I hear you. I've been wondering too if Dempsey's development would have been accelerated by being at Bradenton. He's one player whose game suggests he may have developed some bad habits by playing against competition that didn't have the same kind of talent that he has.
Dempsey was born on March 9, but in an odd year. So he makes for a pretty good poster child for our campaign.
Oh...I forgot that its a paid site now. If you haven't subscribed to topdrawersoccer.com, you should. Imagine that you didn't see the story. Just keep pondering the same ole questions. I'll ask Rob for forgiveness and hope that he will consider it a subscription promotion.
Do actually mean the town of Bradenton or the IMG Academies? I think that both will be around and still thriving 10 years from now. The US U17s are only 20 players in a much larger pool of athletes at IMG. Perhaps in time, MLS teams will see the wisdom of having their own academies, but I wouldn't want to be competing against the southern California teams if I was in a Real Salt Lake academy. In time they might find balance.
The future reality of the U17's is that most of them will cease to advance and you'll be asking yourself where they are in a few years, after college. Most of the players were identified at the age of 14, and the fact is at some point they peak. Some peak at 14, 16, 18 etc, but other players will pass them by. Honestly, I have seen this team on a few occasions, and I'm surprised at the overall talent level. I thought it would be higher. I thought most of the players (except a couple, Arvisu?, Farfan, a couple others) lacked creativity and vision. Don't get me wrong, they were hard working players, (Zimmerman for example, but mules on the ball,) and in the end for most of them without the flair, vision, creativity, they'll be left behind. But for now enjoy the ride, hope they do well!
But the "rule of four" doesn't hold water. Onyewu, who only "arrived" this year is one of the "4" from 99s, yet he already lists four players from the more recent classes. Let's get 6 years out from the 01s and 03s and see how many players are national team regulars.
Thanks for the inspiration. What's new? This is like throwing a stink bomb in a closed room and leaving. Come back next week and with more bombs or a fan to clear out the stench. Just funning!
I meant for the rule to apply per U17 team. It appears that on average 4 has been the number who have or appear poised to make a significant contribution to the senior team. With the last group none has yet made this contribution, but I listed Spector, Gaven, Adu and Szetela as the obvious candidates. The other point I made was that a yield rate of 4 per team (or 2 per year is you prefer) should be enough (if augmented by a few late bloomers) to provide excellent depth.
Dear Maximum Optimal thanks for refreshing my memorry...sometimes I forget all these new or I´m lazy to read back. names bltleo
Dear Maximum Optimal do you know something about U-17 in Germany? I bet If i would tell you about all players now, you would not rember all of them. Keep in mind that I live in Germany. Thank you maximum optimal. P.S You always ignore any of my questions at this board
Well you asked the same question a couple of weeks ago and Sandon Mibut went to a great deal of effort to post a very informative answer to your question. You thanked him for it. But two weeks later you ask essentially the same question. So I wonder what the point of answering your question is if you have a need to aske the same question just a few days later. How would you react if you had a friend who asked you a question six months ago and you gave an answer, then this friend asks the same question a few weeks later and you give the same answer, and this goes on like this in spite of you pointing out to your friend that you have answered his or her questions many times?
