Popular Topic Here - Winning vs Development: Eric Wynalda Calls Out MLS NEXT’s Broken Vision

[Anonymous]

Thought I would share.

[Anonymous]

Without promotion/relegation and a compensation system similar to how things are in other countries there is simply zero incentive for clubs to 'develop' players.

Winning is what matters because that's what sells.

[Anonymous]

And the sole focus on how much money they can make. And not following their own rules so that clubs who don't meet the requirements can still sell the MLS Next badge to parents, who don't even know the difference. Research who is coaching your team and what their credentials are. A soccer license is a must -- you are paying exorbitant fees, you should have a trained and credentialed coach.

[Anonymous]

Wynalda’s latest Unleashed YouTube series is a tiresome ‘angry parent’ troupe where he angrily bashes every aspect of US soccer.

Tournaments=Bad
MLSNext=Bad
US Soccer=Bad
US Commentators=Bad

His angle is to bash everything and rarely does he put forth much to try to fix issues he is ranting on about.

I’ve watched several of his videos. I find them tiresome. Most of his topics have already been discussed on a majority of the forums. And unless you can create overriding regulation, all the leagues and clubs are free to continue to operate without changing course.

[Anonymous]

MLSNext has implemented quality of play rankings at U13 and U14 but I can see that there are many families (of winning teams especially) who absolutely hate it. Says it makes players “soft” when you discount wins and losses. 🤷‍♂️

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wynalda’s latest Unleashed YouTube series is a tiresome ‘angry parent’ troupe where he angrily bashes every aspect of US soccer.

Tournaments=Bad
MLSNext=Bad
US Soccer=Bad
US Commentators=Bad

His angle is to bash everything and rarely does he put forth much to try to fix issues he is ranting on about.

I’ve watched several of his videos. I find them tiresome. Most of his topics have already been discussed on a majority of the forums. And unless you can create overriding regulation, all the leagues and clubs are free to continue to operate without changing course.

Agree 100%

I would also add that it takes him 30 minutes of ranting to describe something that should have taken 2 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Watch the editing. His rants are MUCH longer and a lot is cut out to make it semi-coherent. His name gives him the platform but his messages are generic snd empty. Such a waste of potential to really make a difference!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And the sole focus on how much money they can make. And not following their own rules so that clubs who don't meet the requirements can still sell the MLS Next badge to parents, who don't even know the difference. Research who is coaching your team and what their credentials are. A soccer license is a must -- you are paying exorbitant fees, you should have a trained and credentialed coach.

Agreed. This is a business and there should be levels to this all, families should think about what they're receiving for their money.

[Anonymous]

The fact that Eric Wynalda is saying all this is actually is pretty significant which is why we are all talking about. I doubt many of you can name 5 controversial USNMT team players. Notable players, not Herc Gomez (love Herc but he wasn't a star) 100 caps or more type players who publicly criticize USMNT, US Soccer, and youth soccer development as a whole, can you name 5?

Probably not. Wynalda was a star and a first class striker for his era, I didn't say world class, produced in and by the US infrastructure. So when he criticizes it, it has weight. Reality also is he is a soccer dad too, absorbing all the same bull shit we do, so yes its not new, but its certainly notable. Let's see what if any impact voices like him have especially if more players were as emboldedned like Waldo are to actually speak up and make change with their actions and resources. Less Lando's and Lalas more Waldo's and Deuces

[Anonymous]

Truth hurts that’s why you all don’t agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And the sole focus on how much money they can make. And not following their own rules so that clubs who don't meet the requirements can still sell the MLS Next badge to parents, who don't even know the difference. Research who is coaching your team and what their credentials are. A soccer license is a must -- you are paying exorbitant fees, you should have a trained and credentialed coach.

I recognize you from other threads. Give it a rest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And the sole focus on how much money they can make. And not following their own rules so that clubs who don't meet the requirements can still sell the MLS Next badge to parents, who don't even know the difference. Research who is coaching your team and what their credentials are. A soccer license is a must -- you are paying exorbitant fees, you should have a trained and credentialed coach.

I recognize you from other threads. Give it a rest.

Cool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Truth hurts that’s why you all don’t agree.

You missed the point. A lot of us already agree with him. The reality hurts. The Truth hurts. But a lot of us are not Angry Parrots.

There is no substance to the discussion to say, "Yeah he's right, I'm outraged too!"

I like that he has a platform and folks are talking about it, so there is some reach. But, I am more interested in proposals to fix stuff that everyone already knows issues that exist. And you can't fix stuff without US or State associations putting some regulations in place to fix pay-to-play. Otherwise, our system will not change and leagues and clubs will continue to operate how they see fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And the sole focus on how much money they can make. And not following their own rules so that clubs who don't meet the requirements can still sell the MLS Next badge to parents, who don't even know the difference. Research who is coaching your team and what their credentials are. A soccer license is a must -- you are paying exorbitant fees, you should have a trained and credentialed coach.

I recognize you from other threads. Give it a rest.

Good -- I recognize you, too. So sad that you and your club think it is ok to cheat kids and parents.

[Anonymous]

"I don't have a network telling me what to say anymore. God it feels good!...

That player played bad...

[network] Choose your words a little differently because we don't want to lose that partnership."

Replace partnership with paying families with two or three siblings at the club. Club directors telling coaches:

Choose your words a little differently because we don't want to lose that family's $$$. Don't move that player down. Give that player lots of playing time or he will complain to us...etc.

This is exactly what is wrong with soccer clubs, at least here in the DMV. You have clubs who have inept players in U10 - U18 who are not supposed to be in those top teams (MLS, ENCL or GA). But since their parents have two or three kids paying $3k+ a pop you have directors telling coaches not to let them go or move them down because that would mean money out the door. And so you have the great players with committed parents carrying the team and oftentimes losing games because of weak players.

Usually, excellent coaches have no saying as to who they get to pick for a top team. These coaches are the Wynalda's of network tv. You can't say anything truthful or you are out of a job. Directors will fire you.

Unless we have a true academy that covers 100% the cost of development as an investment then we are fooling ourselves. This is a lucrative business, end of story.

You also have these MLS Next - GA - ECNL monopolizing the market and so superior local teams/players are left out because they cannot afford or are blocked by these organizations.

Wynalda speaks with authority and speaks the truth that everyone else is afraid to speak because they have a vested intere$t.

Keep creating videos like these Wynalda. That is the only way our country can change the way we develop our players. Hopefully it changes in the future so we can put our country on the as a leader in creating world class soccer players.

The truth hurts.