General Discussion on Canadian Youth Teams

[Keegan]

1 hour ago, harrycoyster said:

Yes and no. Sigma’s business model is semi-reliant on the NCAA and they have long figured out how to avoid violation issues. Basically, Sigma did not receive any compensation directly from the transfer. However, they have an agreement with Larin for his representation rights. So Larin’s agent, Costa Smyrniotis, is a Sigma employee. So Sigma received compensation through Smyrniotis’ agent fee, but not through the traditional avenue.

EDIT: Forgive my spelling errors. I’m still laughably bad at using touch keyboards.

Interesting, so any team that promotes kids going to ncaa without such an arrangement would be acting against their own interests?  At the end of the day everything benefits MLS that’s the point here - if NCAA is to be a part of the pyramid they should be able to waive their right to compensation.  Private academies will get frustrated and be less effective - pay to play isn’t a successful model.

Even so, something is wrong.  Why would a player like McKennie who had no intention of going to ncaa not have compensation but Manjrekar James coming from a program like Sigma would (assuming so, because Liam Millar did).  But then these same programs could have players go and be ncaa eligible?  This doesn’t make sense does it? 

CPL academies are the great hope essentially.  So we can operate like a normal football country and spread the wealth. 

MLS is brilliant, you can tell that their strategy in 1996 was to keep costs disciplined and low and they’ve stuck to their guns for 22 years.  Something has had to give and it’s their top prospects, but even then they still get half of them and that seems to be worth it for them.  It’s business first and football second but crucially that allowed the league to survive and has allowed the league to attract mega superstars and build the game in the USA which is more important than having a proper structure.  

For us, we can ride the coattails of MLS bringing football to the mainstream in North America but now we can turn around and try to do things correctly with football first - on a smaller scale. It’s a unique opportunity.

Edited July 16, 2018 by Keegan

[harrycoyster]

37 minutes ago, Keegan said:

Interesting, so any team that promotes kids going to ncaa without such an arrangement would be acting against their own interests?

Like everything else I’ve been talking about, it’s complicated. I’ve talked to many youth club presidents and all have legal, economic and political reasons for their specific models. The geographic differences in youth soccer operations are astounding.

[YorkRegionFan]

Joshua Kloke of The Athletic (behind a paywall) has a nice article on youth coaching.

Here are some excerpts

" He( Shaun Lowther ) said the pipeline from was the biggest issue facing the men’s team. Not enough boys were making it beyond those learn-to-play years, and the system was not doing enough to retain those who showed the early glimmers of promise. "

“We need to get people specifically trained to coach youth players,” said Lowther. “We need to focus on what’s best for players at a young age.”

The article goes on to describe a pilot project for Youth Licenses that starts in Richmond Hill on July 23. 

[Ansem]

 

[Guest Tg11]

8 hours ago, YorkRegionFan said:

Joshua Kloke of The Athletic (behind a paywall) has a nice article on youth coaching.

Here are some excerpts

" He( Shaun Lowther ) said the pipeline from was the biggest issue facing the men’s team. Not enough boys were making it beyond those learn-to-play years, and the system was not doing enough to retain those who showed the early glimmers of promise. "

“We need to get people specifically trained to coach youth players,” said Lowther. “We need to focus on what’s best for players at a young age.”

The article goes on to describe a pilot project for Youth Licenses that starts in Richmond Hill on July 23. 

It just goes to show just what the CSA as an organization lacks because the way they develop talent or coach talent anyway is questionable and that is why Canada can't properly move further along as a potential footballing nation.

[BCM]

Note: Posted on U-20 thread, but remembered this one was out there...

John Hackworth, US U-17 NT coach gets it. We get it, so why doesn't the CSA get it?!?!

On US travel to play in Mexico and Costa Rica this month.

