Changes at LA Galaxy Academy

Kante

PREMIER
Per JR Eskilson from TDS, Sacha Van der Most Van Spijk (of MX YNT fame and associate of DTK) is taking over as technical director for the LAG academy. here's link to a very solid write-up on SVM from the Ringer:https://www.theringer.com/soccer/20...ual-national-jonathan-gonzalez-efrain-alvarez

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not sure. would assume boys, but maybe both. Eskilson said JCO was going to head up G2. here's the twitter thread for reference:
https://twitter.com/JREskilson/status/1141366642468720641

SVM likely brings the same kind of rolodex of SoCal players that Saldana brought to LAFC after being USSF's technical advisor for the Southwest region (Saldana's gig immediately before going to LAFC).

Will be an interesting summer for LAG.

SBFDAD, any comments/insights to the change?
 
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All rumors at this point. At LAG nothing is official until it’s official, but both have been seen around LAG academy training sessions and games. From what we’ve heard, SVM is a trusted DTK confidant and was a chief scout for the MX YNTs. JCO coached the MX U15s for DTK when he was director down south. Both being heavily involved going forward would make sense. Like I said in a previous post, arrows are pointing in the right direction. It appears to be a well thought out and methodical approach by the new boss.
 
per Kevin Baxter w/ LA Times, Sacha Van der Most Van Spijk is the new LAG Academy Director. In addition to the soccer knowledge, MVS has probably one of the best player rolodexes in SoCal. it was exactly this kind of hire by LAFC of Todd Saldana (TS had been the US Soccer SoCal scout before joining LAFC) that directly led to the LAFC academy becoming the #1 academy team in the country in almost every age group in which they competed.
 
per Kevin Baxter w/ LA Times, Sacha Van der Most Van Spijk is the new LAG Academy Director. In addition to the soccer knowledge, MVS has probably one of the best player rolodexes in SoCal. it was exactly this kind of hire by LAFC of Todd Saldana (TS had been the US Soccer SoCal scout before joining LAFC) that directly led to the LAFC academy becoming the #1 academy team in the country in almost every age group in which they competed.
Another strong galaxy move
 
per Kevin Baxter w/ LA Times, Sacha Van der Most Van Spijk is the new LAG Academy Director. In addition to the soccer knowledge, MVS has probably one of the best player rolodexes in SoCal. it was exactly this kind of hire by LAFC of Todd Saldana (TS had been the US Soccer SoCal scout before joining LAFC) that directly led to the LAFC academy becoming the #1 academy team in the country in almost every age group in which they competed.
LAFC was built by Joey Cascio. I give Todd some credit, but no way was it all him. There was already 30 plus players before Todd. Also the style of play was there before, Todd and Enrique just added to it. Now a days it’s all recruitment though,, not development in my opinion
 
LAFC was built by Joey Cascio. I give Todd some credit, but no way was it all him. There was already 30 plus players before Todd. Also the style of play was there before, Todd and Enrique just added to it. Now a days it’s all recruitment though,, not development in my opinion
Wasn't he only there for about a year? Before LAFC MLS team was up and running.
 
Wasn't he only there for about a year? Before LAFC MLS team was up and running.

Coached one team and didn't even last to the end of the first season I recall so hard to say how much impact he had beyond that first group of players.
 
A whole year prior and through one season. I give credit where credit is deserved. He had no rolodex. He didn’t work as a scout for U.S. soccer. He didn’t even have anyone for help, there wasn’t any assistance coaches, or anyone to help scout. Shit there wasn’t even a first team, or stadium, or even a home for these boys to practice. There was no infrastructure. There was John. There was a woman who scheduled fields trying to find practice fields and there was Joey. He picked 40 young lads, and did rondos over and over. Now don’t get me wrong. Todd and Enrique do a lot. I think the difference is Joey actually wants to help lads get better while Todd and Enrique only have one job to do. Win this season. Just one guys opinion.
 
per Kevin Baxter w/ LA Times, Sacha Van der Most Van Spijk is the new LAG Academy Director. In addition to the soccer knowledge, MVS has probably one of the best player rolodexes in SoCal. it was exactly this kind of hire by LAFC of Todd Saldana (TS had been the US Soccer SoCal scout before joining LAFC) that directly led to the LAFC academy becoming the #1 academy team in the country in almost every age group in which they competed.

Will this rolodexes of best players be applied to the Galaxy II or Academy ? because all we have seen so far are recruits from other academy teams as per usual.
 
