I know this issue has been discussed in other threads, but to truly reflect my irritation, I thought I would annoyingly construct a new thread to raise the issue again. The suffocation of young talent in this league will kill me. If Jeffries can't manage his attitude and/or youth or get him minutes because he doesn't fit the scheme as well as others, trade him. I think there are a number of teams that would love to have him who could "raise" him. The kid oozes extraordinary striking ability that can be honed. Sir Alex seems to think so. The only reason Santino will be signed while Johnson will be on loan is the fact that EJ can't get a work permit for quite some time. We're in the enviable position of having an increasingly greater number of talented youth coming through the ranks with the passing of each generation. Unless we expand the number of teams or sell off some of the more established vets (eg. McBride), these guys are going to be suffocated.
Ok I may be the only one, but I've had it with you Johnson ass kissers, we don't play him for a reason, he doesn't fit YET. So get over it, we aren't going to trade him just yet, he's benched for a reason. DO SHUT UP!
Kumar, I agree with you completely. burning, I understand your point. But the bottom line is the Burn has been mindbogglingly mediocre forever. I am going to go to the games no matter what. And the young, potentially exciting guys need to play. Both for financial reasons -- getting their value up and for the fans excitement. Johnson never had a chance to even fail, because he never got a fair chance to succeed.
actually he never hade a chance becasue he missed 2 months due to injury. Then had a set back trying to come back (2 more weeks). Not to mention a death in his immediate family, which can be tough at 18 (another 2 weeks).
It's almost gotten to the point that I agree with you Kumar. But what can you say about a team that has to trade away players like Graziani or Johnson because they don't "fit" the system. Damnit, I want a system where players like this DO fit. Watching young prospects like Buddle and Martino blossom in Columbus is what most makes me think that we are wasting the talent we have.
As it turns out, EJ had a sore hamstring and that's why he didn't get more time in the last game. sucks, but he had a year that might have given him some maturity without helping him on the field. The position is his to win. Not Kreis, Rhine, Cerritos, or anyone else that played forward this year could be called "outstanding." If he cannot use this off-season to make himself into a starter, what are we supposed to think? He's got 6 months of work ahead. If he is worth his salt, he'll be starting before the end of next season. No Burn fan I know can say that Kreis and Rhine are sure starters next year. There is no excuse for failing to score 2 goals at home on David Kramer in a playoff game. None in the universe.
http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/sports/4224717.htm Of note is this This had best be the case. If Jefferies develops Johnson by playing him, next postseason the Burn may win it all. -Tron
The playoff system in MLS, in which most teams make the postseason, gives coaches a lot more lattitude to develop young players by playing them in actual first team games. European coaches don't have that luxury. I'm glad to hear Jeffries say that.
Good point Kumar. Colorado knocked us off because they peaked at the end of the year. Kind of like the NCAA basketball tournament where the #1 seed almost never wins the tourny. Knowing that at the start the real trick is having the patience to not be at your best early so that you can be better at the end.
Well I think the underlying issue here is in the coaching approach to the team. In my opinion in all sports there are two types of coaches, those who have a system that uses the talent that best fits the system, and those that look at the talent they have and design a system to utilize the best talent. Not saying that Jeffries falls into either camp, but if Johnson is around next season and healthy I think we shall see. I have to imagine that if he is healthy next season he will see time, and the team will learn how to best use the skills he has. On the other hand, if he is traded before the season, or if he spends his time on the bench despite being healthy then I would suggest that you might have a coaching problem. Kumar brings up a good point in the recognition that as more and more young prospects become available to the league teams will become increasingly torn between playing polished vets who may have a lesser degree of talent, but are less prone to mistakes versus playing the potential of the newcomers. Like it or not MLS has to make a serious effort at becoming a development league to keep young players interested in playing pro-ball domestically.
Good point on the development Tejas. While it might not be the actual driving force behind it, this was a stated reason for expanding the developmental category and cutting the full roster to 18. Yeah, we all know the real reason was economics and keeping costs down, but it did force coaches to play young players. As long as all coaches are forced to play a few developmental players, I think it's not such a bad thing. Hopefully the league will eventually break even financially and we'll be able to get some expansion though. -Tron
Perhaps the more realistic is Lucci for Bobby Rhine. Lucci won't get minutes in SJ unless Landon moves on and Rhine is a decent player but to similar to Kreis and Cerritos.