“In addition, we continue to grow the 2002/2003 pool by selecting a few players that will represent the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team for the first time. As we move closer to World Cup qualifying, this experience is invaluable as it is impossible to replicate what playing opponents like Mexico and Costa Rica in Central America is really like until you actually do it. The lessons these young men will learn on this trip will help them tremendously as they continue to develop.”

[harrycoyster]

At the CONCACAF u13 Championship, TFC has been eliminated by LAFC while Montreal beat Real Esteli to reach the semis. Most of the better Mexican and American sides don't take part in this event, but Montreal has been the best side at the tournament from what I'm hearing.

[Blackjack15]

I wonder what GK Thomas Hasal will do soon, he’s a top prospect and rated highly by Canada Soccer

He’s at the last year of the senior residency program (19yo) and really only has 3 options

Be promoted to the Whitecaps First Team

Join USL’s Fresno FC or go on loan somewhere else

and finally go to College (NCAA D1 Schools) 

*Saskatoon Native* if they have a CanPL team there or in Regina seems like a win-win situation 

 

Edited August 19, 2018 by Thomas

[jordan]

There is a big lack of talent in the CB spot 

Edited August 20, 2018 by jordan

[Bison44]

Lets not joke around.  If he gets promoted he wont play with the first club.  Fresno is a joke. Verhoeven has 900min, Campbell and Baldisimio have had 2 cups of coffee since going to fresno.  Unless he is a better prospect than Verhoeven dont even bother.  a CPL loan to a CDN club that might actually play a CDN keeper seems like the best bet.  Although my dad told me education is a good thing, keepers have long carer's, he would come out at 23 with something to fall back on besides soccer.  

[harrycoyster]

23 hours ago, harrycoyster said:

At the CONCACAF u13 Championship, TFC has been eliminated by LAFC while Montreal beat Real Esteli to reach the semis. Most of the better Mexican and American sides don't take part in this event, but Montreal has been the best side at the tournament from what I'm hearing.

Montreal also fall to LAFC, will play for third place.

[Ngravs]

Wasn’t too sure where to put this one but young talent in Winnipeg.. much too early obviously (11 years old) but interesting that he’s been to Barcelona. 

[Namaste]

9 hours ago, Ngravs said:

Wasn’t too sure where to put this one but young talent in Winnipeg.. much too early obviously (11 years old) but interesting that he’s been to Barcelona. 

CAP TIE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jith12]

16 hours ago, Ngravs said:

Wasn’t too sure where to put this one but young talent in Winnipeg.. much too early obviously (11 years old) but interesting that he’s been to Barcelona. 

I didn't know that Zlatan had a Canadian son...

[Jith12]

I found an interesting graphic that someone had posted on Twitter a couple days ago. It is a calendar for the 2019 EXCEL program, but I'm not sure what the original source is: 

For me, the most important parts of the calendar are the national youth team camps that are listed:

• U18-23
  • February 15-24, Location TBD "Best With Best Camp"
  • December 2-11, Mexico City, Mexico "Best With Best Camp"
• U17
  • March 4-13, Location TBD "Best With Best Camp"
  • April 16-23, Florida, USA "Pre-CONCACAF U17 Camp"
  • August 4-13, Location TBD "Best With Best Camp"
  • September 25-October 4, Location TBD "Pre U17 World Cup Camp"
• U15
  • July 14-21, Location TBD "Best With Best Camp"
  • December 2-11, Mexico City, Mexico "Best With Best Camp"

That is a total of eight youth camps planned for the various youth teams this year. If you add in the CONCACAF U17 and U15 Championships this year, and potentially the U17 FIFA World Cup, we could have as many as 11 youth camps this year. This is great news for our youth programs and hopefully can put any talk of us not having enough youth camps to bed.

[Shway]

Theres that February camp Godinho was talking about? 

