Read on Twitter
1/ A thread…
Question: how should kids that are born & raised in the US make their way to a successful career in Europe (and hence become a prospect for the #USMNT)? To date, they have followed a handful of different models:
Question: how should kids that are born & raised in the US make their way to a successful career in Europe (and hence become a prospect for the #USMNT)? To date, they have followed a handful of different models:
2/
The Pulisic model – bypass an MLS academy and move straight to Europe as a teenager
Examples: Pulisic, Sargent, Hoppe
The Pulisic model – bypass an MLS academy and move straight to Europe as a teenager
Examples: Pulisic, Sargent, Hoppe
3/
The McKennie model – leave an MLS academy for Europe without signing a Homegrown contract
Examples: McKennie, Reyna, Soto, Gioacchini, Ledezma
The McKennie model – leave an MLS academy for Europe without signing a Homegrown contract
Examples: McKennie, Reyna, Soto, Gioacchini, Ledezma
4/
The Adams model – sign an MLS pro contract with a team that has an established pipeline/partnership to a European club
Examples: Adams, Clark, Richards
The Adams model – sign an MLS pro contract with a team that has an established pipeline/partnership to a European club
Examples: Adams, Clark, Richards
5/
The Miazga model – prove yourself in an MLS first team, then get sold to a European club
Examples: Miazga, Cannon, Aaronson, McKenzie, Reynolds
The Miazga model – prove yourself in an MLS first team, then get sold to a European club
Examples: Miazga, Cannon, Aaronson, McKenzie, Reynolds
6/
The USL to Europe model – avoid MLS and get sold directly from a USL team to a European club
Examples: (none yet…hopeful for Jonathan Gomez or Jose Gallegos?)
The USL to Europe model – avoid MLS and get sold directly from a USL team to a European club
Examples: (none yet…hopeful for Jonathan Gomez or Jose Gallegos?)
7/
My take: in the long run, we want a lot more of the Miazga model. That will make the MLS more exciting to fans, more profitable to owners, and more attractive to young players. The question is why have so many prospects followed the Pulisic and McKennie models to date?
My take: in the long run, we want a lot more of the Miazga model. That will make the MLS more exciting to fans, more profitable to owners, and more attractive to young players. The question is why have so many prospects followed the Pulisic and McKennie models to date?
8/
You could argue that perhaps those players were “too good” for MLS and should/would have left anyway. But you could also argue that the Homegrown structure is too restrictive and that the MLS hasn’t (fully) established itself as a selling league.
You could argue that perhaps those players were “too good” for MLS and should/would have left anyway. But you could also argue that the Homegrown structure is too restrictive and that the MLS hasn’t (fully) established itself as a selling league.
9/
If more MLS clubs invest more in their academies and establish a track record of selling young prospects (ala Philly & Dallas), then perhaps more prospects follow the Miazga model going forward.
If more MLS clubs invest more in their academies and establish a track record of selling young prospects (ala Philly & Dallas), then perhaps more prospects follow the Miazga model going forward.
10/
And if the USL establishes a track record of selling as well, that could create competition for young talent, and push more MLS clubs to do the same (and perhaps ease the restrictive rules around Homegrowns, salary caps, etc.).
And if the USL establishes a track record of selling as well, that could create competition for young talent, and push more MLS clubs to do the same (and perhaps ease the restrictive rules around Homegrowns, salary caps, etc.).
