Here's an article on this very subject... https://www.backheeled.com/theres-a-new-trend-youth-development-trend-in-the-united-states/
Well, the other major leagues have a draft that essentially does just that. So it's could well be ok with the courts, at least as far as MLS goes.
There are a lot of holes in that article. The Haji Wright issue for one; several teams in Europe wanted to sign him but FIFA rules don't allow an international signing until a player is 18 and Wright was only 17. He would have been happy to sign with an MLS team but they won't give you a one year and out contract. (In fairness, not much of anyone anywhere will let you do that. It's not, as the writer would have it, some weird MLS rule). So he signed with the neoCosmos, who were only too happy to do so because it let them crow about how they had signed this kid that MLS wanted. They played it up big in the media with idiots who didn't know any better. Like this guy. He played there until he turned 18 and then walked away a free agent with zero strings and signed with Schalke 04. The writer also fails to note that while in New York he spent most of his time (around 10 games total) playing for Cosmos B. You could get equivalent experience playing for a high level adult open side or a decent college team. He most definitely did not go to USL for more "exposure" and "experience" and "development". He just went to stay in shape and his main goal was not to hurt himself. One could also note that while now at age 24 he seems to be working his way toward a decent career he bounced around Europe, Scandinavia and Turkey as a practice dummy with B sides and would have been far better off starting for an MLS team for a couple years instead.
That's not a good comparison. You voluntarily enter yourself in the draft. You can opt out. Alos NFL is just in this country and only has Canadian league as alternative. We've seen NBA players opt out of draft and go overseas. And even in NFL you are not obligated to sign with a team. John Elway and Eli manning are good examples of guys who threatened not to sign so as to mfg where they ended up.
Check out this wizardry by 2006 attacking-mid Cole Mrowka (#56). The Crew recruited him away from Socker FC and he has the looks of a big time player. I love his speed of play and ability to operate in tight spaces. This is a fun goal. I hope Gonzalo Segares is paying attention. pic.twitter.com/6TUc7qcy9Z— Marcus Chairez (@chai_asc) October 11, 2022
He played about 25 minutes against FCC and made the bench for one other. He looks like a very promising player, definitely someone to keep an eye on.
The Crew said on August 12 that he had joined the team "on a season long amateur agreement" Which raises more questions than it answers but its clear that he's not under contract here.
I think Academy guys who play in MLSNP have to sign a Crew 2 amateur contract. Yes, I realize how ridiculous an "MLS Next Pro Amateur Contract" sounds, but that's how I understand it.
Here's the relevant section of the Next Pro roster guidelines page: https://www.mlsnextpro.com/about/roster-guidelines
Cole joined the academy and debuted for Crew 2 in the same week. Super talented midfielder, very creative and inventive player as well. Exciting to watch
He also has his own website, so you know he's good. Did Messi have his own website as a 16 year old? I think not! https://www.colemrowka.com/
MLS NEXT All-Star, MLS NEXT Cup MVP, and @CrewAcademy96 Player of the Year 🙌#Crew96 | @ColumbiaGasOhio pic.twitter.com/m6v78PnF29— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) November 10, 2022 Gio DeLibera academy player of the year
Are you able to be a host household for a @CrewAcademy96 player? They're currently looking for families to join the compensated Billet Program and give players from across the US the chance to play with the Academy in Columbus.https://t.co/GCDfkIFoMw#Crew96 | #VamosColumbus— The Nordecke ⭐⭐⭐ (@Nordecke) November 23, 2022
Bumping this. If anyone knows people who could potentially be an option as a billet family for the academy please tell them to apply. This is something the academy needs and who knows, maybe one of the players is the next Aidan morris who was a billet player
Under-17 Generation adidas Cup Qualifying Columbus Crew SC The Crew’s 2006s spun off three wins from three games, topping Group A. It started thanks to a late penalty kick from Owen Presthus that narrowly edged out the Portland Timbers. A second-game matchup with Inter Miami CF yielded another win, thanks to goals from Brent Adu-Gyamfi and Anthony Alaouieh. The latter has excelled so far this season after joining Columbus from Michigan Wolves. Midfielder Taha Habroune found the back of the net twice and Vaughn DeRath (also previously with Wolves) rounded out the scoring in a 3-1 defeat of CF Montréal. https://www.mlssoccer.com/mlsnext/n...ams-showed-best-in-massive-youth-soccer-event
With Nancy coming in and the perception at least that he is good for young players, are there any academy guys who are ready to take the next step to either homegrown status or Crew 2 contract players?
Taha Habroune called in to U-17 World Cup qualifying camp!! First call up for him, according to USSoccer.com. https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...prep-with-first-camp-of-2023-in-south-florida …seven players have earned their first call-up: goalkeeper Duran Ferree, defenders Noah Banks and McFarlane, midfielders Taha Habroune and Morales as well as forwards Ignacio Alem and Christopher Aquino.
Not sure if this would be more appropriate on this thread or the roster thread, but I see that 2021 Academy Player of the Year Tyler Crawford signed with a sports agency. Congratulations to Tyler Crawford for signing with One Pro Sports Management!🗞️https://t.co/X3EOWQmazN#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/h5Z1PdzH1W— MSU Men's Soccer (@MSU_MSoccer) January 12, 2023 Left back I believe. No idea if signing with Crew, but just thought it was interesting.
Crawford just signed with Vancouver. He was born up there but raised in the US of A and is eligible for either country's national team. He appeared with a US age group team previously but just this year joined a Canadian camp. ('20's maybe). Seems like he decided to go all in with the hosers. I'm more interested in Taha Habroune. He just turned 17 and MLS teams are suddenly signing up 17's right and left..
Heck, NWSL teams are fumbling over themselves to sign the next youngest 15 year olds *to be fair, I've heard that colleges typically start recruiting girls as soon as they are allowed as Freshmen, but often hold off until Jr year or so for boys, since girls are mostly already physically mature by then.
Well of course that's the Olivia Moultrie rule. She signed a contract with Nike when she was 13 but NWSL rules wouldn't let teams sign anyone under 18. She (well, her father) sued, pointing out that boys could sign with MLS as young as 14 or 15 because they had academy teams, but NWSL has no such thing, and thus it was unfair to make girls wait until 18 to sign a pro contract. (And of course the same FIFA rules apply to both genders - European teams can and do sign girls under 18 but as with the boys you can't transfer internationally under 18 years old) So yeah, NWSL teams are (cautiously) signing younger girls like Jayden Shaw and Alyssa Thompson, but they have to be careful; they still don't have academy or B sides to stash the kids on so they can't sign too many or they'll end up with a too young roster that can't compete with the grizzled old ladies of 22. And of course Olivia is a unique talent; there just aren't many (or any, really) out there. She's already pushed her way into the national team picture without waiting until she's 25 and getting permission from Alex and Megan and waiting for some 35 year old to retire so that there's an opening. Mostly though the NWSL needs academies and a lower division setup, but that's still a ways off. It takes more money than they currently have.