had offers from Sevilla, Atletico Madrid, and MLS Generation Adidas. The reason he ended up on loan at Djurgardens was the coach wanted to sign Gale at Aalborg (iirc) but he ended up signing with Traffic at the time. Braga and Traffic had a fee in place to sign Gale permanently in the next window, then Traffic jacked up the price and Braga said gtfo.
that concludes the Traffic saga. If anything else constructive it will show any youth player with half a brain they want nothing to do with that cluster. Heres to hoping Boss can turn it around, hes probably on the "best" team possible to step in and be a contributor and get minutes (simply because they were so terrible). i hope he doesnt become another Opara..... i was really hoping San Jose could turn him into a stud
Greg Garza's career is much better off after getting away from Traffic, so hopefully the same thing happens with Gale.
I mean considering the squad I'd say anybody was free reign to be capped that day. Agudelo hadn't really done much yet had he?
Interesting that many of the big boys threw their hats into the ring for Gale. LA, SEA, DAL, HOU, and SJ.
I know many of these guys opted not to enter into the lottery for Fehr, but they did for Boss. Not necessarily a huge indication either way, but the bigger teams in MLS were willing to use their lottery option for Gale. If I'm not mistaken I think they are only able to enter the weighted lottery once, unless all the other teams have gone. Just a little surprising he still has so many options in MLS.
You may be right, I was reading the process in relation to Fehr just a couple days ago. I'm not sure if the senior cap that Gale has would change the rules as far as an allocation process would go. I know in Mobi's situation, Portland used their lottery spot to grab him, with Seattle and San Jose both throwing in their hats as well. Portland I don't think can enter the lottery until all other teams have gone. Now, I'm not sure if the senior cap would place Gale and Mix in separate lotteries.
The guy is a super athlete with good skills. He will be getting more chances than anybody else, and, probably, will keep on wasting them.
out of all the teams he landed this is the one most likely to get playing time, so it was a good landing spot. He will get minutes instead of being buried down the depth chart.
No, Gale and Fehr went through the weighted lottery, while Mix would presumably be an allocation order player. They are different player acquisition mechanisms.