The lost generation. The Bradanton Academy deeming players as the Soccer Stars of Today and supposedly tomorrow. To send a youngster to florida and have them work out and play soccer for several years and go to school. This favoritism is quite biased. Bradenton Academy time has come and gone. Its approach is to narrow. The upper middle class has its soccer produceing academy. The school of hard knocks is more fruitfull. What ever happened to the 22 to 28 year old players. And why are they not given equal chances. Is the Bradenton Academy group better. No they have just had something given to them. To take an average player or even a slightly above averge player and have him go to bradenton acedemy will not make him a star. Or mabe it will because maybe The title star applies better to an actor or poiser. Then a self made soccer player. The lost generation is better set to help us in the next run for the World Cup. The USSF has looked beyond the immediate needs for the world cup . Cheers
Which players are these? John O'Brien, Clint Mathis, Josh Wolff and Pablo Mastroeni all saw time in the World Cup. Steve Cherundolo was on the World Cup roster. All five figure strongly for 2006. Jovan Kirovski is probably the most capped player in this age group, with more than 50 caps. Ante Razov still remains the last player to be capped while in college. Carlos Bocanegra and possibly Chris Klein would have made the World Cup roster had they not been hurt. Today's 26 year old is 29 or 30 by 2006. By then, there will be younger and better players on the scene. Sachin
Thanks Sachin, The soocer saviors seemed to be from the bradenton academy. I watched wolfee and Mathis play U of maryland when they were in college. At the time wolfee lookedfast and mathis was just getting over knee surgery. I would like to think there are more to the lost generation??? You pointed out some I didnt thinnk of and some might even be considered over the hill..??
Oh, Pablo holds his own very well. A newer better version of richie "grab you" williams. But he did it the hard way. I dont think he did the Bradanton thing. It is just ludicris to think that the sleceted few going to bradenton are christened soccer saviors just for the fact at being in bradenton. Far to many soccer players out there to be narrow minded. cheers
MLS's existence ensures that players will not be chosen for greater glory in this country based solely on hype. Bradenton may try to develop the next anointed ones, but they don't get there for real until they prove it against the solid pros of MLS or the international game.
The 22-28 year old players have limited upsides when you compare them with the cream of players coming out of Bradenton. Very few of them will be able to actually see playing time on a Champion's League caliber team. The Bradenton program has only existed since '99.
Actually, there is a small element of truth in your post. If you look at keepers that is. Between Freidel, Keller and Meola, who all are in the same age cohort and Howard, Rimando, and Brown, there is a huge gap in age -- 8-10 years. There are a number of keepers in that "lost generation" age cohort that probably will never get a long look at the #1 shirt -- Thornton, Cannon, Hahnanman (sp?), Walker all spring to mind. Sachin