Dear Maximum Optimal, you are right. I should have realized that I had asked this question before. Well maybe I really forgot. I usualy post on Men and Analysis or US men only and only sometimes here on this board. Anyway I have re-read the Sandon answer again. I don´t know how I could forgot. Maybe I just typed quickly. No idea. I´m this type of girl who write too much without thinking maybe. No idea. Anyway thanks for answer and the link to "rule of 4". Next time you will be surprised that I know all U-17 players. I will learn all about them. Then we can more discuss here. Thanks for your advice. I hope you are not mad I asked twice the same questions. Germans are sometimes crazy. At least some german girls. I apologize and thanks your Bltleo Germany
Well I will stop to write at Youth National Team until I have not super knowledges about US 17 team. I will learn and read and when I´m fit again, I will come back. I hope posters understand me here. I don´t want to make your board Youth National teams for "learning" area for stupid germans Don´t worry I will write at another board - US men about that I have already good knowledges. Bltleo Germany
bltleo, Try to help you out, even though I only watched some of the players to play. Note: I also mentioned what the kids ethnic background as White, Haspnic, Black or Asian. Not try to use ethnic profile to steretype them, but you may understand better some of playing styles associated with ethnic background. Hope nobody gets offended by this. Forwords: Zimmerman is a white kid. The game I watched he did not play too good, but he is kind of a power forward. Like McBride. Great work rate, but I didn't see his foot work. Suppose very good with goal scoring instinct. A strong and tough kid. Kirk is part of MLS club LA Galaxy (Landon's club), but haven't train with the club yet. He is super fast and strong. Kind of like Eddie Johnson in US team. He used to play forward then dropped to play wing midfield. Now as he moved back to forward, so maybe his scoring ability is improved now. The games I watched him, he was dribbling from the wing then cut in the middle, taking a strong shot at the goal. He can do that from both of left and right and can hit with both his feet. His shoot is very strong but not accurate. The game I watched that he cannot keep the shots on the frame and they are over the cross bar. He may improve on that. Or forget that he is a black kid and over 6'. Arvizu is a Hispanic kid. He has great feet and great ball control. He is a playmaking forward and is around Landon's height but has better foot skills than Landon. He is most of the offense creativity in this team. Gonzales is also a Hispanic kid but not a small one. He is 6'5" and has OK speed but good foot skill. Altidore is a black Hispanic kid. You know like those in Brazil or Colombia? I haven't watch his game yet, but suppose he is fast, strong, skill and can score. A full package. He is only 15 so playing up 2 years. Midfielders: Soroka is a white kid and very crafty player. He can dribble and pretty fast and have a good shoot at the goal. He is a very typical wing player who can really dribbles. Besagno is a white kid and he is tall, strong and tough as a d-mid. He played for Real Salt Lake in MLS already and looked belong in MLS. Covers a lot of space and can control the midfield and know how to score when he gets forward and in set pieces. Nakazawa is an Asian (Japanese) kid and he is very crafty and move a lot. Very capable and doesn't have much weakness in his game. Farfan Gabe and Mike are twin brothers. Of course they are Hispanic. Both of them are wing players who can play in wing midfield and wing back positions. Very skillful. Hall (if my memory is right) is a black kid and very strong and fast. Have good foot skill and can score. The games I watched he played as back up forwards. So he can play in midfield and forward positions. Kelly is a white kid and I haven't watch him play yet. Heard that he is very skillful and very fast. He is new face. Defenders: Sarkodie is the captain and center defender. He is a black kid and is not tall about 5'10". But he really can jump and good on both defense and offense balls. Can score in set pieces. He is also strong and able to muscle a forward off the ball. He used to play wing back, so his foot skill are very good. Subotic is a white kid (probably Bosnia background) and is about 6'4". Haven't see him play. He is a new face too and played as center midfielder for the team before. So his foot skill is pretty good. Don't know how fast is him but should be good because everyone is this team has some wheels. Wagner is also a white kid and used to play as wing midfielder and wing back. Very good skill and capable of going forward. Igwe is a black kid and used to play left midfielder. Tall and strong and has good ball skill. I watched one game he played that he was substituted in, and when he got the ball on left side, he just dribbled over three players. He plays left wing back now. Alston is also a black kid but not as tall as Igwe. He plays the right wing back now, but I watched he played as left back in one of game in Europe. He just got on the endline and dribbled over few defenders and passed the ball his teammate finished. If I told you that he played for Brazil, you would believe it. Goalkeepers. All US goalkeepers are pretty good like German goalkeepers. So how compare this team with previous team? Well, this team may not have a kid stand out as Adu, but all of them have very good technical skills. In last U-20 team you watched in Holland, beside Adu, Gaven, Feilhaber, etc., you still see some of players who don't have good foot skills, but this team, everyone is damn good. Technical speaking, they are as good as Brazil, but tactically they are very naive due to poor typical US coaching. Probably the only weakness with this team.
Dear Shaster, thank you very much for providing me once again with all these information. Now they stay in my german brain. I have learned all the names and their position now and read some post here on BS. Thank you for your great support. I know sometimes I might to ask the similar questions or same, but it is sometimes hard to remember every name. It is much more difficult without the possibility to watch the game of U17. US U 17 is definitely not televised in Germany. I usually follow US men, but U17 - is your future, so many of the players you mentioned I might see in USMNT soon. Thank you and Greeting from Germany bltleo
What's with the defenders?? Just stumbled upon these rosters. I know Borja got booted from the team and Lichaj is hurt, but still, it looks to me like we have all of one tested central defender (Sarkodie) on the whole roster. The rest of the listed defenders (Igwe, Alston, Wagner) are raidiing wingbacks. I suppose Hackworth might play Subotic or even Gonzalez as Sarkodie's partner, or switch to a 3-man backline with enhanced defensive responsibilities for Alston and Igwe/Wagner, relying on their remarkable athleticism, but still, doesn't it seem like on a 20-man roster we should have more than 1 real central defender? The whole team seems composed of attacking wingers--how many Farfans do we need? What happened, for instance, to Rich Edgar--couldn't he have been at least a useful sub? Or Anthony Wallace, the 89 who tore up Ballymena? Don't really understand what Hackworth is doing here, and I suspect Subotic will play more central defense than he has to date, but even so we would seem awfully, awfully thin at that position. Any insight much apprecciated.
