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World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

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Re: World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

Not WC related, but ESPN has a great article up on the rise and evolution of MLS youth academies and the changing philosophy of youth talent development in the US:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5219888/ce/us/future-us-soccer?cc=5901&ver=us

The vision of a full-blown youth academy had been born from a realization that the areas abutting Washington were abundant in young soccer talent. "It's a hotbed here in D.C.," says Onalfo. "It was just a matter of getting them the right training and the right coaching."

....

D.C. United president Kevin Payne, who chaired a U.S. Soccer task force on player development some years ago, refers to the academy approach as an "intervention."

"A lot of research showed that a lot of the best young soccer players in America were playing way too many games -- in many instances over 100 a year -- and way too many of those games were not of very high quality," he says. "We had our ratio of training time to games inverted to the rest of the world. Countries that are really great at developing players routinely try to establish an average of four- or five-to-one ratio of training time to game time. And we were the opposite. We had to turn that on its head."

In its zeal to create better soccer prospects, the youth soccer community in the U.S. had crammed more and more games and tournaments into tight schedules, leaving little time for the necessary repetitions that might not come in a game but that are fundamental to the pursuit of professional-grade skills. Youth soccer, the task force decided, had to be brought back to basics: lots of practice interspersed with a few good games against quality opposition.

....

The benefits to being brought up in-house by a pro team are many. "The players get exposed to pro culture," says Payne. Any D.C. United academy player can walk into RFK for free on game days. They're encouraged to attend as many games as possible, to come down to the field to watch warm-ups, to come see the locker room and get a feel for the atmosphere. This spring, the Chicago Fire brought their entire U-18 and U-16 teams to Guadalajara, Mexico, and Jackson, Miss., respectively, during their season preparations.

What's more, young teenagers don't have to be uprooted to pursue their professional aspirations. Santino Quaranta, a United winger from Baltimore, shipped off to the U.S. U-17 residency program in Florida, before turning pro at 16. "We had to go off to Bradenton and other places," Quaranta, now 25, says of his generation of prospects. "It's great to be able to stay at home, at your own high school here and train with the professionals."
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One thing of note - these kids that United has signed all grew up watching MLS - this is the first generation that's actually had a domestic league to grow up with.

While the national team only has a handful of current MLS players, it has a whole bunch with MLS ties.
 
Re: World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

The SI cover for next week features Donovan, Howard and Dempsey with a World Cup preview. The image itself is not online yet.
 
Re: World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

The article is right on from my perspective. Problem is, the clubs make money off of those tournaments/leagues and many that didn't get into the USSF academy program are fighting the changes.

I've seen clubs force out coaches who subscribe to what is in the article...inexperienced parents want to see Jimmy playing for a plastic trophy every few months and are only happy if they are playing every weekend year-round.

My son was fortunate to get involved with a coach that actually had them take a full year off from leagues and just train. When they played the next year parents from other teams would come up and compliment them on playing real soccer, not glorified kickball. He is a far better player than he would have been if the goal was to win the columbus day tournament vs. developing skills.

The MLS academy in Philly is a great program, designed to develop the player appropriately.
 
Re: World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

blockski said:
Not WC related, but ESPN has a great article up on the rise and evolution of MLS youth academies and the changing philosophy of youth talent development in the US:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5219888/ce/us/future-us-soccer?cc=5901&ver=us



One thing of note - these kids that United has signed all grew up watching MLS - this is the first generation that's actually had a domestic league to grow up with.

While the national team only has a handful of current MLS players, it has a whole bunch with MLS ties.
Click to expand...

The club run developmental teams are a good addition to the USL's PDL, the PDL lets college age kids, and some older play over the summer. There's been a couple graduates of the PDL in the MLS this year, most notably, my favorite new MLS player, Tim Ream :D.
 
Re: World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

Priceless said:
The SI cover for next week features Donovan, Howard and Dempsey with a World Cup preview. The image itself is not online yet.
Click to expand...

There it is.
http://twitpic.com/1t1g56


As for Walcott being left out of the England team, I see Fabio's point. He's had a subpar season, and hasn't exactly torn it up for England as of late either. However, whatever point Fabio was making by leaving Walcott out is scuppered by including SWP instead. Another player who had a below par season (couldn't even get in the Man City squad in the 2nd half of the season).
 
Re: World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

There is this love affair with SWP that every England coach has and I cannot understand it.

To put it simply he sucks. He's had horrible form all year and hasn't played well for England in ages.

Also I feel bad for Dawson as I think he is far superior to Upson and didn't even get a single minute to show what he can do.
 
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Re: World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

Suck it, Joe Red. Keep your bag of silver, too.
 
Re: World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

Whoops.

dwp6ye.jpg
 
Re: World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

Maybe if he asks really nicely, Rossi can play soccer for the US at the World Cup.
 
Re: World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

Terrier, I don't get the love of SWP. Walcott is an anti-English players. That means he has pace and energy. He's a perfect fit off the bench.
 
Re: World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

I'm not defending him, but in looking at his int'l career, he's played exclusively for Italy, and since 2003. Why are people getting so angry at him now? Obviously I'd love to have him on the US team, but doesn't that indicate he cast his lot a long, long time ago?
 
Re: World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

Kepler said:
I'm not defending him, but in looking at his int'l career, he's played exclusively for Italy, and since 2003. Why are people getting so angry at him now? Obviously I'd love to have him on the US team, but doesn't that indicate he cast his lot a long, long time ago?
Click to expand...

I think people are mad that he could have been THE striker for the U.S., but he chose to be a bit player on Italy.
 
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Re: World Soccer XIII: Through the Group Stages

Kepler said:
I'm not defending him, but in looking at his int'l career, he's played exclusively for Italy, and since 2003. Why are people getting so angry at him now? Obviously I'd love to have him on the US team, but doesn't that indicate he cast his lot a long, long time ago?
Click to expand...

Now? People have been angry at him for quite some time.
 
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