Tani Oluwaseyi

[Corazon]

I can’t help but notice the opposite trajectory of career paths of two young MLS strikers.  
On one side we have Akinola who was a highly rated dual national prospect breaking through the professional ranks at the age of 17.  Haste has a break out season for Toronto FC at the age of 20, while scoring 9 goals and one assist in 17 games.  He represented USA internationally at the U15, U17 & U20 youth levels, playing 51 games and scoring 38 goals. He also represented USA at the senior level scoring a goal in his lone friendly.

Tani, another dual national, plays in a local Ontario academy before playing 4 years on scholarship at St. John’s University in the NCAA.  He wins a multitude of awards and plays some semi pro ball as well.  He gets drafted by Minnesota in the MLS after his senior season.  In his first professional season, he plays for Minnesota’s 2nd team in MLS NextPro scoring 3 goals and 2 assists in 13 games.  Signs an extension for the first team and immediately spends the season on loan at San Antonio in the USL, where he excels scoring 17 and 7 assists in 27 games.  In his 3rd professional season, he seems to be a regular for the first team, where he continues to excel scoring 2 goals and providing 2 assists off the bench in 143 total minutes to date.  He has never represented any nation at any level.

Yet, I have no doubt in my mind, he is ahead of Akinola in our striker depth for the Canadian national program.  Two very different career paths.  Both born in 2000 by the way.  Tani just happens to be a few months younger.

Edited April 7 by Corazon

[kacbru]

18 minutes ago, Corazon said:

I can’t help but notice the opposite trajectory of career paths of two young MLS strikers.  
On one side we have Akinola who was a highly rated dual national prospect breaking through the professional ranks at the age of 17.  Has a break out season for Toronto at 20 scoring 9 goals in 17 seasons.  Who represented USA internationally at the  U15, U17, U20 youth levels playing 51 games and scoring 38 goals. Who represented USA at the senior level scoring a goal in his lone friendly.

Tani, another dual national, plays in a local Ontario academy before playing 4 years on scholarship at St. John’s University.  Wins a multitude of awards and plays some semi pro ball as well.  Gets drafted by Minnesota in the MLS after his senior season.  In his first professional season, he plays for Minnesota’s 2nd team in MLS NextPro scoring 3 goals and 2 assists in 13 games.  Signs an extension for the first team and immediately spends the season on loan at San Antonio in the USL, where he excels scoring 17 and 7 assists in 27 games.  In his 3rd professional season, he seems to be a regular for the first team where he continues to excel scoring 2 goals and providing 2 assists off the bench in 143 total minutes to date.  He has never represented any nation at any level.

Yet, I have no doubt in my mind, he is ahead of Akinola in our striker depth for the Canadian national program.  Two very different career paths.  Both born in 2000 by the way.  Tani just happens to be a few months younger.

Just a pedantic correction in my mind - Ayo's "breakout" season was 4 goals in 14 games. I don't count his 5 goals from his 3 MLS is back games. They were essentially preseason and we don't count preseason goals at any other time. 

[archer21]

9 hours ago, kacbru said:

Just a pedantic correction in my mind - Ayo's "breakout" season was 4 goals in 14 games. I don't count his 5 goals from his 3 MLS is back games. They were essentially preseason and we don't count preseason goals at any other time. 

I don’t think that’s fair to Ayo. The matches counted toward regular season standings so it’s not like teams weren’t trying or were playing experimental lineups or something.

[dyslexic nam]

37 minutes ago, archer21 said:

I don’t think that’s fair to Ayo. The matches counted toward regular season standings so it’s not like teams weren’t trying or were playing experimental lineups or something.

Yeah I always counted his performances in MLSiB as fairly solid.  Sure maybe some of the other teams were still getting match fit but all teams faced similar challenges.   

[InglewoodJack]

He has 2G/2A in 5 games which is awesome, but each of his goals have been late equalizers, and both of his assists have been on game winning goals. That’s pretty insane. 

[VinceA]

Low key if he continues this tear on limited minutes I'd want to call him in for the June friendly. Having someone as a super sub would be very nice.

[Pottsy3]

49 minutes ago, VinceA said:

Low key if he continues this tear on limited minutes I'd want to call him in for the June friendly. Having someone as a super sub would be very nice.

One to continue monitoring, but I think Shaffelburg and (a healthy) Millar should continue filling that role ahead of him.

[narduch]

Scored tonight. Game is on TSN

 

 

[dyslexic nam]

Not to downplay the quality of the finish (or channel UT) but that is some pretty chill defending.   

[Ivan]

Just hit the post in around 55th min. Now off at 60.

