Spain Women and thoughts on ECNL

Highlander

SILVER ELITE
Amazing job by Spain today in the World Cup final. Honestly the best technical and tactical ball I have ever seen from a women's team...that first half was special. Could/should have been 4-0 at the half.

Which brings me to my point about ECNL - do any of you think your kid's clubs/coaches are truly trying to build the technical and tactical proficiency that we see from Spain? My experience from watching is that 95% of the ECNL teams (and other leagues and even at the college level) just try to bring in the best athletes they can and try to force the ball up the field as fast as possible. There are some exceptions of course ( SD Surf being one of them ).

Thinking from a USWNT perspective IMHO we need to rethink how things are done at the youth level...not sure how to do that, but after watching Spain today and the USWNT and many ECNL and college games it's obvious this isn't going to get better any time soon. The Spains of the world are just too technical, too tactical, too well coached for them to be beat by better athletes alone.

Simply as a fan of watching my kid play, I would like to see more teams take a better tactical approach to the game and focus on technical players as much as they do athletes (you need both!).

Anyway, awesome job by Spain! So well done! They brought the women's game to an entirely new level of play.
 
Amazing job by Spain today in the World Cup final. Honestly the best technical and tactical ball I have ever seen from a women's team...that first half was special. Could/should have been 4-0 at the half.

Which brings me to my point about ECNL - do any of you think your kid's clubs/coaches are truly trying to build the technical and tactical proficiency that we see from Spain? My experience from watching is that 95% of the ECNL teams (and other leagues and even at the college level) just try to bring in the best athletes they can and try to force the ball up the field as fast as possible. There are some exceptions of course ( SD Surf being one of them ).

Thinking from a USWNT perspective IMHO we need to rethink how things are done at the youth level...not sure how to do that, but after watching Spain today and the USWNT and many ECNL and college games it's obvious this isn't going to get better any time soon. The Spains of the world are just too technical, too tactical, too well coached for them to be beat by better athletes alone.

Simply as a fan of watching my kid play, I would like to see more teams take a better tactical approach to the game and focus on technical players as much as they do athletes (you need both!).

Anyway, awesome job by Spain! So well done! They brought the women's game to an entirely new level of play.
They’ll never be able to do it so long as we have the winning is everything mentality that comes with pay to play. Coaches have complete teams for too short of a time, too much is at stake for the coaches and clubs, too many short cuts, too many key skills neglected. The only short term solution is adopting an academy system for the girls like they’ve adopted in Europe (and for the boys moving up the academy years, as they have in Europe).
 
What you're seeing is the difference between academy and pay to play.

When Spanish people think of "futbol" for serious soccer they have no concept of pay to play. It's just a forgone understanding that if you want to best players you do academies.

Also the traditionally men's only academies are starting to field women's teams because they're seeing demand from the fans. As long as they can continue to fill the seats for women's events things will only get better and better for women's soccer.

Personally I think MLS should partner with NWSL + do double headers. Buy a MLS ticket + get to watch both a MLS and NWSL game on the same field.
 
What you're seeing is the difference between academy and pay to play.

When Spanish people think of "futbol" for serious soccer they have no concept of pay to play. It's just a forgone understanding that if you want to best players you do academies.

Also the traditionally men's only academies are starting to field women's teams because they're seeing demand from the fans. As long as they can continue to fill the seats for women's events things will only get better and better for women's soccer.

Personally I think MLS should partner with NWSL + do double headers. Buy a MLS ticket + get to watch both a MLS and NWSL game on the same field.
It doesn’t take a genius to see this is coming. ECNL has a stranglehold on the “pay to play” mantra of girls youth soccer. Sometime soon, US Soccer will hire a forward looking big picture president that will propose a NWSL-Next (akin to MLS-Next on the boys side), and the ECNL will find its model second tier once again. Locally, just look at what the SD Wave are doing. They are advertising their new Wave youth tournaments (over the same weekend as Blues-Cup). Wave/Surf hardly indistinguishable branding. NWSL-Next is coming. It’s only a matter of time and forward thinking and we can all thank the Spanish women’s World Cup victory. Deza is drinking a big glass of red wine today!
 
