Youth Yanks Abroad, ‘01-‘04 YOBs (and younger): 2019/20 Thread

I agree with the Spain angle and Akale is a good lesson. To be honest, I don't know the Villareal development reputation. I do see many players, might be the most in Europe, going from where Konrad is to at least good clubs in Top 4 leagues on loans and sales.

I don't think from where he is that he is going to follow Lederman. None of us seem to have watched him much. So, all we have to go on is the fact Barca is making some commitment to him. Whether that is to turn $1 MM into $3 MM, I have no idea. It could be that small of an asset they view him. But a $3 MM sale to Hertha Berlin or West Ham is still significant in our player pool.

I would think we should see him with the U20s at some point if USSF can get around the COVID mess and schedule some camps.

 

ITs hard for us to know.
Barca B team plays in a real league that they can be relegated from, so they have to fill out a pretty sizeable roster. A few of the players are viewed as having a potential first team role, then there's a group of question marks, and then there's a whole other group that's kinda filler. Its hard for us to know who fits into what category until they actually do break thru.

Let's be honest with ourselves here. Konrad de la Fuente is several years older than Ansu Fati, who played in 32 first team games this season for Barca. I don't believe Ansu Fati every played for Barcelona B. Kinda like how Christian Pulisic never played for Dortmund II. Weston McKennie never played for Schalke II. Gio Reyna never played for Dortmund II. Alphonso Davies played just a scant few games for Bayern II. The list goes on. In 2020 it seems like if you're an elite, top-of-the-line teenager then you're in a first team. Maybe that analogy doesn't extend to Barcelona. I don't know.

I'm 100% on board with all of our youngsters "reaching for the stars." I also want the players and their agents to be able to read the tea leaves regarding first team opportunity. I always take first team opportunity. Would I rather Chris Richards makes 5 appearances for Bayern Munich next year or 30 Union Berlin appearances. The latter....................

 

I agree with your larger point, but Riqui Puiq went from Barca B to the first team this season, and now looks like he'll stay with the first team. There aren't many comparables around the world for Fati, so I'm not sure we should be using him as the barometer. We already know Konrad isn't as that level of player. Players such as Puiq and Monchu should be looked at as the path for Konrad to get into the first team. Barcelona doesn't have the money right now to spend on that many secondary players to supplement their squad. I think there is a spot for a standout performer in Barca B to get an opportunity in the first team, to some extent, if they are good enough.

 

The challenge for Konrad is pretty simple: even if you take out Messi, Griezmann and Suarez for age reasons, they already have Fati, Dembele and Coutinho on their books, all of whom play winger. They have 20 year old Trincao as well.

Barca is going to go after $50M to $100M attacking players, so it's just going to take a lot to get more than a token run out.

Which is fine. We have exactly one player who could probably get some run at Barca and that's come in the last two months.

I would say, though, that this contract, or training with the first team ... it's better than not, but people get way too optimistic about what it means. Players will be re-signed, moved up, given training sessions or a cap all the while the team fully intends to use them as an asset for sale, not as a player. Or the team may merely think that Konrad has a 5% chance to be a Barca player, and this is low cost.

Whether it is Chris Richards or Konrad, inferring that a team like this really likes a player to the level of seeing them in the first team ... I think people are overinterpreting.

These teams are operating at such a high level that nearly everyone coming out of their academy is a substantial risk to not make that level.

 

barca might need to change what they are doing just because none of the big money buys have really unambiguously panned out since suarez? not saying its konrad, but some academy progression into hte first team types might really help with the cultural continuity since barca seems to want a definite identity despite it all?

 

THey do have some money issues. DIdn't somebody high profile just say they're afraid that Barca will turn into Arsenal..............................

I just think we all know Barcelona. We know the standards there. Coutinho wasn't deemed up to par. Now, I like Konrad de la Fuente. I have no reason not to. I hope to god that he develops to be a player good enough to get into the Barca first team. I'm just skeptical based on what I've seen (which isn't that many games).

I'm also skeptical that Chris Richards is good enough for Bayern Munich. What do I know? Not much.I just know that if you're going to be a consistent starter at Bayern Munich at centerback, then you better be one of the best centerbacks in the world. That's the standard. That's also the standard for a winger/forward at Barcelona.

But Anyway......

Nice article on Evan...https://t.co/NH18tzLaOk via @Bundesliga_EN

— Dom Rotundo (@domrotundo) July 28, 2020

 

They've integrated Puiq and Fati since their big buys, and I highly doubt all those attackers are still at the club in another season or two. I'm not convinced they are going to go out and purchase another player for the same amount of money. If they do, its probably because they sold 1 or 2 of those other players.

 

I agree. I think the Covid situation has muddled the usual U19 to First team for the best players line. But time will tell.

This is why the news is so interesting because I agree with your reserve team portrayal (potential, maybes, filler) and I don't see the first team training as something given to filler. I think the press release of these things is done to signal about the players and the team does this with the players to signal to them.

All I'm saying, is it is encouraging and many had written him off already.

