That's all very impressive, especially at such a young age. Reminds me a bit of Federico Macheda. I hope he turns into an awesome player for the revs, I'm just taking a wait and see attitude. Everyone's different, you (and the rest of New England and MLS) are welcome to fall in love with the kid by the simple fact he's exciting, local, and talented. Goals and assists do all the talking for me. Open question on Fagundez - I know he's a dual citizen between the US and Uruguay, but noticed he hasn't made any US national team appearances yet, even at the U-17 level, which seems strange considering how talented he's hyped to be. Shouldn't we cap him asap to ensure he plays for the US? Or has he indicated he wants to play for Uruguay? Just curious.
I think the issue is, amazingly, he's not actually a US citizen. He's taking up an International spot and doesn't have a green card. Consequently, he's only eligible for Uruguay right now.
The goals and assists part is the main part I don't understand, since he's scored a few goals and probably had an assist or two as well already. It's not like he's going out there, looking flashy, but accomplishing nothing production wise.
Completely agree. He's arguably the most dangerous striker we have. He always puts himself in the right position to score, he reads the game extremely well. There's very little doubt in my mind that this kid is going to be an absolute stud by the time he's 20 or 21.
I know I'm going to get flamed for presenting facts but here they are. This season, he's got a goal and no assists in 6 appearances over 157 minutes. The one goal vs Seattle makes it a pretty decent g/90 ratio of .57, so that's excellent and second on the team only to Sene (who has played over 1100 minutes). But I have to disagree with you that he's contributed much this season other than off-field stuff like providing a marketable young player, generating a buzz in the stadium when he gets subbed in, and an excuse for 16 year old girls to attend revs games. Those are all undeniable pluses he brings to the table as they can help get this team back in the collective conscious of the Boston sports fan. That said, let's look at his on-field contribution in 2012 so far. He looked great in the final moments vs a tired Seattle team when Sene fell down in front of him and he buried the dramatic game tying goal. That was awesome and credit to his positioning there. He did nothing (read: no goals, no assists) in his energy roll off the bench at Kansas City, at RSL and home against Houston and Vancouver. So, in terms of g/a, he's had 1 good game in 5 "energy sub" role games. Just some context for the miraculous goal at the death vs Seattle. He did nothing (no g/a) in his one start this season at Toronto. In fact the Revs looked considerably more dangerous from the 70' on after he was subbed off. He's got 4 shots, 2 SOG and a goal (not a bad 50% SOG conversion) but I would hope as a "forward who gets in dangerous positions" that he would be more active and take more shots on goal. Or have assists (he has none yet). He's been an unused sub the majority of this season, yet Nicol started him in October of last year all but the Toronto game. Isn't the idea to play your best 11? If Fagundez is a starter, start him. If he's a sub, sub him in. Not using him makes me question Heaps' tactics or Fagundez's effort in training. If he's that talented there has to be a reason he hasn't been used. Being young isn't an excuse - injury maybe? I am comparing him to his young peers - Jack McInerney, Bobby Convey, Eddie Gaven and Jozy Altidore who all came into MLS around the same age and contributed. I want him to follow in their footsteps and produce. If Diego can do that - either produce as a starter or produce as a sub, but produce, he'll be up to the hype. Or, he could be Freddy Adu. So that's why I'm taking a wait and see attitude on the kid with the hope that he pans out.
I'd suggest the tall guy with 8 goals, 2 assists in 1100+ minutes and a .62 g/90 ratio in his first season in MLS is our most dangerous striker on the team. But again, it really depends how you judge dangerous I guess - I judge it quantitatively through production.
So take into account all those stats and numbers, plus his couple of goals last year at an even younger age, and then he realize that he is currently 5 years younger than most rookies. Clint Dempsey, the best American outfield player of all time, was playing for a high school club team in Texas at Diego's age right now. You have way too much expectation for someone that young, the fact he's already in the team and winning any minutes at all is pretty remarkable if you ask me. As long as he keeps getting playing time as a substitute with the occasional start, he will keep developing and getting better and the goals and assists will come more and more frequently. Placing statistical benchmarks for senior members of the team and judging their effectiveness by just goals and assists is still something I don't find too much value in, but it's still far more fair than doing so for a 17 year old homegrown players.
I intentionally didn't compare Fagundez to Dempsey because they're at different ages and stages of development when they came into the league. However, it's not like Fagundez is the first player to come into the league at 16 and he isn't the youngest either. As I said above, I am comparing him to his young peers - Jack McInerney, Bobby Convey, Eddie Gaven and Jozy Altidore who all came into MLS around the same age and contributed fairly quickly. Cream rises to the top and the truly talented players contribute even when they're young. If Diego is as good as people say he is, he'll earn minutes and contribute. Long term I'm expecting him to be good, just a question of how good - thus the wait and see attitude.
I agree with the last sentence, and I'm looking forward to watching him and finding out the answer. I just think that we should worry less about his statistical output and more about his development, experience, and confidence as a player for the next few years. If that comes along nicely, so will the goals/assists.
Of all the minutes he's played to date you're suggesting hitting the bar once against Toronto (I remember, it was a great shot) invalidates my entire analysis of his season to-date? One shot on goal makes a player dangerous? You've got some pretty low standards. Until he puts balls under the cross bar my larger point still stands.
