Limited substitution at Disney?

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Did you see the game?

Didn't think so.

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it will never happen so i say just appreciate the fact that the people who were in florida saw something that “opened” everyone’s eyes and jaws.

b i n g o

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Did you see the game?

I saw them play twice. They were a great side, but they would not have possessed as cleanly or as easily against a top U16 or U17 side. I also wanted to make the point that their mix of ages was actually an advantage and not the supposed disadvantage/ liability that was initially presented. That was the point being made by the mixed Stars/Scorpions players example. Personally I thought their style was a bit robotic and that it wasn't surprising that they had some trouble against a physical and athletic side. I'm also not sure that their life, that of a true academy player, identified and trained from a very young age, would be culturally acceptable in our country. And especially in New England.

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Let's not be too quick to annoit the Japanese team as the greatest ever. First they were playing in a pretty mediocre group. Solid results against decent teams, but they didn't face a steady diet of any of the tourneys top U17 entries. If they easily handled PDA, the Stars United and Eclipse, then I'd be impressed. Second, they are products of a different system, where age is of little importance. Think of it this way: If the Stars and Scorpions decided to merge together and send to Japan their best U17 players (meaning the best players born on or before Dec. 31, 1993) I would guess that only a few would be actual 93s. Many would be 94s and 95s and maybe even a 96 or two. Now lets hand pick a pool of say 35 players from those two clubs in the same age range and have them train together for six months and then send the "best" 18 off to Japan. What do you think that team would do? My guess is that you would see something far better than what you saw out of FSA. Finally, they lost in the final. Whether they outplayed their opponent is of little import - if they were so damn great there is no way that they should have been contained - regardless of the excuses or reasons. Especially by a team that would not have progressed out of any of the Showcase groups.

ok
we all agree that the Japanese team was very good on and off the ball however they struggled with a team that got in their face.

My thinking is if we can do a lot of heck job on our players technical job we should be fine because we already have the physical part of the game down packed.

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I'm also not sure that their life, that of a true academy player, identified and trained from a very young age, would be culturally acceptable in our country. And especially in New England.

Happens here with Gymnastics and Tennis

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Happens here with Gymnastics and Tennis

And hockey, figure skating, swimming, skiing

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And hockey, figure skating, swimming, skiing

Not really. No doubt that the globalization of our communication systems has done some stuff to "westernize" Japanese cluture, but people must understand that it is still a huge difference to grow up in Japan, rather than the US. That cultural difference allows things to occur in their sports systems that we simply wouldn't tolerate. Certainly there is absolutely no academy system for hockey - it is an almost identical system to club soccer, with multitudes of small, competing "clubs" splintering the young talent pool. The other sports are individual sports played by far fewer athletes (combined they probably do not equate with the number of young female soccer players) and that makes for the differences. But understand that even those academies are about individual development - NOT TEAM. The Japanese academies, like FSA, produce team players and I think that it is the willingness to forego your individual needs for a collective good (discipline and personal sacrifice) that would be rejected by Americans.

[Unregistered]

Not really. No doubt that the globalization of our communication systems has done some stuff to "westernize" Japanese cluture, but people must understand that it is still a huge difference to grow up in Japan, rather than the US. That cultural difference allows things to occur in their sports systems that we simply wouldn't tolerate. Certainly there is absolutely no academy system for hockey - it is an almost identical system to club soccer, with multitudes of small, competing "clubs" splintering the young talent pool. The other sports are individual sports played by far fewer athletes (combined they probably do not equate with the number of young female soccer players) and that makes for the differences. But understand that even those academies are about individual development - NOT TEAM. The Japanese academies, like FSA, produce team players and I think that it is the willingness to forego your individual needs for a collective good (discipline and personal sacrifice) that would be rejected by Americans.

It already exists in this country in soccer too. Parents are sending their kids to places like IMG Academy and Shattuck St. Mary. The diffference here though is the parents are the ones paying the freight. In Japan it is the Japanese FA. You can bet your bottom dollar that if US Soccer set up a residential program similiar to the JFA, American parents would be sending their kids.