Reply to What Must Change With USA Youth Soccer Culture

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The problem (that won't be fixed) is that youth soccer is a huge business with lots of money to be made.  So, the focus is on winning.  [b]Not the slow-burn developmental process that they embrace in Europe.[/b]  No, we can't waste time doing small-sided games and 5v5 matches to build our soccer IQ...we need to scrimmage ASAP because we have super important tournaments coming up!

It's all to build the profile of the club and never about the players.  Win tournaments now!  Because money is there to be made.  Its only and always about the money here.  So you gotta find a way to deal with the system and make it work in your advantage...focus on what you can control.[/quote]

The goal of that slow burn is to sell a player to another club. The US gets lots of things wrong, but at least our kids aren't binding themselves to clubs in a way to allows the club to control their rights. We also value participation over a focus on the elite. Our incentives are different, but don't pretend European clubs care about what is best for kids [/quote]

They are certainly about developing better soccer players.  And yes...the top academies in Europe are openly trying to develop players to make their 1st team as a pro or sell them at a later date.  I don't see how that negates that they are still trying to develop players in a proper way.  The point is we aren't...[b]we are just trying to win so the club can get bigger[/b].  Those aren't the same things.  We don't really get anything right.[/quote]

That's the difference. European clubs want quality and will cull their teams every year because kids without potential are not worth wasting resources. Pay to play lets more kids, including those who don't have a hope of playing in college let alone pro. If you care about producing professional players, Europe is better. If you don't and you just want your kid to enjoy playing, the US is better. I'd be willing to bet that most people would prefer their kid be allowed to continue playing even if it means the national team can't be as talented as it would be under a European system because most people, even those with kids in ECNL or MLSnext, do not actually care about professional soccer or the national teams [/quote]

This is uninformed...by a lot.  I don't think you understand how many teams exist in Europe at the youth and adult level.  You are talking about the top academies only like that's it.  They have so many more options for kids at all levels in Europe than here for cheaper, less travel, better development, and better competition.  I lived in the UK for a long time and this isn't "trust me bro".  We are not doing anything better in the US when it comes to soccer...and we are paying so much money for it.[/quote]

9% of kids who are part of team's academy in the UK play professionally at any level there. That is less than one in ten.  And by professionally,  I don't just mean the Premier League. This includes,  The Championship, League One, and Two in England as well as the full time professional leagues/teams in Scotland, Wales and NI.

This is fact and it is not only about the "top academies."  Kids will be accepted at a young age and possibly/dropped within a year. Maybe another club will pick them up. Maybe they won't. [/quote]

Dude you don't get it...you are still talking about "top academies".  A "team's academy" IS A TOP ACADEMY in Europe.  There are soooooo many more teams in the UK than that.  School teams...grassroots...cat 2/3.  The original point was that the UK is better to be a pro and the US is better if you want your kid to just enjoy playing.  That is incredibly misinformed by someone who probably has never been to Europe.  Europe is doing better than the US at all levels of soccer...for cheaper and better competition.  [/quote]

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