Totally agree..! Kid has tons of potential..but so did Gaven, Adu, etc..etc. The Revs are the last team on Earth that he'll gain any meaningful growth and learning experience. Score consistently or actually create goals for your team mates..and again CONSISTENTLY, then you've got something. Everyone saw the amazing potential in an already 21 yr old Dempsey. And he showed it by his consistency. Before a lot of those pieces come together, Diego will just continue to be a very talented kid playing on a truly mediocre team with no hope of real improvement. Not until this club actually becomes a CLUB will someone of Diego's talent grow and be inspired to greatness. Otherwise, he'll just end up like Gaven and all the other under achievers and probably make a decent living playing in MLS. And certainly, there's nothing wrong with that. If that's what the kid wants. But, I would expect him to be itching to get into a team where he'll be pushed, shoved and coerced into getting better! The Revs, is not that team.
Sorry I was short in that one post, but no, it's not that one game that makes me disagree with you. He reads the game far better than any other striker on our team and makes extremely dangerous runs. He's a 17 year old kid, I don't expect him to be tearing the league apart, that doesn't happen anywhere in the world. To discredit him for not scoring more in his limited reserve minutes is ridiculous.
Overall though, I think it really should be the time in Diego's development for him to get regular minutes to see what he can do with them. The size thing shouldn't be an issue - he's not really going to get any bigger, and he's roughly the same size as Rowe and 4 inches taller than Cardenas, who both get a lot of PT. He does seem to understand the game at a professional level, so why not see if he can build a solid run of form?
I understand that Diego lacks a green card and therefore cannot play for the US. Has he ever expressed any interest? Does anyone know if Sunil Gulati ever discussed his potential USMNT future with him being that they are both associated with the Revs and Sunil is USSF President. It just seems odd to me that he has never pursued a green card; even if just to keep his soccer and non-soccer options openin the future. What would it hurt to get a green card? If he has a long term future with the Revs, then why haven't the Revs gotten him on the path to a green card just to save an international spot on the roster? They have done it for less celebrated players.
At which point he will be out of contract, and we won't be able to afford him, and he will go on to Europe or South America. Which leads me to ask: Which one of our current young talents will be the first to leave for greener pastures?
I believe one of the main reasons he is not playing as consistently as many would like is to keep him from turning into an Adu. The argument that being a member of the Rev's developmental system will stall his overall potential has been made before, and I don't really disagree. I'm sure Barca could turn Diego into a better Diego than we could ever hope to produce. However I don't remember Diego pledging his long term allegiance to the Revs - I'm also fairly certain I remember him saying that he wanted to play for Uruguay internationally. I think he is going to jump ship as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
Limited reserve minutes? What are you talking about? Forget the reserves, I'm measuring him based on his first team appearances and minutes. I really don't understand where this "Fagundez reads the game well" sentiment comes from. If he read the game well, it would show up on the stat sheet. Players who read the game well set up teammates, who then capitalize on gilt edge chances. They create their own chances and put shots on frame. Until Fagundez actually does that your analysis that he's dangerous is ridiculous. Fagundez is flashy, that's about it. Great for off field marketing but it hasn't yet translated on the field in results. Not saying it won't, but it hasn't yet.
I'm not talking about the reserve league, I'm talking about the minutes he's seen as a substitute for the first team. What do you call the goals he's scored this year and last year in limited time with the first team? What about the multiple PKs he's drawn? You seem to be ignoring a lot of the facts. A 16-17 year old striker has seen limited time with the first team and has managed to make an impact in the majority of the games he's played.
He's played 471 mintues (12 appearances, 4 starts) over the past two years. He has 3 goals, 1 assist, and 2 PKs drawn. Pretty good results if you ask me.
I wouldn't assume he hasn't pursued a green card or naturalization. That can take a long and unpredictable time to attain. I'd guess that he probably hadn't even started the process before becoming involved with the Revs academy. Not applying for naturalization as soon as possible is actually a big problem within the immigrant community - it leaves people at risk for deportation, sometimes to countries they've virtually never known. - Just because one coach used him one way and his successor uses him differently means nothing IMO (Nicol didn't have Sene, Moreno or Brettschneider, for example). - Noonan got eased in and he was a lot older and more experienced. - I would guess his size is one of the main considerations - if he's starting, a game-long pounding/intimidation by physical defenders is likely to be a regular tactic. Off the bench late in games, much less likely. - Part of it is probably motivational - they want to keep him wanting a bigger role, rather than just handing him a spot. - Much of it may be performance-based. For my eyes, he's performed better off the bench than when he's started. More isn't always better. The lineup selection part of coaching is more than just picking out the best players. There are personalities, chemistry, psychology, tactics, etc. to consider. --- Someone also mentioned that he was holding out to play for Uruguay over the US. In the FIFA rankings, Uruguay is ranked 3rd (while the US is 36th) and undoubtedly much deeper. Who knows what goes through a kid's head, but clearly there is a much greater opportunity to make the team and play right here.
Calling those results "good" is completely subjective. You're bringing in his entire body of work from last season and this season while I am looking only at Fagundez under Heaps. Apples-to-oranges. I guess I've acknowledged we measure quality and success differently and are both set in our opinions on Fagundez. Nothing I say will convince you and vice versa. So it just kind of is what it is.
Yeah, you said that you measure quality and success quantitatively by output on the field. I then provided you with his output thus far in his career, which is under a calendar year. Do you really not consider those statistics and his other performances to be impressive for a 16-17 year old player on a poor/below average MLS team? If he were 4 years older everybody would be clamoring for him to start every game. I also found it interesting that his goals per 90 minutes this season is .57, because his goals per 90 minute ratio for his entire career is also .57.