ICC (International Champions Cup)

I haven’t watched much youth international girls soccer. Anyone know how Barca does against other teams across Europe? Are they the “norm” or are they the outlier?

Spain is working hard to catch up but is NOT on par with their European counterparts. More machismo in spain to overcome.
 
Good point.
Either LAFC totally disrupted Barca’s game plan or Barca had a different game plan in those 2 games.
LAFC had a ton of corner kicks in the 1st half. Each one sent to the far post. I bet they have scored a LOT of goals that way.
LAFC did a better job of pressing Barca and then making a nice pass to try and break forward.
I haven’t watched much youth international girls soccer. Anyone know how Barca does against other teams across Europe? Are they the “norm” or are they the outlier?

Finally got a chance to watch the matches. I have to say, thoroughly impressed by Barca (shouldn't be too surprised give my handle lol). All around the pitch they're technical, know how to control/exploit space, and have soccer IQ. And they are true to their style, even against an athletic hard pressing team like LAFC.

Things look promising for Spain, and if other European countries are doing similar things, not looking forward to the next 5-10 years.
 
I thought their best player was the American, though, so that may bode well for the US.

But one player doesn't necessarily bode well for the system as a whole. Look at the men's side with Pulisic- potential bigtime star on the world stage, but we are still wallowing in mediocrity.

American soccer culture values athleticism, physicality, and individualism over high technical proficiency and playing the game intelligently. This has served the women's game for the past couple of decades, but times a changing. The rest of the world is tired of American hegemony, investing more and transferring their soccer identity to the female side, and I think we are seeing the sea change. That Barca side sure plays alot like the mens club/national team that won the CL/WC. We no longer dominate at the youth international level. It'll be interesting to see how things pan out.
 
But one player doesn't necessarily bode well for the system as a whole. Look at the men's side with Pulisic- potential bigtime star on the world stage, but we are still wallowing in mediocrity.

American soccer culture values athleticism, physicality, and individualism over high technical proficiency and playing the game intelligently. This has served the women's game for the past couple of decades, but times a changing. The rest of the world is tired of American hegemony, investing more and transferring their soccer identity to the female side, and I think we are seeing the sea change. That Barca side sure plays alot like the mens club/national team that won the CL/WC. We no longer dominate at the youth international level. It'll be interesting to see how things pan out.
I'm confused. Shouldn't USSF look for the players who have it ALL and then train them to be more proficient and make the smart play, not be a ball hog? Focus on the Men and & Woman teams and maybe u20 world cup. U17 is dumb for the girls. Pay the girl players after HS some money to play pro and train for the WNT. BTW, the smart players who are slow and want space to do their tricks hate the FACT that faster+Bigger+stronger= better and if you have all three you're in the running to be a GOAT. You have to have it ALL.
 
Yes. The announces were talking about him during the game, but I can't find his name anywhere online. First name started with an "A".

Ahh, I thought you meant on girls side. Only male I know of in youth ranks is Konrad de la Fuente, curious who this younger one is...
 
I'm confused. Shouldn't USSF look for the players who have it ALL and then train them to be more proficient and make the smart play, not be a ball hog? Focus on the Men and & Woman teams and maybe u20 world cup. U17 is dumb for the girls. Pay the girl players after HS some money to play pro and train for the WNT. BTW, the smart players who are slow and want space to do their tricks hate the FACT that faster+Bigger+stronger= better and if you have all three you're in the running to be a GOAT. You have to have it ALL.
[/QUOTE]

If US Soccer is looking for GOATs who "have it all", then they shouldn't have to train them to be more proficient, smarter, and less ball hoggy, right?
I think therein lies the problem.
 
I'm confused. Shouldn't USSF look for the players who have it ALL and then train them to be more proficient and make the smart play, not be a ball hog? Focus on the Men and & Woman teams and maybe u20 world cup. U17 is dumb for the girls. Pay the girl players after HS some money to play pro and train for the WNT. BTW, the smart players who are slow and want space to do their tricks hate the FACT that faster+Bigger+stronger= better and if you have all three you're in the running to be a GOAT. You have to have it ALL.

