https://www.fccincinnati.com/post/2019/09/04/opinion-fc-dallas-academy-benchmark-fcc Good read. Most of us have watched the incremental changes but this sort of overwhelms with listing 13 players at the various US Mens/Boys teams this week (it's actually 15 because Kelman and Hamalainen weren't acknowledged as so may FCD Academy kids left early). FCD is laying a huge influence on MLS and US Soccer. Need the Women's/Girl's side to start really keeping pace and leading in style with the women's game here. Need the women's Luchi.
That's certainly a praising analysis/write up. It only slightly touches on what we likely all agree as to the reason why ownership is so happy to "buy in" to the academy, potential selling profit and talented, inexpensive first teamers. Not that I'm complaining, I've always loved watching the 19's and 17's play very well against first class talent/competition in the Dallas Cup and I'm very pleased/proud with the progression those standout players have taken to the next level. I just see this as a reason for HSG to never make a dollar splash on a league changing player that can push the first team over the top.
I agree but they actually do spend on Internationals they just don't spend very wisely. They can either improve their picks/scouting with their current budget or spend a little more for sure things to add to all that local talent. I actually think if they did the latter they'd be a perennial favorite to win it all because of their enormous HG advantage. They'd also get more fans and make more money. I really don't understand their reluctance. It does make my season tickets cheaper though. I'd trade that for a title though.
Does Ricardo Pepi get a shot if the team has Chicharito? Does Pomykal get a shot if Iniesta in the squad? Ferreira? I think that there is reason to believe that FCD is keeping a lot of roster space open to bring young players into the game day roster. I don't think that the FCD model has yet come to full fruition. When it does, I think that FCD will rival Ajax in talent development and promotion. There is such a great bed of talent in Texas that once it is harvested, it will be high quality. It will also begin to attract players from other states because they see a clear and proven path to first team football. You get that system in place for several years and it becomes a nearly self-sustaining machine just on reputation alone. This year is a seminal year for me with FCD. They made the playoffs with a homegrown-driven squad. It's not just sprinkled with homegrown contributors, it is driven by homegrown players in key positions. Cannon, Cerillo, Servania, Ferreira, Pomykal, etc. That's before you get to the guys who are being developed real-time like Pepi and Thomas Roberts or the players drafted into FCD who have stayed with the program like Hollingshead and Matt Hedges. Barrios is probably the teams most significant contributor and he came in as what, a 20-year old? Ziegler is also key. But aside from those two guys, the homegrown players are the engine. It's kind of like watching a fawn take its legs this year. Many mistakes and fumbled steps, but ultimately the team took its legs.