Still no word from the FCD site but 3rd Degree says Tessman signed Tuesday. https://t.co/ZfdwzAEMW8— 3rd Degree (@3rdDegreeNet) February 27, 2020
I'm extremely happy to hear that Tessmann has been signed. While he's still a bit of a work in progress, he's exactly the type of high-upside athlete that our developmental system needs to continue to produce in greater numbers. I think he's good enough already to be a part of the FCD midfield rotation. Ultimately, our success will largely be determined by the percentage of top soccer-specific athletes that choose to take the sport seriously and the degree to which our system empowers this cohort to develop a sufficiently high degree of technical ability and tactical understanding. Tessmann is a nice example of us making progress on both fronts. I'm also happy for the young man on a personal level as I respect that he had a dream, sacrificed by moving away from home in the pursuit of that dream and now has been rewarded for it. Also speaks to the importance of having residency options (or in his case, host parents) for kids that don't have good options to develop locally. Anyway, like I always post, the future is bright!
I don't know either. Maybe they'll need to make another move like loaning Dante Sealy to NTSC. He's been playing with them this pre-season now.
The nice part for him, Roberts, Cerrillo, etc is that there are injuries and between Olympic qualifying, International callups, and youth national team play, there will be plenty of opportunities for those kids to get starts and bench spots throughout the season.
Carrying 8 central midfield players is a lot for any roster, regardless of NT/YNT call ups and injuries. I think one of these players will be in for a move.
Want more evidence that Tessman will be in the 18 this weekend? NTSC about to start a pre-season match against SKCII, and Thomas Roberts is in that game. He's reportedly been dealing with ankle issues. I suspect that none of these players will be in the FCD 18 on Saturday. I mean.................its possible that Tessman will start. [I think its more likely they'll move Ferreira to the midfield with Cerrillo and Santos. Cobra at the #9.] Here’s today’s lineup to face @SportingKCII: Carlos AvilezEddie MunjomaNkosi BurgessAlisson dos Santos CorreaDerek WaldeckJuan Manuel AlvarezOscar RomeroThomas RobertsAnders EngebretsenDante SealyAlex Bruce⏱ Kickoff at 2PM! #RunItBack— North Texas SC (@northtexasSC) February 27, 2020
They're most likely preparing for a European club to come swooping in for Pax in the summer. If I we're them I would also look into selling Cerillo because Servenia looks to be a long term 6 for Dallas and they can replace Cerillo with Matthew Cochoran in two years.
8 central midfielders really isn't unusual. The had 8 last season. Grueso and Jacori Hayes from last season replaced with Santos and Tessman. Injuries, international callups, etc. always happen. I'm not worried about it. I'm also looking forward to the debut of Dante Sealy in 2020. He just scored again for NTSC. He was brought down in the box and then scored the penalty himself. My prediction is that some time in 2020, Dante Sealy will make his debut. He'll turn 17 in April.
It would be really great if Ferreira can win the #9 outright instead of being pushed into the midfield three rotation as a #10. If it happens, it really opens up a lot more playing time for the young CMs one way or the other.
Ferreira can play any of the four attacking spots and Pax can play winger or the free 8/10 so that means that two of the mids don't have to only play at midfield. Roberts might also be able to play some false winger.
Tessman official. 𝙏𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝙏𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙃𝙤𝙢𝙚. 😍@frantanjam5#DTID | #SomosFCD pic.twitter.com/HJ025IYjEH— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) February 27, 2020
Believe it or not, Tanner Tessman choosing FCD over Clemson is currently one of the "top headlines on ESPN's main page. https://www.espn.com/college-sports...-tessmann-opts-sign-fc-dallas-kicking-clemson Clemson does return starting kicker B.T. Potter, but Swinney said he was looking forward to working with Tessmann as well. "He's one of the best athletes," Swinney said in December. "He could go play D-I basketball. He could probably start at receiver at Clemson. He could probably play safety at Clemson. He's a 6-foot-2 phenom. He can fly. He's as good athlete as I've ever seen."
I don't think any of us have ever seen Tessman's placekicking ability to tell how good he is at that, but unless he's some placekicking prodigy prodigy, I don't know why it wouldn't make a lot more sense for the kid to go with the sport where he's a top 5-10 player in his age group in the country. He should be allowed to decide what he wants to do and no one should be criticizing him for making his own decisions, but I find it demeaning that American football fans are in shock at this. Why is American football guaranteed all athletes and its such a shock if a kid chooses real football instead?
There's a lot of weirdness to the story all around. What we do know is that: A) This wasn't some sort of contract negotiating ploy. From everything we know, Tanner was serious about going to Clemson and giving kicking a try. B) Dabo Swinney and Clemson were serious about giving him the opportunity. THis is a very differrent story to Josh Lambo over a decade ago. Long-time USYNT fans remember Josh Lambo as a really good youth keeping prospect. He had a contract offer from Everton at one point. We remember him starting and performing very well at the 2007 U17 World Cup. He kept multiple clean sheets, including one against an absolutely loaded Belgium squad (featuring Eden Hazard amongst others). He was drafted by FCD at a time when it wasn't particularly good to be a youth goalkeeper in MLS. THere was no reserve league (or even the DA, which had just started). So Lambo never really developed and never advanced past 3rd string on FCD's depth chart. He was waived and THEN he chose to go back to school to kick for Texas A&M. Same sort of was true of USYNTer Devin Barclay. He went to kick for Ohio State after it had become apparent he wasn't going to have a lucrative soccer career. In Tessman we have a kid choosing to stay in MLS at the beginning, when he clearly did have an NCAA football opportunity. And I think some of the reaction from football fans has to do with those hyperbolic statements from Swinney.
Are American football fans in shock at this? Or does ESPN know that it makes great Clemson-related clickbait in a very short time period? ESPN has long been terrible at everything but live sports broadcasts. I doubt anyone actually cares; but Clemson gets clicks.
I don’t think it makes it on the front page of ESPN, unless it’s being read as a shock. I also read some comments on twitter from Clemson fans. You might be right though.
Nobody really cares that Tessmen isn't going to Clemson on the Clemson Boards. Most Clemson Fans didn't really want him anyway. The sentiment was that we turned down a 5-Star LB who went to Oregon to sign a player who never even kicked in HS. Eventually after Swinney talked him up like he was the greatest athlete since Jim Brown people were at least ambivalent about it. It is only a story on ESPN because it is interesting since Tessman never played football and involves Clemson and Swinney had his typical Paul Bunyonesque quotes about Tessman.
I kind of hope Tessmann conjured some leverage play to get his deal. American soccer players are not as good as others at the art of throwing tantrums, coming up with outlandish Plan Bs, etc., to get contracts or transfers.