Anonymous wrote:The biggest question I have regarding all of this is this: if the OP of the thread is from Arlington and is obviously very excited about Arlington getting ECNL then why didn't they take their kid to a ECNL club already? The tone of the OP seems to indicate how important ECNL is and yet they willingly joined or stayed at a GA club.

It is FCV haters shaming, pressuring FCV.
This has nothing to do with ARL boys or girls. ARL may just stay put.. whatever.

The biggest question I have regarding all of this is this: if the OP of the thread is from Arlington and is obviously very excited about Arlington getting ECNL then why didn't they take their kid to a ECNL club already? The tone of the OP seems to indicate how important ECNL is and yet they willingly joined or stayed at a GA club.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re saying that Arlington was offered girls ECNL and Arlington staffers did not immediately accept. Throwing the future of their entire girls program in jeopardy because they want to withdraw from Boys ECNL for the next carrot that will either fold or never get off the ground. And if it doesn’t get off the ground, it will leave both the girls and boys in a worse situation. Oh, and basically get them locked out for the next 10 years if not more.

Is that what we are to believe?

I’m going with option B which is Arlington has put in a bid for girls ECNL and MLS next for the boys which has significantly weaken their position for gorls ECNL or both. The issue may be that they have not heard back from either.

Rumor is Arlington's Boys Academy team will move to MLS Next, the Red teams will take the ECNL slot, and the Girls will get an ECNL slot.

Lots of rumors, but no proof yet. We were on a call last night for ARL GA families. Not one word about ECNL, or even any hint that something new was coming.

And there you have it. Now put it to bed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re saying that Arlington was offered girls ECNL and Arlington staffers did not immediately accept. Throwing the future of their entire girls program in jeopardy because they want to withdraw from Boys ECNL for the next carrot that will either fold or never get off the ground. And if it doesn’t get off the ground, it will leave both the girls and boys in a worse situation. Oh, and basically get them locked out for the next 10 years if not more.

Is that what we are to believe?

I’m going with option B which is Arlington has put in a bid for girls ECNL and MLS next for the boys which has significantly weaken their position for gorls ECNL or both. The issue may be that they have not heard back from either.

Rumor is Arlington's Boys Academy team will move to MLS Next, the Red teams will take the ECNL slot, and the Girls will get an ECNL slot.

Lots of rumors, but no proof yet. We were on a call last night for ARL GA families. Not one word about ECNL, or even any hint that something new was coming.

Anonymous wrote:You’re saying that Arlington was offered girls ECNL and Arlington staffers did not immediately accept. Throwing the future of their entire girls program in jeopardy because they want to withdraw from Boys ECNL for the next carrot that will either fold or never get off the ground. And if it doesn’t get off the ground, it will leave both the girls and boys in a worse situation. Oh, and basically get them locked out for the next 10 years if not more.

Is that what we are to believe?

I’m going with option B which is Arlington has put in a bid for girls ECNL and MLS next for the boys which has significantly weaken their position for gorls ECNL or both. The issue may be that they have not heard back from either.

Rumor is Arlington's Boys Academy team will move to MLS Next, the Red teams will take the ECNL slot, and the Girls will get an ECNL slot.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MLS Next isn’t MLS. You know what is? DC United.

Sure. And if you can make DC United, you go. And if you can’t? In time, I think the clear best option after DCU will be MLS Next clubs, not ECNL.

Only if the league expands beyond the 2-3 teams at the older age groups. Currently, MLSNext ends at U14 for the vast majority of kids because it is solely intended to be a feeder league to the MLS teams. Something needs to fill the gap in the 15+ age groups. The league could allow existing members to field older teams, but those teams will not compete with the current full academies-they will be the second tier league. MLS’s whole purpose for this league and its big fallout with US Soccer over DA was about too many teams diluting the league for consistent high level competition. MLS needs to keep the age pyramid or the whole league will collapse. That said, the question will be what is the most competitive league for age 15+ kids who are not on the pro pathway and at one of the few full MLS academies. The more competitive league is more likely to be ECNL than the CCL and NCSL leagues which are the leagues for most of these MLSNext feeder clubs.

Someone knows the reality and not living in dreams. Agree on this and be real for your kids.
***
That said, the question will be what is the most competitive league for age 15+ kids who are not on the pro pathway and at one of the few full MLS academies. The more competitive league is more likely to be ECNL than the CCL and NCSL leagues which are the leagues for most of these MLSNext feeder clubs
***

Anonymous wrote:Lol yeah I’ll drop thousands of dollars to maybe get picked up by DCU academy and then back to CCL, or, play for ARLINGTON ECNL (you know that club with an amazing track record) and get best showcasing platform.

