Alphonso Davies

[dyslexic nam]

2 hours ago, TRM said:

So just turned 17, earned $65k, has played one full season on the top team getting 1053 minutes in MLS (plus 116 in V's Cup action) and is looking forward to graduating high school next year.

Damn site better than my 16th year I'll tell you.  

 

I had a level 36 wizard in Dungeons and Dragons, and our badminton doubles team got second in our high school's intramural competition, so I can definitely relate to Davies' trajectory.

[Chad_Impact]

Now that he's 17, is he on FIFA 18 yet? 

[badname22]

3 minutes ago, Chad_Impact said:

Now that he's 17, is he on FIFA 18 yet? 

Yep 

68 rating (same as tesho) 

89 potential (same as Bale's current Ablilty)

[Kadenge]

On ‎11‎/‎3‎/‎2017 at 10:42 AM, BenFisk'sBiggestFan said:

He didn’t really start anything offensively. Every time he had the ball seatle would quickly get 2 guys on him. Vancouver just looked slow in general so he couldn’t play off of anyone either... he did win a couple balls back defensively though. Seemed more effective than tchera was in the second half. But really didn’t have the opportunity to do much.

Do we know how much time he actually spent training with the first team this past year? If the school year in Vancouver is similar to Ontario's, then he would be in school from Sept to June inclusive. So no training during the day/early afternoon from March or whenever training camp starts to the end of June and then from Sept to Oct. Perhaps this may explain why his development has not taken off the way we may have expected?

[harrycoyster]

12 minutes ago, Kadenge said:

Do we know how much time he actually spent training with the first team this past year? If the school year in Vancouver is similar to Ontario's, then he would be in school from Sept to June inclusive. So no training during the day/early afternoon from March or whenever training camp starts to the end of June and then from Sept to Oct. Perhaps this may explain why his development has not taken off the way we may have expected?

He trained with the first team full-time...at least nearly full-time, I don't know his study arrangement. He's been taking high school classes online with the aid of Caps staff and goes to Burnaby Central Secondary School on the team's off-day to take tests and sit-in on relevant classes. The Caps and BCSS made this arrangement before the 2016-2017 school year. 

[red card]

Based on Pulisic's comments, Davies having to stay in MLS till eighteen isn't good.

As a result of my dual citizenship, I’ve been able to play in Europe, training at the Dortmund academy, since I was 16. Without it? I would have had to wait until I was 18. And for a soccer player … man, ask anyone and they’ll tell you — those age 16–18 years are everything. From a developmental perspective, it’s almost like this sweet spot: It’s the age where a player’s growth and skill sort of intersect, in just the right way — and where, with the right direction, a player can make their biggest leap in development by far.

In the U.S. system, too often the best player on an under-17 team will be treated like a “star” — not having to work for the ball, being the focus of the offense at all times, etc. — at a time when they should be having to fight tooth and nail for their spot. In Europe, on the other hand, the average level of ability around you is just so much higher. It’s a pool of players where everyone has been “the best player,” and everyone is fighting for a spot — truly week in and week out. Which makes the intensity and humility that you need to bring to the field every day — both from a mental and physical perspective — just unlike anything that you can really experience in U.S. developmental soccer.

It really does frustrate me, when I watch MLS, and I see our best U-17 players — who, again, are so talented and so capable — being rostered … but then not being put on the field much to actually play. I watch that, and I just think about how I was given a chance … a real chance … and it changed my life. Why then are we seemingly hesitant to allow these other talents to blossom?

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/christian-pulisic-usmnt-world-cup/

 

[Vince193]

35 minutes ago, red card said:

Based on Pulisic's comments, Davies having to stay in MLS till eighteen isn't good.

As a result of my dual citizenship, I’ve been able to play in Europe, training at the Dortmund academy, since I was 16. Without it? I would have had to wait until I was 18. And for a soccer player … man, ask anyone and they’ll tell you — those age 16–18 years are everything. From a developmental perspective, it’s almost like this sweet spot: It’s the age where a player’s growth and skill sort of intersect, in just the right way — and where, with the right direction, a player can make their biggest leap in development by far.

In the U.S. system, too often the best player on an under-17 team will be treated like a “star” — not having to work for the ball, being the focus of the offense at all times, etc. — at a time when they should be having to fight tooth and nail for their spot. In Europe, on the other hand, the average level of ability around you is just so much higher. It’s a pool of players where everyone has been “the best player,” and everyone is fighting for a spot — truly week in and week out. Which makes the intensity and humility that you need to bring to the field every day — both from a mental and physical perspective — just unlike anything that you can really experience in U.S. developmental soccer.

