Timbers be better.

[Guest]

So they screw up the development of half of the players to begin with just to complete a U15 roster? Sad.

They are looking to find professionals, not form teams for everyones benefit.

yes its sad. But grow up and put your big boy pants on. Its not for you, move on.

[Guest]

Let them know Croatia has pretty much the same population as Oregon..and went through a terrible war. Not talking about producing a whole world cup roster..just a player here and there.

You want to compare portland soccer culture to croatia?
some other idiot compared the Timbers to Ajax?

moron

Why would you believe that the TA could make pros out of the garbage talent in the Portland area? How do your teams compare to the best teams in CA or WA? TA cant make something out of nothing.

Parents need to point the finger at themselves instead of looking always looking for someone else to point the finger at.

[Guest]

You want to compare portland soccer culture to croatia?
some other idiot compared the Timbers to Ajax?

moron

Why would you believe that the TA could make pros out of the garbage talent in the Portland area? How do your teams compare to the best teams in CA or WA? TA cant make something out of nothing.

Parents need to point the finger at themselves instead of looking always looking for someone else to point the finger at.

The garbage talent in the PDX area is so bad that one of the best players at WSM 09Bs is going to Chivas Academy. Another former SCA player went to Real Salt Lake academy. 2 cuts from TA made academy teams down in Mexico. Another top 08 moving to Spain..and the list goes on I am sure. Garbage talent seems to be leaving town..

[Guest]

The garbage talent in the PDX area is so bad that one of the best players at WSM 09Bs is going to Chivas Academy. Another former SCA player went to Real Salt Lake academy. 2 cuts from TA made academy teams down in Mexico. Another top 08 moving to Spain..and the list goes on I am sure. Garbage talent seems to be leaving town..

Point to the long list of professionals in any league in the world please

[Guest]

Point to the long list of professionals in any league in the world please

Not a long list and that's the issue. Players come out of Oregon despite the Timbers not because of the Timbers. That's what's wrong. Or maybe not and we have the expectations that the Timbers need to produce players and be proud about it. We call ourselves "soccer city USA" and can't produce 1 or 2 players every few years?

[Guest]

The only thing you can '"blame" the Timbers for is not creating a stronger soccer environment within the communities to attract more talent and drive more kids into soccer.

They should be motivated to do that. Instead, they've pushed peiple away

[Guest]

It's the fault, if anything, of multiple parties:

* A pro team that isn't really interested in developing its local talent pool beyond what it's league requires, having decided that the well in these parts is dry.
* A local youth club culture that puts an emphasis on recruiting, on personal training rackets, and general mediocrity, and regards the presence of a professional academy in town as an unwelcome threat--and would do so even if the Timbers were running a top-flight academy.

I'm surprised that nobody up here as tried to do something different, and open a California style youth academy--still a pay to play club, but one where training is 4-5 a week, competition is intense (with hypercompetitive attitudes that make even our local hardasses look like pussycats) where You Put Soccer First And You Don't Skip Period. Sick? Dr's note, otherwise you might lose your spot. Test tomorrow at school? That's your problem, you better be at training.

[Guest]

It's the fault, if anything, of multiple parties:

* A pro team that isn't really interested in developing its local talent pool beyond what it's league requires, having decided that the well in these parts is dry.
* A local youth club culture that puts an emphasis on recruiting, on personal training rackets, and general mediocrity, and regards the presence of a professional academy in town as an unwelcome threat--and would do so even if the Timbers were running a top-flight academy.

I'm surprised that nobody up here as tried to do something different, and open a California style youth academy--still a pay to play club, but one where training is 4-5 a week, competition is intense (with hypercompetitive attitudes that make even our local hardasses look like pussycats) where You Put Soccer First And You Don't Skip Period. Sick? Dr's note, otherwise you might lose your spot. Test tomorrow at school? That's your problem, you better be at training.

Academy style would work here on a couple of conditions. (crossfire as an example)
- Parents would need to pay for additional training time from coaches so the cost would be around 4K instead of 2k.
- You make the top team of 15 and you get a scholarship- no out of pocket club cost
- Parents would have to understand that the best kids get playing time with the first team.
- Need at least 3 teams per age