This should be EYE OPENING

[Unregistered]

Here is an example of a non-helpful post...

Let me break it down for you in simple terms, because this is dumb



1) Pulisic was a part of PA Classics from 12-15 years old. Those three years were definitely developmentless.

2) Dortmund just wanted to sign a random American player after seeing him in an International Tournament.

3) If you think he's "just a natural", then please turn in your soccer parent card and move along.


-you only think you know...

Critics only want to debunk PA Classics development because they don’t want to give DAP any credit

[Unregistered]

Here is an example of a non-helpful post...

Let me break it down for you in simple terms, because this is dumb



1) Pulisic was a part of PA Classics from 12-15 years old. Those three years were definitely developmentless.

2) Dortmund just wanted to sign a random American player after seeing him in an International Tournament.

3) If you think he's "just a natural", then please turn in your soccer parent card and move along.


-you only think you know...

your nom de plume is great and appropriate. the developmental cycle contains many many parts. word like developed suggest a beginning and end. no doubt PA Classic played a part in his story, i just dont like the term developed.

[Unregistered]

Paraphrasing a statement from Bob Foose (Executive Director of MLS Players Association)

"Solidarity payment is essentially a tax paid to a club. If we charged a solidarity payment, then it would be harder for our players to be sold...

"Given that our youth clubs operate on a 'pay to play basis', solidarity payments don't make sense because clubs have already been compensated for the training...



-you only think you know...

Garber of MLS recently changed his tune on solidarity payments and training compensation - he is now a supporter of putting a system in place. His hand was forced by the MLS owners who were pouring millions into their academy systems, only to have top European clubs pick off their top prospects for FREE. Money talks!

[Unregistered]

your nom de plume is great and appropriate. the developmental cycle contains many many parts. word like developed suggest a beginning and end. no doubt PA Classic played a part in his story, i just dont like the term developed.

nom de plume means pen name folks. Saved you a "google search"

You are thinking way too much about the word 'developed'



-you only think you know...

[Unregistered]

nom de plume means pen name folks. Saved you a "google search"

You are thinking way too much about the word 'developed'



-you only think you know...

Says the guy who spun three assumptions out of my use of it? Where does the money go if it was paid? A special dividend to the parents ? The US model is not well set up for SPs.

[Unregistered]

That first part of the statement is a joke. Youth Clubs around the world get solidarity payments for their players. If the players are quality then solidarity payments don’t stop players from being bought.

From ESPN Soccer Yesterday: The academy director of PA Classics, the youth club that helped produce U.S. international Christian Pulisic, says he is "90 percent" sure that the club will not pursue a claim for solidarity payments in the wake of the player's transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea.

On Wednesday, it was announced that Chelsea will pay Dortmund $73.1 million to acquire Pulisic, a record for an American player, and more than triple the $22 million that Bundesliga side Vfl Wolfsburg paid for defender John Brooks in 2017.

FIFA's Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) stipulate that when a player is transferred from one club to another prior to the end of the player's contract, and that transfer involves moving to another country -- a change of association, according to FIFA -- then upwards of five percent of the fee is paid to the youth clubs that developed the player in the form of a "solidarity payment."

But the U.S. Soccer Federation has long forbidden the implementation of RSTP in the U.S. Among the reasons cited are fears that RSTP violates child labor laws or would result in litigation on anti-trust grounds by various stakeholders, including the MLS Players Association, who feel that enforcement of RSTP could restrict the flow of players to foreign clubs. The USSF has also contended that a consent decree contained in the legal case Fraser vs. MLS, one that prevented the payment of transfer fees for out-of-contract players, prohibited it from enforcing RSTP.

Based on the most conservative estimate of Pulisic's tenure with PA Classics, the club would be entitled to at least $548,000. If Pulisic's time were to include the period spent in residency with the U.S. Under-17s, a time where he was still registered as a PA Classics player, that amount could exceed $1 million. But Steve Klein, who serves as the coaching director and academy director of PA Classics, is leaning towards not pushing to receive the money.

"We haven't made a decision yet. I would say 90 percent 'no,' that we don't move forward with anything," said Klein, who in addition to his responsibilities with PA Classics has served as an assistant on various U.S. youth national teams. "I know it goes against some of the conventional wisdom. I know a lot of people would like us to, but there's still a part of me that [feels] Christian made himself. I don't like being on the side that we are due this money because we created Christian Pulisic. That's where my comfort level drops. We were a part of it, but I don't know if I like trying to gain off of his success."

