Richard “Richie” Ledezma at PSV Eindhoven

https://www.psv.nl/nieuwspagina/artikel/psv-lijft-amerikaans-talent-ledezma-in.htm
PSV lijft Amerikaans talent Ledezma in
Artikel
datum: 21-12-2018 13:00

PSV heeft Amerikaans belofte-international Richard Ledezma gecontracteerd. De 18-jarige middenvelder komt deze winter over van Real Monarchs en tekent een contract dat loopt tot de zomer van 2020.

 

Let’s just put this here

Can we expect goals and assists, @richydezma? ⚽😏

📺 https://t.co/Rrngy32Lb7 pic.twitter.com/bpx1PlpTzg

— PSV (@PSV) December 21, 2018

 

You can find all information on matches here:
https://www.psv.nl/jeugd/wedstrijden.htm?startdate=21012019&enddate=28012019

This link is going to the info on the JO19 link:
https://www.psv.nl/jeugd/teams/team/psv-jo19-1-2018-2019.htm

 

Who is his comeptiton at that age level in that club and what do you think his chances are to break through? What is the timeline? Thanks.

 

They will not. I’ll hope for one third.

 

I hope this kid just mashes.

 

Tbh. I've no clue. First of all I've not enough time to follow also youth competitions and second it's PSV...so they come behind Feyenoord in interest for me. But when I stumble on something I think is of interest for you guys, I will pass it on.

 

Apologies, with all the comments on youth players and the assertions in the EPB thread that he should have gone to PSV I thought you had some sort of insider or extensive knowledge re PSV and it’s youth prospects or its youth system, but I stand corrected.

 

That sounds more realistic. If we can produce 6-8 players each year that can move to good Euro clubs then statistically at least we should start laying a foundation for future USMNT teams. This all hinges on MLS franchises continuing to invest in and improving their academies.

 

No problem. I read alot about among others PSV and what is being said by the watchers with all the best info and when they tells something about a player, or when not, it is significant as it is inside info from PSV/etc. itself.
EPB is a different case compared to Ritchie, as Erik wouldnot be a Uxx player, but would be either in the Young/"reserve team" or the first team candidate. Erik would have been on the radar of the watcher when he would have been considered. The players I commented about in relation to Erik were Young team players, not youth=Uxx selections.
So when I talked about the competition for Erik, I was talking about Young team players. My interest starts when the talents get into the Young teams, as then the real tests for the quality they posses or not is met.
So the competition of Ritchie isnot on my radar as these are Uxx players. I even have little knowledge about the Feyenoord Uxx teams. From time to time I catch up info about Jamie Dunning and give it through to the YA followers, but when he gets into the Young selection it gets different.
The same with Ritchie. The moment he gets into the Young selection it gets interesting as then plenty of info is to be had about his competitors.
So let's hope he breaks into that camp soon, so I can inform you guys about the developments.

 

PSV will let Ritchie acclimatize first to the PSV style of play and test his physical standard compared to what is expected for the team he's going to play for.
So the first few months will be spent adapting to PSV and playing matches for the U19 team.

To break into the Young team he faces a few tough competitors in there.
The good news is that one of them, Laros Duarte for the CM, just has been loaned to Sparta Rotterdam. That's one competitor less and a good one
He's being loaned to get into tougher competition.
Another CM player is Jaëll Hattu, 20 years old.
I donot think he's going to be a big competitor as he's not a high profile player at the moment.
Bertalan Kun is also a CM and rather good. He broke into Young PSV at the age of 16-17!
The same goes for Michal Sadílek and Justin Lonwijk. CM and also broke into the Young team at a rather young age.
Justin actually is very good at the moment and a regular in the Orange U19. He made his debut there at 17 iirc.

These are Young players that actually will be considered for loaning out to get into a different environment out of the comfort zone.
Robin Schoonbrood isnot getting much playing time. I've no clue if he's good or not.
Marlon Frey is very good and I expect him to be alternating between the first team and the Young team soon. He's however a defensive midfielder.

 

Nice move.

Surprised that he was surprised that PSV would be interested in him. Especially since it is just for their u19s.

Does his surprise reveal how deeply insecurity is ingrained into the american soccer psyche? or is he just super humble about it all? or?

 

I donot think they only considered him for their U19, but see in him the potential to move up to the Young team sooner than later.

 

Well, we constantly hear about how hard it is to be a non-EU player in the Netherlands. The money is probably better than anything else he was offered, so he may be expressing that he had his expectations dampened by those around him.

 

not throwing shade ...but is being on the young team even a good accomplishment? would he be satisfied if that was as far as he ever got?

i mean, even if it was for the full team - i don't think players should be surprised that big euro teams want MLS academy players.

I dont wanna sound critical or anything - but when a player like Chris Richards is shocked that a team like Bayern would even be interested or ledezma at psv - i get it, for sure. but it also reveals that even among a large section of soccer players/fans in the usa - "we" are "down here" and europe is "up here"....which is kinda true - but at the same time there are and have been plenty of americans who have done very well in europe and the tide is rising on that front.....

I cannot wait for the day when no american player is surprised by even the biggest club being interested. i know he was just being candid - which is much needed - but the reason it slightly bothers me is just that I think a big reason the full USMNT has never gotten to the top of the sport with the big dogs is an ingrained inferiority complex in the USA when it comes to soccer - even Damarcus Beasley - a former PSV star - was all like "well they are better than us" before the Brazil 2014 WC....when he was talking about the US' chances of doing well....i was really surprised at that take from him. he's one of the alltime greats - played in the champions league semis.

I wanna see brash bold and confident.....from jump. we're seeing that from players like pulisic and tyler adams and mckennie and miazga - they are not gonna take a back seat to anyone....and that's what it is going to take to truly go next level for USMNT. players who know they are the best and not ready to be awed by anything.

don't wanna sound nitpicky or critical - just making a general comment about us youth players moving to europe as much as anything about ledezma....

 

I kind of like the humility....

I hope these young players have a quiet confidence, but it would be silly for them to puff their chest considering the situation they are going into and the challenges that lie ahead for them.

 

I don't get what you're trying to tell.

 

Sadilek I mentioned from the Young PSV squad scores in his second match for the first team a brilliant goal:
https://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/video...-redt-psv-met-on-bewust-briljante-hakbal.html

 

Richie might as well quit soccer.

 

Why? Learn by example is a very good way.

 

I watched each replay about 5 times and I still have no idea which part of his body that ball hit

 

Yes same here. It sort of looked like it came off his foot and then hit the defender’s foot.