.S. YOUTH NATIONAL TEAMS RETURN TO ACTION WITH FALL TRAINING CAMPS FOR U-17 AND U-20 USWNT

We can agree to disagree on this, but this player goes to an annually top 5 NCAA program, who has won national titles. This player is elite.

 

Sure, an elite youth talent might be wise to skip college and go train or play with a professional club. But there are very few such players. There are many, many very good players who are realistic enough to know that they're not going to be playing on the WNT and who want the college experience. And you can't beat the college experience; it is a great thing for many reasons. Education is a great thing. It's the difference between being well-rounded, personally, and one dimensional--"uhh, I play soccer." Look at the pro men's game---street urchins who highly skilled and completely uneducated--like the fans. Also, I think all but 4 of the players on the current U.S. WNT roster played in college.

 

I fully agree with this. I was only referring to the elite players with good potential to play on the full USWNT. As for the 'all but 4 players on the current USWNT played in college', I would offer that times are different now. The rest of the world is catching up with the US. My feelings on more elite youth going straight to pros is heavily based on the performance of the US U20's. It showed that we have work to do.

 

there are more elite players with good potential to play on the WNT than the handful you see turning pro now. They are just as good as those who have. Nike, Adidas, your parents or whatever making you able to do that now does not make you better. Thats all Im saying. There are more factors in play than just talent.

 

You'd be surprised how much it is still treated as a second rate sport, even at clubs with those world class academies. The girls certainly do not get the same perks the boys their age get ... The football federation probably still plays the biggest part in their development.
They recently aired this documentary series about the current state of women's football, don't know if you can watch it abroad (let alone the language barrier) https://www.2doc.nl/documentaires/2022/07/op-weg-naar-de-top.html
Even the ammount of attention the Dutch FA gives this tournament on their socials compared to the Spanish says enough about the current state ... (was just trying to find their lineup and nowhere to be found)

 

OK thx for the heads up about the Dutch, in Europe on a macro level though, when I see the numbers that the women are starting to draw for the Euros and CL it gets my attention. England selling out Wembley in record time for a friendly. Pushing 90k in Euro finals, Barca 90k+ in CL and outdrawing the men. The atmosphere looks insane. It tells me a couple things,

- Attitudes are starting to change in Europe and there is money to be made, lots of money.

The infrastructure, tradition, and football culture is already there. It's part of the fabric of everyday life. It seems to me that it's only going to get bigger and if there is that much money to be made, more investment WILL go into the women's game. Personally, I'm concerned that we may get left in the dust. We still have the player pool with the numbers of athletes, the best in the world. I'm concerned about the coaching, high level training at a younger age, and frankly whether the NWSL gets passed by. One thing that seems almost self evident to me though is that the college model will not cut it going forward. The times they are a changin'.

 

this might be the case of the grass is always greener on the other side—(meaning; we think their doing better/they think we’re doing better)
I’ve read a few Euros mentioning how US college athletic facilities are massive compared to even the richest pro clubs over there.
Minus England finally pouring money into the women’s game, it be hard to find on the rest of the continent—a dozen clubs that pay a ‘full professional salary’ in woso(as compared to our own, twelve pro teams NWSL). Heavy hitters like France & Germany only have two each fully paid pro squads, other teams might pay a few ‘pro salaries’ but most other players have to hold down part time or even full time jobs within an full 9 months seasons.
As you mentioned; England’s recently done an pretty good job of spending money on their NT & on their clubs from top to bottom. But remembering what their main TV announcer said an few years back when several high profile Americans were playing in their league “we’re here to learn from them”. Man U’s Tobin Heath & Christen Press jearseys outsold more that year than even shirts from their famed men’s squad(so it’s another case of their worshiping us instead)

regarding u20; the current 3 top ranked Euro NT’s(FIFA ranked #2 Germany #3 Sweden #4 England) failed to qualify or flopped at this particular tournament(so in the same boat as the US).
The one Euro country that apparently takes youth soccer most seriously, Spain(they’ve won majority of the Euro u17-19 championships) but ironically has failed at every senior major tourney they’ve been at/they were faves for this last Euro’s, in part do their so called ‘technically advanced’ tiki taka style, but once again eliminated by the quarter finals.

 

when you say "England finally pouring money into the women’s game," and " England’s recently done an pretty good job of spending money on their NT & on their clubs from top to bottom." do you mean? Clubs are privately owned and the most aggressive ones in the womens game, not by English. Those clubs are Man City ( inconsistent spending recently), Arsenal, Chelsea, Man United (inconsistent spending recently). no one else spends anywhere near that level. Liverpool until recently were not even in the top division. The FA has little to no influence on how Clubs invest ( or mostly not) in womens soccer.

 

[QUOTE="hotjam2, post: 40737821, member: 217309" But remembering what their main TV announcer said an few years back when several high profile Americans were playing in their league “we’re here to learn from them”. Man U’s Tobin Heath & Christen Press jearseys outsold more that year than even shirts from their famed men’s squad(so it’s another case of their worshiping us instead)[/QUOTE]
This story has been blown up so badly it's not even funny : they outsold the men's shirts sales in the first three days after their arrival, which was when the men's season was well underway and most shirts would have been sold already in pre-season ...

