I thought we had an Academy thread already but I searched and couldn't find one. So here goes. I wanted to post something about Christian Lucatero. We noticed him on the U16s first in Colorado last year when we were there for the last game of the season and happened to catch the two Academy games there too. Christian stood out as the best player on the team then. This summer, in the second game at the Academy national finals two weeks ago here he made a nice free kick goal that was the game winner. He has been training with the first team since then, along with a few other older Academy players. I saw he came on in the last couple of minutes of yesterday's reserve game, though I couldn't tell you if he had any touches since I sort of forgot to go to the game. And I just noticed that he is one of 60 players born in 96 and 97 called up for a national combine in Portland on August 9th. Very nice. Here's the story about the combine... http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/60-players-called-into-national-combine_aid29128 As far as anything about his play, other than that he is good, I'm not really the guy to tell you. I know he has speed and really nice touch with the ball, good finess, but I'm not good at describing technical skills. I do know he's a midfielder... Other than that, I just would say he's one to keep your eye on.
What I've noticed is that the Dynamo are one of the few teams in the league that has no home-grown starting every game.
Agreed. But the other teams have moved past "could" to "are". Zardis, Villareal, Yedlin, Berry, Gil, Henry (TFC), a couple in Dallas, the list goes on. I see this as a major failure of the Dynamo Academy. There purpose in life is to find and develop players that contribute to the first team. Without some contribution of young talent from the Academy the Dynamo cannot keep pace in the league. This is a bigger deal than DP money from the owners in my eyes.
According to Tim Hanley, not sure the coaching staff cares. Those guys can't help us now or even next year so developing academy players is way down the list
You guys here ain't helping me be hopeful for bright days to come. Home grown talent is indeed a cost efficient way to create your own players and rely less on buying expensive players formed in academies elsewhere. Don't know who tim Hanley is, but i hope the coaching staff cares. Unless theres some weird rule that allows academy players to graduate and go play anywhere with minimal benefit to the team.
Our first team is struggling to score goals and the question gets raised of us being the only team in MLS that doesnt start a homegrown player. Jeez, imagine how Dixon and Salazar must feel!
Well, the Academy may become more important as old stalwarts like Davis, Clark, etc... finally retire from the game. I don't want to wait that long but that just may be how it's gonna be.
This year will be the "golden age" for the Academy. This team is outstanding with some great prospects. Lucatero is good but there are some other great prospects that were not even in the program last year. Watch that U18 team this year. Good chance for this team to win the national championship and have 2-3 players come out and be on the senior team in the coming years.
Let's not forget we've a couple of real stars in college: one at Duke and another at Akron. If we can sign them, that'd really help out a lot defensively.
https://twitter.com/DarrellLovell/status/447205581829308416 As much as he played with the reserves I figured he would be our next home grown player, especially since we don't have any depth at outside back. This could be better for him though since he'll get more playing time.
Luca was called up to the US U-18s. Good for him. http://www.houstondynamo.com/news/2...ian-lucatero-called-us-u-18-mnt-training-camp
Alfonso Tamay looks likes he's going to be part of the Mexico U-21 team that will play in the 2014 Central American & Caribbean Games. He was a guest player from Tigres UANL on the Dynamo Academy team that played in the 2010 SUM U-17 Cup at Robertson Stadium and ended up being the tournaments leading scorer. He's now at Puebla on loan and mostly sits on the bench or plays Copa MX games. Scores first 2 in this video (#13):
Not that there isn't something to trying to pick him up and exploit the league's homegrown player rules for him, but can you have a homegrown player that currently plays for another club? LOL Honestly, perfect chance for Houston to try to nab a cap exempt player on loan and get him some playing time.
If you have access to ESPNDeportes, check online on ESPN3, Alfonso Tamay is starting next to El Cubo Torres (yes that El Cubo) in the 2014 Central American Games U-21 game between Mexico and Honduras. Former Dynamo, Ale Moreno is narrating in Spanish.
Does anybody know who the Homegrown player is that the Dynamo are going to sign tomorrow? Darrell Lovell @DarrellLovell 49m49 minutes ago Hearing Dynamo will make player signing announcement tomorrow. Hearing its a homegrown.
It's supposed to be Memo Rodriguez, who won the Academy Players' award last year. But there might be more than one. I would like to see Cristian Lucatero.