It really does frustrate me, when I watch MLS, and I see our best U-17 players — who, again, are so talented and so capable — being rostered … but then not being put on the field much to actually play. I watch that, and I just think about how I was given a chance … a real chance … and it changed my life. Why then are we seemingly hesitant to allow these other talents to blossom?

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/christian-pulisic-usmnt-world-cup/

 

In Davies case I think Robbo is the real detriment to him rather than the MLS system.

[jpg75]

49 minutes ago, Vince193 said:

In Davies case I think Robbo is the real detriment to him rather than the MLS system.

Exactly. He's gotten the PT, but without proper instruction he's still the raw athlete he was 18 months ago.

[harrycoyster]

4 hours ago, red card said:

Based on Pulisic's comments, Davies having to stay in MLS till eighteen isn't good.

As a result of my dual citizenship, I’ve been able to play in Europe, training at the Dortmund academy, since I was 16. Without it? I would have had to wait until I was 18. And for a soccer player … man, ask anyone and they’ll tell you — those age 16–18 years are everything. From a developmental perspective, it’s almost like this sweet spot: It’s the age where a player’s growth and skill sort of intersect, in just the right way — and where, with the right direction, a player can make their biggest leap in development by far.

In the U.S. system, too often the best player on an under-17 team will be treated like a “star” — not having to work for the ball, being the focus of the offense at all times, etc. — at a time when they should be having to fight tooth and nail for their spot. In Europe, on the other hand, the average level of ability around you is just so much higher. It’s a pool of players where everyone has been “the best player,” and everyone is fighting for a spot — truly week in and week out. Which makes the intensity and humility that you need to bring to the field every day — both from a mental and physical perspective — just unlike anything that you can really experience in U.S. developmental soccer.

It really does frustrate me, when I watch MLS, and I see our best U-17 players — who, again, are so talented and so capable — being rostered … but then not being put on the field much to actually play. I watch that, and I just think about how I was given a chance … a real chance … and it changed my life. Why then are we seemingly hesitant to allow these other talents to blossom?

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/christian-pulisic-usmnt-world-cup/

 

Probably why the Dallas and NYRB academies have been so much more successful than the MLS academies that keep kids in the same eighteen-player pool from u12-u18. Looks at the Revs. They sign the top 10-12 11 year olds in the whole New England region, regularly have the most kids make the US u14/u15 teams, and have bottom of the league HGP production. That level of "job" safety isn't good for a kid...it kills the fight necessary to be a pro. 

[jpg75]

20 minutes ago, RandomDude_555 said:

Too bad Davies can't get a Euro passport. He would be light years better than any American players can daydream about. Canada has much better prospects than the USA but very little chance of developing them. 

You're boring me with your weak troll sauce. Try harder.

[C2SKI]

5 hours ago, red card said:

Based on Pulisic's comments, Davies having to stay in MLS till eighteen isn't good.

As a result of my dual citizenship, I’ve been able to play in Europe, training at the Dortmund academy, since I was 16. Without it? I would have had to wait until I was 18. And for a soccer player … man, ask anyone and they’ll tell you — those age 16–18 years are everything. From a developmental perspective, it’s almost like this sweet spot: It’s the age where a player’s growth and skill sort of intersect, in just the right way — and where, with the right direction, a player can make their biggest leap in development by far.

In the U.S. system, too often the best player on an under-17 team will be treated like a “star” — not having to work for the ball, being the focus of the offense at all times, etc. — at a time when they should be having to fight tooth and nail for their spot. In Europe, on the other hand, the average level of ability around you is just so much higher. It’s a pool of players where everyone has been “the best player,” and everyone is fighting for a spot — truly week in and week out. Which makes the intensity and humility that you need to bring to the field every day — both from a mental and physical perspective — just unlike anything that you can really experience in U.S. developmental soccer.

It really does frustrate me, when I watch MLS, and I see our best U-17 players — who, again, are so talented and so capable — being rostered … but then not being put on the field much to actually play. I watch that, and I just think about how I was given a chance … a real chance … and it changed my life. Why then are we seemingly hesitant to allow these other talents to blossom?

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/christian-pulisic-usmnt-world-cup/

 

It's just so contradictory to me. Europe is better because players have to fight tooth and nail to earn a place, yet in America talented 16 year old kids should just be given a  chance. What am I missing?

