Numbers

Maximum Optimal · Jan 13, 2011

I didn't want to hijack the excellent All-Purpose 2011 YNT Player Performance Thread, but reading through it I can't help but be impressed by the sheer number of players on the various YNTs who are plausible contributors to the senior team. I'm curious to see if others who have followed the junior teams over the years have the same impression.

To me this is one of the most important developments of this cycle. One of the things that seperates major soccer powers from us is that at age 18 or 20 they have many more good prospects than we do. This is important because the attrition rate among prospects is fairly high.

Since we have had fewer really promising prospects for each age group, it has been more disappointing and important when guys like Eddie Johnson, Quaranta, Adu and others have not fully fulfilled their promise. For a country like Argentina, this is less of a big deal because they have more prospects at each age level. It seems to me we are taking a big step in this cycle in closing this gap. Inevitably, some of the best prospects will disappoint. But there are so many now that the overall yield for the senior team is bound to be bigger and better.

SUDano · Jan 13, 2011

Maximum Optimal said: ↑

I didn't want to hijack the excellent All-Purpose 2011 YNT Player Performance Thread, but reading through it I can't help but be impressed by the sheer number of players on the various YNTs who are plausible contributors to the senior team. I'm curious to see if others who have followed the junior teams over the years have the same impression.

To me this is one of the most important developments of this cycle. One of the things that seperates major soccer powers from us is that at age 18 or 20 they have many more good prospects than we do. This is important because the attrition rate among prospects is fairly high.

Since we have had fewer really promising prospects for each age group, it has been more disappointing and important when guys like Eddie Johnson, Quaranta, Adu and others have not fully fulfilled their promise. For a country like Argentina, this is less of a big deal because they have more prospects at each age level. It seems to me we are taking a big step in this cycle in closing this gap. Inevitably, some of the best prospects will disappoint. But there are so many now that the overall yield for the senior team is bound to be bigger and better.
Click to expand...

We are improving as a soccer playing nation for a few main reasons.
1-We now have national technical training standards for 78 youth teams on U16 and U18 teams covering approximately 1560 per team age group totalling 3120 players aged 15-18.
This increases the overall skillset to be able to succeed. We need this to take a firmer hold in our system over the next years.
2-The best of those 3120 have better exposure to quickly move into professional environments with better skills set to succeed on an International skill basis. This is mostly on an International level but MLS will now move more in that direction.
We now just have to horizontally and vertically expand and improve on the foundation layed with the USSF Development Academy and fine tune the entire system to allow more players, younger players, and better players access to better coaching and quicker access into professional development academies.
I remember the days not too long ago where no Team in Germany or England would touch an American youth player for obvious reasons. We have come so far with yet so far to go.
Enjoy the ride.