YNT-eligible MLS players: 2020 In-season thread

Keita starting, Berhalter and Morris on the bench.

16yr old Fred Emmings on the bench as well. Don’t know anything about this guy.

 

He's a Luxembourg youth international, but eligible for the USA. He's very big (6'4 or 6'5 already). I don't think he's the most talented. Looks like an early developer. He's quite clearly the worst of the three '04 keepers signed in MLS right now (Brady, Slonina, Emmings) IMO.

 

It’s the people who refuse to acknowledge that the MLS occasionally does something good. It’s also the people who refuse to believe that good players can actually be playing in MLS. I don’t think any of us prefer watching MLS to Europe (unless we’re paid to do so) but we at least know there is some quality in the league and it’s improving every year. It’s the guys who refuse to accept that a player like Aaron Long or Darlington Nagbe are good enough for the USMNT that we don’t like

The pretentiousness of eurosnobs is why we don’t like them

 

Lotta weird goalpost moving here (not by you specifically, but by most people in this thread on your side of the fence). The argument isn't about locking foreigners out of MLS for the purpose of youth development; it's that it's very simple to have both great youth development and great foreign players, and that way too many teams have bad-to-mediocre foreign players that serve no purpose in gaining ratings except that the franchise can put no effort into a players development with the same product.

Take your example. The Luka Doncic of MLS is someone like Diego Rossi, and he's great for the league according to anyone, including our side. Instead, it's whether a team like Portland only has 8 Americans and puts no effort into developing it's academy when a team like Seattle is pouring time and money into it with more successful on field results at their first team level. You don't think Portland could've found more Americans to replace one of their 20 foreigners?

And last, your example is apples to oranges. NBA fans don't care because Doncic and Porzingis are fun. The correct equivalent is whether NBA fans care that Furkan Korkmaz gets minutes rather than an American. They don't because A) international basketball is irrelevant, B) the US dominates basketball, and C) if a US prospect is good enough to play fo the national team they're going to be too good to bench as a rookie. None of that is the same as in MLS.

You can still have all your great MLS players, and even the TAM level ones. But for gods sake, it's not that hard to backload your roster with young Americans like Philly and Dallas. If they can figure it out, so can a lot of other teams.

 

The player development process is nowhere near as easy as some make it out to be. We are talking about an 8-12 year process that a player goes through. That process can only truly begin after infrastructure is in place.

The returns have been pretty good, I would say, considering that just a handful of clubs have even endeavored in this area for anything like 8-12 years. Keep in mind that the end of this timeline is when a player will be STARTING his career.

 

Hey boss. I think your strategy is sound. If you will just give me 8-12 years to implement it we should be good. Tell me how that goes in your next review. You honestly think it takes 8 years to change. Please start scouting the 7Y0 programs for us so we have a chance.

 

The key is not to start scouting 7 year olds. The key is to create a culture for 7 year olds to be a part of that will help them reach a top level.

 

No. We should not care about scouting 7YO players. We should be teaching 7YO players soccer skills. You want to improve you player pool you teach them them the game not select talented kids who still shit their pants.

 

Well, in whatever circumstances that never makes friends.

 

Did you read what I wrote?

I said that scouting at 7 years old is not necessary. What is necessary is to create a culture where 7 years olds can learn the game and thrive in an environment that surrounds them with good coaching, motivated peers, and an atmosphere that promotes a passion for the game.

 

https://sbisoccer.com/2020/07/curtin-confirms-european-rumors-for-mckenzie-aaronson

 

My guess is that you don't work in education? It's not a matter of changing one or two things and seeing immediate returns. it's not just the development system, it is also the raw material.

 

Development means getting the quality inside out, not putting quality in. Otherwise you wouldnot need scouting.

 

A bit of fluff but good to see the Republic are working with the other Sacramento area clubs. I can see them making a hard push for kids throughout the Central Valley.

Sac Republic finds young players and develops them into top players. Here’s how https://t.co/Q0FzUnvR6i

— The Sacramento Bee (@sacbee_news) July 28, 2020

 

To be fair, the area they are building in Austin has the same density and traffic as some other cities CBD (Central Business Districts). It wasn't so much changing the requirements, but recognizing that Austin has another thriving part of the city.

I agree with this whole heartedly. Doesnt hurt though that there are other programs with blueprints that have made them successful, you don't have to copy that, but you can take pieces of their programs that you think make them successful.

 

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I’ve heard Anderlecht are also interested. Agent tells me they have the ability to “10x” McKenzie’s current salary should he want to join. https://t.co/J8H7VCPGl6

— MLS Transfers (@MLSTransfers) July 29, 2020

Feyenoord have been tracking Busio for almost 2 years now. https://t.co/QUg6tfGXwZ

— MLS Transfers (@MLSTransfers) July 30, 2020

 

Would definitely prefer Anderchelt over Celtic. Belgian League isn’t ideal, but it’s better than the SPL.

Aaronson versus Busio today. Hopefully one of them shows well.

 

Unreal assist by Aaronson. Scouts would immediately stop watching because they've seen enough after that one.

 

Also, Busio is trash. I'm done wasting time waiting for him to do something in the run of play. I'd rather have Carleton than Busio and it's not even a question.

 

If there’s one thing I like most about Aaronson it’s the way he feels the pressure and uses his body to make little fakes and buy time and space for himself before the ball gets to him.

That’s something that should translate very well if he moves to higher tier leagues where the game gets faster.

 

Are you kidding us with that ABSOLUTE DIME from Brenden Aaronson? 🎯

Sergio Santos gives @PhilaUnion a 3-0 lead! #PHIvSKC pic.twitter.com/HoJWv3W2Jn

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 31, 2020

That turn is elementary for him at this point but that was a well weighted pass

 

Aaronson should be a usmnt lock based on talent alone

 

I’ve liked his play today and in the past, but what position do you play him at? I think if he goes to Germany he will be an 8. Are we going to play two 8s.

I also think FCD exclusion has been the biggest disservice to Pomykal.

 

He’s lost since the restart. He has no aggression, and doesn’t know where to be in the attack.

He has had games where his passing is brilliant, his touch is spot on, and his mental game is much faster, but there’s only been 2-3 of these games.

But yea that Aaronson assist was amazing. That alone overflowed my cup of US needs for the night.