soxfan121 said:
The problem with MLS academies is that they aren't being run like DFB academies. Certainly Germany's development system would be a boon for USA Soccer. But that system isn't designed to prop up a business it is designed to produce soccer talent. MLS clubs, and their business practices, are a direct impediment to a productive youth development system. MLS isn't giving academy players professional contracts, or paying them a competitive wage. MLS isn't paying its own players a competitive wage. MLS does pay profligate amounts on guys they can use to market the game. The MLS financial system - and goals - are antithetical to developing a strong national team. MLS is about MLS. Period.
I'm not sure what you mean by the bolded. MLS is giving academy players pro contracts; what they aren't doing is giving them nominal "youth contracts" that pay very little and basically exist to lock in rights to the player. This can't be done because of NCAA eligibility rules.
This is more of a problem for MLS clubs than players in MLS academies. Players in MLS academies miss out on getting money from a youth contract (not a lot of $$$ though), but they are getting a free soccer education (almost all MLS clubs fully subsidize their U18 and U16 teams at the very least), they are still in line for an NCAA scholarship if needed as a fallback, and they can also sign abroad if a foreign club comes calling. For the players, it's a great deal. You get basically all the benefits of the academy and none of the commitment that comes with youth contracts.
For the clubs, the current system is a hindrance because there is no mechanism to retain player rights until the player signs the pro contract. I can see why they'd be pissed if Klinsmann is actively convincing their most valuable assets to walk, leaving MLS teams nothing. But of course, I don't mind seeing additional pressure placed on MLS teams to provide a better developmental experience needed to compete with European suitors.
The obvious rebuttal here is that MLS is doing things this way because the eventual goal is a thriving development system feeding the best league in the world. To that I say - hogwash. MLS's refusal to accept its place in the pecking order as it exists at this time is - as Klinsmann says - negatively affecting the program right now. If MLS were truly interested in creating a great game - and not "selling the sport" - they'd use the millions spent on buying Michael Bradley's prime out of Europe and go pillage Brazil or Argentina's pro leagues and import a ton of new talent. Raise the competition level for all. Instead of paying David Villa and Frank Lampard millions, go find every talented 15 year old in Brazil and build a youth program the American way - with foreigners.
I'm with you on spending less money on overpriced stars or mediocre foreign signings and more on development. I don't see why the focus would be on 15 year old Brazilians (or wherever), though. First of all, the level of scouting and recruiting that would require would be a lot of work and money. Second, top South Americans continue to be vacuumed up by big Euro clubs. Third, making teenagers culturally assimilate is an extra challenge that usually can only hurt their development.
Lastly and most importantly, players under 18 can't be transferred internationally. We see this all the time with Americans who sign abroad. One of the big stars of the current U17 team is forward Haji Wright. He was with the Galaxy, but is headed to Schalke -- it's still "unofficial", but it's happening. Unfortunately, Haji turns 18 in March 2016, so he's going to spend the next 1.5 years with the US U17s and dicking around in training with Schalke's youth teams. He probably won't be eligible to play in youth Bundesliga games until the 2016-17 season.
Players can get around this rule if their parents move abroad for "non-football" related reasons or if they have the right passport. That has happened in some cases, but obviously it's not a workable strategy on a large scale.
Add this to the general foreigner quotas that exist in various forms across Europe, and it's clear that sending youth Americans
en masse to Europe just isn't going to happen. There are too many obstacles. So even if you'd prefer to outsource development away from MLS, it can't be done in large quantities.
MLS's top heavy business practices hurt the current USMNT and the development system carrot is rotten until they start paying a competitive wage. They keep buying golden toilets for a single story ranch in need of a foundation.
I don't think it's about the wages for youth players - it's about the developmental experience. If players believe that they can develop well without leaving their hometown, they'll do so. The problem is that MLS initially didn't provide a good developmental ladder for their academy prospects to climb. Players were signed from the U18s and had to jump straight to the pros. If a player couldn't initially get on the field in MLS, where was he going to get games to improve? A half-assed reserve league? That's about it - not much to help with the huge jump from the USSDA U18 league to MLS.
When MLS can answer these questions, they'll get more of their homegrown players. And when they improve the quality of youth coaching, they'll have more viable 16-18 year old teenagers about whom it's worth getting mad when you lose them. These are the real issues, IMHO.
The USL Pro initiative is the best attempt we've seen to date to fix this problem. Fingers crossed that it shows returns.
