The Revolution Academy needs to make some changes.

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I was trying to be fair and balanced. It will be interesting to see if any of the HG Revs sign anywhere else or if they're so specifically developed they only have value for the Revs. (Only being a little snarky.)

When MLS was just getting going and trying to survive, the Krafts could get away with them being the Buffalo Bills equivalent as far as on-field performance goes. But now there are too many owners spending YUGE dollars and the Revs just can't compete. Theoretically, if they had a great academy along the lines of Ajax, Southampton, Dallas ;), they could compete.

And Friedel acts like a douche. Can't see the players running through walls for him. They won't even put in a shift, as he's complained about. On the bright side, maybe he'll say eff it and let the homegrowns play and we'll see what they've got. Would be great to see them succeed despite everything.

Kraft will spend more to beat the rub & tug wrap than he’ll spend on the Revs this year.

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They were selling packages. Training. College recruiting. Video. Blah, blah, blah.

Sounds great!

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I was trying to be fair and balanced. It will be interesting to see if any of the HG Revs sign anywhere else or if they're so specifically developed they only have value for the Revs. (Only being a little snarky.)

I'm a little worried the Revs will just keep hanging on to these HG kids, just because they don't want to lose all that money invested in them through the academy. If they don't give them significant first team minutes within the their first season or two, they player's stock will start plummeting and no other MLS team will want them. Being loaned out to a USL team almost seems like the kiss of death, since at that point the player isn't even training with MLS level players, but would still come with the MLS price tag in a transfer/trade deal.

As someone else mentioned, as an HG player, your leverage in contract negotiation is practically nil, since you can't entertain contracts from other clubs. I wonder if the Revs really explain all of this to the parents and players who are offered spots on their academy teams. If your kid just wants to position themselves better for college acceptance, then maybe playing for the Revs Academy will be of benefit (although, as this thread shows, that aspect is debatable). However, if your kid really aspires to be a pro player (regardless whether or not it's realistic), playing for the Revs Academy seems like it would really limit your opportunities in the end, unless you're headed out of the country.

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I'm a little worried the Revs will just keep hanging on to these HG kids, just because they don't want to lose all that money invested in them through the academy. If they don't give them significant first team minutes within the their first season or two, they player's stock will start plummeting and no other MLS team will want them. Being loaned out to a USL team almost seems like the kiss of death, since at that point the player isn't even training with MLS level players, but would still come with the MLS price tag in a transfer/trade deal.

As someone else mentioned, as an HG player, your leverage in contract negotiation is practically nil, since you can't entertain contracts from other clubs. I wonder if the Revs really explain all of this to the parents and players who are offered spots on their academy teams. If your kid just wants to position themselves better for college acceptance, then maybe playing for the Revs Academy will be of benefit (although, as this thread shows, that aspect is debatable). However, if your kid really aspires to be a pro player (regardless whether or not it's realistic), playing for the Revs Academy seems like it would really limit your opportunities in the end, unless you're headed out of the country.

The moment your son sets foot on a field with the Academy they own his rights. They even try to block transfers of unsigned players to other academies outside New England.

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Two Seacoast kids escaped the Revs.

Many Revs kids have escaped to prep school. Smartest move.

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Many Revs kids have escaped to prep school. Smartest move.

Don't the Revs still own their rights, if they ever wanted to play MLS, that is?

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Don't the Revs still own their rights, if they ever wanted to play MLS, that is?

That's above my pay grade. If they do for longer than a year, then the system is pretty whack. Nobody should "own" kids.

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That's above my pay grade. If they do for longer than a year, then the system is pretty whack. Nobody should "own" kids.

Pretty sure the rights are held for more than a year. Most likely at least 4 because college players end up back at their home club. There was a Harvard player who graduated a few years ago, got picked up by the Crew (he never went into the draft), and signed for league minimum. He talked about how big a deal it was to make the gameday roster, much less get on field, because those things meant more money. He slummed it for the year for the experience and then got on with his life (in other words, probably went to banking/consulting and a proper six figure salary).

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[QUOTE=Unregistered;2454705]I'm a little worried the Revs will just keep hanging on to these HG kids, just because they don't want to lose all that money invested in them through the academy. If they don't give them significant first team minutes within the their first season or two, they player's stock will start plummeting and no other MLS team will want them. Being loaned out to a USL team almost seems like the kiss of death, since at that point the player isn't even training with MLS level players, but would still come with the MLS price tag in a transfer/trade deal.

Have any Revs HG players been signed by another MLS team? Tierney retired last year. Otherwise, they're all still with the Revs?

I think more players will be signed as HG and then season with USL teams, ideally like Atlanta United 2. Revs loaning out is them doing it on the cheap, and could be the kiss of death because the Revs won't be overseeing and controlling training. Then again, maybe that'll work out for the players given all the posts here.

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Many Revs kids have escaped to prep school. Smartest move.

These are the soccer savvy parents(dad's mainly) who immediately see the shortcomings of the Revs so called "Academy". They see no development, no enthusiasm from coaches and staff and no real curriculum or soccer philosophy to speak of. The ones who have positioned themselves to transfer to the ISL from the Revs, are moves of the century! Time to use the Revs as they have done this to us for years.

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Pretty sure the rights are held for more than a year. Most likely at least 4 because college players end up back at their home club. There was a Harvard player who graduated a few years ago, got picked up by the Crew (he never went into the draft), and signed for league minimum. He talked about how big a deal it was to make the gameday roster, much less get on field, because those things meant more money. He slummed it for the year for the experience and then got on with his life (in other words, probably went to banking/consulting and a proper six figure salary).

Four years is absurd. Two at the most.

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Four years is absurd. Two at the most.

The whole thing is an effing cartel. That’s why US soccer sucks.

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The whole thing is an effing cartel. That’s why US soccer sucks.

It literally is a cartel. Sh!t system. Hopefully this violation of Fifa regs pans out and opens the door to relegation so mr rub n tug isn’t automatically locked in with bottom of the barrel effort.

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Four years is absurd. Two at the most.

They own your MLS rights forever.

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They own your MLS rights forever.

There is some talk of getting rid of homegrown territories.