Jump to content

Ranking Our Top 5 Prospects/Young Players


Bully

Recommended Posts

My current prospects list (ie, not a 22/23 year old in pro soccer for a while)

1. Ballou Tabla - when I watch him, he just has "it"

2. Alphonso Davies - all the promise in the world at such a young age

3. Adonijah Reid - I don't know where he's playing right now, but he was the best player on the field in the two game series vs USA u18 last year. Skill, speed and a nose for goal.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So many good young players drop off. Are we ranking prospects on how good they are for their age group, or how far we think they will go professionally? I'm interested in whether talent will translate into successful careers, and think our young prospects should look at Atiba, who moved his way up gradually throughout his career. I would tend to favour players like Larin, Shome, or Zanatta (although he hasn't played this season yet) who are already showing they can hold down first team jobs, over players in USL or U-20 squads. But I guess the main thing is steady progression and mastery at each level, and taking the chances they get.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On September 10, 2016 at 6:45 PM, Michael Crampton said:

Larin's greatest attribute is his quick release: the ability to generate power and accuracy without a hard plant and very little pull back on his kicking leg. You think he doesn't have the space and before you blink the ball is in the back of the net.

But to make it work, you need to get him the ball between the penalty spot and the top of the 18, inside the width of the 6.

Strangely, Canada fans don't seem to have any awareness of how good he is at this... It's almost like he never gets the ball in those areas...

(He is somewhat weak on one-on-ones and doesn't make the best decisions on the break.)

When a guy doesn't telegraph his shot, he's pretty dangerous.  I like that about Larin, too.  But he really needs to work on and have confidence with using his left peg.  That outside-of-the-right-boot thing needs to go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Blackdude said:

Wyn Belotte was probably ranked higher than Atiba Hutchinson 16 years ago, so I don't really care about prospects because some will make it and some will not and there's no way knowing who will make it. 

 

Yea but we just got knocked out of World Cup qualifying yet again, so we need something to talk about / some hope! lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 months later...

Nice, back to this thread again. 

Under 23:

1) Davies
2) Larin
3) Tabla
4) Petrasso
5) Froese

I'm going to go off on a tangent and put Froese in there. Real athletic ability, technical ability, and a promising last season. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Bully said:

Nice, back to this thread again. 

Under 23:

1) Davies
2) Larin
3) Tabla
4) Petrasso
5) Froese

I'm going to go off on a tangent and put Froese in there. Real athletic ability, technical ability, and a promising last season. 

Froese clearly would have been on the Gold Cup roster in place of Kaye had he not been competing for his club's starting roster and he would have been a big upgrade from Kaye.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, harrycoyster said:

U20s eligible for Canada:

1) Davies

2) Tabla

3) Tomori

4) Akinola

5) Millar

 

Tomori's long gone boss

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, canta15 said:

Tomori's long gone boss

It's entirely possible Tomori and Akinola end up not being good enough for their preferred national teams. The question with Tomori is whether Canada is even his second choice anymore.

 

22 minutes ago, Dominic94 said:

Remember when our U-20 team beat England's ? And that led to them "discovering" Tomori..

It may have expedited the process, but Tomori was already the starting u18 CB at Chelsea. It's not like he was playing in Brampton and England plucked him from us, he was always a known English national.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, harrycoyster said:

It's entirely possible Tomori and Akinola end up not being good enough for their preferred national teams. The question with Tomori is whether Canada is even his second choice anymore.

 

It may have expedited the process, but Tomori was already the starting u18 CB at Chelsea. It's not like he was playing in Brampton and England plucked him from us, he was always a known English national.

yea it is a possibility but as of right now they are 't our prospects. They don't put on the Red and White. Is Cristante our prospect too?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, canta15 said:

yea it is a possibility but as of right now they are 't our prospects. They don't put on the Red and White. Is Cristante our prospect too?

I labelled it U20s eligible for Canada, if we are talking players that are 100% committed to the program:

1) Davies

2) Millar

3) Hundal

4) Zanatta

5) Chung

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, SpecialK said:

Who's the defender at PSG?

Forgot his name, it's from maybe 5-7 years ago. He's an example of those who were at a top club academy and didn't make it.

Note - If I remember his name I'll update edit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, jpg75 said:

James Chalk. He's a '92.

There are literally a dozen examples from the past 2 decades of guys at top academies who went nowhere.

That's the name ... and that's my point. So, so many high level academy kids fizzle -- this is not just a Canadian trait. Most academy kids don't make it - it's just the numbers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, BCM1555362349 said:

That's the name ... and that's my point. So, so many high level academy kids fizzle -- this is not just a Canadian trait. Most academy kids don't make it - it's just the numbers.

I agree with your point, but it's also worth noting that PSG's academy was a dumpster fire until like 4 years ago.

Edited by harrycoyster
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎2017‎-‎07‎-‎22 at 10:18 AM, harrycoyster said:

I labelled it U20s eligible for Canada, if we are talking players that are 100% committed to the program:

1) Davies

2) Millar

3) Hundal

4) Zanatta

5) Chung

 

Nice to see Chung there, and I think he's got the skills and attitude to develop into a terrific player. He's not yet 18 too. I'd stick Petrasso in there, no?  And a guy like Gloire Amanda has huge potential, and is only 18. I like players who work their assess off!  As we know, lots of kids have talent and promise, but the kids who have soccer brains, stay humble, and work their asses off are the ones that have the best shot at becoming real pros.  

Also, Chapman has most of the tools for becoming a terrific midfielder. He needs to play faster and learn the game, but it sure does not hurt training with guys like Bradley and Vazquez.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, The Beaver said:

I'd stick Petrasso in there, no?  And a guy like Gloire Amanda has huge potential, and is only 18.

Also, Chapman has most of the tools for becoming a terrific midfielder. He needs to play faster and learn the game, but it sure does not hurt training with guys like Bradley and Vazquez.

Petrasso/Chapman are over 20 and Amanda was recently demoted from a 4 star to 3 star prospect by TopDrawerSoccer. He's pretty lacking in the technical aspects of his game, but hell can he run for 90 minutes. I'm just not sure if he has the touch and finishing to be an MLS forward. I'm pretty confident Hundal and Chung will be at the very least MLS role players. 

Edited by harrycoyster
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...