How are MLS youth teams recruiting players & are they getting the best?

The fact that non-Academy teams beat Academy teams isn't that big of a deal. Go look at Dallas cup results. Academy teams from outside the US frequently lose to and have lost to US club teams. The issue is quality training and competition. You would expect MLS teams and big clubs outside the US to have the best programs, but that is not always the case.

In particular it is difficult for MLS teams the clubs often represent their customer base. So they often have to move carefully to minimize antagonizing the local soccer community. Seattle's is as gung-ho as any club, but take a look at their measured approach. Locally the Galaxy has to deal with a powerful Coast Soccer League that has been very confrontational because they were very concerned the Galaxy would undercut CSL's Premier League.

Over time I think talent will start to move to the MLS teams. They can offer top trainers, facilities and access that regular clubs cannot. The rosters for the Galaxy came out and they picked up several national/regional and other very strong players from Arsenal, LAFC and other clubs.

 

I wasn't talking about the U.S. Didn't you lose to Cuba and fail to qualify...AGAIN?

 

Especially since the whole thing is only a few years old. You bring up some great points. I think this is one area where the unrealistic expectations and impatience of some fans are most misplaced. This stuff needs years to germinate. Even then, it's a big country and there will be only so many pro academy teams.

The top teams in the FA's Academy Leagues are not necessarily the biggest teams in the country, yet I don't think a lot of people are up in arms at the fact that Liverpool's U18s are only one point ahead of Crewe Alexandria this season. Things need to be kept in perspective when talking about this issue.

 

But at the end of the day Crewe Alexandria is a proffessional club, with a proffessional academy, there are considered an Academy Status, and not centre of excellence.

 

Well I guess then you've got the ability to train with professionals, get coached by former professional players, greater exposure in International tournaments.

 

True, but a lot of these clubs not affiliated with MLS teams are pretty damn professional. They just don't have the option of offering players a direct line to an MLS roster. Until the league matures more, I don't see that as much of an impediment.

All I'm saying is that this is a huge country with a strange intersection of established clubs and a burgeoning youth development system. The absolute top teams in other countries aren't the only ones churning out good players. I don't see why the US should be any different even if our system is set up a little differently than others.

 

Especially since Liverpool's U18s are more likely to play for Crewe Alexandria than CA's are.

 

The last two can be done by the non-MLS DA teams as well, though perhaps MLS teams have an advantage. The big thing an MLS academy can provide than a non-MLS DA team can't is the first--field access to the first team. That would be the selling point if I were doing the sales pitch.

 

That argument would be a lot more noteworthy if Canada actually produced better players than California, which it doesn't.

 

yeaa everyone disregard this dumb comment.because he just said the state of california can field a squad that would beat the Canadian national team

 

-----------------Wicks-------------------
Cherundolo---Marshall----Boca---Bornstein
-------------------Edu-------------------
-----------Kljestan----Feilhaber----------
Donovan---------------------------Rogers
---------------Movsisyan-----------------

Possible subs include: Kamani Hill, Jovan Kirovski, Sal Zizzo, Eddie Lewis, Jesus Padilla, Dan Califf, Frankie Hejduk, Heath Pearce, Marvell Wynne, Steve Purdy, Sean Franklin, Jimmy Conrad, Chris Seitz, Kevin Hartman, Joe Cannon just to name a few... not to mention that when we get to "producing talent" one also has to include Eric Wynalda, Cobi Jones, John O'Brien, Ante Razov, etc.

 

Why is this dumb?

Doesn't California have more people than Canada? So why would this be so shocking?

 

There's a negligible difference, 33.5 mil for Canada compared to 36.5 for California. He says its dumb because he doesn't know what he's talking about. There, both questions answered.

 

Yeah, Canada might gibe that line-up a good game, but only because De Guzman, De Rosario, and Hutchinson are the best attacking trio they've had in like 25 years. Through the 90s and 00s, it wouldn't be rare for Cali to beat Canada.

At any rate, they named the US U18 roster today, and there are 8 MLS youth team affiliated players on it, which is probably the highest percentage so far.
http://www.ussoccer.com/News/U-18-M...yers-Set-for-U18-Mens-National-Team-Camp.aspx

By contrast, I count 13 players from MLS markets but who played for other teams. So there's a ways to go.

 

The program's leadership/funding/structure changes radically year from year.

 

For MLS teams that are struggling as Colorado appears to be, I think there are some suggestions for a direction to take the program:

1 - Hire former pros for your coaching staff. When I did a quick internet check last time for them (which I have to admit right off is hardly comprehensive) I didn't notice much in the way of pro playing CVs.

2 - Focus on the guys the other teams aren't recruiting. Either ethnically/class-wise (go after Hispanics or poorer kids not being found by the select teams) or geographically (go further afield than they recruit) or something like that.

3 - Give your kids access to training with the first team. It's the one thing your opposition will never be able to match.

FC Dallas got off to a rather weak start against the much, much more powerful Dallas Texans and Solar SC, but used a plan with many of the elements above under Oscar Pareja to build themselves to competitive status. They seem to offer the best blueprint.

 

Btw, I don't think I've linked this yet, but TopDrawerSoccer has a ranking of clubs based on what their graduates go on to do. It applies only to active players, along the following points system:

In practice, he hasn't tracked the 'other college', and I would probably argue he shouldn't (it's a lot of work with very little payoff).

