How other MLS teams structure their Academies

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It's interesting that several clubs, not just Sporting KC, have determined that producing players is a crucial strategy (seems a bit obvious). The Revs don't seem particularly apt to splash cash for DPs nor do they seem ready to invest heavily. KC says they put in $20m, which is probably $30m with cost-of-living-adjustments here (kidding, maybe).

Either way, that seems unlikely to happen with the now MLS-standard soccer-specific stadium still not in place even if you sort of, kind of, not really believe the Krafts want to build one somewhere/someday/somehow.

Maybe the Krafts won't go over the top on the SB rings and there will be something leftover for the Revs.

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mls...131776784.html

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And others are investing in a school/residency program, or even doing things as simple as providing bus transportation to games and helping with homework while waiting. You'll never see the Revs doing any of those things. They see no financial payoff from it and the entire soccer thing is part of an investment portfolio to them - but the kind where you buy it and let it sit and grow slowly, not a house flip where you have to put actual effort into improving your investment for an even bigger return.

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It's interesting that several clubs, not just Sporting KC, have determined that producing players is a crucial strategy (seems a bit obvious). The Revs don't seem particularly apt to splash cash for DPs nor do they seem ready to invest heavily. KC says they put in $20m, which is probably $30m with cost-of-living-adjustments here (kidding, maybe).

Either way, that seems unlikely to happen with the now MLS-standard soccer-specific stadium still not in place even if you sort of, kind of, not really believe the Krafts want to build one somewhere/someday/somehow.

Maybe the Krafts won't go over the top on the SB rings and there will be something leftover for the Revs.

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mls...131776784.html

Interesting article. Thanks for sharing.

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Great article. Someone should email the link to Kraft.

Interesting that Sporting KC saw two options, either spend lots of money signing quality first team players, or develop their own homegrown players through the academy, and chose the latter. Funny how neither of these options are even on the Krafts' radar. It's too bad for the many strong players who live within the Revs homegrown territory, otherwise we could have Sporting KC and other MLS academy scouts picking some of these kids up and truly putting in the resources and time to develop them successfully, rather than the maybe three practices per week.

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Great article. Someone should email the link to Kraft.

Interesting that Sporting KC saw two options, either spend lots of money signing quality first team players, or develop their own homegrown players through the academy, and chose the latter. Funny how neither of these options are even on the Krafts' radar. It's too bad for the many strong players who live within the Revs homegrown territory, otherwise we could have Sporting KC and other MLS academy scouts picking some of these kids up and truly putting in the resources and time to develop them successfully, rather than the maybe three practices per week.

Flip it over onto the Girls side and you see this starting to happen with clubs like the Breakers/NEFC and Blue Sky/PDA. The returns might actually be better on that side simply because there is less competition right at the moment for youth prospects from international clubs but that is rapidly changing as the money is starting to quickly escalate in the primary women's leagues over in Europe.

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Union Academy 3 part series

earn your place: episode 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZGMKmkhOpU

earn your place: episode 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DXTtIYKM2s

earn your place: episode 3
not yet released (i believe)

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Great article. Someone should email the link to Kraft.

Interesting that Sporting KC saw two options, either spend lots of money signing quality first team players, or develop their own homegrown players through the academy, and chose the latter. Funny how neither of these options are even on the Krafts' radar. It's too bad for the many strong players who live within the Revs homegrown territory, otherwise we could have Sporting KC and other MLS academy scouts picking some of these kids up and truly putting in the resources and time to develop them successfully, rather than the maybe three practices per week.

Until parents stop signing up, why should they do anything different? They don't care about development or even the McMLS franchise.

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earn your place: episode 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZGMKmkhOpU

earn your place: episode 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DXTtIYKM2s

earn your place: episode 3
not yet released (i believe)

Seriously, good ****!! Makes me want to pack the boy up

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Seriously, good ****!! Makes me want to pack the boy up

Have I got a bridge for you!

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MLS Academy Players are Moving Forward

The reality today is that MLS Academy players are favored on national team call ups and college recruiting. It use to be subtle, now it is really apparent. Top college programs want players with easier paths to get their MLS launch record higher. You will see more and more Academy programs setting up a boarding school affiliation and players moving into a MLS academy club from around the country. Let's remember the reason Home Grown players are important is they don't get counted in a MLS salary budget cap. As a result, I don't think most MLS academies intentionally ignore their own players...they must not think they are developed enough.

And the extra Addidas Generation MLS tournament just gives more or different playing experience. I think US Soccer is going to need to do something different for the non-MLS Academy programs, because the gap is getting wider. With US Soccer expanding Academies, there are going to be more average Academy clubs and the prestige of playing in the USSDA will get watered own. MLS clubs will be the way to go. The only way I can see this changing is if the "geography" for home grown contracts expands, so non-MLS Academy clubs are included in the territory.

[Unregistered]

The reality today is that MLS Academy players are favored on national team call ups and college recruiting. It use to be subtle, now it is really apparent. Top college programs want players with easier paths to get their MLS launch record higher. You will see more and more Academy programs setting up a boarding school affiliation and players moving into a MLS academy club from around the country. Let's remember the reason Home Grown players are important is they don't get counted in a MLS salary budget cap. As a result, I don't think most MLS academies intentionally ignore their own players...they must not think they are developed enough.

