US going more global for youth players

Imagine this attack:
[LINEUP-4-4-2]Mwenga, Salgado, Zahavi, Hoyos, Lletget, Najar[/LINEUP-4-4-2]

 

All of them, with Najar and Salgado eligible for next cycle as well, though I'd probably put Bowen up top over Salgado for now.

 

So if the US cannot develop players itself, pluck from the places that do?

This is not a sustainable model, nor an encouraging trend. My concern is why the US Staff is looking beyond the US borders. They do not like what is stateside.

 

Excellent article. Thanks for posting it, Heist.

Very nice attack. Slot in Gale and Sarkodie in the defense. Nice depth for U20 with guys like Jack Mac, Renken, Gyau, Jerome, Gil, Dewee, Bowen...

It'd be special if that group could stay intact through their entire careers, meaning Hoyos choosing USA and, of course, Najar choosing USA as well. The future would require sunshades it would be so bright.

 

Its not one or the other. Its more of a "leave no stone unturned" approach so we make sure we know about all the potential Yanks are and dont miss out on a Rossi/Subotic/Ibisevic.

 

I'd say that's an unfair evaluation of what exactly is happening. Of the 4 players to watch in that article, only Zahavi has spent most of his development outside the country. Agbossoumonde just went to Braga last year, Okugo is still with the Union, and Salgado was only briefly at Chivas . Our youth system developed these players and continues to due so. Of the front 6 in that previous post, Zahavi, Mwanga, and Najar spent most of their youth outside the US, but Mwanga and Najar are currently being developed by our system and have been over the past four years and I think we've developed them well so far.

I'd argue the only player that has been completely developed outside the US youth system is Zahavi.

Edit: I will say that if our players do want to reach the next level of their development they do need to go to Europe eventually, but that's how it is in most countries. MLS and its player development is getting better but it's not there yet and once our youth players do reach the peak of their development in the league, it's time for them to move across the pond. I don't think MLS deserves criticism for this though at this point in the league's history.

 

They realize the international standard is to have U20's in a professional environment, Right now we do not have enough young professionals since MLS has no comprehensive, extensive, integrated youth professional program. Simply put there isn't enough young professionals. Until MLS catches up (and we are seeing progress) with any significant numbers it just makes sense to supplement our immature domestic developmental system with other 'Americans'. You make it sound like we are taking non-citizens and instantly making them citizens for the sole purpose of playing International soccer. It's not mutually exclusive. They are all in some way citizens or on their way to citizenship. It is one half of a sustainable model and quite encouraging finding a whole nother pool to scout and develop. Get used to this model because the world is shrinking and competition for dual citizens is increasing. Look at Germany's World Cup Roster or the 72 foreign born World Cup Players. If we don't compete in this new world we will suffer.

 

I am wondering if you read the article? It seems like if you did then you would realize what is really going on.

 

I'd say that it has less to do with "professional environment" and more to do with the cultural and social background that you're drawing players from.

A couple months back I posted a list of the players who I considered the top under-23's that had developed in the USA (those that played for the US as well as those who opted for other countries). They had followed different development paths - some went to college, some didn't. What they had in common was that every single one except Michael Bradley was either born in a soccer-loving foreign country or had a parent who was born in a soccer-loving foreign country. That's not likely a coincidence.

The youth national teams are for the most part drawing from enclaves where talent and the commitment to soccer are more often found; looking outside US borders is only an extension of this approach. Of course, that leaves us vulnerable to having our prospects play for other countries - the same cultural factors that lead young players to an early and strong commitment to soccer also may lead them to identify with their ancestral country above the USA. On balance, though, the gains outweigh the losses.

 

"I looked at our current starting point of this group, talking about mostly domestic players, and it wasn't a good starting point again," said Rongen. "And I just said we can't leave any stone unturned. So they put a budget together [so we could] extend our search both domestically and internationally."

Yes. I did.

Perhaps I am not articulating my point well enough. My concern is I believe our domestic system should be developing 65-70% of our young players. I am thinking of the Masia model, or the Dutch model, or even the Brazil model. I am open to being wrong, but the elite countries seem to develop their players domestically, even if players end up abroad. Ifully understand the Lletget's and Boss's of the world will look for overseas opportunities ASAP, and I think that is both healthy and good.

What is not healthy or good is that Rongen looks at our domestic pool and realizes the talent to compete is not there.

