MNT's 2021

[DarthGrumpy]

Aaronson: Works extremely hard and has good technique plus skill. Although I have been a bit disappointed in his delivery both on set pieces and in the final third. But pretty much always makes the right play and takes on the defenders.

Just not his game tbh.

True, they need someone with a good foot to step forward on set pieces. They are critical in CONCACAF qualifying on the road where the US had few quality chances with packed box, poor field conditions, and a dozen balls thrown aroudn by the ball boys.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

True, they need someone with a good foot to step forward on set pieces. They are critical in CONCACAF qualifying on the road where the US had few quality chances with packed box, poor field conditions, and a dozen balls thrown aroudn by the ball boys.

Honestly i’m probably in the large minority here after some of his showings, but I don’t think Pepi is the answer YET. I want a Centre Forward who gets involved more and has confidence to take people on. That’s why i’ve been advocating for trying Hoppe and Weah there. They both are physically strong, quick and agile, and have the audacity to actually dribble at a defender, something Pepi, Zardes, Sargent, and Pefok don’t really have.

 

[LIuconn]

100% set piece delivery has been putrid. Must get the ball over or around the first defender it’s maddening what we’re seeing

 

[ZooCougar]

Really? Every parent of a kid of I've ever met there (10+) said it was free. Our friends just moved to Atlanta to be with their kid. Father found a new job down there.

Little known fact about Europe though is that if you're not a wunderkind you do pay for club soccer. We had a coach from Spain that annually paid a fee to the club (500e) when he was young.

Yeah they might have to pay but it isn’t glorified day care.

Your DA might free but some are not.

The federation sucks balls and American coaches are by and large a bunch of knuckle dragging Tony Meola types.

We don’t do solidarity payments because the Fed likes to protect MLS.

Blow the whole thing up.

 

[upstater]

Yeah they might have to pay but it isn’t glorified day care.

Your DA might free but some are not.

The federation sucks balls and American coaches are by and large a bunch of knuckle dragging Tony Meola types.

We don’t do solidarity payments because the Fed likes to protect MLS.

Blow the whole thing up.

The MLS academies are free. That's what I was referring to. Not the clubs in their league.

And our club in western NY has 4 European coaches alone on the boys side who all grew up and played in Europe (Premier, Eredivisie, Serie A and Greek league), and who hold UEFA Pro licenses. I don't think we're unusual. Look at who is actually employed at the youth club level at these clubs. Just checked the Red Bulls and it's a mix of home grown coaches and mostly guys from the UK. The 3 top guys are all UK coming out of being academy coaches at Rangers (Scotland) and Leeds United.

I believe US Soccer is now devolving from the heights it reached in the last decade when the USSF had its act together and subsidized the clubs--which it no longer does. This will hurt us going forward.

We're so young right now, and talented, and this is largely because of how things developed up until 2019-20.

 

[Waquoit]

Apparently, Josh needs professional coaching to thrive.

 

[SubbaBub]

Apparently, Josh needs professional coaching to thrive.

Glad to see him playing. If you are nailed to the bench on the worst team in the EPL, you have problems. Josh has been very good at everything except putting the ball in the net. That position needs to put the ball in the net. There are no other metrics to hang your hat on and we have too many guys in the player pool at that position who have the same problem. That's how an MLS 18 yr old can jet past a half dozen candidates on the depth chart and did it easily. I still want to see Gioacchini get a shot with the first team.

 

[upstater]

Dest is at RW today for Barca. No McKennie for Juve. Ref just took a goal away from Roma with a quick whistle in the box. He didn't play advantage and Roma scored. Can't say I've seen that one recently.

 

[ZooCougar]

Adams started for Leipzig. I worry about Jesse’s position there.

 

[ZooCougar]

 

[HuskyHawk]

Honestly this is true for every sport it seems. We really overdo it at the youth levels. Too much travel, too many practices. Not enough flexibility for family trips etc.

 

[Palatine]

Without knowing what "dropping out" means, it is a useless number. Dropping out from playing? from travel teams? from high school participation, from town youth leagues? dropping out from what?

 

[ZooCougar]

Without knowing what "dropping out" means, it is a useless number. Dropping out from playing? from travel teams? from high school participation, from town youth leagues? dropping out from what?

Not playing anymore.

 

[ZooCougar]

Honestly this is true for every sport it seems. We really overdo it at the youth levels. Too much travel, too many practices. Not enough flexibility for family trips etc.

