Another US Soccer idea...
- Thread starter timbuck
- Start date
Not a medical professional, I take it?
"Implement and support Solidarity and Training Fee tracking and payments..."
That would involve the buying and selling of minors. Our laws differ in this regard from certain European countries.
"Leave the DA "club" system alone..."
The DA club system is a corrupt sham. A business system that at its nature is designed to develop pocketbooks.
"Get all MLS DA clubs to become fully funded residential..."
All the MLS clubs I see are window dressing. Save for maybe Dallas there is little chance in hell these clubs will produce real soccer players. Sending a child to spend his adolescence at Galaxy, for example, is borderline child abuse.
Most people I've spoken to who know insist that the player remain at home with his family at all costs. In rare cases, like Real Madrid's players who come from all over Spain, it isn't possible.
"Go after FIFA's article 19.."
That would be very difficult to pull off. FIFA is a stubborn bunch.
And all of the US players who I've seen abroad paid their way into it. There is no shortage of players in say, Spain, yet I keep hearing of Spanish scouts here. Those are salesmen.
"Reform the National Team youth program"
Great idea.
That is so funny. The Galaxy line is classic.
Disagree. Solidarity and training fees are paid by one club to another clubs pursuant to a schedule. There is nothing in the US legal system that prevents the USSF from setting up a system that lets these payments be made or collected. Moreover, minors can enter into binding agreements (provided their guardians approve) and be part of "collective bargaining agreements" in the US (see, actors, etc.). If the NGB (National Governing Body) aka US Soccer elected to enforce payments as part of the economy of soccer in the US, it would most likely survive any challenges. As somebody that practiced labor law for over 17 years, I'm not aware of any prohibition that cannot be properly addressed and circumvented.
See, https://medium.com/@terryblaw/would...solidarity-really-violate-us-law-2d9c37a48533
and http://lawofsport.blogspot.com/2016/06/training-compensation-and-solidarity-in.html
Also note, the challenges to solidarity and training fees have been grounded on a potential Anti-Trust violation and not labor law violations. The anti-trust claims is grounded on a stipulated consent decree and there has not been a contested judicial decision on the issue.
As its structured right now, I agree that the DA system has little upside and those clubs that operate a DA program are doing it purely as a marketing ploy to get money out of the parents of the lower levels. Its a carrot.
smellycleats
SILVER ELITE
Actually I am. I just don’t see this system a a feasible way to group players.
I guess it is a struggle trying to figure it out...
https://www.google.com/amp/s/sports...league-is-rethinking-age-in-youth-development
smellycleats
SILVER ELITE
Thank you for the article. It clarified some things for me and it’s an interesting read. You don’t have to be a snide jerk about it
I think you misunderstood me. You mentioned how difficult it could be to implement and I was actually agreeing with you. The article implies, to me, that it may not be feasible across the board.
smellycleats
SILVER ELITE
Sorry to jump to that conclusion. I actually thought you were the same poster that said “so I guess you’re not a medical professionsl...” My apologies.
Sheriff Joe
DA
That's what she iz best at.
NP. I'm only a snide jerk to the poster beneath you, who calls himself Sheriff Joe, if you can believe it.
rainbow_unicorn
PREMIER
Getting back to the original topic, not yet sold on the idea of bio-banding. Sure, it takes out the physicality aspect...but you are then swinging the pendulum to the other extreme where the players that are 3 years older (but same physicality) are going to have a huge technical advantage over players 3 years younger.
Also, a player going through puberty could be shooting through their growth percentages in a matter of a year...are you going to be giving the kids a bone density x-ray every month? I think USSF may like the idea that they're forward thinking...but there are some realistic/logistical challenges here that they'll need to consider.
Also, a player going through puberty could be shooting through their growth percentages in a matter of a year...are you going to be giving the kids a bone density x-ray every month? I think USSF may like the idea that they're forward thinking...but there are some realistic/logistical challenges here that they'll need to consider.
In theory- it is a really good idea. And in European Academy set ups- it probably makes sense if a kid is on a pro-track but is on the smaller side. And has the potential to get better by playing with kids of similar size.
But- do we really trust coaches in the US to do this “for the player”? We’ve all seen many teams sand bag tournaments and league play. Bring players from ECNL teams to play in a flight 2 game.
But- do we really trust coaches in the US to do this “for the player”? We’ve all seen many teams sand bag tournaments and league play. Bring players from ECNL teams to play in a flight 2 game.
Again, bio-banding is purely a US Soccer Development Academy "training" and "tournament" tool to help coaches better evaluate talent based on maturity and biological age and not by their chronological age. Its only for the elite talent and has no place at the lower levels, as it would be a waste time/effort/money because those kids have no hope of being invited to a National Team camp. Discussions of "sand bagging" and any any team that plays in a league other than the DA are irrelevant.
Chalklines
GOLD
Looks like this year's top NBA prospect is coming from Europe now too.....
Whats wrong with our training methods? How come this country's having such a hard time producing in house stars?
My only guess is distractions. We have too much to choose from in the states and players lose focus.
Whats wrong with our training methods? How come this country's having such a hard time producing in house stars?
My only guess is distractions. We have too much to choose from in the states and players lose focus.
Excellent question. Seems like it's getting to the point where we can't blame "we're not a soccer country," if it's happening in basketball.
The powers that be at the DA have made it very clear that DA clubs receive kudos and points for developing players that get invited to National Training camps, and team standings, etc., are not important. For this reason, DA tournaments are typically "showcases," where teams play 4 teams over a 5 day period and not "tournaments" with a champion. The DA doesn't even keep standings until U15. Playoffs are limited to the top 3 teams from each region with a few wildcards thrown in. Coaches at the DA level are also encouraged to play players up.
The DA could really care less if clubs are at the top or bottom of the standings, as long as, those clubs are competitive and following the DA program. The DA also tracks where players move from/to, knowing that the MLS residential programs can often pick and chose from the non-residential programs.
Contrast this with club soccer, where clubs need wins to attract parents/players. Winning programs grow and trophies are critical because most parents in club/competitive soccer perceive winning programs with college opportunities, and they would be basically correct because winning programs also tend to garner more interest and make more appearances at college showcases. "Gaming the system" is a necessary evil given the importance of wins to the customer base and will continue to be an ever present issue because parents value team performance and trophies over player development. This system rewards direct play, kick ball, over the top as a primary strategy because it results in wins against weaker teams. At the DA level, Academy Directors and Technical Directors are talked to consistently about correct training and their coaches are counseled to train their players correctly.