It’s not. Thinking like that means it will never end. You’re talking about the Des Moines market cost anyway, and no US soccer player is ever going to come out of there.
***Official USMNT Thread***
- Thread starter ianoconnor
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It’s not. Thinking like that means it will never end. You’re talking about the Des Moines market cost anyway, and no US soccer player is ever going to come out of there.
Agreed. There are a few clubs in KC that offer "scholarships" to kids from poorer upbringings, but it is definitely a pay-to-play sport. For being an ethnically diverse country, we do a really ****** job being inclusive in youth sports.
One recent development I've seen is that a couple of independent teams have gotten corporate sponsors for some of the Mexican youth in the area. It takes initiative to get these going, but I'd love to see that trend increase. Unfortunately, the larger clubs in the area still dominate a majority of the talent and have a monopoly on quality practice space.
MLS is both the problem and the solution with the national team. The problem is that MLS teams like to throw money at the Altidores and the Bradleys, while also bringing in foreign DP's at attacking positions the US is traditionally weak at. MLS academies ARE apart of the solution, and we're already seeing the fruits of that at youth levels, and seeing a shift in mindset from MLS clubs on the whole. Talented American youth are going to MLS academies now, and the the cream are going to Europe from those academies with few exceptions. Gloster, Soto, Sargent, Richards, McKennie and even Pulisic grew up in MLS or DA system academies before making the jump to Europe. Adams thrived in MLS before going to Europe, as will Paxton Pomykal. Players of lesser talent will remain in MLS, or go to Liga MX or what have you, but those players will be in the fringes of the national team moving forward.
Clearly the national team values players that succeed in Europe, there just aren't enough of them at the moment. There's no conspiracy to choose MLS players. There's probably nepotism in the leadership and bias towards players they're familiar with (poor Danny Williams) but the main reason there's so many subpar MLS players in the national team right now is because there aren't enough good players in the pool, period. If there were 20 more Pulisics, McKennies, Adams, Brooks, Yedlins and Miazgas out there, guys like Wil Trapp would only be around for January camp. But since there are only a handful of quality players (I named them all), this is what we get. Gregg bringing Tyler Boyd and Duane Holmes into the team shows he knows he needs more talent in this pool.
MLS needs to accept being a selling league, especially for young players. They need to see it as an accomplishment to sell a youngster to Europe. Not just take kids hostage and see them as a cheap way to fill out the bottom of the roster.
The entire structure of US soccer is doomed to failure. There is no bright horizon. It’s just systematic, too many people protecting their $ fiefdoms. Everyone knows it. US soccer would have to create leagues all over the country and not charge kids, so it wouldn’t be exclusive but rather inclusive.
Parents need to send their kids to Europe when they are 14 or 15 instead of sending them down the street to Houston dynamo academy if they are serious about being a professional and show proficiency.
Wait until your kid is 11U then the price increase is massive..
Ya but how much does it cost? Just tuition. The travel cost doesn’t count for me because even if it was free tuition you still have to travel for tournaments or you won’t get better.
Something to note Weah is rumored to be on the move to Lille for 10 million
Also it's rumored that PSV is also in the race to sign Sebastian Soto and Chris Glouster along with BVB. There's already an American at their 2nd team in Richie Ledezma
Also it's rumored that PSV is also in the race to sign Sebastian Soto and Chris Glouster along with BVB. There's already an American at their 2nd team in Richie Ledezma
It’s not this easy though for an overwhelming majority of US talent. In general unless you are in a position to obtain a European passport, you can’t make the move to Europe until you are 18. Pulisic could go earlier because he was able to obtain a Croatian passport through his grandparents heritage.
If you come from a family that has multi-generational roots in the US, you don’t really have a choice in your early teen years. You’re going to be in a traditional club setting or with an MLS academy.
Let's face it.... time to stop caring about the men's team.... everyone jump on board with a winner... the women's team.
Hey, buddy, here's the reality. The Women's team play just like the men's team, it will happen at this world cup.
Everyone's getting priced out of proper training, meaning a much shallower pool, hell we're screwed once the current ladies are gone I think and then people who don't pay attention will be very, very confused. (It's why I cringe at the equal pay thing a bit because people don't realize what's going on, I'm fine with and think there should be equal pay but it doesn't feel like people are actually paying attention to what the sport is to the working class and how it's being locked out of the sport, if it was happening to Football or Basketball there would've been a fix to it by now.)
This slid under the radar a bit but should be noted.
A FIFA Panel has ruled that USSF must ensure that Premiere Crossfire recieves a solidarity payment for DeAndre Yedlin (MLS recently approved solidarity payments this year, it's been left off the table until recently because the MLS Players union didn't want it because it meant less money)
EDIT: MLS owes Crossfire $100,000
A FIFA Panel has ruled that USSF must ensure that Premiere Crossfire recieves a solidarity payment for DeAndre Yedlin (MLS recently approved solidarity payments this year, it's been left off the table until recently because the MLS Players union didn't want it because it meant less money)
EDIT: MLS owes Crossfire $100,000
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Zardes shouldn't be ahead of anyone.
I hate this team. I was kinda excited to see some sort of starting 11 with Weston, Adams, Pulisic and Holmes. Now I'm gonna watch CP get fouled relentlessly, Zardes play balls off his shin guards, Arriola run around with no point and probably Trapp get beat and give up space to guys playing in the 2nd division of the Trinidad league. Can't Wait.