YNT-eligible lower-division pro players: 2018/19 Offseason thread

Preseason game that was held right after the first team game, which I guess is something that they're planning on doing when possible.

This was against the NTX Rayados of the NTPSL and the good guys won 5-1. As we'd want, all of the FCD first team youngsters that didn't get into the MLS 18, played in this game.

North Texas SC — Kyle Zobeck (Carlos Avilez); Marquinhos Pedroso (Angel Paita), Moises Hernandez, Brecc Evans (Hector Montalvo), Bryan Reynolds; Brandon Servania (Arturo Rodriguez), Alfusainey Jatta (Anthony Bardon), Thomas Roberts; Ricardo Pepi (Mohamed Sesay), Zdenek Ondrasek, David Rodriguez (Oscar Romero).

BTW...…………..Servania played as a 6, and Roberts played as an 8. Good reviews from Buzz on the play of both. Servania assisted a bunch of these goals according to the twitter feed. Lots of comments about how ruthless Pepi has been in front of goal. He's still 15. Gotta keep him in USYNTs because he just has "it."

Scoring Summary:

NTXR: – Christian Okeke 8’

NTSC: – Ricardo Pepi 30’

NTSC: – Oscar Romero 49’

NTSC: – Alfusainey Jatta 53’

NTSC: – Ricardo Pepi 54’

NTSC: – Thomas Roberts 60’

 

Servania playing with the reserves, and Cerrillo being in the first team is surprising.

 

I think @Runhard predicted that.
It appears that Cerrillo is really impressing folks down there.

Servania also had that injury in the last preseason game against NYRB2 that required him to be substituted. So maybe that has something to do with it.

The twitter feeds of the game indicated that Servania assisted on a bunch of those goals.

 

Edwin has impressed me for the last few years as one of the most pro ready guys right out of the academy. Will see if he continues to get on the roster but would like to see him play as well in the early part of the season. Servania will get his chances but if he is gone for the US U20 I like Cerillo maybe passing him for good on the depth chart.

 

He was trialing in europe (Spain I think) and still may be there. His Homegrown contract with FCD is basically so they can recoup a transfer fee. From what I hear there are conditions in his contract that prevent FCD from interfering with his being away for the purpose of trialing. He will play with FCD when he is available.

 

I heard he was in Spain on trial after he signed as well and also heard the contract was very Dante friendly in terms of FCD doesn't really control where he trials, what he does, who he signs with, but who knows.

Main question is how does Dante benefit from this? If his main goal is to leave FCD and not to play first team at FCD, why sign at all? Will a euro team be less likely to take him if they have to pay FCD even a nominal transfer fee or would it be better for Dante if he could leave on a free if he never signed with FCD? On the flip side if his interest from EURO teams is not that strong it gives him a fallback to get paid for sticking around in Frisco and trying to make the first team.

Things US kids are going to have to figure out in the new MLS model of signing young kids.

 

Makes sense but I guess it depends on the transfer fee. It didn't scare off Bayern going after Richards but would Dante have more suitors from Europe if he could leave for free as opposed to it costing the euro team a transfer fee of several hundred K to MLS? Probably means nothing to Euro team as the amounts won't be very big for an unproven 16 year old, but still something to think about.

 

Best thing is word is the contract is very friendly for Dante. These young HG contracts should be very pliable for these young players and offer them the same chances it appears Dante has, go on trials, have the opportunity to go straight overseas instead of having to spend time in MLS.

If only AC had a player friendly contract maybe he could get out of AT or be on trial right now in Europe. (it all comes back to AC talk)

 

There probably isn't any thing to scare off potential suitors - the fee won't be high enough to scare off any clubs of decent caliber.

 

#Crew96 sends Ben Lundgaard on loan to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Aboubacar Keita on loan to the Richmond Kickers.

➡️ https://t.co/jYI7YSL5e4 pic.twitter.com/IYhfLC3AI0

— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) March 6, 2019

 

I feel like Keita could play in the championship, but a loan is good.

 

Columbus has a lot of very average central defenders. It’s puzzling that they choose to punt for the duration of his loan on the development of the one with potential. They have a better academy than they get credit for, but they’ve yet to show that they have much willingness to use their academy players.

 

Columbus has the right to recall Keita at any time. It seems reasonable to send him to a lower-division club to help him get his feet wet in the pro game. Hopefully they have chosen a loan partner carefully, and he'll play right away.

 

So much for my dreams of a Abubakar - Aboubacar CB pairing...

Is there any reason to believe USL League One is a noticeably lower level than USL Championship? I'm not trying to be snarky, I'm genuinely wondering...

 

Some USL League One clubs are signing a lot of guys with no professional record, either players who are straight out of college or who have bounced around with a few PDL clubs looking for a pro opportunity. USL Championship club rosters have a much larger group of experienced pros.

I expect that the better League One clubs (which likely includes Richmond) will be indistinguishable from typical Championship clubs, but that other clubs like Orlando City B and a few others will be noticeably worse.

 

North Texas SC played a scrimmage yesterday against the FCD U19s
[Unknown academy player was Jorge Almaguer.] NTSC won 2-0 on goals from Dante Sealy and Arturo Rodriguez.

NTX XI
Romero, Tessmann, Sealy
Unknown Acd, A. Rodriguez
Jatta
Hinojosa Murillo Montalvo Bonilla
Avilez

Still working to get some of these names confirmed. No Jersey #s makes it harder

— 3rd Degree (@3rdDegreeNet) March 6, 2019

U19s
Boustmante Pepi Redzic
Rayo Romero
Hernandez
Etienne Burns Toledo Kim
Schawl

— 3rd Degree (@3rdDegreeNet) March 6, 2019

 

Any ideas about Redzic? Will he continue in the academy and wait for some trial in Europe or will he sign with FC Dallas or North Texas?

 

I don't have any inside info on that one. We've heard rumors that Redzic has been offered a homegrown deal in the past and turned it down. We've also heard rumors that he has ambitions of heading to Europe. Who knows what to believe People said that about Dante Sealy. I forget which Euro nation Redzic has has the ability to get a passport from. Bosnia, Serbia, something like that.

If we were to make a list of the "next potential NTSC/FCD signings" from the academy, Redzic would be high on the list.

 

✍️ Signed, sealed, delivered!

The Rangers add 16-year-old goalkeeper and @SKCAcademy product @BrooksThompson0 on a professional @USLChampionship contract!

Details: https://t.co/Sp0qarccbQ pic.twitter.com/M3t4Zf7QdM

— SKCII (@SportingKCII) March 7, 2019

 

Bosnia and Serbia wouldn't do him any good, as neither are part of the EU. If it's Croatia, on the other hand, that helps.

 

📰 NEWS: Four SRFC Academy players have been signed to ‘Academy Player on Professional Team’ contracts ahead of the 2019 @USLChampionship season.

Congrats to Quincy Butler, Mario Penagos, Hayden Sargis and Eddy Berumen!#LetsGohttps://t.co/SgdzWbtfT6 pic.twitter.com/GZSdVHqATp

— Sacramento Republic FC (@SacRepublicFC) March 7, 2019

 

Apparently, from what I saw in an Instagram story, Joe Gallardo '98 was in the Richmond Kickers photo shoot, everything would seem to indicate that he will be with them now.

 

Remember watching him those Nike friendlies and thought he was one of the best prospects on the team. Then that long term injury happened. Hopefully he can get a real shot there