i know one thing , no gift is free sooner or later you pay you will pay somehow, its the fact of life i thinks the reserve players are reserves to the first team and not part of the reserve league, the reserves should be an under 21 league, for player development you can't develop a 26 year old, if he is crap at that age nothing will help develop him
that's why the plan is likely adding 4-6 developmental (23 and under) spots to the roster next year in addition to the current 6 developmental spots. Go look at the ages on the current bench players. This league is all about focusing on 23 & under players right now outside the starters (though many of these developmental players ARE starting) it's not even being called a reserve league, but a developmental league right now what's your complaint?
I'm all for a developmental/reserve league. It's the next step towards becoming a top=flight league. Clubs need to have viable reserve leagues here in order to continue to produce talent. Question. Will reserve squads have the same restrictions in terms of foreigners, etc?
likely. some article mentioned the whole TI/JI issue will be clarified though. current rules limit youth internationals to 20 per league, but that's going to go up with Chivas USA entering. It's unclear if Stephenson, Dorman, Flores (TI's that are also developmental) currently count against that limit. They probably do. Nunez as a "JI" probably doesn't. Don't think we know this yet. I'd guess some increase in the limit but no abolition of it.
I doubt it would work, but I'd love to see these reserve teams based in smaller markets without a professional team. I'd love to see the DC United reserves playing here in Raleigh-Durham. I know it would cause problems for training and moving players back and forth from the first team, but it seems that this would be a great way to market the league in much the same way minor league baseball is marketed as a feeder league for MLB.
I too also think that this shouldn't be looked at as a direct money making scheme as in terms of butts in seats at games. Money could be made from players that have come through the reserve team and are sold to clubs overseas ala Beasley. I like my idea from another thread started somewhere of the reserve team playing in the USL at either D1 or D2. Or even give the individual MLS club their choice of division depending on their individual situations. (travel distances, budgets, etc.) Adidas can kick in the money for franchise fee, it's something like $50,000 for D2 soccer. Players can get week in and week out meaningful matches. It would develop the young players and be a place for those coming back from injury or those having a poor spell. Reserve squads in USL could increase teams salary caps by putting some transitional international and developmental players in under "reserve squad" catagory. First and reserve teams could share Front offices, training, and facilities. Teams with their own stadiums could have these as separate matches and potential bring in some revenue from tickets, concessions, and parking. Teams without stadiums could share the date with the first team at little addional cost. Travel is going to be a cost regardless how they set up of the reserve league. You could argue that the travel would be cheaper for the eastern conference teams playing in USL D2. For example with the current USLD2 teams: Charlotte Eagles, Harrisburg City Islanders , Long Island Rough Riders, New Hampshire Phantoms, Northern Virginia Royals, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Western Mass Pioneers and Wilmington Hammerheads are all bus rides away for a fictional DC United USLD2 reserves squad. Not much different for Columbus, Metro or NE squads either. All and all, I would think that it would be easier, faster and cheaper going with something that is already set up rather than re-inventing the wheel but what ever they decide I'm glad to see that soccer US is moving foward and looking to develop even more quality players for the future. Mikey
Just a point -English reserve teams play at either a practice facility or at a smaller club's ground. EPL reserves do not play on the 1st team's pitch. ....wait for it....... except in the Carling Cup.