If US Soccer is looking for GOATs who "have it all", then they shouldn't have to train them to be more proficient, smarter, and less ball hoggy, right?
I think therein lies the problem.
[/QUOTE]
Can USSF wait until girl is 16 or older and just take the best of the best and leave all the other leagues for the rest of us? Their the one's who started this mess and they need to help clean it all up. Small country's with small peeps have to play possession. Country's with all sizes like the USA or just big ones like Germany and Sweden will always use their EURO DNA to destroy the little guy or girls. Trying to make the game played one way is not good inho. We have division on what style when just find the best 11 and play with what you got. Nice to meet you btw :)
 
If US Soccer is looking for GOATs who "have it all", then they shouldn't have to train them to be more proficient, smarter, and less ball hoggy, right?
I think therein lies the problem.
Can USSF wait until girl is 16 or older and just take the best of the best and leave all the other leagues for the rest of us? Their the one's who started this mess and they need to help clean it all up. Small country's with small peeps have to play possession. Country's with all sizes like the USA or just big ones like Germany and Sweden will always use their EURO DNA to destroy the little guy or girls. Trying to make the game played one way is not good inho. We have division on what style when just find the best 11 and play with what you got. Nice to meet you btw :)
[/QUOTE]

Nice to meet you too

Don't pretend to know the answer, but US Soccer sure didn't help by trying to throw down the hammer with this whole DA fiasco.
 
Can USSF wait until girl is 16 or older and just take the best of the best and leave all the other leagues for the rest of us? Their the one's who started this mess and they need to help clean it all up. Small country's with small peeps have to play possession. Country's with all sizes like the USA or just big ones like Germany and Sweden will always use their EURO DNA to destroy the little guy or girls. Trying to make the game played one way is not good inho. We have division on what style when just find the best 11 and play with what you got. Nice to meet you btw :)

Nice to meet you too

Don't pretend to know the answer, but US Soccer sure didn't help by trying to throw down the hammer with this whole DA fiasco.
[/QUOTE]

What if C. Lavers of ECNL said "OK, US Soccer. You can have the top program. Just give me $500k and I'll fold up my ECNL tent and go home."
US Soccer didn't help. But ECNL wanted to pound their chest and claim dominance (which they've done a decent job of).
As it stands now, I don't know how we'll ever declare a winner. All I know is that the top is dilluted and the teams in the 2 competing leagues arent "allowed" to play each other.
 
[/QUOTE]
What if C. Lavers of ECNL said "OK, US Soccer. You can have the top program. Just give me $500k and I'll fold up my ECNL tent and go home."
US Soccer didn't help. But ECNL wanted to pound their chest and claim dominance (which they've done a decent job of).
As it stands now, I don't know how we'll ever declare a winner. All I know is that the top is dilluted and the teams in the 2 competing leagues arent "allowed" to play each other.
[/QUOTE]

I could imagine a scenario where a winner could be declared- DA allows HS soccer. But that won't happen (any time soon).
 
Nice to meet you too

Don't pretend to know the answer, but US Soccer sure didn't help by trying to throw down the hammer with this whole DA fiasco.

What if C. Lavers of ECNL said "OK, US Soccer. You can have the top program. Just give me $500k and I'll fold up my ECNL tent and go home."
US Soccer didn't help. But ECNL wanted to pound their chest and claim dominance (which they've done a decent job of).
As it stands now, I don't know how we'll ever declare a winner. All I know is that the top is dilluted and the teams in the 2 competing leagues arent "allowed" to play each other.
[/QUOTE]
I don;t know what all happen before ECNL but it does seem to me that ECNL built a successful business that produced top college players who the USSF recruited for their YNTs. Legends and Beach were pissed off big time every year (I don't blame them and 100% see their side in this) because one goat after another went to Arsenal, Real SoCal, Slammers, West Coast, Strikers or Blues. Surf had their own kingdom in San Diego. Arsenal had the IE and always stole JH goats. Surf was the wild card in all this. They had two choices to go based on what I witnessed. All In ECNL or All In DA+DPL+5 Year DA Playoff Contract for Surf Cup Sports +other stuff. However, they didn't get their cake and ice cream. Only cake with no frosting. Blues earned their cake and ice cream by winning the games on the field :) It's no secret that USSF/DA and other Big Clubs would like to see Blues and Tad go away. I think their is a place for one of the longest running girls soccer clubs in the country to be a part of youth soccer.
 
What if C. Lavers of ECNL said "OK, US Soccer. You can have the top program. Just give me $500k and I'll fold up my ECNL tent and go home."
US Soccer didn't help. But ECNL wanted to pound their chest and claim dominance (which they've done a decent job of).
As it stands now, I don't know how we'll ever declare a winner. All I know is that the top is dilluted and the teams in the 2 competing leagues arent "allowed" to play each other.
[/QUOTE]

I could imagine a scenario where a winner could be declared- DA allows HS soccer. But that won't happen (any time soon).
[/QUOTE]
With a kid who is a freshman this year, (And not at a DA or ECNL level), I can understand why US Soccer doesn't want their top players in high school. But this should really be for like the Top 50 kids in an age group across the country.
High School has too many games per week. The HS coaches want to over-rule the club coaches. Even though the HS season is only about 2 months of "Actual season", many high schools treat it as a pseudo year round schedule with weight room/soccer class 3 days per week. Some even have a "Spring Scrimmage Squad Season" and summer conditioning. If you want to train with your DA team 4x per week and have some extended travel games, the High School stuff is not good for those players.
 
