Oh boy. I can hear the "Pros Develop Pros (PDP)" crowd coming already. "The money it takes to send 10 more kids to Bradenton could be used to develop 5,000 kids in MLS reserve teams, and give them fish and bread while they're at it." This ought to be fun.
Agreed, but I think the importance of the National Team overshadows that of MLS. I don't think it should be that way, because MLS's intention was to be a feeder league for the USMNT but that's the way crap goes i guess.
Hopefully the Bradenton program and the reserve teams won't, in the end, be mutually exclusive....or at least will serve to balance all needs.
I think the Bradenton program is an exclusive kind of thing. They only offer it to the best 30 kids in the country right. Well there are a whole nunch of other talented kids who play on MLS reserves. And Brandenton sends their kids into the MLS anyhow so whats the problem?
short answer: MLS isn't profitable. USSF is. MLS doesn't have money for reserve teams. USSF has plenty o' money for residency. when MLS is making money, we'll see reserve programs. when reserve programs get big enough, we'll see the end of the residency program.
Not as much fun as engaging in hyperbole, I guess. Actually, it's probably more like 500 to 750 kids for the $5 million per annum that Nike gives -- assuming all of that money goes to residency, which I doubt. But as others have already posted, this is in effect the USSF's money, not MLS's, so it's all an academic discussion.
Ever heard of R&D expenses? Actually, I'm glad they're doing everything they can to get more players year round experience.
of course i've heard of it. i've also heard of millions of dollars of debt, and stabilizing your company before making a new undertaking. of course, they could invest millions in a reserve system now, hoping they're still around in 10-15 years when it starts to pay off, or they can concentrate on making money now, so they can make reserve systems later that will pay off for years to come.
Just to clarify, not all of the kids on the under-17 are in Bradenton, correct? Or is everyone on the under-17 in Florida?
Residency provides for the players HS education. How can reserve teams do that? Wouldn't the player in most instances have to be finished with high school to be on a reserve team?
question? When Carson gets built what's going to happen to Brandenton? Are we going to have 30 kids on the west coast and 30 on the east? Or is Brandenton going to close up shop?
Re: question? I was hoping for something like this were there are two youth residency programs. And hopefully as stadiums are built in Harrison and maybe Kansas City the four major regions will be taken care of in West, East, Midwest, and Northeast for youth development programs.
during the school hours he hangs out with the Gator's football team since they don't go to school either.
He is in high school. He played high school ball last year for The Heights, in maryland. So by grade level right now he's a sophomore, but he's 13 in (legal) age.
Re: question? Bradenton will continue to be the home of the full-time residency program. The National Training Center will be the host of other programs (including occasional stays by the U-17s) for shorter-term stays - a week or two or three at a time. It will also host referee and coaching clinics and that sort of thing. But it sounds like it will have no impact on what's happening in Bradenton. It will basically be replacing how U.S. Soccer uses the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista for camps throughout the year. I think the OTC is closing up or something like that.
There are players beyond the 30 in residency that are part of the player pool, but the kids in residency are the core of the team. I doubt more than 1 or 2 (if any) non-residency guys will be on the roster for either qualifying or the World Championship.