There weren't 8 pro players on this roster. Chicago, Gotham, Utah and a new signing to NC Courage. That's it for those that have actually signed professional contracts. Although I'm guessing one of the youngest ones will sign soon with KC.

BTW, Netherlands won the UEFA U17 Euros this year (ahead of Spain, France, etc.). And where were the other UEFA powerhouses - England, Germany, Sweden? Didn't qualify.

Still, USA should have finished this game off before penalties. It should have never gone to PKs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US lost in a sudden death penalty shoot-out to a traditional European power. Oh, the humanity!

Correct me if I am wrong but I believe it was the first time Netherlands participated in the U17 World Cup. Not to mention Netherlands is smaller than the state of Virginia.

This and the fact that North Korea (out of ALL the countries in the world) won the WC last year should be an eye opener.

Called it when USA female team won the last senior World Cup with help from the refs (cue those two penalties against Spain).

It’s time to accept that NOW that the rest of the world decided to also promote female football the USA will NEVER win it again. If you think otherwise you’re delusional or too hardcore nationalist.

Wow. That's a BOLD prediction. Look, there are a lot of flaws with the US system. But, I think, in the US the sport options are still such that you have a ton of the high end US female athletes playing soccer. I do agree that as the traditional Euro/SA powers have woken up and have started funding women's programs, they are catching up fast. But, there still seems to be a stigma in many countries with women's sports. There a lot of issues going on now in La Liga F and funding women's programs and how the men's programs are drawing down the women's funds.

I haven't invested time into researching this, but it would be interesting to track through these countries the players that are on the U17 teams and then appearing on the senior teams. Also, how much more time are these other countries national teams training together as compared to the US teams. I think the big struggle is that you have US players are these ages coming from Club, College and Pro that are all playing their own systems with their own goals. The "US Way" as it's talked about is tough to implement when you have such limited time with these players.

What I will say though, is once you are in, unless you are complete mess, you continue to be in. That is continuing to stay on the radar, continuing to be tracked, continuing to be part of things even on the perimeter. Will be interesting to see how this moves forward.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Watched the USWNT recently vs Portugal. Thompson was so high rated and so well known and now playing for Chelsea. But to be honest it was disappointing that she didn’t play as a team. Her speed is dangerous but she dribbles too much and didn’t pass when she should have and overall poor decision makings.

I had seen her played since she was younger and it was so exciting to see such dangerous player with great ball skills but she’s been playing way far too long, great individual player but did not make the team better.

USYNT teams select those who are flashy and caught their eyes or clubs/ coaches recommendations because they are great individual player but most of the times - they are not impactful to the team’s success because they don’t have high soccer IQ.

I’ve seen many players with great soccer IQ who never got selected for ID session even though they are usually crucial to the team success and I’m not just talking about scoring.

With social media these days - everyone wants to be instagram stars.

Alyssa Thompson is very good and still very young. The fact she just got bought by Chelsea tells you that folks outside of the USWNT politics-sphere also see potential. She also scored her first goal already -- it's going fine. Not sure which Portugal match you mean, but... In the first game, the whole USNWT played horrendously. In the second, Thompson was one of the only real USNWT members starting/playing and just hasn't trained that much with the young kids so likely didn't gel perfectly yet. Even then, she didn't play terribly (had a good attempt blocked around the 30 minute mark) and has played OK for the USWNT recently (with her only 3 goals coming in the last year). Anyway... I think she's a weird person to pick as the face of USWNT politics/some kind of failure.

She's a great player with great skills but need work in the decision making and being impactful in the game. Was referring to the USYNT that while it's a team sport and it needs to the team to work together, clubs/ coaches/ schouts like individual players that caught their eyes either being agressive/ speed/ physicality/ etc at a younger age. Most coaches don't value soccer IQ but that's what will set the player apart once everything is even out which is why those that make USYNT mostly won't make the senior team

kinda felt like the NWSL entered into a youth signing arms race. I believe Olivia Moultri sued the NWSL to sign a professional contract before the age of 18. She won the suit and was able to play professionally before the age of 18. What happed soon after was headline making news of NWSL Clubs signing younger and younger athletes for their clubs! For a while, the headline was, "This NWSL Club signed the youngest players ever!" -Only for another club to come along and make waves by signing an even younger player within a year. I think McKenna Whitham signed at age 13 and played recently at age 14!

According to many academy talent scouts in Europe, it is almost impossible to determine true talent and potential at a young age, so what we have here is a bit of gambling one the part of clubs in the name of keeping up with the latest signing trend of making waves, interest and even profits by signing younger and younger players.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US lost in a sudden death penalty shoot-out to a traditional European power. Oh, the humanity!

