YNT-eligible MLS players: 2020 In-season thread

I usually just want players to get sold ASAP but Philly needs to establish their going rate for prospects, so this one matters. McKenzie has a lot of minutes, though, so he should be going for a higher rate than Richards. I'd say $2-2.5m with 10-15% sell-on would work.

 

Shrug. He really hasn't played that many games. He only played ~700 minutes in MLS last year (regular season plus playoffs). Lest we forget, he also didn't play a leading role at the U20WC.

I really like McKenzie, but Philly doesn't have as much leverage for a big transfer fee as say................FCD has with Cannon. I think FCD will get upwards of 5 million for Reggie. And that's partly Philly's fault. If you don't build up a player's value, then you get what you get.

It wouldn't surprise me if Philly thinks they can play him this season, and build up his value to the point that he's worth a lot more than 1.5 million............................

Particularly if the US U23s get going (and the Euros aren't available).

 

I said this yesterday about a different player, but I think it also applies here. I think the game is starting to slow down for him a little. His passing vision looks a little better, and he's making better decisions. I don't think he's the most naturally talented player (I don't see many great attributes aside from speed and strength), but if he can make good, quick decisions, that'll work.

Mark McKenzie (all touches) vs NYCFC

pic.twitter.com/zPWNtkyQim

— Sanjiv (@USMNTvideos) July 10, 2020

 

I believe it was this article (for those that want to read it).

Celtic 'chasing' Philadelphia Union defender Mark McKenzie as Hoops weigh-up £1m bid for USA starhttps://t.co/OnsGAOdpsh pic.twitter.com/OLjhYja3Bl

— The Herald (@heraldscotland) July 10, 2020

 

'03. I'm not expecting much from this signing (I never noted this guy as a real prospect), but its good to see that Houston wants to sign more and more academy players.

𝐇-𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧'𝐬 𝐎𝐰𝐧 ✍️@DannyADR03 signs Homegrown contract with the club

— Houston Dynamo FC (@HoustonDynamo) July 10, 2020

 

There's a huge difference between $1M with sell on and $1M without.

I'd take the future incentives with McKenzie. They won't be able to replace him with $1M or $2M, really. Or rather, that level of spend won't bring certainty.

But I'd take the risk on a bigger payout if you could get something like 30-40% sell on.

 

What is the point for a young CB to go to Celtic? The remaining clubs in the league jusy suck (Rangers included). Is it as strong as League One? What forwards will he play against? If he is playing well he might get interest from Championship? And what about the working permit for Championship? South American kids come to MLS to raise their visibility now, it's better place thasn Scotland. Would be a very bad move.

 

What about defensively? That's the #1 criteria for a defender, & on a few of those clips he shows a lack of competitiveness or instinct. In back to back plays at 0:17 & 0:24 he gets blown past because he doesn't anticipate movement or commit to thwarting it. He improves throughout the video, but there's another play where he takes a bad angle & is forced to foul (picked up a yellow?).

You can use rust as an excuse, but this has always been his issue, & puts him well below Sands + Miles as a u-23 domestic cb prospect. Sands gives you as good of passing & far better d. Miles elite d & sufficient passing that's always improving. I feel like maybe he has a lack of motor these other guys have, where he may need a spark, & those guys can always be enigmas.

 

Thats almost a given though. If you can't defend and make a lot of errors, the rest won't matter (Ventura Alvarado under Klinsmann).

I'm trying to be complimentary of McKenzie because I think he may be showing some improvement this year, but I don't think he's a natural talent. He's not like a Richards or EPB, or even someone like Miles Robinson, who had clear athletic and defensive talent from day 1 but needed to work on his technique. McKenzie isn't like any of these guys. His technique isn't great, he's not a superb 1v1 defender with defensive fundamentals (positioning, tackling, 1v1's), for a CB he's a little undersized (same size as Sands), I don't think he has a great read of the game or has shown any outward propensity to organizing a defense.