[lazlo_80]

3 minutes ago, C2SKI said:

It's just so contradictory to me. Europe is better because players have to fight tooth and nail to earn a place, yet in America talented 16 year old kids should just be given a  chance. What am I missing?

the jist is here if you're crowned a "star" you don't learn to challenge yourself against the kids your age because things are given to you because you automatically become the focus of the offense or whatever. Compounding that, these kids never get a chance to challenge themselves against older players because they never see the field for their MLS first team. So all this potential just sort of goes undeveloped because they don't have to work hard anymore at the low levels, and they don't get the opportunities required to take their talent to the next level in the first team.

[C2SKI]

6 minutes ago, lazlo_80 said:

the jist is here if you're crowned a "star" you don't learn to challenge yourself against the kids your age because things are given to you because you automatically become the focus of the offense or whatever. Compounding that, these kids never get a chance to challenge themselves against older players because they never see the field for their MLS first team. So all this potential just sort of goes undeveloped because they don't have to work hard anymore at the low levels, and they don't get the opportunities required to take their talent to the next level in the first team.

For me this doesn't really seem to apply to Davies. He's certainly been given opportunities. Regardless, if the path to success for individual players is currently through European academies because of increased competition, than surely the path to succes as a country is through increasing the competition in our own academies. How does that happen if we don't retain our top talent and bringing in more competition? No country is continually successful by relying on other nations to develop their players

[harrycoyster]

1 hour ago, C2SKI said:

Regardless, if the path to success for individual players is currently through European academies because of increased competition, than surely the path to succes as a country is through increasing the competition in our own academies. How does that happen if we don't retain our top talent and bringing in more competition?

This is the huge question of Canadian/US soccer. Unfortunately, the geographic size of Canada makes the "European" model Pulisic talks about pretty much impossible..... a top player from Fort McMurray or Wyoming is never going to be challenged on his local team. Even our top youth teams in Ontario and BC have to travel incredible distances to face a similar level of competition. 

The Caps u17s just traveled 1,300km one-way to face another USSDA opponent in their geographic division. That's the distance between Munich and Dublin. Our teams are never going have the ability to play twice a week, draw top players from multiple cities, and keep costs low. If we are going to start developing world-class talent, it is going to happen in a distinctly North American way. 

[lazlo_80]

7 hours ago, harrycoyster said:

This is the huge question of Canadian/US soccer. Unfortunately, the geographic size of Canada makes the "European" model Pulisic talks about pretty much impossible..... a top player from Fort McMurray or Wyoming is never going to be challenged on his local team. Even our top youth teams in Ontario and BC have to travel incredible distances to face a similar level of competition. 

The Caps u17s just traveled 1,300km one-way to face another USSDA opponent in their geographic division. That's the distance between Munich and Dublin. Our teams are never going have the ability to play twice a week, draw top players from multiple cities, and keep costs low. If we are going to start developing world-class talent, it is going to happen in a distinctly North American way. 

This is where the CANPL could have a huge impact. you're right, there won't be a good enough training environment in fort mac, but if we even had one in each province that would be a huge help. There's guys like Brett Levis from saskatchewan or even what seems like an insane amount of talent in Winnipeg that have to be good but also need a trememendous amount of luck to fall in to the right training environment. If they aren't on the provincial team they often get no visibility so they go the U-Sports route. 

I'm hopeful the Can PL will make that path to pro significantly easier for these sorts of players and create a more competitive environment for the players it does turn up.

[Watchmen]

27 minutes ago, lazlo_80 said:

This is where the CANPL could have a huge impact. you're right, there won't be a good enough training environment in fort mac, but if we even had one in each province that would be a huge help. There's guys like Brett Levis from saskatchewan or even what seems like an insane amount of talent in Winnipeg that have to be good but also need a trememendous amount of luck to fall in to the right training environment. If they aren't on the provincial team they often get no visibility so they go the U-Sports route. 

I'm hopeful the Can PL will make that path to pro significantly easier for these sorts of players and create a more competitive environment for the players it does turn up.

One of the big problems we keep hearing about with the Whitecaps Residency is the attitude of the players and their "I deserve it" opinion without having actually proven anything. I've heard this is a problem throughout Canadian soccer.  Can PL might be able be able to help identify players with talent, but I don't think gifting Canadian players with roster spots is going to solve the attitude problem.

[lazlo_80]

10 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

One of the big problems we keep hearing about with the Whitecaps Residency is the attitude of the players and their "I deserve it" opinion without having actually proven anything. I've heard this is a problem throughout Canadian soccer.  Can PL might be able be able to help identify players with talent, but I don't think gifting Canadian players with roster spots is going to solve the attitude problem.

au contraire. I think a kid from Sasketchewan playing for his CanPL academy team might get a lot of joy of knocking Whitecap or Toronto FC academy kids down a peg.

