Reply to So any MLSnxt players sitting out the MS and HS season this Fall?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
If you think MLS Academies are doing much of anything in terms of development, you need to travel more.
[/quote]

Many MLS academies (Philadelphia, New York, LA Galaxy etc.) are developing kids.  Just not DC United.[/quote]
DP, but while DC United has never been a model academy, they have developed plenty of pros.  DCU has 5 or 6 homegrowns on their current roster alone, and some of them will almost certainly have overseas opportunities in the coming years. [/quote]

DC United has access to an incredible local talent pool - at least the equal of anywhere else in the country - which they freeload off.[/quote]
I agree there is a deep talent pool here, but DC United had several good academy coaches through the years and some pretty good teams. They weren’t free like all the other MLS DA’s back in the day, but they offered good training for reasonable fees and opportunities for top DA players to train with the senior team (including Wayne Rooney for a sadly brief time!) The program is a complete mess at the moment, but it wasn’t always so. [/quote]

Only just saw this - sorry I didn't respond earlier.  I'm not disputing that DCU academy has had good coaches and good teams from time to time.  But some good coaches (who leave as soon as they can get a better full time job elsewhere) and good teams doesn't change anything.

A commitment to developing kids means investing at an absolute minimum in 
-  a program which runs (at least) U13 through U19
-  decent facilities to include a sufficient number of turf and grass fields, video equipment, indoor areas like changing rooms, offices, film study rooms, gym/weight training areas, medical staff etc.
-  full time coaching staff in sufficient numbers to allow for specific training activities on a one-on-one basis as necessary, break down and directed study of game and practice film and all the other coaching activities which are normally associated with top academies.  
This is a minimum.  Many academies provide much more than this including residence, academic education (integrated with a daily soccer schedule to allow for two practises per day), nutrition etc.

DCU has never provided anything approaching this.  They currently provide one part time coach per age group, and only three age groups who effectively share a single practise field.  Only one individual (the director) is a full time employee - and I would bet he's not getting paid nearly enough.  I don't care how good a part time coach is - without all the other investment necessary to provide a competitive development environment, he remains an unsupported part time coach and that does not represent an acceptable commitment to player development by DCU.[/quote]

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