usmnt

*changes to NCAA eligibility rules

But I mean if the discussion we're having is "how do we help kids who have good game get scholarships" than yeah, that's been happening. If it's "how do we develop cutting-edge players to go out and win big for 'Merica" then we're just kind of treading water.

The real answer, imo, is an expansion of the Ajax and other euro-style academy systems, something that is happening but still in its infancy. Bradenton is US Soccer's attempt at fostering that kind of environment, but it needs a wider network of clubs running the things with the sole goal of finding and developing players to really pay dividends on the world stage.

― keillor can folk anything. and he will, and has. (dan m), Saturday, 30 July 2011 19:57 (9 minutes ago)

did you read that long nyt piece on ajax' academy

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/magazine/06Soccer-t.html

can't fault their effectiveness but the treatment of the rejected kids is pretty cold iirc

You can question the effectiveness of Bradenton / the USSF though, at least in getting the most promising kids. Rossi was maybe always headed back to Italy but it seems to me they could have had Subotić and Rogelio Funes Mori if not for various fuckups.

what, shipping them abroad to train with foreigners, where they will prosper in total isolation from the people that will eventually be their "fans"?
I don't see why this is a problem. If they succeed and join top teams in England, Spain, Italy their matches will be televised and they won't be in isolation anymore.

Yeah Bradenton is far from perfect, it seems to me like it was some idea they ginned up in the 90s and it did pay some dividends. The fuckups leading to losing Subotic et al are systemic and a lot of people are hoping that will end now that various coaches (the u-20s in particular) have been fired. The thing that Klinsmann wanted all along was top-to-bottom control, perhaps they've given that to him now.

Oh and I have read that NYT Ajax article and I fully agree it's cold as shit, not something that I would want to subject my children to if I were a parent. On the other hand it seems like a pretty foolproof method for getting results. :/

Here's a recent example of youth players getting signed early

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2011/07/chicago-fire-signing-gulley-as-homegrown-player.html

So basically it comes down to rights. The Fire have this kid on the roster, he makes a little bit of cash but he gets to train w/ pros in a pro environment and can play in reserve league matches w/o jeopardizing his college eligibility. If he makes it big, he can stay with the team and win games and eventually get sold if he's good enough. If not he can still go to school (and with some of the youth programs in MLS like Generation Adidas the league & sponsor will pay his way). It's a little less heartless than the Ajax model.

Yeah, the loosening of the rules for who qualifies as an amateur in the NCAA's eyes seems like a great idea.

Oh and after rereading part of the thread: The best hockey prospects play in major junior leagues and generally don't go to college. Only the real cream of the crop guys from college even get a sniff of the pros. It seems like a lot of goalies have been coming up through that route of late tho.

"Twice before, just the timing was not right. You know, I didn't feel right," said Klinsmann, who lives with his family in California. "And now it kind of came altogether and I felt, no, you know what, the comfort level is there. You know, the understanding of the job is there. I mean it needed maybe to grow in a relationship point of view a couple of years until I said, you know, this is OK. This is now kind of the mature moment for it."

he must have gotten sick of playing for an amateur side under an assumed name

so, klinsi's first callups, few surprises here

GOALKEEPERS (2):
Bill Hamid (D.C.United)
Tim Howard (Everton)

DEFENDERS (8):
Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Etienne)
Edgar Castillo (Club America)
Timmy Chandler (FC Nürnberg)
Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96)
Clarence Goodson (Brondby)
Michael Orozco Fiscal (San Luis)
Heath Pearce (Chivas USA)
Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls)

MIDFIELDERS (7):
Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake)
Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Maurice Edu (Rangers)
Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04)
Brek Shea (FC Dallas)
José Torres (Pachuca)

FORWARDS (5):
Freddy Adu (Benfica)
Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls)
DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla)
Edson Buddle (FC Ingolstadt)
Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)

fuck Ricardo Clark imo

whats the deal with TJ Delaney of FC Copenhagen? is he holding out for a place on the Danish team or not interested in playing for the us?

I've never heard of him but apparently he played for Denmark at the Euro U21 tournament this summer. What sort of a midfielder is he?

we've got a lot of midfielders tbh, it's everywhere else in the outfield we're lacking

like: shea, hamid, mexican-american dudes, adu
dislike: beas, buddle
clark is pretty o_O but I still think he has potential, has done well for frankfurt

hoping that some of those veterans are there to start working on finding the ethos/playing style that klinsmann has talked up in interviews, 'cause they're sure as shit not going to be around for 2014

asst. coaches are interesting too: martin vasquez who was at bayern and then got fired from fake chivas, also tab ramos

Could use some creative players in midfield, don't see any of the above providing that except maybe Torres and Shea. No Diskerud. I guess Teal Bunbury's been in a slump?

We are all Tab's Kids.

I think creativity in the mid will come from Adu & Torres in the short term. Can't wait to see Holden back in the lineup eventually. Diskerud is in the middle of his season, right? Bet he'll get the call vs Belgium.

boxall: i havent seen him play really so i dont know much about him. he came on against shamrock rovers last night but the game was already over really by that point. hes played for denmark u-21's as well though which probably makes him ineligible to play for the us.

no it doesn't. you can switch once if you haven't appeared in a senior, competitive match

Our singlemost failing, imho, is a lack of attacking flair and i don't see that changing here. We concede goals not just because our defense is shakey but because other teams know that our counteres and ability to press our attack aren't great. Donovan's OK and Buddle shows promise but w/o more killer instinct and finishing ability, we're merely chancers, albeit w/heart.

I'll take Agudelo all day over Buddle, personally. Possibly just grasping at Jozyesque straws with the kid, but he has shown a real willingness to take defenders on and go for every chance he gets.

Would take the actual Jozy over Buddle, easily, I can't believe he or Beasley are still in the picture.

I like Jozy but he needs some real experience and honing, nay, forging even.

He left MLS too soon imo.

Very possible. Where is he languishing on the bench, now?

Just signed with AZ in Holland, probably a good place for him tbh.

He's too flighty. I'd rather he'd spent his whole time playing for the RBs than ending up in boomvuk Holland

i think i won't watch tonight. it might get ugly.

what channel is showing this??

univision

us still lacking anyone in the middle to make something happen, opened up too easily at the back. juergen looks kind of bewildered on the sidelines. his smile during the national anthem was cute, though.

I am at a bar with a million screens and it's all baseball and one tv with the fukkin u20 bra v ksa game wtf

espn3 also.
lol half watching. all i've seen is weakness and chasing

it's on espn 2

bartender is pointedly ignoring me

this is infuriating

oh god and now some nu metal version of cinnamon girl is playing kill me

lol at espn2 for nearly missing that goal

created by usa's own neymar, break shea. what a haircut!

ref has completely swallowed his whistle

that haircut is ghastly

who's that other dude that looks like he's 16

the guy who scored the goal? robbie rogers

we have no one who can put a good ball on net from outside the box

how'd we end up w/ a guy who looks like he is in attack attack!

cmon, that is a red all day long

dude 4real