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Malcolm Johnston


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1 hour ago, A_Gagne said:

IMO I'd have rather seen him on a CPL side. Haven't seen too many guys over the years sign with an MLS affiliate USL team and actually get a meaningful look by their MLS side, but what's worse is that MLS side still ends up owning their rights. Better IMO to play a couple years for one of the more successful CPL teams and then try to move up a level on your own terms.

Ali Ahmed (and Simon Becher, though I care about him less) have moved up from the WFC2 to the main club this year and look set to get some time.  So, we'll see how it goes.  The Whitecaps have also loaned a few players to CPL and that really didn't go anywhere either.

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16 hours ago, A_Gagne said:

IMO I'd have rather seen him on a CPL side. Haven't seen too many guys over the years sign with an MLS affiliate USL team and actually get a meaningful look by their MLS side, but what's worse is that MLS side still ends up owning their rights. Better IMO to play a couple years for one of the more successful CPL teams and then try to move up a level on your own terms.

I think it depends on the club. It’s worked out pretty well for Jacen Russell-Rowe and Mo Farsi in Columbus.

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16 hours ago, A_Gagne said:

Fair point... i guess to be more specific, typically results in f#$% all 1st team looks at VWFC.

According to Axel Schuster, of all MLS teams, the Whitecaps called up the most players from their Next Pro squad last season. In addition, 3 of those players were signed to first team contracts for this season.

So I don't think your statement is accurate.

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6 hours ago, masster said:

According to Axel Schuster, of all MLS teams, the Whitecaps called up the most players from their Next Pro squad last season. In addition, 3 of those players were signed to first team contracts for this season.

So I don't think your statement is accurate.

Good to know. But not their historical trend. Also I would say the jury is still out on that one, cause anecdotally since they entered MLS I've seen the Caps sign a lot of academy players, then give them garbage minutes for a couple of years before cutting them loose. So we'll see. Maybe that's finally changing though.

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I get the appeal of NextPro.  You are right there, in the organization, coaches watching you, talking about you and they can bring you up or down with those goofy temp contracts if needed.   Its a means to an end if you think you are that close to MLS.  If he signs with lets say Forge and does well, mb MLS pays attention, mb not, maybe someone will pay a transfer fee for him if they want him...mb not.  Either way, lets hope he shines with WC2 and moves up a level next year.  

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10 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

I get the appeal of NextPro.  You are right there, in the organization, coaches watching you, talking about you and they can bring you up or down with those goofy temp contracts if needed.   Its a means to an end if you think you are that close to MLS.  If he signs with lets say Forge and does well, mb MLS pays attention, mb not, maybe someone will pay a transfer fee for him if they want him...mb not.  Either way, lets hope he shines with WC2 and moves up a level next year.  

That is the new current reality. For the most part MLS clubs are looking at CPL players and using their NextPro team as a trial run and safety net. Players are essentially cutting out the middle man and USL/Nextrpro as become the transition stage for CPL players. 

As the CPL continues to grow in standard (and hopefully wages) maybe this will happen less but if MLS is your goal I understand the jump from the players perspective. If you are looking at Europe CPL still seems to be a good and growing pathway. 

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On 3/1/2023 at 4:01 PM, FC_Hali said:

I think it depends on the club. It’s worked out pretty well for Jacen Russell-Rowe and Mo Farsi in Columbus.

Thinking about this some more... I recall that I think for Canadian players you're only considered a domestic on USA based MLS teams if you sign your first pro contract with MLS. I'm guessing MLS-NextPro probably counts ass signing your first pro contract with MLS. I wonder if that's factored into his decision to sign with a NextPro club, rather than CPL?

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21 hours ago, toontownman said:

That is the new current reality. For the most part MLS clubs are looking at CPL players and using their NextPro team as a trial run and safety net. Players are essentially cutting out the middle man and USL/Nextrpro as become the transition stage for CPL players. 

As the CPL continues to grow in standard (and hopefully wages) maybe this will happen less but if MLS is your goal I understand the jump from the players perspective. If you are looking at Europe CPL still seems to be a good and growing pathway. 

I think the goal for all players is Europe.  The debate is more which is the better pathway.  MLS can get you there, and if you've succeeded in MLS you'll likely land at a bigger club.  Even just showing some "potential" in MLS can get you to a decent spot in Europe (I'm thinking Theo Bair going to the SPL here).  Where as right now, success in the CPL might get you a shot at a smaller club/league.  Further, I think if a player struggles at Next Pro he'll still likely get a shot by someone in the CPL, where as struggling in the CPL won't get you the same opportunity in Next Pro.

Regardless, more pathways are better.

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On 3/1/2023 at 9:23 PM, A_Gagne said:

Fair point... i guess to be more specific, typically results in f#$% all 1st team looks at VWFC.

Hard to develop talent without a reserve side. Vancouver didn’t have one from 2018 through 2021. One year into MLS Next Pro, and we’re already seeing an improvement in that pathway to the senior side. It’s early days, but Ahmed looks like he will stick around.

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1 hour ago, footballfreak said:

Hard to develop talent without a reserve side. Vancouver didn’t have one from 2018 through 2021. One year into MLS Next Pro, and we’re already seeing an improvement in that pathway to the senior side. It’s early days, but Ahmed looks like he will stick around.

Yup, I was talking prior to 2018. The list of young Canadians who signed with VWFC2 was long, and the list of them who then went on to get a meaningful shot with the senior club is 1... Alphonso Davies. Needless to say he's a special case, and he was only with them for 3 months before then moving up to the senior team, so debatable if that even counts.

There were always are few guys here or there over the years who'd sign senior team contracts, but it's always seemed they got garbage minutes and were never really given a shot.

All I'm saying is that VWFC has a pretty poor track record of actually giving opportunities to their 2nd team products. So to get back to my original point, I think Malcolm could have made a better choice then signing for them specifically. I hope I'm wrong though.

Edited by A_Gagne
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