Amazing job by Spain today in the World Cup final. Honestly the best technical and tactical ball I have ever seen from a women's team...that first half was special. Could/should have been 4-0 at the half.

Which brings me to my point about ECNL - do any of you think your kid's clubs/coaches are truly trying to build the technical and tactical proficiency that we see from Spain? My experience from watching is that 95% of the ECNL teams (and other leagues and even at the college level) just try to bring in the best athletes they can and try to force the ball up the field as fast as possible. There are some exceptions of course ( SD Surf being one of them ).

Thinking from a USWNT perspective IMHO we need to rethink how things are done at the youth level...not sure how to do that, but after watching Spain today and the USWNT and many ECNL and college games it's obvious this isn't going to get better any time soon. The Spains of the world are just too technical, too tactical, too well coached for them to be beat by better athletes alone.

Simply as a fan of watching my kid play, I would like to see more teams take a better tactical approach to the game and focus on technical players as much as they do athletes (you need both!).

Anyway, awesome job by Spain! So well done! They brought the women's game to an entirely new level of play.

I agree that the majority of ECNL/ECRL/GA soccer I have seen in the past couple of years is direct. I've seen coaches and clubs that train and play technical and tactical soccer; they were playing SOCAL Flight 1/NPL, and SDDA prior to that. Maybe it is because they had to, as the athletes were recruited by the ECNL/GA clubs. My point is, there are a lot of coaches out there training players how to play tactical soccer, but they don't get recognition. Most likely because they are locked out of the soccer cartel system that keeps ECNL/GA the closed pipline system. If those coaches and clubs locked out of the chosen few had access to actually play the "top" teams things would change quickly. An open pyramid program where teams can actually move up to the top level based on performace would force a change in the US soccer culture.
 
It doesn’t take a genius to see this is coming. ECNL has a stranglehold on the “pay to play” mantra of girls youth soccer. Sometime soon, US Soccer will hire a forward looking big picture president that will propose a NWSL-Next (akin to MLS-Next on the boys side), and the ECNL will find its model second tier once again. Locally, just look at what the SD Wave are doing. They are advertising their new Wave youth tournaments (over the same weekend as Blues-Cup). Wave/Surf hardly indistinguishable branding. NWSL-Next is coming. It’s only a matter of time and forward thinking and we can all thank the Spanish women’s World Cup victory. Deza is drinking a big glass of red wine today!
Unfortunately ECNL is too entrenched in its ways + NWSL has no power to recruit.

For women playing in college at 18 still has significantly more benefits than going pro at 18.

Hopefully something changes + soon. Because what's currently available won't work at the highest levels anymore.
 
I agree that the majority of ECNL/ECRL/GA soccer I have seen in the past couple of years is direct. I've seen coaches and clubs that train and play technical and tactical soccer; they were playing SOCAL Flight 1/NPL, and SDDA prior to that. Maybe it is because they had to, as the athletes were recruited by the ECNL/GA clubs. My point is, there are a lot of coaches out there training players how to play tactical soccer, but they don't get recognition. Most likely because they are locked out of the soccer cartel system that keeps ECNL/GA the closed pipline system. If those coaches and clubs locked out of the chosen few had access to actually play the "top" teams things would change quickly. An open pyramid program where teams can actually move up to the top level based on performace would force a change in the US soccer culture.
Problem with the pyramid is the pro/rel. because the coaches don’t have the players for very long, it forces them to take short cuts like upgrading to the more athletic kids or using short cuts rather than teach development. Otherwise the team could get relegated if everyone else is taking the short cuts, or you get stuck perpetually on your level without pro which means the better players leave and you are forced to rinse and repeat all over again. It also harms individual players by locking them into the second team since clubs can’t promote from within without trashing the second level. A more open system where you can self place in level mitigates this somewhat but not entirely.

in Europe the answer has been the academies are just for a handful of future pros. Everyone else plays tiered rec. assignment in tiered is generally by city Or barrio which assigns players based on level instead of the needs of the team. The stakes are low since it’s just rec so no one gets freaked out they won’t get college looks if they don’t do ecnl. The real problem is college recruitment which distorts our system and what it’s principally built for
 