I realize steps are being made via DA, though I am not nearly as optimistic yet as others.

But right now, in terms of developing this group of U20s, the US domestic system is not cutting it. Nor was it in the last cycle. We need our domestic system to step up and shoulder a heavier percentage of the work.

Am I wrong?

 

Thank you. I don't know why people are proud of the fact we have to import players. This whole article is actually a national embarrassment. We're becoming France.

Look at Italy in 2006. Spain this year. It's a symbol of national pride when you can develop your own players and win. It's like earning a real degree instead of just buying one online. It's the feeling of accomplishment knowing you earned that degree. All of you pimping Mwanga and Renken into your starting lineup need to think about this. You're a sad reflection of American society.

 

It's a sad reflection of our society because it shows we want shortcuts to everything instead of actually earning them properly.

Instead of growing the economy slowly and steadily though real domestic growth, we tried to prop it up with low-income mortgages and created the housing bubble. Instead of growing animals the proper way, we created factory farming and feed lots to fatten up animals and increase profits quickly. And that created a national obesity crisis. Instead of eating health and working out, people just want to pop pills for every health problem.

It's the same thing with youth development. Instead of actually developing our own players from the ground up, we have to create shortcuts and important foreign players. And most people are ok with it even though its not a sustainable model. That's why its a sad reflection on our society.

I will give MLS and the USSF some credit though. They've taken some steps to the change the system. Time will tell if it works.

 

I have absolutely nothing against immigration. My parents are immigrants. That's what makes this country strong. Every Western nation has immigrants.

And what's the difference between him and Danny Mwanga? We would have to naturalize him also.

 

To be clear, my issue is not with the morality of going after dual citizens. I simply do not know of a single elite country that does not develop the bulk of its own players.

If the US has to rely on players at the U20 level being developed elsewhere, I question the sustainability of the model. Not saying it cannot happen, but it is certainly not how Spain, Holland, Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Italy, France, etc are doing it.

The best in the game grow their own. The US is looking abroad. Seems suspect.

 

You act as if this "model" that we have is stagnant and perpetual, while it is quite the opposite. Our development system isn't world class and shouldn't expected to be yet, but it's getting a lot better and making huge strides, especially with MLS academies. Every single player in the US U20 pool, with the exception of Zahavi, have spent a significant time in the US youth development system and I fail to see why you're not realizing this. Some choose to go abroad, some to college, some to MLS, but to find US soccer at fault for any of this is wrong. Our development system is very young and some of you have expectations that we should have the capabilities to develop players as countries like Spain and Germany does, when that's simply unrealistic and frankly, unfair to US Soccer.

I especially have a problem with people disapprove of naturalized citizens, like Mwanga and Najar potentially, playing for us when this country has done so much for them and their families, but for some false sense of soccer nationalism they shouldn't be allowed to dawn the red, white, and blue because they were born in a different country.

It's not like we're scouting players in Guadalupe and bringing them into MLS academies specifically for the purpose of their honing their soccer skills. The stories and connections that guys like Najar and Mwanga have to the USA is unique in the soccer world, unlike those of naturalized players in Portugal, France, Germany, and many others. As we can see with these guys, there are families, brothers, mothers, and fathers that are involved. Their connection to the US goes far beyond soccer, and for that reason I would love for them to play for us and feel they have every right to.

 

Not looking for a pissing match, nor do I need a restatement of the obvious.

When Germany looked at itself and realized it was not developing the necessary talent to remain an elite talent, it did not look the world over for players who may have German citizenship. It overhauled the development of players in Germany, including those who had ties to other countries.

My point? I am fine with the Mwangas and Najars of the world. They are symptoms of something working. They are signs pockets of development in this country are helping good players rise to the top. They are being developed here, and that development is paying off with kids like Mwanga announcing a US allegiance. It reminds me of the Ozils, Khediras, and Boatengs of Germany.

But when the US realizes it is not developing enough players to form a good U20 team, my hope is it spends far more effort overhauling its system so that it starts developing the players it needs at home, rather than scour the world hoping someone else did it for them.

I fully realize the effort is not mutually exclusive.

Others may disagree. That is fine.

 

It is only fitting that our national team should reflect the country itself. People like Mwanga and Najar, should they choose to represent the US would be perfect examples of the quintessential American story. I'm having a hard time understanding why anybody would have an issue with them joining the national team.