Do math much? 2 a days for preseason for 30 days = 60. Included preseason games. 5 practices a week during the week for 20 a month x 7 months = 140 140+60=200. Doesn't include camps or offseason get togethers. Maybe alittle on the highside but not so much for your exaggerated comment. Not all practices are super intense and not as formal as you think and many are tactical. We can disagree I'm ok with that. I like the intensive, integrated, comprehensive nature of professional practice rather than the intensely limted, restrictive, practice and games for the elite college player. Maryland had something like 14 substitutes vs NC in their game. You can't tell me that as a supposed top program that doesn't impact the way the game is taught, played, and executed. So many differences it does not resemble how youth 'professionals' should play the game at such an important development stage.
Why do people keep saying Jorge "El Sueno" Flores is home grown? He isn't. And he has primarily played in the midfield for Chivas USA. Chivas USA had no part in developing him until they signed him to a contract. He won El Sueno 2007 and signed a contract with Chivas USA in July of 2007.
Well.........it's a complicated one. You're technically correct about him not being a homegrown. But many consider Jorge a homegrown signing before homegrown signings existed. His victory in Sueño MLS DID NOT land him a contract with ChivasUSA's senior team. (For a link see 2nd page of http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/06/sports/soccer/06sueno.html) It won him a tryout with Chivas USA and a spot in what was then ChivasUSA's U19 academy team. That was in March of 07. He did well enough over 3 months for their academy team during a trip to Mexico, that they signed him up to a contract in July of that year. So in a way........ChivasUSA did sign him out of their academy. Although you'd be hard pressed to argue that he was developed there in any way, and wouldn't qualify under today's signing rules. [I don't know how they justified it at the time. Maybe as a discovery signing of some sort.] In the context of our discussion about non-NCAA defenders, though...........he was a reasonable example to bring up. Although I think of him more as a midfielder at this point. He was an emergency defender for US youth teams at times, and is capable of playing left back in a pinch. The fact that he's as good as people can come up illustrates my point. MLS does not have a history of signing non-NCAA defenders and developing them. Basically a non-existent track record.
Flores did play in the academy after they signed him to a Developmental contract. He moved up quickly to the 1st team. All academy players that have signed to MLS as homegrown players have developed elsewhere.
Look, he was discovered via El Sueno and signed a contract with the team shortly after. He made his first appearance that same year and the next year started getting more significant minutes. To claim him as "home grown" is just flat out disingenuous. I get that the "home grown" rule didn't exist back then. But he doesn't even come close to fulfilling those criteria anyways. He is not a product of the Chivas USA youth system, so stop saying he is.
Homegrown player rule was announced in 2008. Flores spent enough time in the academy to earn himself a developmental contract. Flores was never official signed as a homegrown player since it didn't exist. He joined Chivas USA in 2007. He had 5 months to develop as a player with Chivas USA's U-19 academy team. Flores was seventeen when he signed with Chivas USA. So just because Chivas USA signed Flores before a year, you don't consider him a homegrown player? Flores was developed just like any academy player. Thats insane. Clubs should have the right to sign academy players because of their skills, not for how much time they spend in the academy. Thats' exactly what Chivas USA did. http://www.cdchivasusa.com/players/jorge-flores
He wouldn't have qualified as a home grown player even if it existed. I am trying to find info for when "El Sueno" took place. Found an article saying his uncle signed him up in February of 2007. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/06/sports/soccer/06sueno.html?pagewanted=all So... 4 months with the U-19 team before signing his professional contract? Sorry. He doesn't qualify as a Chivas USA youth system product.
If the average career is 15 years and that 1-2 players happen to fit the exact positions available, then sure - skip the SuperDraft. Hope nobody gets injured.
So... 4 months with the U-19 team before signing his professional contract? Sorry. He doesn't qualify as a Chivas USA youth system product. McBean was signed with Galaxy as a home grown player after spending 4-5 months with the Galaxy Academy. It seems under HG rules he qualified as a HG product.
In my humble opinion, for a defender at least, getting more games in a high pressure environment situation like the ACC is much better development for a defender than training sessions and 10 reserve games spread out over 6 months. I've talked to countless reserves who have said they need more games, not just practices. Also, this year was an isolated case but Dallas didn't have more than 1 non-regeneration practice session a week for about 3 months as they played in 3 competitions. Another cool thing is these players can come back to Dallas during the college off-season and train with FC Dallas. I saw two different college players who came back to train with FCD for weeks at a time during this summer. Every case and player's situation is unique though and there is no golden ticket that works in developing every player.