Re: What's with the defenders?? It difficult to understand when you don't spend every day for nearly two years with atleast 14 or the final 20 and a great deal of time with the other 6 since at least the start of the summer. Versatility is the key to this lineup and yes, Subotic is a defensive insurance policy. Additionally, Besagno, who plays in front of the backs can also defend. Jeremy Hall has spent a considerable amount of time over the past two years as a defender and even Ryan Soroka has spent time at right back over the summer. Daniel Kelly is another versatile insurance policy player who can defend and play in the midfield in a holding or attacking position. The Farfans are skilled and versatile also and play with a lot of heart and with considerable speed and foot skills. They can put a lot of pressure on opposing defenses. Pay no attention to the weight of the individual players. Even the heights listed are understated, in many cases. I like the final player mix and when you think about the ultimate goal which is to win, I'll trust Hackworth's judgement over idle speculation everytime. Lichaj's loss was a big one, Edgar would have brought more international experience defensively and I would have liked to have seen Borja in the final mix. But, it is what it is! With that said and my behind hanging out....take it easy on me with the retorts. U.S. Under 17 Men’s National Team World Championship Roster No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Birthdate Hometown Club 1 Rueckner, Bryant GK 6’1” 170 01/20/88 Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. PSG (Calif.) 2 Igwe, Amaechi D 6’0” 165 05/20/88 Belmont, Calif. Santa Clara Sporting 3 Alston, Kevin D 5’7” 137 05/05/88 Silver Spring, Md. Potomac Cougars 4 Altidore, Josmer F 5’10” 176 11/06/89 Boca Raton, Fla. Boca Juniors 5 Sarkodie, Ofori D 5’9” 170 06/18/88 Huber , Ohio Chicago Magic 6 Kirk, Quavas M/F 6’2” 180 04/13/88 Aurora, Ill. LA Galaxy (MLS) 7 Gonzalez, Omar F 6’5” 200 10/11/88 Dallas, Texas Dallas Texans 8 Nakazawa, Kyle M 5’10” 140 03/16/88 Palos Verdes Est., Calif. ISC Strikers 9 Zimmerman, Preston F 5’11” 180 11/21/88 Pasco, Wash. Crossfire Premier 10 Arvizu, David F 5’6” 150 04/19/88 Santa Ana, Calif. Pateadores 11 Soroka, Ryan M 5’6” 150 03/05/88 Langhorne, Pa. FC Delco 12 Farfan, Gabriel M 5’10” 140 06/23/88 San Diego, Calif. Nomads 13 Wagner, Blake D/M 5’10” 160 01/29/88 Tampa, Fla. HC United 14 Subotic, Neven D 6’4” 175 12/10/88 Bradenton, Fla. Manatee Magic 15 Kelly, Daniel D 5’10” 160 03/29/89 Henderson, Tenn. TNFC 16 Besagno, Nikolas M 6’1” 175 11/15/88 Maple Valley, Wash. Real Salt Lake (MLS) 17 Hall, Jeremy M/F 5’10” 160 09/11/88 Tampa, Fla. HC United 18 Restrepo, Diego GK 6’0” 180 02/25/88 West Palm Beach, Fla. HC United 19 Farfan, Michael M 5’9” 150 06/23/88 San Diego, Calif. Nomads 20 Perk, Brian GK 5’10” 170 07/21/89 Santa Margarita, Calif. Pateadores
What happened with Borja? Daniel Kelly and Altidore both did well at the Ballymena Tournament earlier this year. When do you head out to Peru, Soulgoal?
Unfortunately, Carlos Borja was dismissed from the team during the trip to Brazil during the summer. He was not on the roster for the Holland trip and was not invited to return to IMG in August.. It appeared to be a personal issue with the coach....and not a single incident. Daniel Kelly and Josmer Altidore have played their way on to this roster and will be good additions on the depth chart and might even get to play. I will depart for Lima on Thursday. Can't wait!!!