The St James acquires FCV
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Anonymous
I can believe it, because I know of a few clubs who do it. Out of curiosity, which club do you mean? because I know you aren't talking about fcv |
Anonymous
Would rather not attract all the trolls but it’s not FCV |
Anonymous
DP here, I’m curious as well. This statement, that your club plays exactly the same across all coaches and teams and that FCV doesn’t, is odd because (unless the club is hyper focused on a specific, restricted age group range?), there are many aspects of play that you will see in older groups that younger groups simply aren’t ready for yet. For a full slate of age groups and teams, it also implies two very improbable things: 1. That you have witnessed the instruction of every single coach and player at your existing club. You have intimate knowledge of how every coach interacts with the players on their specific team, or, if coaches float, you have knowledge of how each coach interacts with/instructs every team to which they float, across all age groups. You have also seen every single team play to verify your conclusion. 2. That you have similarly witnessed the instruction of every single coach and player at FCV, across multiple age groups to confirm the opposite. You have observed a statistically significant sample of FCV games to confirm your conclusion. Note, watching one off YouTube video and or some subset of games isn’t enough to confirm your hypothesis in either case, as coaches and players adjust their tactics per opponent, and the specific performance against a given opponent, which may look completely different depending on the strength and tactics of the given opponent, can easily shift a viewers perceptions of the subject team’s playing style and proficiency. This would be true for either subject case, your club or FCV. Let’s give you the benefit of the doubt with the statement on your club, even though I highly doubt you have truly observed training across every team in such an analytical way. Can you explain your credentials to make the claim that FCV does not adhere to training to a specific style or brand of soccer across their teams and age groups? You already admitted to being with a different club, so I’m very curious how you have the time and credentials to come to this conclusion. |
Anonymous
| Hey Sherlock Holmes, good analysis but poor data gathering. Read again. The poster did not discredit FCV, just said their club was not FCV. But we know where you play. Good lord. |
Anonymous
Given the content of the thread and the fact that this poster decided to post here at all, I’m good with my comments and think they are appropriate. But thanks for your concern. |
Anonymous
OMG. Just put words in their mouth and attack them. Never wrong. Always looking for a fight. FCV = Fight Club Virginia. |
Anonymous
PP, I know what it's like to lose. To feel, so desperately, that you're right, yet to fail, nonetheless. It's frightening. Turns the legs to jelly. But I ask you, to what end? Dread it, run from it... destiny arrives all the same. And now, it's here. Or, should I say... I am. Your planet was on the brink of collapse. I'm the one who stopped that. Do you know what's happened since then? The children born have known nothing but full bellies and clear skies. It's a paradise. Little one, it's a simple calculus. This universe is finite, it's resources finite. If life is left unchecked, life will cease to exist. It needs correction! I'm the only one who knows that... at least, I'm the only one with the will to act on it. Titan was like most planets. Too many mouths, not enough to go around. And when we faced extinction, I offered a solution. But random, dispassionate, fair to rich and poor alike. They called me a madman. And what I predicted came to pass. With all six stones, I could simply snap my fingers and they would all cease to exist. I call that mercy. And then I'd finally rest, and watch the sun rise on a grateful universe. The hardest choices require the strongest wills. |
Anonymous
I like this discussion so I will chime in. This comment above shows an emphasis on winning above learning to play the game right. Play the game right and the wins will come. But it may take time, many mistakes and bad losses along the way. Most clubs and thereby coaches and then the parents don’t have the stomach, knowledge or the patience to truly develop. Playing “kickball” or “direct soccer”, for those that want a euphemism, as a style aren’t developing soccer players, only kids playing soccer to win. You could teach “direct play” in a one-day camp. Quality possession play and the confidence to play it under serious pressure takes a long long time to teach and most coaches don’t not only have the proper incentives but also lack the ability to teach it. They simply don’t know how and/or are too busy or arrogant to educate themselves. Here is a link to a video that shows a ton of things being discussed here. McLean 01, in my opinion, is playing very good soccer and playing a very strict possession style. Here, they get their butts kicked. Some would say they lost 4-0 while outplaying their opponent. Some would say the result speaks for itself. But even down big and late in a must-win game for significant stakes, they maintain their style of play. This is the philosophy that this team has used to get to this level and do so over a period of a few years. The players have been patient and so have the parents and now the results have come. The improvement is significant and these players now could move to an other possession style team in the future (college) with significant experience and ability to play that way against top teams and serious pressure. Could they have won more playing direct sometimes? Maybe and maybe they did. Because switching mid-game to playing direct when you already know possession is much, much easier than playing possession when all you’ve done is play and train direct soccer to get more wins. Youth soccer in America is full of clubs and coaches that have incentives to win above all else. These incentives are why we don’t produce players and teams that are the among the best in the world. This has been true in the men’s game without dispute and I feel the women’s game and players will end up in the same place as more and more countries are implementing their philosophies for women now. Our head start has evaporated. This isn’t about whether our children are good enough to make national teams. It’s about creating an environment where playing the sport with creativity and intelligence makes the game more joyous for the children playing it. When everyone touches the ball and the players are encouraged to be creative with passing, movement and skills the game is more fun. With talented players, wins follow and then everyone is happy. It’s a marathon to get there but our system wants results instantaneously. I agree with the posters that say it is coach and team specific. This is true. And what also is true is that no coach or club will ever tell you they play direct soccer. They ALL claim to play possession. And like another poster hinted at, it is easy to play possession against a vastly inferior opponent. You get better by trying it against the most intense pressure. If you want your child to truly develop as a soccer player, beware the coach and club that tells you how much they win. Watch video if you can find it, or go to the games of teams your child is interested in and watch. Watch the game play, the amount of time each team has the ball, how many touches each player is getting, the confidence of the players, the communication of the coaches and even more so, the communication of the players among themselves. If they are instructing each other like mini coaches and not just yelling “clear it” or “send it” then they have been and are still getting educated. Paying attention to the details is important if you’re looking for development. Anyone who knows me personally may know who I am based on my post. https://youtu.be/JlKICKIYvj0 |
Anonymous
| Being set in your ways and not teaching and employing multiple tactics is not good coaching. It is limited and arrogant. Learn to play both possession and direct. Learn to play with patience and urgency, but know when. Again, situational awareness and critical thinking skills built through disciplined practice that turns into instinct is what we want our coaches to teach and our players to learn. That is what I posted several posts back. I mistakenly said “all” clubs to emphasize my point, when I really meant “most.” How am I qualified? Watching years of youth soccer across many clubs, coaching, watching years of pro soccer, and playing for 40+ years. Watch the Liverpool victory over Barca. Good example of urgency, pressure, and direct play that shocked Barca into submission. However, we’ve also seen Liverpool possess for long stretches. Balanced play with a willingness and ability to adapt. |
Anonymous
No disagreement there. But those players as youth players learned to play the right way and are able to switch styles as the game demands. I was referring to teaching the game to our youth players when the development curve is the steepest. |
Anonymous
For all the talk about fighting, you are the one doing the name calling. Was that your post on “Titan” as well? Very interesting personalities in this thread. |
Anonymous
Love it! Your arguments are classic. Titan? |
Anonymous
Call them by their new name. The St. James FC Virginia |
Anonymous
| FC Thanos. We will wipe all of these puny clubs away. |
Anonymous
| Thanks for making my classic point with the posts above. Goes to show who’s looking for a fight, and it’s not the FCV parent in this case. |