We develop the team first in this country instead of the player. Then we choose the athletic undeveloped soccer player to rise in the system.... and this is pervasive in DA...
What I witness is shocking. The views of Spaniards and French about excellent players who aren’t considered prospects here really let us know how backward we are in our thinking. The game tells us that technique comes first and that’s the last thing coaches here care about. Ergo, we suck.And to make it worse we pigeon hole players from the youngest to oldest. Sure there are exceptions... but not the rule. Bottom line... our soccer leaders and coaches dont know squat about developing players
So what is the solution?
More DA clubs and teams means more DA Kool-Aid !! Yeah !!!
Jesus Christ enough with all this researching the web and referencing articles... the bottom line is DA soccer is run by the same people over at US soccer who hired Bruce Arena who scouted the same old ass recycled players. Eric Wynalda is right. Promotion and relegation is our future and MLS needs to conform. It has to start from the top down. The election held back in February didn’t change anything. We can’t have the same people running the show from 20 yrs ago. Can’t have the same scouts from 15 yrs ago. And we can’t keep scouting the same stereotypical all American athlete for our National teams. At some point it has to start with I.Q. This sport isn’t about at what age a boy matured. It’s about which boy matured mentally faster with his soccer brain. Scout these boys and then watch how well fast America will qualify for Olympics and World Cups. If soccer were a business instead of a federation people accountable would be fired. Ex soccer players should be running this show. Not Excutives.
We don’t care about smart, it’s sad. However, you’re incorrect about the USSF control. Their guidelines mandate a style of play that is ignored by clubs and DA teams everywhere and there’s no enforcement mechanism.This reminds me of the expression..."Those who can't do, teach". There are people on this board posting regularly that have no personal understanding of the game (coaching rec doesn't count, hell, I know club coaches that have no clue that only sell the company line) and they think that because they can't post links to stories, that they are somehow an authority on something. Reminds me of another great quote by Mike Tyson when he said "Everyone has a plan till you punch them in the face". Different sport, same concept. We can read all the books, institute the PDIs and do everything USSF mandates us to do (yes, they do have control) but the US misses the point. That creates robots and we need to be teaching our players to think. It is a thinking game more than an athletic game and until that changes, we will not progress. When you watch both the men and the women play, show me where you see the creativity needed to compete at the international level.
Nicely put el Clasico. Absolutely. I couldn’t agree with you moreThis reminds me of the expression..."Those who can't do, teach". There are people on this board posting regularly that have no personal understanding of the game (coaching rec doesn't count, hell, I know club coaches that have no clue that only sell the company line) and they think that because they can't post links to stories, that they are somehow an authority on something. Reminds me of another great quote by Mike Tyson when he said "Everyone has a plan till you punch them in the face". Different sport, same concept. We can read all the books, institute the PDIs and do everything USSF mandates us to do (yes, they do have control) but the US misses the point. That creates robots and we need to be teaching our players to think. It is a thinking game more than an athletic game and until that changes, we will not progress. When you watch both the men and the women play, show me where you see the creativity needed to compete at the international level.
We don’t care about smart, it’s sad. However, you’re incorrect about the USSF control. Their guidelines mandate a style of play that is ignored by clubs and DA teams everywhere and there’s no enforcement mechanism.
We don’t care about smart, it’s sad. However, you’re incorrect about the USSF control. Their guidelines mandate a style of play that is ignored by clubs and DA teams everywhere and there’s no enforcement mechanism.
....However, USSF chooses to relegate the DA program to Clubs rather than spend their money creating a true Academy system and its oversight......
Do you truly believe that USSF created academy, ran by them, its a better answer?
USSF's job is to create framework and an environment for better coaching at the youth level and hold the all clubs's feet to the fire. They need to get out of DA business all together. They have created feeding frenzy for parents who live vicariously through their kids.
We do best when we let creativity lead us and to do that, less structure is better than too much structure. Right now, we appear to have too much structure and not enough creativity and innovation in youth sports.
And,,,, that is one reason our men's team does so poorly!!The reason there are far less DA clubs for older is exactly for the reason you've stated herein. Number of clubs decrease with age with an intention.
USSF knows that by having less older clubs, increases competition for roster spots and they can get to the top 1% or less. By having more clubs for older, while increases the pool, dilutes the talent concentration. I've been told this, second hand, via DA DOC that heard it directly from USSF.
Aside from the growth discussion that preceded my post, which I agree with most with MWN, all these exceptions that people are stating do exist. To argue a logic is right or wrong based on exceptions, rather than the general trend, is a misguided effort by my sense. It is just as silly to use WC qualifier for effectiveness of DA.
In assessing the effectiveness, there is the process and there is the execution. My observation is that USSF has failed more in the latter than the former. While the process may not be perfect, we do not execute talent identification and development very well.
Last, the point of younger ages playing up, is an initiative that USSF encourage clubs and scores how well they do that. When my kid played DA, prior to now playing in college, at the playoffs and showcases, the USSF scouts aways wanted to know how many kids on the field were younger ages playing up.
So by the time the kid is U16, you pretty much have to accept the fact that there is no real separation between 16s~19s. As such, can you compete at that level becomes the first order filter. Is there a flaw in that logic - yes but its a small calculated risk.
Rant? Nope, you are spot on! The truth hurts, but only feelings that are getting hurt are the establishments.Why? Primary reasons are $$$ money, the Establishment, and the lack of promotion and regulation.
The whole "dilutes the talent argument" is a big smoke screen.
The establishment doesn't want real competition otherwise there would be promotion and regulations. Instead we have established clubs that don't put out many competitive teams year after year yet they remain in DA, just look at the standings there are 3x or these just in the SW division for the boys for example. Mediocrity persists and the level of play is very uneven, yet year after year little changes at U15+ and the smaller clubs with competitive teams get shut out of getting any teams past this age.
/rant on
He's a perfect example; smaller club players bigger established club yesterday in DA:
The bigger established club is loosing the game and has a player sent off for a 2nd yellow card, Coach of this established teams losses it and is sent off but refuses to leave so after a while the officials declare the game over due to opposing coaches behavior after only 30 minutes of play.
Who losses in this situation? all the players who trained for 4 days to play a 30 minute game. At the end of the day nothing will happen to the established club/team and they will be back in DA next year after being in the bottom 3, getting smoked 6-0 their previous game, having different players suspended for 4 out of the last 5 game, etc. Really poor examples of conduct yet no repercussions so what does that say ?
There is very little oversight on clubs & teams and they pretty much act and do as they please picking & choosing what they adhere to, standards are not being applied across the board, some follow while others not so much.
A closed league that favors the establishment, those with more $$ /wo pro/regulation or standards enforcement is what DA has been/became .
USSF should really blow up DA and start over and turn this over to a third party professional soccer management organization who can manage independently without all the insider influences, they can't seen clearly through the clouds today.
/rant off
The high cost of DA is another topic but one of reasons there is not more teams and a desire to limit the number of groups playing.
And,,,, that is one reason our men's team does so poorly!!
There is no "solution" imo. There are huge impediments at every level. We are slowly developing a soccer culture... coaches and soccer leaders will be replaced by more knowledgeable successors.... it will take many generations for change. Mainly... we need to learn... " dont do that...". Adults are the problem. Not the kid...
If you have a kid currently in soccer... it is what it is. Take it for what it is today and enjoy watching your kid play... but dont play for tomorrow....
And i speak a bit from experience.. my kid is in DA... and for most part it is mediocre at best.
I have come to conclusion.... there are a small handful of places where your kid may have a shot at being developed (for US standards)... and no surprise its where the scouts concentrate... its a matter of geography