 

I think that, even if Konrad is a Barca level player, he should be getting playing time somewhere else. We all know how much playing time matters. Even if he stays on the books at Barca he should be trying for a loan at La Liga teams like Real does so often.

 

Where did you get these FC Dallas GK stats and are they available for field players too/ what is Collodi's vert

 

No idea on the source, but here's a rumor that clubs are interested in Otasowie.

Birmingham City have joined Luton Town in the race to sign Wolves' highly-regarded young midfielder Owen Otasowie. The USA youth international has played Europa League football with his club this season. (Telegraph)

— RumorsTransfersNews24/7 📰 (@rumorstransfers) July 30, 2020

 

The GK callup info is all public information just GTS it. Individual player stats are made available by MLS academy staff to all players *including field players*.

 

TBH, it's hard to draw any lessons from Americans in Spain because the sample size is so small. We have a solid idea of what progression for an American looks like in a German club system, but not really in Spain.

I honestly think that on BigSoccer, people are a little more down on Spain as a route for our players than they should be simply because Mukwelle Akale had one booster who was extremely obnoxious, pompous, and ultimately dead wrong about everything, and he made everyone mad.

 

The only solid one is Shaq Moore and his route was anything but smooth and still hasn't gotten him to La Liga. Maybe he's not good enough for that level, I can't say but obviously all of the kids that are over there now are still kids except for Akale so there's nothing to judge one way or the other.

 

no I was talking about physical test information like someone’s vertical, is that on the USDA website?

 

One of the challenges for Americans there is the league rules, right?

If I remember correctly each first team roster is allowed five non-EU players, but are only allowed to name three non-EU players in each matchday squad. At least that used to be the rule.

If I remember, players from Cotonou agreement countries don't count as foreign players in Spain. So for instance, Shaq Moore more than likely has a T&T passport.

Now as far as I know, this doesn't impact Konrad de la Fuente. He has a Spanish passport if I remember correctly. That's a huge deal for him in terms of his ability to progress in La Liga (whether at Barca or elsewhere.)

But we've had a group of youngsters go over to Spain academies/reserve teams. If they're going to advance to the first team, then they have to be foreign player-slot worthy. [Reminds me of spongy-worthy from Seinfeld.]

I've always thought that this rule has a HUGE bearing on the fact that we don't have many kids go to Spain, and once in Spain it seems like we have little progression to first teams. Didn't we hear this was a problem for Mukwelle Akale? Maybe he never got the passport he needed in order to count as a non-foreign player. It was a big problem for Jozy Altidore (who never got his T&T passport). He was pushed out of the reckoning at Villarreal,even when he started well enough, because they decided to use their foreign player slots on others.

 

Yep. That’s basically it. The limit means that they only spend non-EU spots on the very best.

 

I’m down on Spain as an option because if you don’t have an EU passport your chances of making it there are greatly decreased because of their federations non EU roster rules

 

Credit to @DanielS1085 for spotting Nick Lopes who might be a new arrival at Flamengo in Brazil based on his latest IG post. He seems to be an '05 from Orlando. He is being featured on the Instagram story of Brazil Promesas which is fairly prominent and reputable. Unclear why they would be featuring him unless he's made a move or is about to. Can't find Lopes on Flamengo's official site yet.

 

Spain seems to be a big destination for Spanish speakers from CONCACAF. Do they get exempt from the rules?

 

They don’t unless they have an EU passport. But it’s easier to assimilate into the team and culture when you speak the native language

 

Oh...............this gets totally complicated.
MLS teams get around foreign-player limits as Green Cards can be obtained fairly easily. The big clubs in Spain find a way.

For instance legislation in Spain allows you to aquire the nationality of your partner if the marriage has lasted over three years. That's how Luis Suarez got Italian citizenship and Coutinho got Portuguese citizenship. Non-EU players can also, after five years of playing in Spain, claim Spanish citizenship, as was the case of Marcelo at Madrid. Additionally, players who hail from ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific Group) nations that are signatories to the Cotonou Agreement are not considered as non-EU due to the Kolpak ruling.

You get to the point of realizing that many players can navigate their way thru the rules. Players from the US (other than those with EU passports like de la Fuente) are some of the few that have a real problem. Japanese/Korean players are another group. Not many Asian players in Spain either. There's currently one South Korean in La Liga (Kangin Lee) and two Japanese (Takefusa Kubo and Shinji Okazaki. Okazaki was in the Segunda, but just promoted back to La liga). That I can recall anyway................

Barcelona B have a good Japanese player. Hiroke Abe. I don't think he has citizenship opportunities at the moment. It'll be difficult for him to break thru the first team.

 

'01 CB Ilan Sauter has started twice this month for FC Zürich who are sixth in the Swiss top flight. He was born in New York and represents Switzerland U19. https://t.co/kHyzKFK8Xy

— ChuckMe92 Soccer (@ChuckMe92Soccer) July 31, 2020

 

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/soc...l-asap-man-city-and-chelsea-hunt-120m-gimenez

 

For national team players, all that information is reported to the federation by MLS clubs. Doubt it's in the DA website but you are welcome to browse through it. Collodi's family has a family website. You'll find all sorts of info there. Welcome to the forum.