[gigi riva]

If he keeps this pace up he shgould be getting a callup for the September friendlies . Unless he goes on a tear which I doubt  maybe sooner

[kacbru]

3 hours ago, dyslexic nam said:

Not to downplay the quality of the finish (or channel UT) but that is some pretty chill defending.   

Yeah - that was my thought too.  A high looping ball that bounces and he still has to wait for it to come down before he hits it.  I defend with more urgency in my Masters 'training' where we are all just trying not to get hurt.

[narduch]

 

 

[narduch]

TFC are never really going to live down how bad they are at youth development 

[costarg]

4 hours ago, narduch said:

TFC are never really going to live down how bad they are at youth development 

Development and scouting.

[VinceA]

6 hours ago, narduch said:

 

 

He mentions at the end he loves both Canada and Nigeria very much, and would play for either, it's just about who wants him most.

I think based on both depth charts we have a much surer shot.

[Corazon]

Has just scored another goal.  Right place, right time as it was played to him at the back post for a simple tap into the open net.

https://x.com/mls/status/1784389679397159095?s=46&t=tKRu86Vea8ViJ1G0Nj6cIA

 

Edited Sunday at 01:15 AM by Corazon

[PegCityCam]

On 4/26/2024 at 3:29 PM, narduch said:

TFC are never really going to live down how bad they are at youth development 

How the fuck did this kid fall through the cracks in Toronto?! He mentions in his interview that TFC had "zero interest". Genuinely shocking. Canada better not screw this up.

[Corazon]

24 minutes ago, PegCityCam said:

How the fuck did this kid fall through the cracks in Toronto?! He mentions in his interview that TFC had "zero interest". Genuinely shocking. Canada better not screw this up.

TFC had another Nigerian-Canadian “wonder kid striker” in Akinola.  Both born in the year 2000 and would have competed for that age groups # 9 spot.

I guess they’re regretting that decision.

Edited Sunday at 02:29 AM by Corazon

[Shway]

24 minutes ago, PegCityCam said:

How the fuck did this kid fall through the cracks in Toronto?! He mentions in his interview that TFC had "zero interest". Genuinely shocking. Canada better not screw this up.

I dislike when I see this, and I've seen it mentioned enough here.

How does a kid fall through the cracks? Because Toronto is a hotbed for talent with limited opportunities and TFC shouldn't be expected to "catch them all"!

Especially when playing in a league like MLS where every year each team has the possibility to win MLS Cup. So they build their teams as such every year.

Shaan Hundal 99"
Ayo Akinola 00"
Jordan Peruzza 01"
Jacob Shaffelburg 99"
Luke Singh 00"
Julian Dunn 00"
Luca Petrasso 00"
Noble Okello 00"

All guys who have had first team minutes.

Just imagine 1 professional team, that has academy teams for about 5 age groups that have 20 max players signed, in a province that has nearly 50% of the countries registered youth players. 

Tani, Buchanan, Mitrovic, Cornelius, Millar, Miller, Johnston, Laryea, Godinho, Ahmed, Promise, L. Johnson,...

Thank God for the CPL, and may God bless it too. 

 

[Shway]

@PegCityCam To make this more relevant to you....Valour is in their 6th season and out of 100 players that have played for the club only 1 player was a Manitoba product. I also don't even know if there has ever been a player from Manitoba who has played for the national team or abroad. 

Is it a lack of talent? or a lack of genuine opportunities? 
I'm taking the latter.  

Shaffelburg from a smaller province was fortunate to be given the opportunity or else his path would've been very different if he wasn't presented to TFC. 

[An Observer]

1 hour ago, Shway said:

I dislike when I see this, and I've seen it mentioned enough here.

How does a kid fall through the cracks? Because Toronto is a hotbed for talent with limited opportunities and TFC shouldn't be expected to "catch them all"!

Especially when playing in a league like MLS where every year each team has the possibility to win MLS Cup. So they build their teams as such every year.

Shaan Hundal 99"
Ayo Akinola 00"
Jordan Peruzza 01"
Jacob Shaffelburg 99"
Luke Singh 00"
Julian Dunn 00"
Luca Petrasso 00"
Noble Okello 00"

All guys who have had first team minutes.

Just imagine 1 professional team, that has academy teams for about 5 age groups that have 20 max players signed, in a province that has nearly 50% of the countries registered youth players. 

Tani, Buchanan, Mitrovic, Cornelius, Millar, Miller, Johnston, Laryea, Godinho, Ahmed, Promise, L. Johnson,...

Thank God for the CPL, and may God bless it too. 

 

I agree. It’s not that TFC missed anyone. Kids develop at different rates especially in late teens to early 20s. The bigger issue is that with all the talent they have in their youth setup, they do a terrible job developing them during those years. 