Other U.S-based youth clubs have been more aggressive in their bids to receive the funds they believe they are owed. Washington-based club Crossfire Premier currently has a claim in front of FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber related to the 2014 transfer of U.S. international defender DeAndre Yedlin to Tottenham. A decision is expected any day.

Klein said his reluctance is also influenced by the fact that PA Classics is a pay-to-play club, and has already been compensated in terms of developing its players.

"If we were a club that wasn't pay-to-play, it would be a whole different ball game," he said. "Our kids pay to play, so that's how we make our money. Now, we scholarship a lot of kids, but that's where the difference is for me a little bit. If we were one of those European clubs where everyone is free, or an MLS club where everyone is free, and signed him as a pro ... we're not even a pro club."

Klein admits that the lure of receiving the money is tempting, but that it wouldn't necessarily cover much of the team's budget, especially if they hired a lawyer.

"If you fully funded one academy age group like the U17s, you're probably looking at $300,000 for one team," he said. "You couldn't really fund your full academy for one year. The money is great, trust me. Maybe you could put a lit turf field in, which would be awesome. The money is significant. I don't want anyone thinking, 'Aw that's peanuts to PA Classics.' It's not, it's just a matter of all the extra stuff that would come with it. I'm just not sure."

But for Klein, appearances matter, in particular the image of piggybacking on Pulisic's accomplishments.

"It comes back to we were part of Christian Pulisic, but I don't want the story to be: We feel we are owed money because of his success," he said. "It really is a tough dilemma. We're just really big on the character of the player. So for me, it's kind of hypocritical.

"We would be justified. Everyone else in the world does it, but it's just not our style and that's what I've tried to impress upon a kid like Christian, being humble. If we move forward with it, I don't think it changes how I approach things, but to me, it still has a tint of that [hypocrisy] and it could turn in that direction.

"That's not what we want for our club."

[Unregistered]

From ESPN Soccer Yesterday: The academy director of PA Classics, the youth club that helped produce U.S. international Christian Pulisic, says he is "90 percent" sure that the club will not pursue a claim for solidarity payments in the wake of the player's transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea.

On Wednesday, it was announced that Chelsea will pay Dortmund $73.1 million to acquire Pulisic, a record for an American player, and more than triple the $22 million that Bundesliga side Vfl Wolfsburg paid for defender John Brooks in 2017.

FIFA's Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) stipulate that when a player is transferred from one club to another prior to the end of the player's contract, and that transfer involves moving to another country -- a change of association, according to FIFA -- then upwards of five percent of the fee is paid to the youth clubs that developed the player in the form of a "solidarity payment."

But the U.S. Soccer Federation has long forbidden the implementation of RSTP in the U.S. Among the reasons cited are fears that RSTP violates child labor laws or would result in litigation on anti-trust grounds by various stakeholders, including the MLS Players Association, who feel that enforcement of RSTP could restrict the flow of players to foreign clubs. The USSF has also contended that a consent decree contained in the legal case Fraser vs. MLS, one that prevented the payment of transfer fees for out-of-contract players, prohibited it from enforcing RSTP.

Based on the most conservative estimate of Pulisic's tenure with PA Classics, the club would be entitled to at least $548,000. If Pulisic's time were to include the period spent in residency with the U.S. Under-17s, a time where he was still registered as a PA Classics player, that amount could exceed $1 million. But Steve Klein, who serves as the coaching director and academy director of PA Classics, is leaning towards not pushing to receive the money.

"We haven't made a decision yet. I would say 90 percent 'no,' that we don't move forward with anything," said Klein, who in addition to his responsibilities with PA Classics has served as an assistant on various U.S. youth national teams. "I know it goes against some of the conventional wisdom. I know a lot of people would like us to, but there's still a part of me that [feels] Christian made himself. I don't like being on the side that we are due this money because we created Christian Pulisic. That's where my comfort level drops. We were a part of it, but I don't know if I like trying to gain off of his success."

Other U.S-based youth clubs have been more aggressive in their bids to receive the funds they believe they are owed. Washington-based club Crossfire Premier currently has a claim in front of FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber related to the 2014 transfer of U.S. international defender DeAndre Yedlin to Tottenham. A decision is expected any day.

Klein said his reluctance is also influenced by the fact that PA Classics is a pay-to-play club, and has already been compensated in terms of developing its players.

"If we were a club that wasn't pay-to-play, it would be a whole different ball game," he said. "Our kids pay to play, so that's how we make our money. Now, we scholarship a lot of kids, but that's where the difference is for me a little bit. If we were one of those European clubs where everyone is free, or an MLS club where everyone is free, and signed him as a pro ... we're not even a pro club."