This is all you need to know about Arlington - soccer is an investment designed to get you into college, and premised on showcasing offered by any other third-rate boys team in this area. Not about culture, not about experience, and premised on complete idiocy when it comes to the college admissions process. No thank you. It was enough seeing those parents and that horrendous coaching two or three times a year when our kids would play circles around them.

Lol yeah I’ll drop thousands of dollars to maybe get picked up by DCU academy and then back to CCL, or, play for ARLINGTON ECNL (you know that club with an amazing track record) and get best showcasing platform.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MLS Next isn’t MLS. You know what is? DC United.

Sure. And if you can make DC United, you go. And if you can’t? In time, I think the clear best option after DCU will be MLS Next clubs, not ECNL.

Only if the league expands beyond the 2-3 teams at the older age groups. Currently, MLSNext ends at U14 for the vast majority of kids because it is solely intended to be a feeder league to the MLS teams. Something needs to fill the gap in the 15+ age groups. The league could allow existing members to field older teams, but those teams will not compete with the current full academies-they will be the second tier league. MLS’s whole purpose for this league and its big fallout with US Soccer over DA was about too many teams diluting the league for consistent high level competition. MLS needs to keep the age pyramid or the whole league will collapse. That said, the question will be what is the most competitive league for age 15+ kids who are not on the pro pathway and at one of the few full MLS academies. The more competitive league is more likely to be ECNL than the CCL and NCSL leagues which are the leagues for most of these MLSNext feeder clubs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MLS Next isn’t MLS. You know what is? DC United.

Sure. And if you can make DC United, you go. And if you can’t? In time, I think the clear best option after DCU will be MLS Next clubs, not ECNL.

And some people think cucumbers taste better than pickles

So one league has a conference with local teams of McLean, BRYC, Loudoun, VDA and the other one has DCU, Bethesda, Alexandria, SYC and Achilles...if we’re talking boys soccer, DCU and Bethesda are better than anyone in the first group and Alexandria and SYC are at least as good as BRYC and McLean.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MLS Next isn’t MLS. You know what is? DC United.

Sure. And if you can make DC United, you go. And if you can’t? In time, I think the clear best option after DCU will be MLS Next clubs, not ECNL.

And some people think cucumbers taste better than pickles

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington to girls ECNL is still just speculation, right? Nothing official from ECNL yet, right?

Arlington was offered ECNL. They wanted to pull out their boys and go to new MLS league. ECNL called and said if you keep your boys in we give you the girls. Arlington will decide which way they go but they have everything on the table. All political like always.

That’s an interesting dilemma. If you don’t go to MLS Next, you risk losing players to clubs like Alexandria if/when MLS Next gets their act together. But, it almost certainly is bad news for your girls program. I’m guessing the Technical leadership wants MLS Next but they’ll get a hell of a fight internally if they go that way.

Don’t worry, it’s not much of a dilemma if it didn’t happen.

But, in the spirit of DCUM rumors. Let’s discuss.

You’re saying that Arlington was offered girls ECNL and Arlington staffers did not immediately accept. Throwing the future of their entire girls program in jeopardy because they want to withdraw from Boys ECNL for the next carrot that will either fold or never get off the ground. And if it doesn’t get off the ground, it will leave both the girls and boys in a worse situation. Oh, and basically get them locked out for the next 10 years if not more.

Is that what we are to believe?

I’m going with option B which is Arlington has put in a bid for girls ECNL and MLS next for the boys which has significantly weaken their position for gorls ECNL or both. The issue may be that they have not heard back from either.

Just my opinion with zero inside info.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Arlington to girls ECNL is still just speculation, right? Nothing official from ECNL yet, right?

Arlington was offered ECNL. They wanted to pull out their boys and go to new MLS league. ECNL called and said if you keep your boys in we give you the girls. Arlington will decide which way they go but they have everything on the table. All political like always.

That’s an interesting dilemma. If you don’t go to MLS Next, you risk losing players to clubs like Alexandria if/when MLS Next gets their act together. But, it almost certainly is bad news for your girls program. I’m guessing the Technical leadership wants MLS Next but they’ll get a hell of a fight internally if they go that way.

I don’t think Arlington needs to worry about losing players to Alexandria, ever.

Anonymous wrote:MLS Next isn’t MLS. You know what is? DC United.

Sure. And if you can make DC United, you go. And if you can’t? In time, I think the clear best option after DCU will be MLS Next clubs, not ECNL.

MLS Next isn’t MLS. You know what is? DC United.