Correct me if I am wrong but I believe it was the first time Netherlands participated in the U17 World Cup. Not to mention Netherlands is smaller than the state of Virginia.

This and the fact that North Korea (out of ALL the countries in the world) won the WC last year should be an eye opener.

Called it when USA female team won the last senior World Cup with help from the refs (cue those two penalties against Spain).

It’s time to accept that NOW that the rest of the world decided to also promote female football the USA will NEVER win it again. If you think otherwise you’re delusional or too hardcore nationalist.

Anonymous wrote:US lost in a sudden death penalty shoot-out to a traditional European power. Oh, the humanity!

Correct me if I am wrong but I believe it was the first time Netherlands participated in the U17 World Cup. Not to mention Netherlands is smaller than the state of Virginia.

US lost in a sudden death penalty shoot-out to a traditional European power. Oh, the humanity!

Anonymous wrote:Watched the USWNT recently vs Portugal. Thompson was so high rated and so well known and now playing for Chelsea. But to be honest it was disappointing that she didn’t play as a team. Her speed is dangerous but she dribbles too much and didn’t pass when she should have and overall poor decision makings.

I had seen her played since she was younger and it was so exciting to see such dangerous player with great ball skills but she’s been playing way far too long, great individual player but did not make the team better.

USYNT teams select those who are flashy and caught their eyes or clubs/ coaches recommendations because they are great individual player but most of the times - they are not impactful to the team’s success because they don’t have high soccer IQ.

I’ve seen many players with great soccer IQ who never got selected for ID session even though they are usually crucial to the team success and I’m not just talking about scoring.

With social media these days - everyone wants to be instagram stars.

Alyssa Thompson is very good and still very young. The fact she just got bought by Chelsea tells you that folks outside of the USWNT politics-sphere also see potential. She also scored her first goal already -- it's going fine. Not sure which Portugal match you mean, but... In the first game, the whole USNWT played horrendously. In the second, Thompson was one of the only real USNWT members starting/playing and just hasn't trained that much with the young kids so likely didn't gel perfectly yet. Even then, she didn't play terribly (had a good attempt blocked around the 30 minute mark) and has played OK for the USWNT recently (with her only 3 goals coming in the last year). Anyway... I think she's a weird person to pick as the face of USWNT politics/some kind of failure.

Does North Korea won the U-17 Girls' World Cup last year?
Go figure!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:USA has 8 professional players on this roster. I've watched some of the games. These are not professional level players. This has become a political/popularity contest to push going pro. I'd love to hear how this is decided between player/club/family and how much money is involved. Or does it possibly mean the NWSL and USL Super League is not that good? Interested in opinions.

It kinda felt like the NWSL entered into a youth signing arms race. I believe Olivia Moultri sued the NWSL to sign a professional contract before the age of 18. She won the suit and was able to play professionally before the age of 18. What happed soon after was headline making news of NWSL Clubs signing younger and younger athletes for their clubs! For a while, the headline was, "This NWSL Club signed the youngest players ever!" -Only for another club to come along and make waves by signing an even younger player within a year. I think McKenna Whitham signed at age 13 and played recently at age 14!

According to many academy talent scouts in Europe, it is almost impossible to determine true talent and potential at a young age, so what we have here is a bit of gambling one the part of clubs in the name of keeping up with the latest signing trend of making waves, interest and even profits by signing younger and younger players.

I think this is largely correct... But I will say that the recent USWNT game certainly suggested that the gamble on Moultrie will pay off. She looked great.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Politics has more to do with USYNT than anyone here could imagine. I was hopeful it would get better but is only getting worse by the day. I wish I could post why. Just know it’s awful and so many players are being robbed of opportunity. The only age group that is truly legit are u19 and U23. Even the USWNT has players that are taking spots from more deserving players.

So, why can't you post why? I'm really curious. I have some knowledge, but I admit not a ton, of what is involved in playing at that level and I'm curious about your thoughts on the process. Because having firsthand knowledge of players that have gone through it, I struggle at times with understanding what exactly is being valued as it's not extremely transparent at all.

Not PP, but it just looks like if you can pay for your kid to be on the NT, you get it. I will say, though, that most of these girls will not make it to the senior team. Call ups at youth do not equal call ups to the national team.

I posted earlier about not saying why. Has nothing to do with paying for it. It’s all Politics from Club level to being influenced on a very high political level. From USYNTs to USWNT. For those that don’t know, Deloitte is one of the largest sponsors of US Soccer….but I am not traveling down that road publicly. It’s a losing cause. This is in regards to the USWNT.

