NASL will only have 3 substitutions in an effort to align with FIFA standard

[Alberto7]

Great news !!:

http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2011/04/06/changes-in-store-for-d2-soccer-with-north-american-soccer-league/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+InsideMinnesotaSoccer+%28IMSoccer+News%29

Several changes will take place within North American Soccer League (NASL) teams this season that will bring a touch of professionalism to D2 that it has never seen before. It will also bring them into FIFA compliance.

This past winter the NASL Technical Committee, who consisted of former U.S. National Team player and now Director of Soccer for Traffic Sports Fernando Clavijo, former MLS star and now NSC Stars Head Coach Manny Lagos, and Fort Lauderdale Strikers General Manager Luiz Muzzi gathered when the league held its organizational meetings. According to Lagos, several changes came out of those meetings. The group wanted to make sure the teams would not have to play so many games so close together as had been done in the past. This is a change that started to take place last season when the USSF ran the league. This year, most all of the games are on weekends with the majority on Saturday evenings. By scheduling games more infrequently, it allowed the committee to change the substitution rule for D2 from 5 players as has been the standard for years, down to 3, the FIFA standard. Lagos told IMS the change will mean coaches will have to be more careful in their game-day selection and it will keep them from making two and three substitutions late in the game just to kill a game off.

While the lowering of substitutions will mean not as many players will get on the field in a game, it could have a positive effect in teams’ training sessions. Each player will have to work harder in order to impress the manager that he is one of the 11 to 14 players that could see field time. It will also bring the league up to the same standards as MLS as well as all professional leagues throughout the world.

Another change for this year’s league will be travel squad requirements. In the past there were a few teams that would travel with the minimum amount of players and one coach. The Technical Committee created a new rule for its NASL teams that each squad must travel with a minimum of 17 players, a medical trainer, coach and assistant coach. Lagos said the players will be better looked after with their own trainer on the trip who is already familiar with the players. He also felt the addition of players on the trip will allow a coach a better selection of players in order to put the best starting eleven on the field at away games, therefore improving the quality of the league.

[Richard]

Good news.

[Guest Ed]

^ Agreed. About time.

[Trillium]

^ Agreed. About time.

Competitive youth teams in Canada to adopt the FIFA standard...nothing sets our player development back after u14 more then the use of unlimited substitutions in the typical youth Competitive leagues ( so called competitive ). The unlimited use of substitutions also stunts the growt of coaches capable of assessing and planning properly for games played under the laws of the game, the full laws.

[alberta white]

Competitive youth teams in Canada to adopt the FIFA standard...nothing sets our player development back after u14 more then the use of unlimited substitutions in the typical youth Competitive leagues ( so called competitive ). The unlimited use of substitutions also stunts the growt of coaches capable of assessing and planning properly for games played under the laws of the game, the full laws.

Try coaching 7v7 community U10 level, with a roster of 14+, and a bunch of parents who want each of their kids to play all the game. Madnesss...Utter Madness!

[Blue and White Army]

What, no more cases of four matches in eight days? Lazy players, today! Why, back when I was a boy...

[Trillium]

Try coaching 7v7 community U10 level, with a roster of 14+, and a bunch of parents who want each of their kids to play all the game. Madnesss...Utter Madness!

Our issues in developing players in Canada have little to do with coaching failures at youth levels though the big boys ... ( apologies here ) with Brit accents will tell you that is the reason.. its actually how we structure teams, and how we modifiy the game rules that are anti-development to playing the FIFA 11 aside soccer game at adult competitive levels.

Riddle this why does your association in Alberta let you sign 14 children to play a game where only seven are on the field ?

Clearly if you only signed ten it would be better.

Once you have a 11 aside squad would it not be better to sign 14 ... and have a group of players who if were talking competitive soccer games in the competitive youth league.... you could call on to replace any of the 14 who did not work hard enough or were absent for whatever reason ?

We need to make the structural changes for the top 5% of players at various age groups.... all the rest the 95% after playing ll aside soccer are soccer for life players and should play equal time in recreational leagues, with the goal of enjoying the game and playing it well... with your mates.

[jedinathan]

^ Agreed. About time.

