Alberto7 Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 The Impact U-21 Academy team will now become a U-23 team in the PDL: http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2013/12/montreal-impact-joins-pdl The Montreal Impact joins PDL U21 team becomes U23 in development league 3 December 2013 Montreal Impact MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced on Tuesday that the club’s U21 team will join the PDL in 2014 as a U23 team. The Impact U23 will play 14 games in the league’s regular season throughout the summer, from May through July. “The PDL will be a good level of competition for us this year,” noted Montreal Impact Academy director Philippe Eullaffroy. “We will be able to manage our roster between PDL games, the U18 competing in the USSDA and the MLS Reserve League.” “The addition of the Montreal Impact is another fantastic step forward for the PDL, following the recent announcement of the San Jose Earthquakes,” said PDL senior director Ryan Brooks. “More and more MLS and USL PRO teams are realizing that the PDL is an ideal platform for the development of their young talent.” The PDL was comprised of 64 teams across the United States and Canada in the 2013 season, with regional competition based across four conferences. The Impact are expected to compete in the Eastern Conference’s Northeast Division, which this past season included U.S. Open Cup participant the GPS Portland Phoenix and division champion Ottawa Fury FC. Four other MLS clubs have teams in the PDL, with the San Jose Earthquakes also set to join the league alongside the Impact in 2014. The Chicago Fire, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Portland Timbers have all been long-term members of the top amateur development league in North America. Three other MLS clubs have partnerships with PDL clubs, with the Philadelphia Union (Reading United AC), Seattle Sounders FC (Sounders FC U23) and New England Revolution (Real Boston Rams). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcalibre Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Great news, guessing they'll be in the Northeast, effectively replacing Ottawa. Now to get Toronto's academy in the Great Lakes conference. The Lynx-TFC Academy derbies could be something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberto7 Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 I also think this is great news. The 14 game schedule is a little short, as is the season(May to July), but the league is very well structured and travel is limited. AT least they have a place to play next season as opposed to 2013 when they had to play several exhibition matches. I also like this better than the CSL, where they were for the first couple of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ClaytonA Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Is Ottawa out of the PDL for 2014? There's nothing on their website to indicate a PDL team, but no announcement that I'm aware of. It'd be good to see the Impact putting a team in the PLSQ as well for players not going to NCAA since those players would be able to play along side semi-pros as a stop gap to this USL Pro reserve team/affiliation idea. USL PDL won't bridge the gap between U18 USSDA and the first team adequately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdude Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 It'd be good to see the Impact putting a team in the PLSQ as well for players not going to NCAA since those players would be able to play along side semi-pros as a stop gap to this USL Pro reserve team/affiliation idea. USL PDL won't bridge the gap between U18 USSDA and the first team adequately. I doubt that this is happening. The Impact would rather play unformal friendlies here and there when the PDL season is not going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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