MLS Superdraft

[Unregistered]

I would interested in hearing where you determined that "college is no longer the primary path to the pro on the men's side". If you want to play MLS I think college soccer is the path. if you want to play in Europe you are better off leaving immediately (at any age where you make that decision).

No, your best chance to play in MLS right now if you are a domestic player is getting an HG contract before you go off to college. The Revs were slow on this, but are now picking up on it after realizing that you have to sign academy players in order for the money you spent on them to be worthwhile. Now that the Revs have a USL team, as do many other MLS teams, they'll have a pathway for the HG contract kids to still develop if they aren't ready for the first team, while still being given opportunities to train with the first team and get their feet wet in US Open Cup games and other friendlies.

Why choose a player from the college draft when you have HG kids raised in your system of play, where you know exactly where they'll fit in, to choose from, along with the non-HG players on your USL team who also know the system and have more experience as a full-time year around players (not a part-time player, part-time student). I see the MLS draft a thing of the past very soon, after a few years of more and more teams trading away their draft picks for allocation money. Philly is doing this now (see below), and more MLS teams will follow suit every year.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/...und-once-again

[Unregistered]

No, your best chance to play in MLS right now if you are a domestic player is getting an HG contract before you go off to college. The Revs were slow on this, but are now picking up on it after realizing that you have to sign academy players in order for the money you spent on them to be worthwhile. Now that the Revs have a USL team, as do many other MLS teams, they'll have a pathway for the HG contract kids to still develop if they aren't ready for the first team, while still being given opportunities to train with the first team and get their feet wet in US Open Cup games and other friendlies.

Why choose a player from the college draft when you have HG kids raised in your system of play, where you know exactly where they'll fit in, to choose from, along with the non-HG players on your USL team who also know the system and have more experience as a full-time year around players (not a part-time player, part-time student). I see the MLS draft a thing of the past very soon, after a few years of more and more teams trading away their draft picks for allocation money. Philly is doing this now (see below), and more MLS teams will follow suit every year.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/...und-once-again

This is fine with HG players but that pool is not large enough. Lucky to get even one quality player this way. You need to have a bigger pool to draw from. This is the whole idea of a pyramid. Colleges are the most effective way to expand your pool. But since there is no affiliation with the colleges and MLS you need a draft. USL and these lower level leagues could be an alternative but then we will have to institute the training compensation that the MLS is totally against.

[Unregistered]

This is fine with HG players but that pool is not large enough. Lucky to get even one quality player this way. You need to have a bigger pool to draw from. This is the whole idea of a pyramid. Colleges are the most effective way to expand your pool. But since there is no affiliation with the colleges and MLS you need a draft. USL and these lower level leagues could be an alternative but then we will have to institute the training compensation that the MLS is totally against.

The quality of play in MLS has risen substantially in the last 10 years, along with the financial health of each franchise and the league overall. The quality of players produced by the college game has stagnated and the players they are producing cannot cut it in today's MLS. MLS has plenty of players to choose from - global soccer economy. With MLS's wealth increasing, they are able to attract young, quality talent from everywhere and South America in particular. Bottom line is that MLS no longer needs the college game for much of anything.....

[Unregistered]

The quality of play in MLS has risen substantially in the last 10 years, along with the financial health of each franchise and the league overall. The quality of players produced by the college game has stagnated and the players they are producing cannot cut it in today's MLS. MLS has plenty of players to choose from - global soccer economy. With MLS's wealth increasing, they are able to attract young, quality talent from everywhere and South America in particular. Bottom line is that MLS no longer needs the college game for much of anything.....

Their wealth is increasing predominantly by expansion not their fan base .... unsustainable.

[Unregistered]

Their wealth is increasing predominantly by expansion not their fan base .... unsustainable.

The value of the next MLS TV contract will be telling.

[Unregistered]

Their wealth is increasing predominantly by expansion not their fan base .... unsustainable.

And the quality has risen in part from the all the international players

[Unregistered]

And the quality has risen in part from the all the international players

Does the MLS have a limit to number of international players on roster?

[Unregistered]

Does the MLS have a limit to number of international players on roster?

Yes, but......

There are 192 international roster slots for the 24 mls teams in 2019 - so each team gets 8 slots. But teams can trade for them and get more than 8 or less than 8 per team. Portland Timbers rosters the most internationals with 9 at the moment.

[Unregistered]

Yes, but......

There are 192 international roster slots for the 24 mls teams in 2019 - so each team gets 8 slots. But teams can trade for them and get more than 8 or less than 8 per team. Portland Timbers rosters the most internationals with 9 at the moment.

and there are some that have dual passports so they don't count towards the cap. For the last several years internationals have made up half or so of the draft and I've no doubt it would be even higher were it not for the caps. Clubs want to win and get butts in the seats. Right now they see many international academy rejects and soon-to-be-retirees are better than our DA graduates.

[Unregistered]

and there are some that have dual passports so they don't count towards the cap. For the last several years internationals have made up half or so of the draft and I've no doubt it would be even higher were it not for the caps. Clubs want to win and get butts in the seats. Right now they see many international academy rejects and soon-to-be-retirees are better than our DA graduates.

MLS teams signed 43 academy players to pro contracts in 2019. College is no longer a source of talent because MLS teams are developing their own players.

DA is producing some good talent that is finding its way to Europe:
1) Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig) - NY Red Bull Academy
2) Weston McKennie (Schalke) - FC Dallas Academy
3) Alex Mendez (Ajax) - LA Galaxy Academy
4) Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) - Vancouver Whitecaps Academy
5) Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund) - NYCFC Academy

[Unregistered]

MLS teams signed 43 academy players to pro contracts in 2019. College is no longer a source of talent because MLS teams are developing their own players.

DA is producing some good talent that is finding its way to Europe:
1) Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig) - NY Red Bull Academy
2) Weston McKennie (Schalke) - FC Dallas Academy
3) Alex Mendez (Ajax) - LA Galaxy Academy
4) Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) - Vancouver Whitecaps Academy
5) Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund) - NYCFC Academy

6) Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen) - Scott Gallagher Academy
7) DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United) - Crossfire Premier Academy

[Unregistered]

^ baby steps....still a very long way to go

[Unregistered]

6) Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen) - Scott Gallagher Academy
7) DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United) - Crossfire Premier Academy

Great rate of finishing. Several years of players here and MLS signed only 43 out if several thousand players they trained? Sweet. Further proof why the kids choose college. For the 7 players listed above, now please list their average salary for their first 4 years pro (while the other kids were in college)

[Unregistered]

Great rate of finishing. Several years of players here and MLS signed only 43 out if several thousand players they trained? Sweet. Further proof why the kids choose college. For the 7 players listed above, now please list their average salary for their first 4 years pro (while the other kids were in college)

Is it all about money to you? Who cares what average salary is for first 4 years? Kids living a dream....they can go back to being an accountant later in life.

[Unregistered]

Great rate of finishing. Several years of players here and MLS signed only 43 out if several thousand players they trained? Sweet. Further proof why the kids choose college. For the 7 players listed above, now please list their average salary for their first 4 years pro (while the other kids were in college)

Hence why MLS wants more control in the process. It's their money so I understand why they want more say over how many they train and how