A whole year prior and through one season. I give credit where credit is deserved. He had no rolodex. He didn’t work as a scout for U.S. soccer. He didn’t even have anyone for help, there wasn’t any assistance coaches, or anyone to help scout. Shit there wasn’t even a first team, or stadium, or even a home for these boys to practice. There was no infrastructure. There was John. There was a woman who scheduled fields trying to find practice fields and there was Joey. He picked 40 young lads, and did rondos over and over. Now don’t get me wrong. Todd and Enrique do a lot. I think the difference is Joey actually wants to help lads get better while Todd and Enrique only have one job to do. Win this season. Just one guys opinion.

I'm not sure I agree with your last statement that TS' and ED's only focus is to win. If TS was accurate in describing what LAFC's plans are for the upcoming season in his Q&A in April, then I think player development is the primary focus. I have seen many of the LAFC age groups play and from what I have seen, I see pretty good soccer. I'm no expert by any means but I do see real development and if TS goes through with playing age groups up one year, they are really looking to challenge their boys. The entire article can be found here: https://www.lafc.com/post/2019/04/11/state-academy-qa-lafc-academy-director-todd-saldana. The last two questions describe TS' plan to play age groups up. FYI. I previously posted a link to this article in the 2006 DA thread. Ialsoknownothing :)
 
I'm not sure I agree with your last statement that TS' and ED's only focus is to win. If TS was accurate in describing what LAFC's plans are for the upcoming season in his Q&A in April, then I think player development is the primary focus. I have seen many of the LAFC age groups play and from what I have seen, I see pretty good soccer. I'm no expert by any means but I do see real development and if TS goes through with playing age groups up one year, they are really looking to challenge their boys. The entire article can be found here: https://www.lafc.com/post/2019/04/11/state-academy-qa-lafc-academy-director-todd-saldana. The last two questions describe TS' plan to play age groups up. FYI. I previously posted a link to this article in the 2006 DA thread. Ialsoknownothing :)
I’m not taking away from Joey but I do have to say that TS and ED have made significant impact in LAFC. complete development no doubt.
 
Speaking of significant impact and complete development, Kleiban's Ex Galaxy players are doing well. Any word on BK's next step?
BK is doing what’s in the players interest and I think that’s where development is. TS has been talking about playing kids up for over a year. LAFC isn’t the only club talking about doing this when this article came out 6 months to a year ago. A lot of DA clubs are gonna do it because of the whole age up thing with not doing u12’s any more. I do agree BK has the results with Mendez signing to Ajax. Where is everyone else’s proof?? We will see if LAFC can produce a standout soon... but when that happens we will have to look at how long that kid has been in their academy system or if he was just recruited a year before. Time will tell.
 
LAFC was built by Joey Cascio. I give Todd some credit, but no way was it all him. There was already 30 plus players before Todd. Also the style of play was there before, Todd and Enrique just added to it. Now a days it’s all recruitment though,, not development in my opinion

Agreed. There are maybe 2 players left from the original U12 team that started the LAFC academy. That, to me, is a HUGE red flag (especially if I’m a parent) that they are not developing players, but instead, constantly looking for the next best thing to replace kids with. Shouldn’t the goal be, especially, at the younger ages, to choose players based on future potential, not who is going to win games for you, for today? I’ve watched their roster since they started & everyone seems new. I could see a replacement player or 2, yearly, but the entire team? what does that say about your recruiters, too?? How many bad choices have you made, that the whole team is no longer there? It’s easy to count the weekly wins when you have the funds to field an all-star team (that other coaches have developed), BUT it takes a talented team of coaches/coach to build a winning team with a definite style of play with the SAME players, year after year. That, to me, is TRUE development & proof that you can recognize talent, when you see it. Parents really need to pay attention to these things, IF you want your kids playing at the highest level, in the long run. You need to develop the brain, as well, as the physical skills to play high level soccer. Development of our brains, take years, not a soccer season. Cmon LAFC, don’t live in the moment, live in the future. Give LA a MLS academy to be proud of, if you don’t.....maybe LA Galaxy will. Believe in your coaching skills & those kids you’ve chosen for your academy, by keeping them long enough than a year or 2. We all know you can’t develop a kid that quickly, you’re banking off some other coach’s hard work, at that point.
 
A whole year prior and through one season. I give credit where credit is deserved. He had no rolodex. He didn’t work as a scout for U.S. soccer. He didn’t even have anyone for help, there wasn’t any assistance coaches, or anyone to help scout. Shit there wasn’t even a first team, or stadium, or even a home for these boys to practice. There was no infrastructure. There was John. There was a woman who scheduled fields trying to find practice fields and there was Joey. He picked 40 young lads, and did rondos over and over. Now don’t get me wrong. Todd and Enrique do a lot. I think the difference is Joey actually wants to help lads get better while Todd and Enrique only have one job to do. Win this season. Just one guys opinion.
You read my mind!
 
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