I agree. It’s the same thing with youth baseball, which because of the equipment is even more expensive.

These prescious parents want to give their kids elite experience without having elite talent.

 

[Excalibur]

I agree. It’s the same thing with youth baseball, which because of the equipment is even more expensive.

These prescious parents want to give their kids elite experience without having elite talent.

And the clubs are more than happy to take their $$ . . .

 

[ZooCougar]

And the clubs are more than happy to take their $$ . . .

It’s glorified day care. My kid’s little club cost uniforms and league fees. They were beating up on “premier” “academies” where the parents were paying 2500 bucks or more a season! They even had salaried coaches.

Some of the parents were out of their minds with expectations. If your kids are in the 6th division in for their age group in Kansas City then your kids are not future pros or even D1 athletes.

Frankly, I’m starting to wonder if the best way to go would be to convince high schools/secondary schools to change the approach and make it a two season sport and then let the kids play club in the offseason.

All the 5A schools around here have at least 3 boys teams. There are more kids in the soccer programs than the football programs and yet who gets the money?

And the trulytalented kids can play in MLS or other professional Academies.

 

[upstater]

$2500 is really just what it costs for 10 months of sport. That's $250 a month. What do you imagine joining anything is going to cost you these days? I'm talking Theater groups, Ice skating, Gymnastics, etc. There are no free fields anywhere. They are all rented. & if you go indoors in winter, there are costs there too. A paid coach probably makes like $5k at most clubs ($20k at the very top clubs), so $5k / 18 kids = $277 / 10 months: you're paying the coach $27 a month or $2 per practice.

 

[Excalibur]

The payment is more like $2,500 for the fall, $1k or $1,250 for winter training, and another $2,500 for the spring.

 

[ZooCougar]

$2500 is really just what it costs for 10 months of sport. That's $250 a month. What do you imagine joining anything is going to cost you these days? I'm talking Theater groups, Ice skating, Gymnastics, etc. There are no free fields anywhere. They are all rented. & if you go indoors in winter, there are costs there too. A paid coach probably makes like $5k at most clubs ($20k at the very top clubs), so $5k / 18 kids = $277 / 10 months: you're paying the coach $27 a month or $2 per practice.

Well we paid 500 bucks a year and got the same results.

You sound like a sucker. I can join a decent golf club for half of what you described. Those fees are all BS.

 

[upstater]

Well we paid 500 bucks a year and got the same results.

You sound like a sucker. I can join a decent golf club for half of what you described. Those fees are all BS.

The top travel club within 200 miles of us would get obliterated by 10+ goals by this team. They compete in the MLS Next league. Travel clubs around here would get annihilated. Kids aren't leaving those clubs for the top academies, which tells you a lot about the level of play.

Nor is there a UEFA Pro coach teaching these kids the fine details of soccer.

I guess you have to see it to know what it is because otherwise you're totally unaware of the massive difference in coaching and preparation and skill level among the players.

 

[upstater]

The payment is more like $2,500 for the fall, $1k or $1,250 for winter training, and another $2,500 for the spring.

I don't really know what the payments are around the country. $7k is crazy.

 

[ZooCougar]

The top travel club within 200 miles of us would get obliterated by 10+ goals by this team. They compete in the MLS Next league. Travel clubs around here would get annihilated. Kids aren't leaving those clubs for the top academies, which tells you a lot about the level of play.

Nor is there a UEFA Pro coach teaching these kids the fine details of soccer.

I guess you have to see it to know what it is because otherwise you're totally unaware of the massive difference in coaching and preparation and skill level among the players.

Okay.

I’m talking about parents spending 2500 or more to play in the 6th division of 12 divisions of an age group in a local suburban league.

 

[upstater]

Okay.

I’m talking about parents spending 2500 or more to play in the 6th division of 12 divisions of an age group in a local suburban league.

Huh? You wrote I'm a sucker for paying that.

And by the way, I'd pay $10k for it before I'd pay even $100 for golf.

 

[Palatine]

Just in time for Mexico. Or does he stay with his PL club? Anyone know?

USMNT's Pulisic, Morris Due to Return From Injuries

For the two U.S. men's national team forwards, their returns are welcome developments for both club and country.

www.si.com

 

[ZooCougar]

Just in time for Mexico. Or does he stay with his PL club? Anyone know?

USMNT's Pulisic, Morris Due to Return From Injuries

For the two U.S. men's national team forwards, their returns are welcome developments for both club and country.

www.si.com

He will be on the roster. He played today for Chelsea.