This, it seems to me, is the burning question. What incentive do MLS clubs have to seriously develop young players if there is no real benefit to taking the process seriously? MLS doesn't need to influx money into youth development. They just need to make it worthwhile to clubs. Clubs will learn how to develop players in the most cost efficient way possible. One thing is for sure, this whole NFL style draft isn't going to cut it over the long haul. It was good for getting the league started. When is time to move on to the next step?
..... No... MLS should develop youngster and let German....Mexican....English team snap them and then we pay them...just like the Donovan case...and many others.....By the way be carefull when visit MLS offices there is something slimy and sticky all over the place....
Of course they should be allowed to keep them, in fact, that incentive will be the only way that we can get this off the ground.
Thanks for the response, Whip and Wanderer. I was beginning to think nobody cared about the question. I agree Wanderer, that the answer should be obvious. I just wonder why more people aren't asking or addressing the question. It seems like a pretty big one to me.
Well, the problem is that youth teams en masse don't appear to be on the horizon without a serious spike in cash flow... They could be done now but the problem is that the local club teams are very reluctant to give up their fifedoms.... Beyond that, I think you'd be surprised how few soccer people actually make the connection between youth and professional soccer.
Rights Yes. Better yet, if an MLS team develops a kid who gets sold overseas, the team should get every penny of the proceeds. Socialism is fine for many things but not for fostering youth soccer development.
Sorry Highlander...... Sorry Highlander for my sarcasm out of place .......About your question this is the real answer....But of course! is the natural thing to do for a real soccer league, beside financially many soccer leagues make money selling its develop player to richer leagues like the transfer fee that argentinian federation make and brasil I think its about a third of league income..... Soccer is a new sport here in USA and the recreational mentality will be hard to route out, this is why many people are not aware of this problem and foreing leagues are prospecting for kids with potential $$$, a classic case is Landon Donovan, Bayer Leverkusen sign him at 16 and sold him to us a year later and the amount of money involve on the transaction is still a secret even NIKE have to chip in, and the secret is to avoid an embarrasment to USSF....
Just to be clear. Soccer is not a new sport here in this country. It has been around for over one hundred years. Soccer as a normal part of sports talk is finally starting to come around.
Sure it's not new, but to say that even MANY of the people participating in some form or fashion have a clue would be generous.
Re: Sorry Highlander...... I don't think many people understand how important your point is. Many teams in Europe stay afloat financially by developing players, and then selling them off just as they are entering their prime. At the very least, we are losing a great deal of money, as you say, by letting these players go to other teams for free. I've seen you post that point several times and, in my opinion, you are right on the money every time that you post it.
100 YEARS????????????????????????????????? When I talk about USA SOCCER I refer to organize AMERICAN ELITE SOCCER, USA used to be whoop by everybody, the day that soccer born was at the end of USA 2 COLOMBIA 0 USA 1994 WORLD CUP WHEN A USA CROWD LOST ITS MIND ABOUT A SIMPLE SPORT......
Quick summary of what I have been posting for seven years. MLS teams should have the rights to local players they develop to IMPROVE attendance. I've posted this before also: "That homegrown talent connects a supporter to his club in more significant ways than the import of superstar North African/Frenchman, regardless of price tag or clout." Jonah Fontela on Real Madrid and Barcelona, who could have just as well been speaking about MLS lack of local development. Or look at baseball. Most fans (particularly clubs like the A's who have good farm systems) know whos' coming up. So when the local kid does get to play fans comeout to see him. There are ways to do it and still maintain single entity ownership relationships with players. For example in the superdraft permit a club , say two overides, so that if someone drafts one of their locals they want to keep, the club has the option of executing it's override (Counts as a selection, just out of order). Or some other means that owners drinking scotch around Anshutz's ranch camp ground fire can muster up. Maybe they will invite me. I have some more ideas in my pocket. What's important, however, is to get the youth teams going. see other thread.
Well, of course they should have the rights to the players they develop. Only problem I see is that only one MLS team has a youth team now. And that is the Chicago Fire. www.chicagofirejuniors.com Plus, money.