Problem with the pyramid is the pro/rel. because the coaches don’t have the players for very long, it forces them to take short cuts like upgrading to the more athletic kids or using short cuts rather than teach development. Otherwise the team could get relegated if everyone else is taking the short cuts, or you get stuck perpetually on your level without pro which means the better players leave and you are forced to rinse and repeat all over again. It also harms individual players by locking them into the second team since clubs can’t promote from within without trashing the second level. A more open system where you can self place in level mitigates this somewhat but not entirely.

in Europe the answer has been the academies are just for a handful of future pros. Everyone else plays tiered rec. assignment in tiered is generally by city Or barrio which assigns players based on level instead of the needs of the team. The stakes are low since it’s just rec so no one gets freaked out they won’t get college looks if they don’t do ecnl. The real problem is college recruitment which distorts our system and what it’s principally built for
Ps we have such as system in the us: Latino league. Yes like little league you get parents that hunger for the championship and build teams to that end. Yes you get teams that fail and turn on each other. But the structure is tiered so the competition is fairly balanced. There’s still winning and losing so it’s not everyone gets an ayso trophy. There’s still champions. But the kids are under a whole lot less pressure…it’s just fun.
 
Observing my inaugural year of ECNL in the 2010 age group shed light on a unique pursuit: possession soccer, particularly played by SD Surf and MVLA. While certain teams ventured into possession play, the majority leaned towards a combination of direct play with occasional forays into possession. This trend persisted even in the older age groups that seem to adapt a style of play based on the club’s culture. With top teams relying on a handful of standout players rather than fostering collective teamwork of technically proficient soccer players.

With the impending shift towards an Academy system, a critical question emerges: what becomes of players who narrowly miss academy selection yet aspire to continue towards college soccer? Do they remain within the ECNL's pay-to-play structure? This challenge is compounded by the prevailing inclination within US soccer towards valuing athleticism over technical prowess, thereby hampering the seamless transition to possession-oriented gameplay.

At the heart of possession soccer lies its intricate nature, demanding that all players possess not only technical prowess but also the ability to synchronize their tactical movements. Although many coaches express an interest in embracing possession strategies, they often grapple with the scarcity of 11 technically proficient players necessary for the successful execution of such a style. However, notable exceptions, such as SD Surf and MVLA, stand out amidst a landscape where other clubs default to direct play due to limited technical resources. They are at least trying to teach possession from an early age group but
across the overall girls game possession soccer is way behind some of the mls next boys team that practice it. Which in turn they are also behind the Europeans specifically the spaniards. The higher your team’s level of possession proficiency is usually shown when the team that usually plays possession ends up chasing for the ball when playing versus a more advanced possession system. Hence there are levels to possession soccer.


Harmonious with the principles of total football, possession soccer thrives on players fluidly exchanging roles to maintain a structured gameplay. Yet, most ECNL players find themselves confined to specific positions due to prior decisions made by docs, resulting in an inability to adapt because players got pigeonholed early on to the roles they needed to play to win games. The complexity of possession soccer is underscored by the understanding and execution of the four distinct phases:

1. **Phase 1: In Possession** - This phase materializes when your team takes control of the ball and all players have position themselves to posses the ball with the aligned tactical objective for the off the ball movement that supports the objective to usually attack. Off-the-ball movements should be aligned with this phase, reinforcing the possession phase. The team can be in possession of the ball but not with the objective to attack. Like in the case when being up by a comfortable margin and your are simply possessing the ball to kill time.

2. **Phase 2: Out of Possession** - In this phase, your team surrenders possession and often transitions into a defensive formation. Off-the-ball movements must adapt to support defensive efforts. Importantly, "attacking" and "defending" are consequential actions depending on the current phase. They are not phases as taught by many American Docs.

3. **Phase 3: Transition from In to Out of Possession** - This transition occurs when your team loses possession, necessitating quick adaptation to a defensive stance against potential counterattacks. Team needs to move off the ball and align to a defensive structure that supports the out of possession phase. Note that a team can also move into a structure that keeps you in the out of possession phase deliberately to play the counter game. Like Japan executed very well when playing Spain. The case when you don’t press, let your opponent posses and your structure supports a counter attack. That’s why attacking and defending are not phases but actions that go with the phases.

