If SKC could now just get a first team coach whose willing to use them, but I agree with @ielag about their recruitment. That surprised me, as well. They have three call ups for this roster, and then also Freeman whose a regular in this age group, but isn't at this camp. 3 non-DA players, which seems about normal for one of the younger age groups. Find talent all over, but I would think they'll need to join the DA or move abroad to continue being called in. 13 new call ups. And the big name being Nyeman whose name the release couldn't even spell correctly. If he's being called in now, can he really be years away from eligibility? Would they waste their time calling in a player who is 3-4 years away from eligibility? There is the example of Ferreira getting called into a U-17 camp a year or so ago, so maybe so. Either way, if he becomes eligible, he should move up to the U-17 team right away and go into the lineup as the #10 immediately. That'll be a big help to that team.
DC United U15 is playing in the Cayman Youth Cup. They played today in the Semifinals against a team from Jamaica and Nyeman scored the game winning free-kick in stoppage time to win the game 2-1. He's been mostly playing U-17 football this season, so this is his normal age group. U-17 players can't check him, so U-15 must look even funnier. Two years ago they showed some of the games of this tournament, so maybe there'll be a stream for the final. I tried finding video of the free kick, but so far I couldn't find it.
“Don’t worry guys I got this”- @MNyeman pic.twitter.com/k9blygHHKi— D.C. United Academy (@DCUyouth) June 2, 2018
Yesterday DC United U15s advance 🔝of the group in the @CaymanU15Cup winning their final group game 4-0 over the U15 Jamaican National Team. So far 16 ⚽️for, 1 against 🔥 ⚫️🔴 pic.twitter.com/iLK4tuwDk9— D.C. United Academy (@DCUyouth) June 1, 2018 Wednesday DC United U15s had a dominant performance vs. the Cayman Island U15 National Team with a 10-1 win. @CaymanU15Cup pic.twitter.com/x8gW69v1S8— D.C. United Academy (@DCUyouth) May 31, 2018 Can’t find any word on goal scorers anywhere tho.
I've actually found some info about this tournament. Here was an interview with the coach of DC United on the main news channel in the Cayman Islands. Skip to the last minute or so if you just want to hear what he has to say about Nyeman. He's asked who on his team to watch out for. Paraphrasing: "we have a lot of good players, but look out for Moses Nyeman who was just named the #1 player in his class." Coaches usually won't name a player when asked that question. The interviewer told him he didn't have to answer. https://cayman27.ky/2018/05/lets-talk-sports-under-15-d-c-united-coach-john-bello/ There's only highlights so far from two of their three group stage matches, and they aren't complete highlights. I suspect he didn't play in one of two games they showed highlights, as you can't see him on the field, but the 10-1 victory over Cayman, they showed DC's first three goals. He assists on the first two in that game. They only showed the first three DC goals because I don't think the news program wants to embarrass the home team any further. https://cayman27.ky/2018/05/d-c-crushes-cayman-on-exciting-day-two-of-under-15-youth-football-cup/ But they have had highlights from the tournament every day, so hopefully tomorrow they'll have highlights of his goal today.
Would think Nyeman gets a HG deal before next season. And DC is supposed to have their USL team in 2019.
I’m happy to say it looks like Peter is starting to buy in. He’ll never be the most liberal guy in terms of getting guys out there, but he does seem to like the three teens we have on the roster.
Lets wait and see how it plays out over a full season. He's barely given over 100 minutes for the season to these players. Tata Martino (whose done a terrible job in giving young Americans minutes) has actually played young American players more minutes than Vermes this season. I want to see what Vermes does when all his players are available. Will Kuzain continue to play? How many minutes will Lindsey get this season?
Well Kuzain is probably our third best healthy midfielder, so I would guess he will continue to play. Not a ton of fullback depth, so Lindsay is probably going to get rotational minutes the whole year.
They recruit well that's for sure. Not sure there is any proof that they actually develop players. All 3 of the players called into the 16 camp were brought in to the club midway through this season. Kuzain and Lindsay spent the bulk of their time elsewhere...No one finds it interesting that for as long as SKC has had an Academy they have next to no players that are from KC or have spent more than 2 seasons in their academy with their first team? I for one am very skeptical of the club given they have done next to nothing with players in their own market
Yeah I agree with you. Karani and Knox are local kids that are just now beginning to make the Swope roster, so maybe that's their best hope for truly local talent. Felipe Hernandez has been with the club since 2014, but I'm not sure if is from around that area. I just know he was born in Colombia, not sure where he was raised. He has played a lot for Swope, but hasn't seemingly progressed much. I'm a little surprised that they haven't developed more talent because they've had a USL team since 2016 and Hernandez, Kuzain, and other youngsters have played a bit. And Swope has one of the better playing styles in the USL.
It's still wait and see. However, EPB joined the SKC academy when he was 13 and he's from the KC area. He's imo the best CB prospect this country has produced. And regardless of the issue with 1st team playing time, the academy coaches certainly deserve some credit for his development.
KC area not exactly an athletic hotbed. Check any sport and you will not find too many KC athletes. An EPB does come around every once and awhile though.
That area of the country has done more for the CB position in our country than probably any other area, so I can't fault them too much. Tyler Freeman is also from that area, so hopefully he develops well. I think if SKC wants to increase their presence in the area, they have to take more players from the St. Louis area. A player like Sargent should've been in SKC's academy since 13 or 14, not trying to sign him at age 17.
Not that I disagree in principal, but it is ~4 hours away. There is really no way to do it outside of the entire family moving for a 13-14 year olds soccer career or sending your 13-14 year old to live with a host family.
This is pretty common in Europe, isn't it? Not sure about the specific age, but certainly for academy/youth players generally.
Do they have a sattelite academy in Saint Louis? I know a lot of teams have those and then at a certain age the kid can move to the top team. SL does have some well established youth clubs especially Scott Gallagher so it may be hard for KC to establish anything there.