What if C. Lavers of ECNL said "OK, US Soccer. You can have the top program. Just give me $500k and I'll fold up my ECNL tent and go home."
US Soccer didn't help. But ECNL wanted to pound their chest and claim dominance (which they've done a decent job of).
As it stands now, I don't know how we'll ever declare a winner. All I know is that the top is dilluted and the teams in the 2 competing leagues arent "allowed" to play each other.
I don;t know what all happen before ECNL but it does seem to me that ECNL built a successful business that produced top college players who the USSF recruited for their YNTs. Legends and Beach were pissed off big time every year (I don't blame them and 100% see their side in this) because one goat after another went to Arsenal, Real SoCal, Slammers, West Coast, Strikers or Blues. Surf had their own kingdom in San Diego. Arsenal had the IE and always stole JH goats. Surf was the wild card in all this. They had two choices to go based on what I witnessed. All In ECNL or All In DA+DPL+5 Year DA Playoff Contract for Surf Cup Sports +other stuff. However, they didn't get their cake and ice cream. Only cake with no frosting. Blues earned their cake and ice cream by winning the games on the field :) It's no secret that USSF/DA and other Big Clubs would like to see Blues and Tad go away. I think their is a place for one of the longest running girls soccer clubs in the country to be a part of youth soccer.
[/QUOTE]
You know what solves all of this?
Promotion and Relegation at the age group level.
Forget a closed league. Let a team like AYSO United, CFA, Palm Desert SC, Kickers SC, etc have a chance of competing at the highest level by letting them qualify to play in the top league. Today, Slammers could have a bad run for a few years and still be in the top league. And still got top kids lining up to play for them because they are in the top league.
Now the only Promotion and Relegation we have is at the individual player level. You play good - you get promoted to a new team. You play bad, you get sent down to a lower team.
 
I don;t know what all happen before ECNL but it does seem to me that ECNL built a successful business that produced top college players who the USSF recruited for their YNTs. Legends and Beach were pissed off big time every year (I don't blame them and 100% see their side in this) because one goat after another went to Arsenal, Real SoCal, Slammers, West Coast, Strikers or Blues. Surf had their own kingdom in San Diego. Arsenal had the IE and always stole JH goats. Surf was the wild card in all this. They had two choices to go based on what I witnessed. All In ECNL or All In DA+DPL+5 Year DA Playoff Contract for Surf Cup Sports +other stuff. However, they didn't get their cake and ice cream. Only cake with no frosting. Blues earned their cake and ice cream by winning the games on the field :) It's no secret that USSF/DA and other Big Clubs would like to see Blues and Tad go away. I think their is a place for one of the longest running girls soccer clubs in the country to be a part of youth soccer.
You know what solves all of this?
Promotion and Relegation at the age group level.
Forget a closed league. Let a team like AYSO United, CFA, Palm Desert SC, Kickers SC, etc have a chance of competing at the highest level by letting them qualify to play in the top league. Today, Slammers could have a bad run for a few years and still be in the top league. And still got top kids lining up to play for them because they are in the top league.
Now the only Promotion and Relegation we have is at the individual player level. You play good - you get promoted to a new team. You play bad, you get sent down to a lower team.
[/QUOTE]
Awesome!!!
 
ECNL = Pay to play for good players from rich families.

Bottom line, yes ECNL can get kids exposure to college scouts. The problem is that there’s plenty of players that cannot afford ECNL or live too far from an ECNL practice facility.

From an investment perspective ECNL is a break even investment if you have a starting player. It’s a huge loss if you are a bench player. The system needs to change quickly because other counties are catching up really fast to the USA.
 
ECNL = Pay to play for good players from rich families.

Bottom line, yes ECNL can get kids exposure to college scouts. The problem is that there’s plenty of players that cannot afford ECNL or live too far from an ECNL practice facility.

From an investment perspective ECNL is a break even investment if you have a starting player. It’s a huge loss if you are a bench player. The system needs to change quickly because other counties are catching up really fast to the USA.
I agree. It's just a league to help one get into college. I feel the financial pain too. The dinners with the teams can be insane too. I told my dd maybe next year for Jr year of HS we email desired local colleges and ask them to come watch her play Newport Harbor High School. I'm telling you all, some girls play differently when they have their hs school name on their shirt. That is the player the college coach will must likely get. For example, my dd friend just started playing ECNL. Played SCDSL for a few years. Showcase was interesting audition. Fear, college coaches sitting their and btw, Ganas is not made for a lot of girls in that environment. This same girl playing CB for her hs school is 100% bad ass and protector of the schools defensive line. Two completely different players and it's free except for fundraising time. I told the dad get your highlights from all the HS games and send them to the coaches. He told me, "great idea, thanks for the help."
 
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