4. **Phase 4: Transition from Out to In Possession** - When your team regains possession from the opponent, the next transition comes into play once again when all players are in the right structure. The transition out/in possession usually has the objective to get everyone moving into structure to support the in possession phase. Players need to be weary for counter pressing by the side that just lost the ball while transitioning off the ball movement that supports the next phase. You move out of the transition out/in phase and into the in possession phase when the player structure is set to support the in possession phase. Players must recognize this shift and adjust their positions to facilitate the possession strategy.

The path to realizing true possession soccer appears distant. The scarcity of technical proficiency across players, coupled with coaches' limited emphasis on tactical phases, impedes progress. Only through a comprehensive & holistic approach encompassing understanding the phases, making tactical decisions, and mastering technique can the shift towards possession soccer take root, culminating in enhanced unity and performance.

I can bet you many docs are clueless to the phases of true possession style of play. They see it as defending or attacking and don’t take into account the transitional phases. Which leads to bad tactics. If all players on a team understand this concept and are all technically sound and tactically aligned to the recognition of these phases then if and only if then you can start to make progress in improving the style of play.



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Problem with the pyramid is the pro/rel. because the coaches don’t have the players for very long, it forces them to take short cuts like upgrading to the more athletic kids or using short cuts rather than teach development. Otherwise the team could get relegated if everyone else is taking the short cuts, or you get stuck perpetually on your level without pro which means the better players leave and you are forced to rinse and repeat all over again. It also harms individual players by locking them into the second team since clubs can’t promote from within without trashing the second level. A more open system where you can self place in level mitigates this somewhat but not entirely.

in Europe the answer has been the academies are just for a handful of future pros. Everyone else plays tiered rec. assignment in tiered is generally by city Or barrio which assigns players based on level instead of the needs of the team. The stakes are low since it’s just rec so no one gets freaked out they won’t get college looks if they don’t do ecnl. The real problem is college recruitment which distorts our system and what it’s principally built for
Europe has one other very important item that we don't have put here.

If a local club has a talented player which they know would do better at a higher level they generally sell them off to a higher level club. Higher level clubs are always looking for talent + willing to pay smaller clubs for bringing the talent to them. This action benefits both groups. The smaller club gets funds to keep the doors open and the larger club can shortcut looking for talent. Happens all the way up to the professional levels. Both the players and clubs have a financial incentive to push players up to the next level.

Keeping with the women's theme did Wave pay Surf for Melanie Barcenas when they signed her onto a 3 year contract? I'm sure there was some kind of kickback in the form of coaching positions, or facilities usage, etc. But it wasn't direct cash from Wave to Surf because that's not how us employment works.

BTW what I'm describing is called a Transfer Fee + the concept doesn't work with US labor law.
 
Observing my inaugural year of ECNL in the 2010 age group shed light on a unique pursuit: possession soccer, particularly played by SD Surf and MVLA. While certain teams ventured into possession play, the majority leaned towards a combination of direct play with occasional forays into possession. This trend persisted even in the older age groups that seem to adapt a style of play based on the club’s culture. With top teams relying on a handful of standout players rather than fostering collective teamwork of technically proficient soccer players.

With the impending shift towards an Academy system, a critical question emerges: what becomes of players who narrowly miss academy selection yet aspire to continue towards college soccer? Do they remain within the ECNL's pay-to-play structure? This challenge is compounded by the prevailing inclination within US soccer towards valuing athleticism over technical prowess, thereby hampering the seamless transition to possession-oriented gameplay.

At the heart of possession soccer lies its intricate nature, demanding that all players possess not only technical prowess but also the ability to synchronize their tactical movements. Although many coaches express an interest in embracing possession strategies, they often grapple with the scarcity of 11 technically proficient players necessary for the successful execution of such a style. However, notable exceptions, such as SD Surf and MVLA, stand out amidst a landscape where other clubs default to direct play due to limited technical resources. They are at least trying to teach possession from an early age group but
across the overall girls game possession soccer is way behind some of the mls next boys team that practice it. Which in turn they are also behind the Europeans specifically the spaniards. The higher your team’s level of possession proficiency is usually shown when the team that usually plays possession ends up chasing for the ball when playing versus a more advanced possession system. Hence there are levels to possession soccer.


