There is nothing high-level available for this group of players during their off-seasons. That hurts, and it must be fixed! During the holidays we held a 4 day camp for them. It was a pilot program really, as we have never done such a thing, but I was pleased with the turnout. Here’s the list [...]
TweetThe following was inspired by Lalo’s latest comment. He makes good points about leadership, and poses questions about the work on this blog. What follows is not intended as a full response, but I preferred to post here instead of in the comments. On the statement: “Leadership is doing the right thing”. I agree. But [...]
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Northridge, CA – The Matadors produced their best 90 minutes of soccer this season on Saturday night to take sole possession of 1st place in the Big West standings early in conference play. They thoroughly dominated the Titans, playing some nice possession soccer for many spells en route to a convincing 3-0 victory. CSUN: 4-1-4-1 [...]
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There has been plenty of talk as to referees essentially dictating style of play. Not just of one game, but on entire leagues and at all levels. The implication is that this has direct influence on a coach’s player selections and the style of play he implements. So generally: Spain has more possession, skill-based play [...]
TweetWe have several recently turned 20 year-olds from our first ever boys team that have true professional-level quality. Years ago, I predicted with 100% certainty that one kid in particular would go all the way. I actually have standing bets with people on this (most notable are $500 on one, and a lobster dinner every [...]
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What are the expectations? That is key. I think people are getting it confused. Hiring a manager who actually has a clue will not get us the World Cup final, and perhaps not the quarters this cycle either. That is not the discussion we should be having. That is not the appropriate metric to use. [...]
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This year has made me a bit more optimistic for the future of the US game. When compared to my sentiments in years past, this one has been by far the best. No our national teams have not shown any progress, MLS and college remain barely watchable, and our youth development is still piss poor. [...]
TweetA freshman and two sophomores are the standouts from these rosters. When I profile players, it means I’m pointing out only those who are currently professional level material or can be in short order. So … true quality! Joe Franco (01/26/1990) Smooth, calm, and intelligent, the Northridge sophomore outside back demonstrates that the college game is [...]
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After I published the US needs a high level soccer coach, a great discussion ensued in the comments. Today I want to focus on a particular topic that arose. Specifically, is it difficult to identify an elite player? And if so, why? The answer is quite involved, but I will offer a good starting point. [...]
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I was accused on a forum the other day of not sticking my neck out by making predictions. Even though I had, and shared their location (more on that later), this person’s statement disturbed me. Was this an attempt to discredit me? Or is this something people use to assign authority? I’d like to think [...]
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