[Namaste]

On 1/20/2019 at 4:24 PM, Jith12 said:

I found an interesting graphic that someone had posted on Twitter a couple days ago. It is a calendar for the 2019 EXCEL program, but I'm not sure what the original source is: 

For me, the most important parts of the calendar are the national youth team camps that are listed:

• U18-23
  • February 15-24, Location TBD "Best With Best Camp"
  • December 2-11, Mexico City, Mexico "Best With Best Camp"
• U17
  • March 4-13, Location TBD "Best With Best Camp"
  • April 16-23, Florida, USA "Pre-CONCACAF U17 Camp"
  • August 4-13, Location TBD "Best With Best Camp"
  • September 25-October 4, Location TBD "Pre U17 World Cup Camp"
• U15
  • July 14-21, Location TBD "Best With Best Camp"
  • December 2-11, Mexico City, Mexico "Best With Best Camp"

That is a total of eight youth camps planned for the various youth teams this year. If you add in the CONCACAF U17 and U15 Championships this year, and potentially the U17 FIFA World Cup, we could have as many as 11 youth camps this year. This is great news for our youth programs and hopefully can put any talk of us not having enough youth camps to bed.

Looking forward to seeing the camp roster for the Best with Best camp U18-U23, whenever that might be released. 

Is this calendar made by Soccer Canada or on their website? 

[Vince193]

I'm interested to see how many CPL players get invited to these camps. I think we'll see a good amount considering the MLS/Europe ones might run into issues getting released by their clubs.

[Bison44]

I wonder how many non MLS academy kids get called to the u-17 excel camp in march.  I know we have complained that many of the previous camps have been too heavy on the academy kids.  We know they visited the mls squads, hopefully they did their homework on Sigma (they always seem under represented) and all the other clubs too.  

[Jith12]

I'm pretty sure that the whole point of the EXCEL program is to align MLS academies with the national philosophies. Since only MLS academies are a part of the ECXEL program, I would expect a camp 100% MLS based squad.

[Bison44]

Wow, missed this one.  

https://www.canadasoccer.com/canada-soccer-successfully-integrates-men-s-excel-program-across-canadian-mls-academies-p162030

"Canada Soccer’s Men’s EXCEL Program channels our nation’s exceptional players into the best soccer environments. The Canada Soccer Pathway works in collaboration with our provincial and territory partners as well as the professional clubs and academies. For Canada’s elite players, the program emphasizes player development on the pathway to representing Canada’s Men’s National Team in international soccer."

Not sure how I feel about this, I hope that isnt 100% MLS academy kids.  I couldnt find where it says the program is only for them.  I guess it would have left out David, Larin, James and any number of other good pros to come out of non academy enviroments.  

 

[1996]

19 hours ago, Bison44 said:

Wow, missed this one.  

https://www.canadasoccer.com/canada-soccer-successfully-integrates-men-s-excel-program-across-canadian-mls-academies-p162030

"Canada Soccer’s Men’s EXCEL Program channels our nation’s exceptional players into the best soccer environments. The Canada Soccer Pathway works in collaboration with our provincial and territory partners as well as the professional clubs and academies. For Canada’s elite players, the program emphasizes player development on the pathway to representing Canada’s Men’s National Team in international soccer."

Not sure how I feel about this, I hope that isnt 100% MLS academy kids.  I couldnt find where it says the program is only for them.  I guess it would have left out David, Larin, James and any number of other good pros to come out of non academy enviroments.  

 

You couldn’t find because it’s open to all players , if your good enough your in the program simple as that.

[Vince193]

Looks like the US is going to have a U23 camp coming up.

And we are...um...yeah. 

[Bison44]

19 minutes ago, Vince193 said:

Looks like the US is going to have a U23 camp coming up.

And we are...um...yeah. 

You missed it Vince, it was feb 15-24, it says so right on Herdmans excel schedule 2-3 posts up.  

[Vince193]

1 hour ago, Bison44 said:

You missed it Vince, it was feb 15-24, it says so right on Herdmans excel schedule 2-3 posts up.  

lmao did that even happen.