We've been arguing about this issue for about two years now..............and both sides can make sense. Each player's situation is going to be different depending on the club, the opportunites for the player, his physical and mental maturity, etc. I mean, Moises Hernandez is almost 20............and has made zero FCD first team appearances. Would he have been better off playing two years at SMU down the street (with summer training at FCD), than playing with the FCD reserves? Impossible question to answer. As the years go by maybe we'll have more data points, and one side will look like the better option. Right now we don't...................
Agreed that there are arguments for both sides - and time will tell if one is truly better, or they are both about equal and it just depends on the situation. P.S. To be fair about Moises, he was on the game day roster multiple times this year as an available sub. And he HAS played for FCD first team (but not in MLS): "Signed with FC Dallas as a Home Grown Player on July 30, 2010. 2010: Hernandez was not eligible to play in MLS matches during the 2010 season...Made his professional debut against 2010 UEFA Champions League winner’s Inter Milan on Aug.5, 2010 at Pizza Hut Park. He played five minutes in the 2-2 draw."
The Whitecaps are already demonstrating that their residency program puts them near the top of MLS DAs. Here's an article on promising U18 DA player Bryce Alderson, one of several U18 DA players to have played on Canada's U17 WC team: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/11/16/alderson-impressing-caps-coaches-evaluation-camp For those headed to Sarasota for the USSDA Winter Showcase, the Dec. 2 (9:00 a.m.) matchup between the Vancouver and FC Dallas U18s figures to be a good one.
I really like what Vancouver is doing & has done. What's surprising is I think Alderson is only the 3rd Canadian on their roster. People have talked for a long time about how the introduction of Canadian teams to MLS (with their academies) will lead to an increase in the quality of the Canadian national team. Well, that'll only happen if they actually have Canadians on their rosters. Right now I think they've got 14 Americans and 3 Canadians. So hopefully the homegrown signing initiative allows them to build up a stable of Canadians to groom and develop (which of course will also give the community a closer connection to the club). Because like TFC found out the hard way.........there are currently only so many Canadian internationals of MLS quality to go around. (that want to be in MLS and are available to acquire) TFC has built from within, and now have 10 Canadians.........mostly youngsters. It's the way to go...........
The problem with the Whitecaps this year was a man named Tom Soehn. The only person Canadian soccer fans hate more than Soehn is the traitor who shall not be named. Canada is getting better, but you won't see it until 2018 from a production standpoint.
I agree, these things take time. If you look at the status of each of the Whitecaps DA players, almost all of them are Canadian citizens, so this bodes well for future HG signings and the ripple effect it will have on strengthening the Canadian MNT pool.
Highlights (& interviews) from Whitecaps DA games against Santa Cruz Breakers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpn7BM444YQ&feature=youtu.be
That's some awesome coverage. Amazing how some teams cover their youth squads better than others cover their MLS squads.
Whitecaps U14 Residency: http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/201...oser-look-whitecaps-fc-u-14-residency-program
Another article about the Whitecaps Residency: http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2011/11/hard-working-whitecaps-fc-hopefuls
http://www.fcdallas.com/news/2011/12/qa-academy-director-oscar-pareja Oscar Pareja FCDallas.com: Can you comment on the rumor that the Development Academy will be adding a U-14 age division next year? Pareja: It is not confirmed yet but we are prepared to start it any time. Our Pre Academy program is in place and the teams mirror the Academy schedule, so we can make the transition smooth for the players. FC Dallas has fully supported the Academy program since it started. FCDallas.com: Do you think FC Dallas will have a residential facility on site for its Academy players? Pareja: This country has a lot of potential in soccer and the Metroplex has a lot of good soccer players. Many players are showing interest to come from a different state or even different countries, so the idea is there. I can see it happening at some point due to the quality of the training facilities, the educational system and the support of the owners of this club.
F.C Dallas HAS to add residential. The Dallas Texans are about to add residential. F.C Dallas has to make sure they don't fall to 2nd fiddle to the Texans. People have to remember that F.C Dallas is not the only academy program in D/FW.