[Bison44]

Really?? Kids from the whitecaps (or other MLS academies) think they deserve it?  This has become the flavor of the month complaint.  So a kid from a country that doesnt give 2 shits about soccer is playing in a local residency that doesnt produce players even to an MLS level and he has an attitude?  The coaches cant make the kids aware that MAN U, REAL MADRID, BAYERN MUNICH etc etc are out there eh?  That nations like spain, brazil, germany produce world class players all the time and no one from canada has ever reached that level??  Let alone become a starter with your local club in MLS who itself is in the deep weeds in the big scheme of things globally??  Funny how the most talented recruit (Davies) doesnt seem to have this problem.  

And is this really a player problem or a coaching problem?  Shouldnt the coaches be able to nip the big fish in a small pond thinking, explain to them that they havnt even made it when they get to Van..that Europe is waiting etc.  Get more creative to find competition for the exceptional kids? There has to be something they can do with that MLS money..and Harry is right it has to be a North american solution.  With our geography etc trying to shoe horn in what works in England/germany etc likely wont be practical here.  

[Obinna]

1 hour ago, Bison44 said:

Really?? Kids from the whitecaps (or other MLS academies) think they deserve it?  This has become the flavor of the month complaint.  So a kid from a country that doesnt give 2 shits about soccer is playing in a local residency that doesnt produce players even to an MLS level and he has an attitude?  The coaches cant make the kids aware that MAN U, REAL MADRID, BAYERN MUNICH etc etc are out there eh?  That nations like spain, brazil, germany produce world class players all the time and no one from canada has ever reached that level??  Let alone become a starter with your local club in MLS who itself is in the deep weeds in the big scheme of things globally??  Funny how the most talented recruit (Davies) doesnt seem to have this problem.  

And is this really a player problem or a coaching problem?  Shouldnt the coaches be able to nip the big fish in a small pond thinking, explain to them that they havnt even made it when they get to Van..that Europe is waiting etc.  Get more creative to find competition for the exceptional kids? There has to be something they can do with that MLS money..and Harry is right it has to be a North american solution.  With our geography etc trying to shoe horn in what works in England/germany etc likely wont be practical here.  

I think it is just big fish small pond syndrome. If you can make it to an academy in Canada, you have "made it", so to speak. In Europe, that is just the beginning of your journey, not the end.

When I played youth soccer, I played in two national all-star championships. The CSA would use this tournament to begin building the U15 and U17 National pool, so if you got scouted you were in, but if not there was still hope you'd get identified for the National Training Centre during the tournament. So those were the direct and indirect routes to the youth national team, so to speak.

Now, I never was invited to either, but I clearly remember dreaming, if I could only get scouted...I would have made it! 

Seriously, that was my though and probably the thoughts of all of my teammates, only two of whom got scouted in the end, and that was only in the form of a National Training Centre invite. For us that was the pinnacle. Perhaps there was a different mindset for Provincial teams from Ontario, BC, Alberta or Quebec (the "big four")...I can only give insight into the Newfoundland experience.

One of the two players who attended NTC in Halifax I was closer with, and we talked about his experience years later (we were both adults at this point playing senior ball together). He told me that he showed up unprepared and out of shape and as a result he never got a call back, which was really unfortunate because he was a good player, he just never knew what he was getting himself into.

Anyways, that was really long winded but perhaps it provides a little insight into the mentality of the average competitive youth player who is trying to make the jump to "elite" in Canada.

Based on my experience, I can understand how "elite" players can feel entitled, as if they have already "made it". I'm sure I would have felt that way too if I was able to make that leap...

[Watchmen]

8 hours ago, lazlo_80 said:

au contraire. I think a kid from Sasketchewan playing for his CanPL academy team might get a lot of joy of knocking Whitecap or Toronto FC academy kids down a peg.

Maybe.  But what's his attitude if he makes it to the CanPL?  That's the real issue at this stage, from what I've heard.  They "make it" to the pro team, have a sense of entitlement, and then don't make the effort to push to the next level and earn the playing time.  And I'm not saying that's every kid, but I'm saying that's what I've heard about a number of the Whitecaps academy kids.

[saladroit]

Davies is joining the Whitecaps U19s for the DA Winter Showcase in Florida, which is happening from November 30th to December 3rd.

[harrycoyster]

 

[Chad_Impact]

3 minutes ago, harrycoyster said:

 

Wow nice! I sure hope he doesn't move there once he's 18 though. 

[matty]

10 minutes ago, Chad_Impact said:

Wow nice! I sure hope he doesn't move there once he's 18 though. 

Fuck Man U!

[saladroit]

5 minutes ago, matty said:

Fuck Man U!

You only have to look at my avatar to know how I feel about this post.