 

Spain won the tournament, their first u20 WC championship, but they’ve won several other prominent youth tourney’s before—yet as mentioned previously, they flopped in every major senior woso tourney they’ve ever participated in(if bowing out by the quarters is considered an flop)
Next up in an couple of weeks is the u17 WC, we’re be playing such power houses like India & Morocco in group play, so maybe better chance making the playoffs? lol.
This is where i feel the 16 year old Olivia Moultrie should play in instead but probably wouldn’t as maybe she’s too advanced

Everton(finishing only tenth) might be more of an example; last season they acquired 4 Swedish NT’s among other internationals. Aston Villa was able to buy Rachel Daly from Houston Dash just last month. If feels like their bankrolling half of Europe’s best players plus more Australians & Canadians than our NWSL.
On their NT side, England hired one of the worlds best woso coaches in Wiegman’s(I believe previously the US was after her/hired the former US conditioning coach, Dawn Scott/obvious fronted the money to host the Euros. The upcoming England/US friendly at Wembley is already an sellout

yet Man U was the only club to make an profit from their woso program that season—tiny one, 70K pounds(as compared to Chelsea taking the biggest loss at nearly 6 mill)
————————————————————————————

 

The Women’s NT side is a lot like the mens…they have dominant field players, but lack bonafide finishers up top. If those Spanish teams had a real 9 they would dominate.

 

But a real #9 would break the plan that Spain plays under. It would mean that Spain would have to attack much more often than they do now or they would not produce the number of chances that true #9s need and expect, that is just not in their DNA.
Yes they could have 9 field players playing "possession" and one just looking to be open but that is a form of play that just does not fit with Spain's current play style and very very very few #9s could play in that kind of system.

 

Agree to disagree.

How’s Halland fairing at City? I think we can agree that Pep has always had City playing what is the epitome of what Spanish teams want to play?

Seems like a true finisher (same as Augero was) can work within a system like that.

 

Further, the idea that the Spanish sides are dominant sides only lacking the cutting edge / finisher is not my own.

I’m merely regurgitating what I’ve heard from what I consider much smarter soccer minds than me say. However, if you watch those NT play….it’s beautiful possession soccer that creates chances, they just should have more goals.

Spain need a few less world class midfielders and a couple world class strikers.

 

The last world class forward we had was David Villa, and we won a world cup and two Euros.

Don't know enough on the women's side but it makes sense that they have followed the men's development strategy. So yeah, if the women can find that wc forward, I think you'll see trophies follow.

 

not as easy as you might of made it out to be; Spain as well did win the 2018 u17 WC, but some of its alumni like striker & tournament leading scorer, Claudia Pina(age 21) hasn’t yet blossomed into an top adult/senior star. She looks quite petite, probably didn’t get the much needed growth spurt to play at sn higher level.
I’ve seen veteran striker Jeni Hemoso on top ten player lists before, but didn’t even participate at the Euros. Could if been injury related, but she’s been seen playing for an Mexican club only weeks later.
And all the turmoil happening right now with several top NT’s signing a petition to have the coach removed(but apparently the Fed not budging) to go along with the league on hold due to an ref strike, gives an impression for an very toxic environment .
Add too that Barca usually has half the NT roster but getting mixed vibes out of their ladies program; the club just paid the highest paid transfer on record/English defense mid, Keira Walsh, but now asking the rest of the squad to take an pay cut due to the club’s financial woes?

women’s soccer for what it is, feels different than how men play the game; the lack of female participation plus the difference in athleticism between females/males makes it harder for woso to emulate the technical aspects of broso. Woso one weakness is not able to clear the ball from the back, thus an high press works so much more effective in the womens game.
Got to wonder; does the tiki taka still work? I mean Spain’s mens NT hasn’t won an major tournament in an decade, why force it on the women’s program?
On the other hand the US could learn a lot on how to impose a very successful youth program like Spain has

 

Hermoso was injured for the Euros. Basically our two biggest players were out. Would it made a difference vs England if we had them? I think so but it is just speculative at this point. The men's team has their own issues but lacking a world class forward still remains. But they have had a resurgence and are probably in the tier just below Brazil, Argentina, and France for winning the world cup.

 

It starts tomorrow for the Youngsters.

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https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...or-takeoff-at-2022-fifa-u-17-womens-world-cup

 

On the surface, October 11, 2022 may just seem like any other day but no no no my little soccer buddies, for Today is a.........

USWNT

DOUBLE

MATCHDAY

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Melina Rebimbas in the 9th
Charlotte Kohler in the 15th

2-0

 

Onyeka Gamero in the 2xth
Melina Rebimbas (2) in the 30th

4-0

 

Full Time 8-0.
One down, One to go.

 

I may be wrong but I think @jackdoggy is referring to today. The US soccer teams have two matches today. One started at 10:30 EDT (I think) and the next is at 14:30 EDT.
That makes it one down one to go today.
I just hope the full US national team can get even 1/2 (or even 1/4) the number of shots on goal the U17s had.
It is a friendly but it is one of the "important" friendlies. Particularly since the US looked quite bad against England. We really need to show some resilience and tenacity.

 

Talking about today