In the youth pool, it’s all about which Clubs and who the scout is/was but it starts with who a coach recommends to be scouted at ID Centers. Some players do get scouted at games and events however. Just because a player is great does not automatically put them on the team though. If another player is just as good from a well known Club, that player will be chosen by the committee who likely have relationships with Club coaches where the players are from.

Amazing how these names just pop up everywhere. The inside track makes it so much easier.

Anonymous wrote:Watched the USWNT recently vs Portugal. Thompson was so high rated and so well known and now playing for Chelsea. But to be honest it was disappointing that she didn’t play as a team. Her speed is dangerous but she dribbles too much and didn’t pass when she should have and overall poor decision makings.

I had seen her played since she was younger and it was so exciting to see such dangerous player with great ball skills but she’s been playing way far too long, great individual player but did not make the team better.

USYNT teams select those who are flashy and caught their eyes or clubs/ coaches recommendations because they are great individual player but most of the times - they are not impactful to the team’s success because they don’t have high soccer IQ.

I’ve seen many players with great soccer IQ who never got selected for ID session even though they are usually crucial to the team success and I’m not just talking about scoring.

With social media these days - everyone wants to be instagram stars.

You nailed it. Soccer is a team sport. You can select a player that catches the ball and score but if you don't select the ones that make the strikers look good, your team will not have a great performance.
BTW That Netherlands team played poorly and lost 5-0 to NK DPR.

Watched the USWNT recently vs Portugal. Thompson was so high rated and so well known and now playing for Chelsea. But to be honest it was disappointing that she didn’t play as a team. Her speed is dangerous but she dribbles too much and didn’t pass when she should have and overall poor decision makings.

I had seen her played since she was younger and it was so exciting to see such dangerous player with great ball skills but she’s been playing way far too long, great individual player but did not make the team better.

USYNT teams select those who are flashy and caught their eyes or clubs/ coaches recommendations because they are great individual player but most of the times - they are not impactful to the team’s success because they don’t have high soccer IQ.

I’ve seen many players with great soccer IQ who never got selected for ID session even though they are usually crucial to the team success and I’m not just talking about scoring.

With social media these days - everyone wants to be instagram stars.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Politics has more to do with USYNT than anyone here could imagine. I was hopeful it would get better but is only getting worse by the day. I wish I could post why. Just know it’s awful and so many players are being robbed of opportunity. The only age group that is truly legit are u19 and U23. Even the USWNT has players that are taking spots from more deserving players.

So, why can't you post why? I'm really curious. I have some knowledge, but I admit not a ton, of what is involved in playing at that level and I'm curious about your thoughts on the process. Because having firsthand knowledge of players that have gone through it, I struggle at times with understanding what exactly is being valued as it's not extremely transparent at all.

Not PP, but it just looks like if you can pay for your kid to be on the NT, you get it. I will say, though, that most of these girls will not make it to the senior team. Call ups at youth do not equal call ups to the national team.

I posted earlier about not saying why. Has nothing to do with paying for it. It’s all Politics from Club level to being influenced on a very high political level. From USYNTs to USWNT. For those that don’t know, Deloitte is one of the largest sponsors of US Soccer….but I am not traveling down that road publicly. It’s a losing cause. This is in regards to the USWNT.

In the youth pool, it’s all about which Clubs and who the scout is/was but it starts with who a coach recommends to be scouted at ID Centers. Some players do get scouted at games and events however. Just because a player is great does not automatically put them on the team though. If another player is just as good from a well known Club, that player will be chosen by the committee who likely have relationships with Club coaches where the players are from.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Politics has more to do with USYNT than anyone here could imagine. I was hopeful it would get better but is only getting worse by the day. I wish I could post why. Just know it’s awful and so many players are being robbed of opportunity. The only age group that is truly legit are u19 and U23. Even the USWNT has players that are taking spots from more deserving players.

So, why can't you post why? I'm really curious. I have some knowledge, but I admit not a ton, of what is involved in playing at that level and I'm curious about your thoughts on the process. Because having firsthand knowledge of players that have gone through it, I struggle at times with understanding what exactly is being valued as it's not extremely transparent at all.

Not PP, but it just looks like if you can pay for your kid to be on the NT, you get it. I will say, though, that most of these girls will not make it to the senior team. Call ups at youth do not equal call ups to the national team.

There are way more people willing to pay for their kid to be on the team than spots on the team. So how do they choose from among all these rich kids?

How are they paying for these spots?

It's easy to spout BS, harder to back it up

some people have influence, relationships etc. more so than actual money. the money piece totally happens at the college level as we have clearly witnessed here in the DMV.