MLS “Considering” Pulling Out of DA

Was part of the ODP thread. Someone finally reporting on the rumor. Given US Soccer got rid of U12 DA, looks like US Soccer actually listening to coaches with influence. If MLS doesn’t pull out it will be because current 2nd tier DA clubs will concede everything MLS wants, including their underwear, to keep the system structure as is. Professional coaches, who don’t use DA as a selling tool, pushed for the change. Was told this was pretty much a done deal, just a matter of when.
https://www.socceramerica.com/publi...consider-leaving-the-development-academy.html
 
Coaches said they are trying to fix it but it’s more MLS wanting to do what they want - they should be separated and they should keep the DA name.

It's easy to see that the MLS teams have always had an advantage over the teams from other DA clubs in image, finances (isn't MLS DA free for players?), and available coaching staff. If they formally separate themselves from the others they lose nothing of that, whereas the remainders might see it as a kick in the face, especially if USSF does nothing about it.

Meanwhile, in soccer-rich but MLS-poor backwaters like San Diego County, nothing new.
 
The moment you separate MLS and other quality teams within DA, you need to call it something different (DA2) or cut the weak teams altogether. If US Soccer won’t invest in DA so that kids from non MLS teams can play for free, then why don’t they fund some international tournaments regionally throughout the country for all of DA? At least the weaker teams are getting beat by somebody different and the MLS teams get their international tests.
 
The moment you separate MLS and other quality teams within DA, you need to call it something different (DA2) or cut the weak teams altogether. If US Soccer won’t invest in DA so that kids from non MLS teams can play for free, then why don’t they fund some international tournaments regionally throughout the country for all of DA? At least the weaker teams are getting beat by somebody different and the MLS teams get their international tests.

Who are the "other quality teams"? Do they offer deals equivalent to those of MLS DA teams?
 
Discussed in the DA rumor thread; http://www.socalsoccer.com/threads/boys-da-rumors.16214/page-5

Not sure the pull out method works but MLS academies moan & grown ever year about something (s), ussda throws them a bone and there back.

Would $cost$ them even more to do something similar if they withdrew, but at this point who really knows, they haven't seen the return on the investment in 10 years yet? Does DA need MLS academies more or vice a versa?
 
Both DA and MLS academies need to invest, administer and run their own programs. Loose, meaningless affiliations with youth clubs (like man city/surf) are fine for branding and marketing purposes but both should run their own programs, not give DA status to clubs who do nothing different, so that each can be held accountable for their success or failure. As it is now, all 3 programs are failures (clubs, DA, MLS academies, except maybe Dallas FC) and nobody has to be held responsible for the failure to develop talent. About all these 3 are good at is making money which is fine if that is your true intention and you are clear about it.
 
Both DA and MLS academies need to invest, administer and run their own programs. Loose, meaningless affiliations with youth clubs (like man city/surf) are fine for branding and marketing purposes but both should run their own programs, not give DA status to clubs who do nothing different, so that each can be held accountable for their success or failure. As it is now, all 3 programs are failures (clubs, DA, MLS academies, except maybe Dallas FC) and nobody has to be held responsible for the failure to develop talent. About all these 3 are good at is making money which is fine if that is your true intention and you are clear about it.
What is your criteria for FC Dallas being a success? I agree that it is all about money. It wouldn’t be hard for LAFC and Galaxy to get TFA, Strikers and another 4 top teams from the state to play some Liga MX clubs once a year to see how we measure up. Of course that would mean the clubs are truly putting development first because you can’t BS parents when they lose to Xolos 4-0.
 
What is your criteria for FC Dallas being a success? I agree that it is all about money. It wouldn’t be hard for LAFC and Galaxy to get TFA, Strikers and another 4 top teams from the state to play some Liga MX clubs once a year to see how we measure up. Of course that would mean the clubs are truly putting development first because you can’t BS parents when they lose to Xolos 4-0.
I’m trying to remember but I think LAFC did play Xolos and LAFC did beat them two or four to nothing. Something like that. Playing Liga MX isn’t going to fix anything
 
Who are the "other quality teams"? Do they offer deals equivalent to those of MLS DA teams?
My vote is for the top 8 teams in our region at each age group play 8 Liga MX teams with their age group. This way the top teams go not the most well connected clubs. It is a once a year tournament set by US Soccer similar to their seeding of teams at regionals so coaches, clubs, and parents have no influence. It would be great for the teams to see how they measure up, and good for US Soccer to see the individual studs play against foreign clubs. Of course all of this only happens when egos are set aside. All involved have to know that our DA Academy programs are legit and not loss leaders to attract flight 1,2, and whoever else with the hopes of playing DA one day.
 
