http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/NationalTeams/20031229132600/view I'll try to have more on the coaching situation today or tomorrow.
I know this might be something of a stupid question but why don't kids like Memo Gonzalas ans Jonathon Spector and Freddy Adu play on the US U18 squads?
The one thing i noticed from that roster is that Robbie Rogers is 6'0 150. Last I remeber seeing him listed he was around 5'9 130. Though i have never seeen him play the reports from the u-16's touremnet in England last year were good on Roggers, it seemed liked he has very good one on one skills to beat defenders but his final finish's were weak. http://www.england-mad.co.uk/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=109237 http://www.england-mad.co.uk/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=109038 Since leaving the Bradenton Academy there has'nt been much talk about him. So what is his situation? School? P-40? More tryouts at Bayern Munich?
The 1986's (Spector, Memo and Gaven) are eligable for the 2005 World Youth Championship (1985 and younger ), not for the 2007 World Youth Championship which are the 1987's and younger. All the u-18 (1987's and younger) team essintally is are the next cycle of u-20's to prepare for the 2007 World Youth Championship, minus the Studs like Adu, Szetella and Valentin who will be bumped up to the next level even though they are eligable to compete at that level Memo and Spector can only play at the u-20 level or higher cause they were born in 1986 and they will be 18 this season
Gelnovatch will assist with this team and Jenkins, who has been the assistant, will be the head coach so Gelnovatch can devote more time to his duties at UVA.
Could we have some profiles on the Coaches Could we have some light on the coaches, may be a profile???
Whip, try google.com - it's great for doing research. You should be able to find all the info you want on whomever you want.
This age group seems to be good for about 3 or 4 players coming through at the top. Where is Danny Vasquez? I've heard rave reviews about that guy and I thought that he was eligible for this team. This team seems loaded with talent, Robbie Rodgers also has had rave reviews...rod hidalgo, christian jimenez, and a few others have opened eyes....the offensive talent at the youth level seems to be bursting at the seams... When do they release the players for the U20 side of the camp?
Check out the thread on the new U20 roster (Memo and Adu are on it; Spector is too busy trying to become the next Roy Keane to make it): https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=89069
Home Depot Center is going to be one crowded place in early January...the U18, U20, U23 and Nats will be there all at the same time. This is probably a VERY DUMB question, but do they have dorms there or something? Where do all the players stay?
Not impressed! Vasquez ('85) isn't eligible for U-18 team. But, he wasn't invited to the U-20 camp either. GG has his hands all over these selections. There are 2 players included that aren't technically eligible for this team, but have verbally commited to play at UVa next year. The ex-Bradenton player Colaluca (UVa recruit) and CT midfielder Dane Murphy (UVa recruit). Also, Mike Videira from Mass is another player from '86 age-group that got an invite (1-6-86). These coaches still don't recognize the age bias in this country. Karl Schilling (CT) and Charles Davies (Mass) are both listed as '86s on the Region I website. Why are all these overage players from New England taking spots in this camp? It makes no sense at all. It's not a traditionally strong area for soccer talent in this country. There isn't one '87 from Texas good enough to hang with these guys. How about finding some '86s that were born later in the year, if there isn't enough talent to make them competitive?
Re: Not impressed! This guy is certainly a curious case. He's an 86 but he doesn't get picked for the U17 team with his fellow 86es. Instead, he plays UP, both with the U18 team (85s) and U20 team (83-84s). Now, he's back on the U18 team but this time is playing DOWN with the 87s but, again, doesn't get picked to be with his fellow 86es, this time on the new U20 team. Something is very odd, here. And, I still don't like the idea of kids playing down with the U18 team. The even number kids had an age advantage the last cycle in making the U17 team and now they have the U20 team for their age group (85-86). If they aren't good enough for the U20 team, why are they being brought into the U18 team and taking away spots from 87s, who need the exposure and international experienc more since this is the only thing they have for the next two years after having only a few of them make the U17 team the past two years.
Re: Re: Not impressed! Nothing that odd, really. It's pretty well-known, is it not, that the UVA coach uses the youth NT as his personal recruiting tool--cutting players from the NT program who don't choose to go to UVA, and rewarding players who have never been even on the NT radar with a camp spot that do choose UVA. Been going on for 5 years or more.
Re: Re: Re: Not impressed! I'm not saying that doesn't happen - in fact I think it has - but not in this case. Videira is, reportedly, going to Duke so GG has no incentive to bring him into the U18 team. Also, just for the record, Gelnovatch hasn only been U18 coach since 2000.
without speaking to the UVA thing, I think the squad is primarily seen as a helper to the U20 squad. So if a player is technically eligible (Jenkins described it as a two-year cycle), then his being in camp could help in terms of evaluation for the U20 team. Couldn't it? Mike Videira just helped Boston win the Disney Showcase at U18 level, and did very well in NOrthern Ireland last summer. Excellent player.
i have seen Karl Schilling play a few times this year, even refereed one of his games. Very quick feet, good control and as all the Canton players, very aggressive. Has a very hard shot too. He is on Ray Reids radar, should be at UCONN in sept.
rogers Since leaving Brandenton he led his club team to the California Premier Championship and has been starting with the Galaxy Reserve BlueStars men's team in the PDL. Apparently is still being trained by J. Klinnsman and N. Theslof while he prepares for Bayern in April.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Not impressed! George brought Videira onto last year's U18 team as a younger player. He tried to recruit him for UVA but Videira didn't bite. V played well enough with the U18's to get the invite this year despite his choice of college.
Nah. The proof is that GG gave the same favors to Paul Johnson, Joe Vide, and a few others last cycle. These players were NEVER going to make a run at the U-20 team, but they were called into camps regardless and some poor '85 was left at home. Now, it's repeating itself this cycle. John Elligner sent Colaluca home after one semester at Bradenton. Do you honestly think he's improved over Mike Harrington, Adrian Chevannes, Trini Gomez, Kyle Helton, and Olatima (sp?) Ogunsola who all happened to stay in residency for two years and just completed a year of college soccer. If GG was seriously interested in helping Rongen he'd call up the top '86s period. When did the '86s from the Northeast overtake the players listed above? Of course, I agree with Sandon that the U-18 team shouldn't include any players from the '86 pool. However, I could see a case for bringing in a late bloomer with a Oct-Dec birthday since they're always getting overlooked.
Re: Re: Re: Not impressed! Gee, ya think? And while it's agreed that GG hasn't been at UVA for five years the preferential treatment for players that play along with the "in" crowd has been going on for a very long time. Maybe we should talk about all those players that have gone overseas that never made the national team yet are getting good time with the Arsenal and ManU reserves. Maybe we should talk about a player trained by Klinsmann who doesn’t get on the nats. All-in-all that's not a bad thing as we do need team players in camp and not a bunch of "independent agents" but still I get the impression that there is too much preferential treatment going on.
Re: rogers Whoa, is that when he turns 18? Jurgen's probably helping him work on his finishing, since the kid obviously knows how to dribble.. They'll stick some meat on his bones in Germany also. From your post it makes it look like he'll be signing with Bayern....
Re: Not impressed! I've heard that at one time he was considering pro soccer and Gers has written very highly of him. Why is he being left off the U20 camp? That would seem to be a glaring omission...