Klein admits that the lure of receiving the money is tempting, but that it wouldn't necessarily cover much of the team's budget, especially if they hired a lawyer.

"If you fully funded one academy age group like the U17s, you're probably looking at $300,000 for one team," he said. "You couldn't really fund your full academy for one year. The money is great, trust me. Maybe you could put a lit turf field in, which would be awesome. The money is significant. I don't want anyone thinking, 'Aw that's peanuts to PA Classics.' It's not, it's just a matter of all the extra stuff that would come with it. I'm just not sure."

But for Klein, appearances matter, in particular the image of piggybacking on Pulisic's accomplishments.

"It comes back to we were part of Christian Pulisic, but I don't want the story to be: We feel we are owed money because of his success," he said. "It really is a tough dilemma. We're just really big on the character of the player. So for me, it's kind of hypocritical.

"We would be justified. Everyone else in the world does it, but it's just not our style and that's what I've tried to impress upon a kid like Christian, being humble. If we move forward with it, I don't think it changes how I approach things, but to me, it still has a tint of that [hypocrisy] and it could turn in that direction.

"That's not what we want for our club."

Do you think Kydes at Beachside would take a similar approach if put presented with the same situaion?

[Unregistered]

Says the guy who spun three assumptions out of my use of it? Where does the money go if it was paid? A special dividend to the parents ? The US model is not well set up for SPs.

SP could be used for a number of things at the club: reduced tuition, new fields, uniforms, coach licensing, etc. PA Classics is dumb not to pursue this payment.

[Unregistered]

SP could be used for a number of things at the club: reduced tuition, new fields, uniforms, coach licensing, etc. PA Classics is dumb not to pursue this payment.

Why? If they start to participate in that system they have to stop collecting the development money up front and that is not the american way. You pick one way of compensation for developing players or the other. you dont get both.

[Unregistered]

Anyway - it is not possible to institute the solidarity payment system here because that requires minors committing contractually to stay with a particular club and I dont think that is legal here.

[Unregistered]

Says the guy who spun three assumptions out of my use of it? Where does the money go if it was paid? A special dividend to the parents ? The US model is not well set up for SPs.

When your statement is snarky & void of information, you leave a LOT of room for interpretation. Reader interprets how he/she wants when this happens. I don't necessarily think I was too far off.


This is my point. US Soccer is not set-up for Solidarity Payments. They 100% of the infrastructure and the means to do so and in-fact have a system that is well setup for it. They simply choose not to.

A club can choose what it wants to do with the money. I suspect a special dividend to the parents would not be in the books. That $550k could scholarship lets say about 300 youth players. Thats 15-20 teams and put some money in the clubs pocket.

[Unregistered]

the whole notion of developed is pretty moot with Pulisic. He played there would be a better way of putting it.

Yes there is that. There's also US labor laws regarding minors that impeded some of this as well. in theory larger payments should go to the clubs that developed a player, then that money can be used to fund more development. For MLS clubs that don't charge fees that would be especially helpful to cover their large expenses. It's a different animal with a pay to play club (although, come on, do we really think he paid to play at PA?)

[Unregistered]

Yes there is that. There's also US labor laws regarding minors that impeded some of this as well. in theory larger payments should go to the clubs that developed a player, then that money can be used to fund more development. For MLS clubs that don't charge fees that would be especially helpful to cover their large expenses. It's a different animal with a pay to play club (although, come on, do we really think he paid to play at PA?)

Regardless - was he under any legal obligation to stay there or provide them a solidarity payment?

[Unregistered]

Why? If they start to participate in that system they have to stop collecting the development money up front and that is not the american way. You pick one way of compensation for developing players or the other. you dont get both.

Another guy who just doesn't get it...

How awesome would it be for you all to not have to pay club fees...or have very reduced club fees. There are always going to be fees, always operating costs. But imagine if you didn't have to pay $3500, but $350?


"Not the American Way" - so sad that we are so arrogant in our thoughts like this when we didn't qualify for the World Cup.

[Unregistered]

Critics only want to debunk PA Classics development because they don’t want to give DAP any credit

He didn't spend much time there so no it doesn't deserve much credit. If DA were doing a bang up job at development we'd have more players like him. He's a winning genetic power ball ticket, worked his tail off, had opportunities 99.99% of DA players won't ever have, and had parents who knew what they were doing.