For those who haven't seen this yet: http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2011/05/academy-parts-ways-three Keven Aleman, Dino Gardner and Jon Lao have been released for not signing "commitment letters". If anyone knows how to get a hold of Keven Aleman please PM me, it is urgent!
Yeah I posted this in the TFC Acadmey forum in the MLS Youth page. I know there were a few supporters who were high on Aleman and Lao who I know were part of the Canadian youth teams. I guess they thought they would be better off taking their show on the road trying to serure a deal somewhere else. There is an article on CBC sports about Aleman saying he wanted to play for Toronto FC but didn't want to sign until after the u17 world cup. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2011/05/26/sp-tfc-aleman.html
Of the three, Aleman is the biggest loss. This is pretty strange from both ends...TFC management and from Aleman. Although Aleman seems to be contradicting himself. He says he wants to play for TFC, but then he wants to wait until after the U17 WC to make a decision about his future, which makes you think he might want to use the U17WC as an audition. I don't mind mind that he wanted to wait until after the World Cup, but I wonder if he sees the contradiction in his statement. If he really wanted to play for TFC, I really can't think of any reason why he wouldn't sign prior to the WC. It's not like TFC would hold him back from the WC. On the other, I wonder why TFC management just decided to outright pass up on him. They might as well have at least waited until after the WC to see if he signs. He's only 16; it's not like he's going to become a starter right away for some top-flight Euro club. Sure there's a chance of losing him to some club in Europe, but at least leave the door open for him to return if he wants to. I wonder how this will affect other kids in the future when they decide whether to play for TFC or go elsewhere.
I think it is principle more so than anything. Investment in the academy is to supply the first team with players and no point training someone when it is clear he looking to Europe to his career at the tender age of 16, especially where you are going to get no return from whatever club takes him. Let someone else have the training and games who wants to play for TFC.
So what's different with TFC? Is this not with any MLS or Pro Club team? Commitment goes both ways. Every club goes through this. If you don't want them to go on trial, sign them to homegrown contracts. Otherwise, it still just a rec team with a MLS logo.
Aleman, at least, denies setting up trials. He claims he just wants to focus on Canada and the U-17 world cup (Canada's first match is June 19) before committing to TFC. Of course, a cynic could suggest that a U-17 WC is a pretty good place/time to showcase yourself to other clubs and that TFC is right to try and get him to sign before he goes to Mexico.....not sure what value there is in releasing him if he does not sign before he goes though!
the fact that he wanted to wait shows lack of commitment. i actually wouldn't be surprised if he was planning to see if he got any offers after the WC
My thoughts exactly. Kind of premature on management's part. Something must have happened that isn't being disclosed by either party. Doesn't make much sense without it.
These commitment letters aren't worth the paper they're printed on and one-year amateur contracts aren't much better. TFC should have signed Aleman to a homegrown contract, simple as that. When you have a kid with his potential and as advanced as he is at that age (and without being physically advanced, ie. he's all skill) you don't dink around, you sign the kid to a pro contract and lock him up. Instead they play hard ball with some bullshit commitment letter and he's gone. Way to go guys.
Obviously the beginning of implementing this will arise some issues because some players have got good. As you point out, Aleman is all skill, it will not advance him to rush him into the MLS, where technically the play isn't that much better, its just physical. The kid should go somewhere to train his technical ability, not be pushed around by older players who are men when this kid clearly is just a boy. He could have a ceiling higher than the MLS will provide. And good on him, it will help Canada soccer. Along with the fact that if a product of the Academy goes big, then it reflects well on the academy. And people will be interested in joining, to also go big. TFC academy does not feature every single gifted junior player in Ontario, and frankly it should. Residency program needs to be in place, and hopefully we can start grabing kids from all over to go to the academy (and have a contract with a school where all these kids could attend). This isn't new stuff, many academies lose guys for nothing, but in the end, it doesn't mean the academy is worthless.
There's got to be a deadline for signing these letters too. For players who were with the team at the start of the year, they've got to either decide by a certain date that they're in or they're not. You can't just bend the rules for one guy because he's exceptionally talented (the new system is supposed to finally live up to the All for One, "the team is the star" claim).
That wasn't my point. I was harping on the fact that TFC is playing hard ball with a top prospect and telling him "our way or the highway" and giving him the boot. Aleman could have been developed and then sold, but now they lose him for nothing. All because they want to set an example. How about settign the example that if you put in the work and have the talent we'll sign you to a contract no matter how young you are. Look at FC Dallas, they have lots of young kids signed to HG contracts now and they keep pumping them out because top prospect in Texas wants to play for them.
they didn't let go of Aleman to set an example, they let him go because he wouldn't sign a required letter of commitment. same thing happened to two other players who wouldn't sign it. the point was having EVERYONE committed to the team, not just the one or two most impressive talents. you can't sign the entire academy to a HG contract
Exactly right. Aleman said he wanted to play for TFC and said he wanted to remain with the academy but he also said he wanted to keep his options open BUT would sign his letter of commitment after the World Cup. If he was so interested in staying with TFC, why the delay? Because he wanted it both ways. He wanted to play the field while having TFC as his back-up plan. If everybody else was willing to sign the letter (apart from Aleman and the other two), the club had no choice but to wave bye-bye to Kevin.
Exactly, if you let players not sign the letter because they are good enough, what kind of message does that send to all the other players who were willing to sign? it completely defeats the point of making everyone sign the letter
Who cares about a commitment letter? It means NOTHING. You can walk away from a commitment letter, it does not legally bind you to a club. Only a contract does. FC Dallas knows this, but for some reason TFC doesn't. As far as a professional club is concerned only the very best players in your Academy are worth a pro contract, Keven Aleman is one of those players. If you want to keep him, sign him to a HG contract. If you want to play hardball, have him sign some b.s. piece of paper and then release him when he doesn't. It shouldn't even have come down to signing a commitment letter, it should have been a HG contract on his parents kitchen table. But no, TFC has no off-budget spots left and they'd rather the likes of Matt Gold and Matt Stinson with the club instead of the top prospect the club has yet to produce.
i thought you said it didn't mean anything. now you say that it does? what you've stated is the exact reason why they are suppose to sign the letter
It doesn't mean anything. But if he signs it and then signs with another club after the U17 WC then TFC can pull out that worthless letter and attempt to block the signing and tie him up in the CAS for the next year or so leaving him in limbo.
So, if he signs a letter of commitment, the club he commits to can have a say in who he plays for? That sounds like it means something....and kinda fits the definition that most people would ascribe to the words "letter of commitment"!
and what makes you so darn positive that the piece of paper is all that worthless anyway. have you personally read it?
let's try this, what other clubs asks for a "letter of commitment"? Has Andy Najar and Juan Agudelo ever sign a letter of commitment? In Canadian terms, Keven is he closest thing.