CONCACAF U17 qualifying: Guatemala Feb 2023 ( + preparation & news )

[Unnamed Trialist]

19 hours ago, RichV said:

- a portion of the fee goes to the provincial association and the CSA (most likely includes insurance coverage).

- a portion goes to cover the registrar fees (admin salary, license for software, computer, office space, internet connection, banking fees, etc.)

- a portion will cover the technical director salary and expenses (the TD is probably feeding those Teen coaches an activity plan).

- a portion goes to advertising the program.

My point is that these programs, when done right, are not the money maker you might think. Our club runs a deficit every year, we need fund raisers to break even. We are a not-for-profit organization and we have never turned a player away because they can't afford the fees (although, I would argue that is because people without money don't even enquire about playing, but that is a different discussion).

Without pay-to-play, the system would not exist. 

 

Sounds great @RichV, tell us what club it is if you don't mind.

[SoccMan]

20 hours ago, InglewoodJack said:

$45 + cleats for U6 back when I played in the late 90s. No clue how parents do it anymore.

Lol they still seem to do it for hockey now in todays world , compared to hockey and what some of my working buddies pay or have payed for their kids in hockey soccer is still a bargain .

[aredding77]

Some of the Canadians are posting on their Instagram that they are on their way to Guatemala.  Players that have posted so far include:

• Victor Fung
• Lazar Stefanovic
• Ruben de Sa
• Ibrahim Higazy

With the exception of Higazy, not many surprises so far, but good that everyone on this list is a duel national.

Edited January 31, 2023 by aredding77

[El Hombre]

On 1/26/2023 at 3:55 PM, hodgkiss said:

Anyone know if the U17 tournament will be on one soccer/fubo?

According to Concacaf, it is on OneSoccer.

https://www.concacaf.com/en/under-17s-men/watch/

[Strait Red]

roster has dropped

CANADA
GK- Nathaniel Abraham | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
GK- Alexander O’Brien | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
CB- Richard Chukwu | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
CB- Victor Fung | CAN / Inter Miami FC Academy
CB- Étienne Godin | CAN / Académie CF Montréal
CB- Simon Guardiero | CAN / Sigma FC
CB- Chimere Omeze | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
CB- Lazar Stefanovic | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
FB- Gaël de Montigny | CAN / Académie CF Montréal
FB- Aidan Fong | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy
FB- Theo Rigopoulos | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
M- Jeevan Badwal | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy
M- Alessandro Biello | CAN / Académie CF Montréal
M- Ruben de Sá | POR / Vitória SC
M- Andrei Dumitru | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
M- Matteo Landicho-Correia | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
M- Liam MacKenzie | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy
M- Antoine N’Diaye | CAN / Académie CF Montréal
F- Ibrahim Higazy | ESP / Rayo Vallecano
F- Antoni Klukowski | POL / Legia Warsaw
F- Lucas Ozimec | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
F- Erik Pop | GER / Karlsruher FC
F- Kyler Vojvodic | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy

Edited January 31, 2023 by Strait Red

[El Hombre]

The release says that they have a pre-tournament friendly lined up with Guatemala, so that's good news.

[Soccerpro2]

Was hoping for more TFC players on the roster.

Here's hoping this youth team doesn't run around like chickens with their heads cut off when they have to defend. Our offensive play has improved a bit with our youth teams, our defence is often in shambles.

[Dominic94]

Wow I didn’t know half of the countries best players for this age played on TFC…

[Corazon]

14 minutes ago, Dominic94 said:

Wow I didn’t know half of the countries best players for this age played on TFC…

You really woke up with a Toronto hard on this morning....

[Dominic94]

5 minutes ago, Corazon said:

You really woke up with a Toronto hard on this morning....

In this case I have to ask why we can’t scout better… too much mls Canada in here 

[narduch]

26 minutes ago, Soccerpro2 said:

Was hoping for more TFC players on the roster.

Here's hoping this youth team doesn't run around like chickens with their heads cut off when they have to defend. Our offensive play has improved a bit with our youth teams, our defence is often in shambles.

I won't lie. I don't know this age group well enough.

Is the MLS hegemony because these are the best U-17s in the country? Or is this lazy scouting. I'm not sure.

[RS]

1 minute ago, narduch said:

I won't lie. I don't know this age group well enough.

Is the MLS hegemony because these are the best U-17s in the country? Or is this lazy scouting. I'm not sure.