It should also be noted that the data is probably not totally comprehensive, but there's enough to be interesting.

http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer/club-soccer-rankings/men#results

 

Here, I'll list the Top 10, and every MLS team I can find:

Code:

Rank    Club         State   D1   YNT   YWC    3P    2P    TP   NT    Total
1    Dallas Texans    TX    159    75    -     36    180   36   20    506
2    Irvine Strikers  CA    72     25    10    12    195   -    120   434
3    StL Gallagher    MO    111    40    -     -     240   -    40    431
4    Chicago Magic    IL    177    35    10    12    90    54   40    418
5    Sockers FC       IL    96     45    10    -     90    54   40    335
6    FC DELCO         PA    141    35    -     12    120   -    -     308
7    Real So Cal      CA    45     50    10    24    120   -    40    289
8    Solar SC         TX    90     40    -     -     75    -    60    265
9    Sereno SC        AZ    57     30    -     -     135   -    40    262
10   CASL             NC    126    30    -     12    90    -    -     258
...
44   NY Red Bulls     NJ    57     30    -     -     -     -     -     87
...
53   DC United        DC    30     45    -     -     -     -     -     75
...
74   Chicago Fire     IL    45     10    -     -     -     -     -     55
74   FC Dallas        TX    15     25    -     -     15    -     -     55
...
114  Chivas USA       CA    12     20    -     -     -     -     -     32
...
155  Houston Dynamo   TX    6      15    -     -     -     -     -     21
...
169  LA Galaxy        CA    -      5     -     -     15    -     -     20
...
203  RSL              UT    15     -     -     -     -     -     -     15
...
219  Columbus Crew    OH    9      5     -     -     -     -     -     14
...
328  Fire Jr of MS    MS    3      5     -     -     -     -     -     8
328  Colorado Rapids  CO    3      5     -     -     -     -     -     8
328  KC Wizards       MO    3      5     -     -     -     -     -     8
...
398  NE Revolution    MA    -      5     -     -     -     -     -     5
...
419  RSL Florida      FL    3      -     -     -     -     -     -     3
  
  

I included regional affiliates I knew of as well (Fire-MS and RSL Florida).

Now, keep in mind, this list is for all active players who've graduated (spent at least two years in) a youth club, so MLS clubs are getting "penalized" for not (for the most part) having been around very long.

So give it enough time for the graduates to cover the full length of a pro career (granted, that's like 10-15 years for most of these clubs) and this list should get interesting.

 

So if the LA Galaxy, Chivas, LAFC etc. take 17 year old national pool player for a year have they really developed him? In reality that is really what the list is. A better list would start from the kids first season and go from there. So if a kid 10 years playing for some little Hispanic league team and signed with Chivas for 2 years Chivas gets 2/12 the credit and the little Hispanic league club gets 10/12. If that were the case the Cal-South rankings would look a whole lot different.

I give TD credit for at least trying to split points and saying a kid has to be with a club for 2 years. But in reality the credit goes to the big clubs that get promise kids will get into tournaments rather than some of the clubs that really developed them. If that where the case you'd see a little bit different looking list. Also D1 is heavily biased towards East Coast since there are a lot of local schools with low level soccer and most kids go to school within 4 hours of there home. Texas kids basically had SMU while New England has conferences like North East, MAAC, American East and others.

 

US U-17 National Team:

GOALKEEPERS: Keith Cardona (NY Red Bulls; Glen Rock, N.J.), Earl Edwards (La Jolla Nomads; San Diego, Calif.), Spencer Richey (Crossfire Premier; Seattle, Wash.)

DEFENDERS: Zachary Herold (West Pines United FC, Port St. Lucie, Fla.), Perry Kitchen (Chicago Magic; Indianapolis, Ind.), Boyd Okwuonu (Celtic Green; Edmond, Okla.), Tyler Polak (CSA Legacy; Lincoln, Neb.), Jared Watts (North Meck Storm; Statesville, N.C.), Eriq Zavaleta (FC Pride; Westfield, Ind.)

MIDFIELDERS: Marlon Duran (Latino Americana; Ducanville, Texas), Luis Gil (Pateadores; Garden Grove, Calif.), Carlos Martinez (Wilmington Jr.; San Pedro, Calif), William Packwood (Birmingham City, Concord, Mass.), Nick Palodichuk (Washington Premier; Battleground, Wash.), Alex Shinsky (Super Nova FC; York, Pa.)

FORWARDS: Juan Agudelo (NY Red Bulls; Barnegat, N.J.), Victor Chavez (Real So Cal; Fontana, Calif), Andrew Craven (First Coast Kickers; St. Simons Island, Ga.), Stefan Jerome (West Pines United FC; Davie, Fla.), Jack McInerney (Cobb SC; Alpharetta, Ga.), Dominick Sarle (BW Gottschee; Huntington, N.Y.)



Well done New York for being the only MLS team to produce academy players into the National Squad.

MLS Academys you see the players, ones who are in reach do whatever you can to sign them

 

There's that red, white, and blue pride again. Why are you talking about the US U-17 Team. This is about MLS!!

 

You can't figure out why? It's because he's highlighting that the Red Bulls (and nobody else) have players at that level.

 

Well, yeah, I guess the YMCA would lead the league.

I mean, yeah, I get the "creaming" thing, it's an argument I've made before about youth systems (and I would argue it's what the Red Bulls attempted to do with Dilly Duka), but at some point we get to a metaphysical question. . . did the club he played on when he was 6 develop him more than the one he played on when he was 10?

You've got the cause and effect backwards here. Texas kids aren't skipping college because there aren't any schools nearby, they're just going farther afield. I mean, just look again at who's number 1 and why.