McKenzie hadn't even received a Youth National Team cap until he was regularly playing pro games in USL. No one knew much about him until he was signed to a homegrown contract, and playing regularly for the Union. He's had to work his way up to get respect. He didn't come with a lot of fanfare, either for anything he accomplished or for his raw talent. What I do think he has is pure speed and strength. From there, he can work on the rest. I don't see him ever being a star, but if he starts to improve his building out of the back and reading of the game, he can be a contributor to the National Team. It'll help if he goes to Europe, works his way up the leagues ladder, and develops against the best players in the world.

 

Getting your foot in the door in Europe. You have a better chance of transferring to a better league from Celtic than from any MLS club.

It might also get him some USMNT caps, and from there, a better chance at a work-permit in a country like England.

Playing in Europa League or Champions League (outside chance) also will help.

 

I'm not sure the game experience is as important as the training environment. Salzburg murders their league every year and players develop very well.

Plus, considering the best defender in the world played at Celtic just a few years ago, I'm not fully against this move.

 

Yueill starts for San Jose. Cowell, Marcinkowski, Calvillo and Haji on the bench for San Jose. Leyva, Muse, Atencio, Hopeau, Dobbelaere and Bwana all on the bench for Seattle.

 

disappointed about leyva but otherwise as expected?

 

He is years away from the permit and his chances to get to the NT camps are higher while playing in Philly than sitting in Glazgo. Besides I don't remember a single American player who would have advanced his career by going anywhere but BL1, England or Netherlands.

 

If anyone had the time, after the first game for each team it would be interesting to see a list of which thread-eligible players didn't make the matchday squad. I believe 23 are allowed. If you aren't in the top 23 for your team, you probably aren't going to see the field that season, especially this season with a limited schedule of games.

 

We don't know he's years away. And if you are signing for Celtic, you probably aren't leaving after one year, so even if he was, it's not a bad thing, per se. It's good to go to Celtic only if he plays. I think that goes without saying.

 

But how he knows that? He is a CB not a winger or forward that's a tough position for a young player.

 

Cade Cowell got a sub appearance as did this Hopeau guy who had a lot of hustle, but tough to judge the rest.

I’m hoping Cowell becomes someone we can get excited to watch SJ for.

No Leyva, but thinking he sees time next game given that the next game is only four days away.

 

There are usually not guarantees when moving teams. If you want to move up the club ladder, you have to take those types of chances. He’s not guaranteed playing time with the Union either, as evidenced by last season.

 

I think it is definitely in Philly's interest to wait a bit. McKenzie was injured much of last year and the season is just beginning. Waiting a few weeks for him to get a few games under his belt this season could do wonders for his demand.

 

Leone has access to an Italian passport. He's Italian-Mexican-American.

 

We just saw an example of a USMNTer at Celtic.
I don't think there's any question that Tim Weah's opportunity at Celtic (on loan), put him in the shop window for clubs like Lille to get a look at.

Virgil Van Dijk, only the best CB in the world, used Celtic as a "stepping stone" club. So folks can't tell me it isn't a good opportunity.

The only real question is whether Philly wants to sell right now. They have a replacement ready to go in Trusty. However, ~1.5 million isn't enough to force their hand.

These things can go both ways. Players are like stocks. Two Revs players provide an example. Charlton came in with a 1.5 million dollar bid for Clint Dempsey. The Revs/MLS HQ rejected the offer, and these boards went insane. Well, they sold him the following year for 4 million. So that was the right decision from a business point of view. The Revs/MLS HQ also received a 1 million dollar bid for Taylor Twellman from Preston. They rejected it, saying they didn't want to sell one of their marquee forwards to a Championship club for that small of a fee. Well.........................they never got a better offer. The stock fell in that case, and maybe they should have sold.

Anway, I can see this McKenzie one going either way. He's a stock on the rise, and maybe Philly won't think 1.5 million is enough. We'll see. Hopefully they up the transfer fee and its a bid too good to refuse.

 

i just don’t see it with cowell beyond being physically mature

 

Trusty was traded to Colorado, so that's a no-go. That said they just acquired a CB in the offseason (Glesnes) and Jack Elliott is pretty reliable. So in a team-building sense they'd be perfectly fine with letting McKenzie go.

Whether that would maximize the $$$, that's an entirely different question.

 

I agree. I have little doubt this kid will carve out some sort of pro career as a winger because he's athletic, fast, powerful, can run with the ball, but thats really about it against pros and against players his own age.