And the extra Addidas Generation MLS tournament just gives more or different playing experience. I think US Soccer is going to need to do something different for the non-MLS Academy programs, because the gap is getting wider. With US Soccer expanding Academies, there are going to be more average Academy clubs and the prestige of playing in the USSDA will get watered own. MLS clubs will be the way to go. The only way I can see this changing is if the "geography" for home grown contracts expands, so non-MLS Academy clubs are included in the territory.

Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Jonathan Klinsmann (University of California; Newport Beach, Calif.), JT Marcinkowski (Georgetown; Alamo, Calif.)

DEFENDERS (7): Danny Acosta (Real Salt Lake; Salt Lake City, Utah),*Marlon Fossey (Fulham F.C.; Surbiton, England), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake; Tucson, Ariz.), Aaron Herrera (New Mexico; Casa Grande, Ariz.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City; Lee's Summit, Mo.), Tommy Redding (Orlando City SC; Oviedo, Fla.), Auston Trusty (Philadelphia Union; Media, Pa.)

MIDFIELDERS (6):*Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; Wappingers Falls, N.Y), Luca de la Torre (Fulham F.C.; San Diego, Calif.), Jonathan Gonzalez (CF Monterrey; Santa Rosa, Calif.), Jeremiah Gutjahr (Indiana University; Bloomington, Ind.), Sebastian Saucedo (Real Salt Lake; Park City, Utah), Eryk Williamson (University of Maryland; Alexandria, Va.)
FORWARDS (5): Coy Craft (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas),*Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers; Bethesda, Md.), Brooks Lennon (Real Salt Lake; Paradise Valley, Ariz.), Jonathan Lewis (New York City FC; Plantation, Fla.),*Emmanuel Sabbi (UD Las Palmas; Libertyville, Ill.)

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And if you look at the college players on this list, many came from MLS backgrounds. The wave of the future...sad but true.

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Until parents stop signing up, why should they do anything different? They don't care about development or even the McMLS franchise.

Even worse, they do care...about keeping the team and the upcoming talent mediocre. The Patriots are the Krafts cash cow. Why should they do anything to improve anything that could compete in any way with their cash cow? Looking at the Revolution academy and the MLS team, I think it is reasonable to argue that they want the entire Revolution organization to always be subpar and there is no way they will ever sell them because of that. This also fits in line with their limited practices and tight rules on outside play with the academy teams. If you really want your son to be the best player he can be, I would steer far away from the Revs and this is backed up by theie non-existent track record in producing top level players from an enormous demographic base. What they have 'accomplished' in this regard (producing zero high level players from a base of hundreds of thousands) in hard to do.

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Even worse, they do care...about keeping the team and the upcoming talent mediocre. The Patriots are the Krafts cash cow. Why should they do anything to improve anything that could compete in any way with their cash cow? Looking at the Revolution academy and the MLS team, I think it is reasonable to argue that they want the entire Revolution organization to always be subpar and there is no way they will ever sell them because of that. This also fits in line with their limited practices and tight rules on outside play with the academy teams. If you really want your son to be the best player he can be, I would steer far away from the Revs and this is backed up by theie non-existent track record in producing top level players from an enormous demographic base. What they have 'accomplished' in this regard (producing zero high level players from a base of hundreds of thousands) in hard to do.

Don't the Rev players on the USSDA get their fees waived? Are you saying the rest of the paying players make up the cash cha-ching

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Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Jonathan Klinsmann (University of California; Newport Beach, Calif.), JT Marcinkowski (Georgetown; Alamo, Calif.)

DEFENDERS (7): Danny Acosta (Real Salt Lake; Salt Lake City, Utah),*Marlon Fossey (Fulham F.C.; Surbiton, England), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake; Tucson, Ariz.), Aaron Herrera (New Mexico; Casa Grande, Ariz.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City; Lee's Summit, Mo.), Tommy Redding (Orlando City SC; Oviedo, Fla.), Auston Trusty (Philadelphia Union; Media, Pa.)

MIDFIELDERS (6):*Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; Wappingers Falls, N.Y), Luca de la Torre (Fulham F.C.; San Diego, Calif.), Jonathan Gonzalez (CF Monterrey; Santa Rosa, Calif.), Jeremiah Gutjahr (Indiana University; Bloomington, Ind.), Sebastian Saucedo (Real Salt Lake; Park City, Utah), Eryk Williamson (University of Maryland; Alexandria, Va.)
FORWARDS (5): Coy Craft (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas),*Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers; Bethesda, Md.), Brooks Lennon (Real Salt Lake; Paradise Valley, Ariz.), Jonathan Lewis (New York City FC; Plantation, Fla.),*Emmanuel Sabbi (UD Las Palmas; Libertyville, Ill.)

Wait....looking at this again, other than the college players, this U20 call up CONCACAF tourney team are already at the MLS teams, or England. So forget college I guess.