So for the newbs on here, who haven't seen any leagues really fold yet, what does this mean for the NASL?

Does this make people feel that its more secure and stable? Or will they still have to prove a whole lot more to the USSF to get sanctioning next season? (I'm including all the recent upgrades in this question, such as all the personal announced recently)

[Guest Ed]

I don't think it has any bearing on any of your questions. It is just the fact that the NASL is finally getting in line with the rest of the world (outside the USA) in adult soccer in conforming to the standard of 3 subs per game.

[Guest Ed]

Try coaching 7v7 community U10 level, with a roster of 14+, and a bunch of parents who want each of their kids to play all the game. Madnesss...Utter Madness!

You can't seriously expect me to believe that? I coached a lot of community soccer in Alberta, U5 thru U10, and it is CLEARLY understood that it is equal playing time at the community level.

The elite U10 and up are of course handled quite differently.

[alberta white]

^^ Totally Gospel!

worst thing was the Comunity leauge organiser set up only two teams at u10 level because he had 28 kids. Then apparently he got told that the games would be 7 v 7. Go figue that-??

In all honesty, the community we were in He was covering the position made vacant (unexpectedly) by the previous incumbent, and I honestly don't think he had anyone to front up and take a third team.

I will concede It was in my first year in Canada and I was very green around the gills, but I was effectivley railroaded into coaching by that half the parents group who wanted their kids to learn the game from someone who'd previously played for a profesionally convened european club. The the other half were killing time untill hockey season recommenced and obviously considered me to be an efite european Liberal.

Silly thing was, the Higest I played was U19 for a club in North East Counties. Which I suppose Equates to a CSL reserve squad. However I did play in the FA Cup!

[Guest Ed]

What I was surprised about was the statement that parents expected their kids to get more playing time in the community league. Perhaps it is a difference in terms, as in my Calgary club, 'community' is synonymous with 'recreational'. U10 Divisions 1 thru 3 are 'competitive' in that there are tryouts and they participate in the city CMSA league. Div 4 is 'community' and is an internal community league.

My daughter played in community U10 last year, 7 v 7, and they had at least 14 players registered.

[alberta white]

What I was surprised about was the statement that parents expected their kids to get more playing time in the community league. Perhaps it is a difference in terms, as in my Calgary club, 'community' is synonymous with 'recreational'. U10 Divisions 1 thru 3 are 'competitive' in that there are tryouts and they participate in the city CMSA league. Div 4 is 'community' and is an internal community league.

My daughter played in community U10 last year, 7 v 7, and they had at least 14 players registered.

Its suppose to be the same system in Edmonton, but I didnt present itself like that at the time. I think the problem I encountered was that pay up front to play was new to me.

In the UK you tend to pay your subs to a club on a week by week basis. Normally if your starting a club you'll run it from a Clubhouse; Public house or social club, with the Landlord or Committte chipping in with the cost of the Kits etc,. Alternatley Someone in the team will get his HR at work to pay for the shirts on the acceptance that they get the shirt front for advertizing. (they also write it off as a tax loss.) Either way Paying out $200 upfront to play doesn't usually happen.

Similar, during my time in Australia the local soccer and footy (AFL) clubs tended to be run out of Working Mens clubs and pubs with alternate financing (Sponsors Clubhouse bar etc). My Local Club in South australia ran on a $20 yearly membership with 'coin' donations as and when needed.

Problem in my local community at that time was that the Fees for tier football were twice as much as the local community option, so a number of Kids whos parents should have been trialling them for tier football ended up in the cheaper option. That didn't sit well with the group of MOMs who really only wanted a ball bag carrying baby sitter for two nights a week.

Add to the mix a early day, free for all leauge system that put genuine Community teams, cobbled together in late Feb etc, against teams that had not changed from their indoor set up, and were probaly closer to tier sides with vicarious coaches to match; so the whole thing from my perspective was totally unbalanced and down heartening for the Kids who, irrespective of what their parents motive were, actually only wanted to learn how to play.

Anyway as I said, it all went south in spectacular fashion so I dropped out of this quick sharp and now concentrate of teaching my own boys how to play.

Never wanted to manage , only wanted to coach.