Edited Sunday at 04:11 AM by An Observer
Grammar

[PegCityCam]

11 hours ago, Shway said:

@PegCityCam To make this more relevant to you....Valour is in their 6th season and out of 100 players that have played for the club only 1 player was a Manitoba product. I also don't even know if there has ever been a player from Manitoba who has played for the national team or abroad. 

Is it a lack of talent? or a lack of genuine opportunities? 
I'm taking the latter.  

Shaffelburg from a smaller province was fortunate to be given the opportunity or else his path would've been very different if he wasn't presented to TFC. 

Fair points about TFC. Can't catch em all to be sure. As far as Manitoba goes I'd say it's a multi-faceted issue that has a lot to do with lack of quality coaching, lack of quality competition and lack of facilities during our long winters. Basically a lack of opportunities as you said, but of a different sort than kids face in Ontario...can't expect to discover (or nurture for that matter) talent that doesn't even have the basic needs to develop in the first place.

When WSA Winnipeg (now FC Manitoba) arrived in 2010 things began to change and a number of decent products from Winnipeg/Manitoba have gone through that system: Ali Musse, Kyle Heibert, Dylan Carreiro. The Whitecaps also came along in 2015 and formed a developmental partnership with the MSA. Also, in the last 10 years there have been 2 full sized indoor soccer complexes built and another nearly full-sized one as well. Finally, partially because of what WSA began in 2010, more seriously dedicated academies have begun to be a thing here in Manitoba, and in turn the level of competition and coaching has been increasing for our younger players.

As far as I know 5 Winnipeggers have played for Valour: Tyler Attardo, Dylan Carreiro, Marco Bustos, Tyson Ferrago, and Dylan Sacramento. All early days when there was a coach who was actually invested locally. For Canada, Heibert, Kianz Froese, Bustos off the top of my head.

Valour does very little in terms of development for our province. They've hosted a few 4 day camp type things for kids in the summer. They are "affiliated" with a number of youth academies in the city but I'm really not sure what that entails, if anything. They also have open tryouts every year so the opportunity to play professionally is there. Unfortunately, the club's lack of community and fan engagement is prevalent at all levels. Hope that changes but I'm not holding my breath. 

Edited Sunday at 03:04 PM by PegCityCam

[gigi riva]

On 4/26/2024 at 3:22 PM, narduch said:

 

 

Who knows maybe the kid was a late bloomer

[Soccerpro2]

On 4/27/2024 at 10:36 PM, Shway said:

@PegCityCam To make this more relevant to you....Valour is in their 6th season and out of 100 players that have played for the club only 1 player was a Manitoba product. I also don't even know if there has ever been a player from Manitoba who has played for the national team or abroad. 

Is it a lack of talent? or a lack of genuine opportunities? 
I'm taking the latter.  

Shaffelburg from a smaller province was fortunate to be given the opportunity or else his path would've been very different if he wasn't presented to TFC. 

Shaffelburg went to a top tier prep school in the U.S (my cousin to the same school for hockey 20 years ago). He also played summer PDL (I believe) in the U.S during that time.

If he never left N.S and didn't get the training, competition and exposure that he got in the U.S, would he have developed the same? Would TFC, or anyone else given him a sniff? No to both questions is my answer. Do you know how hard it is to stand out on a national stage when your team get smacked at club nationals by bigger provinces even if you're a really good player?

After having lived in several provinces in Canada (and playing university soccer for a few schools), it's clear to me there is a provincial hierarchy for pro soccer prospects in this country. Group A is Ontario, and then below them B.C, Quebec, Alberta. Group B is everyone else. Your chances of becoming a pro, regardless of your talent level, shrinks atomically if you are from a group B province.

It seems that Calgary and Edmonton are the cut off as far as what's required to produce a pro player. Winnipeg, at a couple hundred thousand people less, doesn't have the same development ability. This is due to several factors, but the biggest in my mind is competition. Winnipeg is just so isolated that top players don't get challenged playing in the city and Winnipeg doesn't have a Calgary or Edmonton 3 hours up the road to play against, and they don't regularly attend tournaments in B.C the way the top Alberta teams or the Pacific NW they way BC teams do or the U.S the way top teams in Ontario might (along with other strong competition from Quebec and Ontario teams)..

If you're from Halifax, and you're a top player, how do you get better? If you make it to club nationals/provincial teams you get to play against top level competition once every year or two. Other than that you play against crappy Maritime teams and maybe 2 decent teams in the Halifax region. How does that improve you as a player? How does that raise your level? It doesn't. It means you have to get out of there to a full time training environment, and how the hell are you going to accomplish that being on the East coast?

Coaching is a big issue in this country no doubt. But even if you have the best coaching in the world, it doesn't mean anything if you don't stay sharp playing against strong competition.

Edited 6 hours ago by Soccerpro2