Article in the latest SA (the one with the Galaxy on the cover) about the U20 team with lots of quotes from Thomas Rongen. A few of the interesting nuggets - *My favorite player whom I've never actually seen, Zak Whitbred, is still in Rongen's plans. According to the article, TR really wanted him but Liverpool were pretty much hard asses about releasing him and TR didn't want to rock the boat since he wants him for the World Youth Championship, assuming the US qualifies. *The article mentions Europe-based Americans Jamal Johnson (Blackburn), Lloyd Sam (Charlton) and Aaron Shepherd (Cambuur) as players who are also on Rongen's radar screen and could get a look before the WYC. *Rongen also would like to take longer looks at Craig Capano as well as freshmen Heath Pearce (Portland), Justin Moose (Wake Forest), Justin Moore (Clemson) and Adam Schuermann (UConn). Not coincidentally, all 4 of them have had very strong college seasons. *I've said here before that I've heard Rongen is very high on David Johnson and this article confirms that. It also says he's a right midfielder, which could mean that Devin Barclay will play more of a forward (albeit as a backup to Johnson and Quaranta) rather than right mid. That would make sense since Knox Cameron is the only other forward on the roster.
Freshmen that come into college right away and have good seasons are usually a sign of a potentially good prospect.
Sandon's being modest, so I'll sing his praises for him. Our very own Sandon identified most if not all of these players and made a public crusade to make sure that Rongen had Zak Whitbread, Frankie Simak and Jemal Johnson (among others) on his radar screen from the day he was named coach. I have no idea whether Rongen already knew about some or all of them (probably did) but I do know that Sandon ID'd them well before they were called in. Kudos Sandon. And thanks for the heads up and your ever-vigilant watch to make the US youth teams better. P.S. Make Sandon an All-Star already! -Tron
//Sandon's being modest, so I'll sing his praises for him. Our very own Sandon identified most if not all of these players and made a public crusade to make sure that Rongen had Zak Whitbread, Frankie Simak and Jemal Johnson (among others) on his radar screen from the day he was named coach.// For the record, you are selling short (no doubt unintentionally) the work of many, many people on the Yanks Abroad board who have done as much to identify players -- does credit go to the guy who posts the link first? -- as anyone else. (And I don't mean myself.) Unfortunately, the "great BigSoccer crash" has sent the evidence of their work to hyperspace where it plays among the stars.
While I appreciate the praise Tron, Dave is right. Often, I'm only learning about these potential Yank youth internationals who are playing abroad from folks like Dave and the Yanks Abroad vigilanties who do such a nice job keeping us posted about them. Sometimes, I hear about a potential YA before I read about it on the YA forum - for instance I learned from some sources about the YAs on Ellingers radar before I read them on BS - but that doesn't happen that often. That said, while I'd love to thing that the USSF is aware of the likes of Whitbred and Jemal Johnson, etc... without reading about them on BS, I'm not convinced that's always the case. While I don't think Big Soccer is uncovering every potential youth national teamer playing abroad, I certainly think it helps raise the USSF and the youth coaces awareness of them. And for that, I do take a little bit of pride, as should Dave and all the others who so dillegently follow and montior the small print of American soccer development. Thanks again for the props, though.
//That said, while I'd love to thing that the USSF is aware of the likes of Whitbred and Jemal Johnson, etc... without reading about them on BS, I'm not convinced that's always the case. While I don't think Big Soccer is uncovering every potential youth national teamer playing abroad, I certainly think it helps raise the USSF and the youth coaces awareness of them.// I'd agree with you here, if only because it gives some meaning to all the time I spend on BigSoccer...
U20 Age Cut Off What is the age Cut off for U20 players. Are the 82 Birthdays too old? If not, why are top college players not given a change to make the camp? If they are too old, with no U21, it's a leap to U23 for some players? What's your insight on this.
I saw a posting somewhere that they played the Charleston Battery and won 5-0 but I can't find any story on this. Is it true? Does anybody know where the box score can be found? I've checked the Battery website, Charleston newspapers, USSF, with no luck. Thanks.
Re: U20 Age Cut Off European U-21s are the same as US U-23s. They measure ages from a different marker. And top college players have almost no chance to make the U-23s, as in the last big U-23 tournament only one college guy was on the team. His presence in the lineup nearly crashed the BS.com server daily and sent Tim Donovan to the local insane asylum.