Likely a bit of both, to be honest.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

Just now, narduch said:

I won't lie. I don't know this age group well enough.

Same.

1 minute ago, narduch said:

Is the MLS hegemony because these are the best U-17s in the country? Or is this lazy scouting. I'm not sure.

To be fair many of the dual national kids at the three MLS academies were invited by other CONCACAF countries.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

On 1/26/2023 at 12:37 PM, El Hombre said:

We're two weeks and two days out from the first game so it should be soon.  Hopefully it drops Saturday or Sunday.

On 1/26/2023 at 1:15 PM, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

I doubt it. I think the CSA will be last-minute and not publish it before Thursday, February 2nd, so I'd expect it about a week from now.

Well, @El Hombre , it was something in between.

Can't be too optimistic or too pessimistic.

Edited January 31, 2023 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[El Hombre]

Just now, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

Well, something in between.

Yeah, but I think I was more right than you.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

1 minute ago, El Hombre said:

Yeah, but I think I was more right than you.

Tuesday is halfway between Sunday and Thursday.

[RS]

I'd like to see CPL teams eventually have proper academies so the squad lists aren't dominated by one or two teams.

Aside from optics, you'd have to think that the wider net cast by CPL would catch more Alistair Johnston types who didn't play on any youth national teams.

[narduch]

Is the coach confirmed? Olivieri?

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

On 1/19/2023 at 12:50 AM, Corazon said:

Stumbled across this on Instagram.  Former FTF Canada player Adrian Mahoney was called up to the Jamaican U17 team according to FTF Canada’s Instagram account.  I was unable to find anything further on twitter or online in general.  Looks like he’s from Toronto and has played or is playing with Toronto FC Academy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnkHB-XpDXh/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

@Corazon , I thought I should include your post in this thread too.

Edited January 31, 2023 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[RS]

2 minutes ago, narduch said:

Is the coach confirmed? Olivieri?

Ugh. I'm not @SpecialK but I'd love for Canada Soccer to not give that guy what seems like his 20th chance to fail.

[Bikerack]

I’m always optimistic when we have the youth roster releases but it’s so frustrating when the majority are MLS academy players. Not saying they are not capable but I know we have a broader pool and very talented players in our domestic leagues. And how many of our national team starters have come from the domestic leagues and not from academies ? More than half? Is this lack of scouting or politics ? 
 

frustrating 

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

1 hour ago, El Hombre said:

The release says that they have a pre-tournament friendly lined up with Guatemala, so that's good news.

The friendly against Guatemala will be this Saturday, February 4th. 

https://www.espn.com.pe/futbol/guatemala/nota/_/id/11524621/canada-prueba-fuego-guatemala-previo-premundial-sub-17

We may even play other friendly matches or scrimmages.

[Corazon]

8 minutes ago, Bikerack said:

I’m always optimistic when we have the youth roster releases but it’s so frustrating when the majority are MLS academy players. Not saying they are not capable but I know we have a broader pool and very talented players in our domestic leagues. And how many of our national team starters have come from the domestic leagues and not from academies ? More than half? Is this lack of scouting or politics ? 
 

frustrating 

Strange enough, there is a player from Sigma FC which has been one of the biggest Club/Academy contibutors to our National Program over recent years along with Vaughan.  So you would have to think that they would be well aware of other eligible players from that program but with Canada soccer you just never know.

[Corazon]

32 minutes ago, Dominic94 said:

In this case I have to ask why we can’t scout better… too much mls Canada in here 

I don't disagree with you.  Unfortunately I'm not sure anyone on here would be able to confirm that these aren't the best players available.  I do believe the MLS Academies do a decent job recruiting the best of every age group but I also see talented players overlooked every year for various reasons.  I would bet that there are at least half a dozen other kids eligible playing club football locally that deserve to be on this program.

[Kent]

What leagues are the 3 MLS academies playing in at the moment? I'm most familiar with TFC and I know they used to play in Ontario leagues, then at some point they switched to a US based league. I believe Montreal at the time was also in a US based league. I don't know if those teams still play there.

If it's not happening already, my hope would be that these teams play in provincial leagues to make scouting have a better chance at succeeding. Like everyone else here, I have no idea who deserves and who doesn't deserve to be on this national team, but I have a really hard time buying the idea that 3 teams have virtually every one of the best players in the country. If TFC Academy, Vaughan Azzuri, Sigma, etc., were all playing in the same league, it would be easier for players to be compared by the people picking these teams.