My vote is for the top 8 teams in our region at each age group play 8 Liga MX teams with their age group. This way the top teams go not the most well connected clubs. It is a once a year tournament set by US Soccer similar to their seeding of teams at regionals so coaches, clubs, and parents have no influence. It would be great for the teams to see how they measure up, and good for US Soccer to see the individual studs play against foreign clubs. Of course all of this only happens when egos are set aside. All involved have to know that our DA Academy programs are legit and not loss leaders to attract flight 1,2, and whoever else with the hopes of playing DA one day.

Which side crosses the border?
 
I had heard this rumor about 3 weeks ago from a guy in the know, so now I know my guy in the know, knows what he knows ... now. Its a natural step. For the last few years there has been talk of the DA league segregating its teams into 2 tiers: (1) MLS and (2) Non-MLS. The current academy structure allowed the MLS teams to have some backyard competition, but with the coming fight against the MLS Players Union for solidarity and training fees, AND the slow rise of the USL and UPSL, its is a strategic mistake to include non-MLS "pay to play" clubs in the Academy league.

As we saw from the MLS Players Union, one of the biggest objections to solidarity and training fees is it allows "double dipping" because teams are paid by the parents/players for training and then get a windfall at the end. The argument loses sight of the fact that most fees are partially subsidized, but if the MLS academies go all "fully funded" then it takes that argument away. Moreover, the MLS is now publicly acknowledging they need to be a selling league. Find, develop and sell those boys to Europe and Latin America.

Secondarily, the USL and UPSL will be there to take up the slack for the pay-to-play Academy clubs.
 
What is your criteria for FC Dallas being a success? I agree that it is all about money. It wouldn’t be hard for LAFC and Galaxy to get TFA, Strikers and another 4 top teams from the state to play some Liga MX clubs once a year to see how we measure up. Of course that would mean the clubs are truly putting development first because you can’t BS parents when they lose to Xolos 4-0.

LAFC has played games against MX clubs. They tend to do that preseason.
 
I had heard this rumor about 3 weeks ago from a guy in the know, so now I know my guy in the know, knows what he knows ... now. Its a natural step. For the last few years there has been talk of the DA league segregating its teams into 2 tiers: (1) MLS and (2) Non-MLS. The current academy structure allowed the MLS teams to have some backyard competition, but with the coming fight against the MLS Players Union for solidarity and training fees, AND the slow rise of the USL and UPSL, its is a strategic mistake to include non-MLS "pay to play" clubs in the Academy league.

As we saw from the MLS Players Union, one of the biggest objections to solidarity and training fees is it allows "double dipping" because teams are paid by the parents/players for training and then get a windfall at the end. The argument loses sight of the fact that most fees are partially subsidized, but if the MLS academies go all "fully funded" then it takes that argument away. Moreover, the MLS is now publicly acknowledging they need to be a selling league. Find, develop and sell those boys to Europe and Latin America.

Secondarily, the USL and UPSL will be there to take up the slack for the pay-to-play Academy clubs.

If they seperate into 2 DA leagues they should call them "Discovery" and "Champions". Now we can have even more "flights" of soccer in So Cal.
 
I had heard this rumor about 3 weeks ago from a guy in the know, so now I know my guy in the know, knows what he knows ... now. Its a natural step. For the last few years there has been talk of the DA league segregating its teams into 2 tiers: (1) MLS and (2) Non-MLS. The current academy structure allowed the MLS teams to have some backyard competition, but with the coming fight against the MLS Players Union for solidarity and training fees, AND the slow rise of the USL and UPSL, its is a strategic mistake to include non-MLS "pay to play" clubs in the Academy league.

As we saw from the MLS Players Union, one of the biggest objections to solidarity and training fees is it allows "double dipping" because teams are paid by the parents/players for training and then get a windfall at the end. The argument loses sight of the fact that most fees are partially subsidized, but if the MLS academies go all "fully funded" then it takes that argument away. Moreover, the MLS is now publicly acknowledging they need to be a selling league. Find, develop and sell those boys to Europe and Latin America.

Secondarily, the USL and UPSL will be there to take up the slack for the pay-to-play Academy clubs.

My take- One of the big issues with pay to play- mainly on the boy's side is that they are shutting out low-income players. There should be a separate contract signed by the parents and club if they scholarship a player they are entitled to solidarity payment. This would incentivize all clubs to allow more low-income players to play on their teams. This could be signed each year and placed in a database through US soccer and done yearly
 
Has anyone looked back over the past 10 years to see what it would look like if we had solidarity payments and training compensation in place since 2009? What clubs would have gotten $$? How much? How would that have been able to offset their expenses or allow for further investment in the club?
Would it have made a dent in pay to play across the country? Or would the "rich get richer"?
 
Back
Top