I guess the reason I posted this is because I think it's more complicated than just "GM = bad". I think it's best understood as a distinct strategy we pursued in 2016-18 to only include players on the first team who could play first-team minutes, and not use roster spots on guys for purely developmental reasons. If we'd won a championship in 2017 we wouldn't be questioning the strategy. But it was always a strange choice for a club that professed to care so much about development. If anyone in the league should have been willing to invest the roster spots, it should have been us. So it's easy in retrospect to say we should have signed Soto instead of Jose Hernandez, but at the time Jose had just won Pac-12 player of the year and would likely have been a high first round Superdraft pick. We wanted the depth Jose provided. In retrospect Jose didn't pan out, but I think a lot of clubs would have done the same thing. And I guess the truly important fact is that we appear to have gone a different direction now. Arriaga and Vasquez are both off-brand signings for Waibel, so maybe we learned the lesson.
I'm not going to complain about signing an academy product that went to college. I am going to get pissed on the UW alum that took a spot that should have been used on them I'm also going to point out that the Monarchs actually exist and Craig Waibel's inability to manage that relationship is laughable Keeping this only to the first team, the following players were on the roster that Soto should have been picked over: 2016: Kavita, Okwuonu, Stertzer, Schuler, Welshman 2017: Dunk, Schmidt, Schuler
See comments added to your quote. I will agree with you though. It’s not as simple as “GM=bad”. I’ve said this before: the bad begins at the very highest level of the organization. The top of the org chart.
First game of the U19 playoffs, RSL drew Atlanta 2-2 on a stoppage time header by 00 Delentz Pierre. Full Time | 🚨 STOPPAGE 💥 TIME 🔥EQUALIZER!!! 😲Delentz Pierre heads it home in the 93rd minute and it ends @RSLAcademy 2⃣-2⃣ @AcademyATLUTD pic.twitter.com/BsyO2dIf24— Development Academy (@ussoccer_da) June 18, 2019 Pierre is a left-footed CB who has also played LB with the Monarchs this season. He's probably one of the closer players to a HG contract. He's committed to Portland in the fall but could be invited for training camp next year, or possibly even sooner. Arriaga was very good playing as a sort of false nine. Vasquez also played as a LW and was fairly dangerous. Ochoa had a very strong game and can't be blamed for either conceded goal, as both were PKs. I watched most of the game and thought we were the better side for most of it. A loss would have been a harsh result.
One of our top academy players, 01 Bryce Duke, is leaving for the Barca academy. He's been one of our top academy players and has a handful of YNT appearances, as recently as earlier this year. However, he has yet to make a single Monarchs appearance, and he may just not see a path with our organization. The Monarchs have been better this year but somehow Julian Vazquez has only made 1 appearance, and we still regularly trot out late-20s career USL vets in lineups. There's been close to 0 integration from the academy, and Duke leaving may just be the consequence.
Well Waibel tried to sign him to a ful RSL contract (after he already signed/committed to moving to Barca), and he refused, there was nothing Waibel could do.
I'm glad that RSL is feeding players into the Barca system, as was always envisioned way back when the academy was in Arizona. That;s the super sekrit agreement that Checketts signed with Barca way back in 2005.
Hi!!!! Ouch. Maybe @irondeepbicycle knows, but what is life like in the Barca Arizona Academy? Do they pay for school/housing? What league do these players play in? What is the road map for signing with them vs. staying in RSL's academy?
I think that makes it worse. He's making a lateral step to get out of the sucking void that seems to be RSL.
Even lateral is debatable. With the new shift in the USSDA tiers next year, he's actually going down a level.
I wouldn't say that RSL is a sucking void. I would say that it's more slightly aspirate black hole..... Anyway, I would have said that he's looking for more playing time, but if he's as good of player as everyone says, I would think he's getting as much playing time as he wants/needs.
It's September which means we get to see RSL's most talented former academy players playing for NCAA teams (instead of the Monarchs). First, here's Milan Iloski's hat trick for UCLA. Goals 1 and 3 featured some poor goalkeeping, though his composure on the third goal was impressive. Here are highlights from tonight’s 3-2 win over No. 1 Maryland, including all three goals from Milan Iloski! #GoBruins | #UCLAvsUMD pic.twitter.com/lGGWrI5Z6Q— UCLA Men's Soccer (@UCLAMSoccer) September 7, 2019 Then Ben Ortiz, 01 freshman at Portland, scoring as well: Ben Ortiz's fantastic goal with an assist from Yusuf Cueceoglu! pic.twitter.com/uoA99YVhU5— Portland Pilots Men's Soccer (@PortlandMSOC) September 7, 2019
I really wish the U and Y (but mostly the U because of my allegiances) would implement a D1 boys program. I've gone over my idea of this in the past - a partnership with the school for academy graduates if they do want to go to college.
Milan Iloski making headlines again. He just set a UCLA record by scoring FIVE goals in one game. Here's the 5th: 76': HISTORY = MADE!Milan Iloski scores his FIFTH goal of the game and now stands alone in UCLA single-game goalscoring history. Tune in here: https://t.co/Tlzpu7DFtb#GoBruins | #Pac12Soccer pic.twitter.com/r05FhQqirP— UCLA Men's Soccer (@UCLAMSoccer) October 7, 2019 These five give him 14 on the year, which leads the NCAA. At this point I'd be surprised if he plays his senior year - we pretty much have to sign him this offseason.
With that first name he'll become a top 3 player of mine instantly. Can't wait to watch him get stuck in the weird between space of RSL fringe 18 but not Monarchs 18...
The thing I can't wait for is all the adoring press about our incredible academy system after he's signed. Like we get to sign one of the best players in the NCAA as our XXth academy signing - how cool?! It bugs me because I've been stanning for Iloski for a while on this board. He's the level of talent we really should have signed right out of the academy, but instead we let him play 3 seasons against subpar competition. I wish he had 50 Monarchs games under his belt right now.
This isn’t strongly RSL Academy related, but it seems like the best fit. I haven’t heard anything about this. Anyone have some cliffs? Sources: New details on the new MLS-led youth league, which is set to be announced this afternoon. All 26 MLS teams, the 4 incoming expansion teams, 5 USL teams and 60 non-pro clubs, all of which are listed in the piece, are slated to participate. https://t.co/keyfy0vUXx— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) May 13, 2020