Harmonious with the principles of total football, possession soccer thrives on players fluidly exchanging roles to maintain a structured gameplay. Yet, most ECNL players find themselves confined to specific positions due to prior decisions made by docs, resulting in an inability to adapt because players got pigeonholed early on to the roles they needed to play to win games. The complexity of possession soccer is underscored by the understanding and execution of the four distinct phases:

1. **Phase 1: In Possession** - This phase materializes when your team takes control of the ball and all players have position themselves to posses the ball with the aligned tactical objective for the off the ball movement that supports the objective to usually attack. Off-the-ball movements should be aligned with this phase, reinforcing the possession phase. The team can be in possession of the ball but not with the objective to attack. Like in the case when being up by a comfortable margin and your are simply possessing the ball to kill time.

2. **Phase 2: Out of Possession** - In this phase, your team surrenders possession and often transitions into a defensive formation. Off-the-ball movements must adapt to support defensive efforts. Importantly, "attacking" and "defending" are consequential actions depending on the current phase. They are not phases as taught by many American Docs.

3. **Phase 3: Transition from In to Out of Possession** - This transition occurs when your team loses possession, necessitating quick adaptation to a defensive stance against potential counterattacks. Team needs to move off the ball and align to a defensive structure that supports the out of possession phase. Note that a team can also move into a structure that keeps you in the out of possession phase deliberately to play the counter game. Like Japan executed very well when playing Spain. The case when you don’t press, let your opponent posses and your structure supports a counter attack. That’s why attacking and defending are not phases but actions that go with the phases.

4. **Phase 4: Transition from Out to In Possession** - When your team regains possession from the opponent, the next transition comes into play once again when all players are in the right structure. The transition out/in possession usually has the objective to get everyone moving into structure to support the in possession phase. Players need to be weary for counter pressing by the side that just lost the ball while transitioning off the ball movement that supports the next phase. You move out of the transition out/in phase and into the in possession phase when the player structure is set to support the in possession phase. Players must recognize this shift and adjust their positions to facilitate the possession strategy.

The path to realizing true possession soccer appears distant. The scarcity of technical proficiency across players, coupled with coaches' limited emphasis on tactical phases, impedes progress. Only through a comprehensive & holistic approach encompassing understanding the phases, making tactical decisions, and mastering technique can the shift towards possession soccer take root, culminating in enhanced unity and performance.

I can bet you many docs are clueless to the phases of true possession style of play. They see it as defending or attacking and don’t take into account the transitional phases. Which leads to bad tactics. If all players on a team understand this concept and are all technically sound and tactically aligned to the recognition of these phases then if and only if then you can start to make progress in improving the style of play.



View attachment 17844
Mls next has a bit of an advantage because us soccer adopted the us possession system as the ideal. It’s not entirely possession based and looks for the long opportunities but it does emphasize possession play particularly in practices. It’s not as religiously possessive as spain or even the uk academies. You see it more on the academy level than you do regular next teams because of the specific trainings given to the directors and coaches and there’s a lot more variance in the experience of regular next coaches. It does trickle somewhat down from there though I’ve seen coaches in the 2nd and 3rd tier struggle how to adapt the ideals to their levels. Downside however is when the game requires a longer or medium ball (such as sockma and I were arguing about in the gk thread) the gk and team may not be ready to play that way because everything has been practiced short off the short kick from the keeper. There’s a disconnect between how the game is practiced and how it is actually played, at all levels, even sometimes the academy levels.
 
Observing my inaugural year of ECNL in the 2010 age group shed light on a unique pursuit: possession soccer, particularly played by SD Surf and MVLA. While certain teams ventured into possession play, the majority leaned towards a combination of direct play with occasional forays into possession. This trend persisted even in the older age groups that seem to adapt a style of play based on the club’s culture. With top teams relying on a handful of standout players rather than fostering collective teamwork of technically proficient soccer players.

With the impending shift towards an Academy system, a critical question emerges: what becomes of players who narrowly miss academy selection yet aspire to continue towards college soccer? Do they remain within the ECNL's pay-to-play structure? This challenge is compounded by the prevailing inclination within US soccer towards valuing athleticism over technical prowess, thereby hampering the seamless transition to possession-oriented gameplay.

At the heart of possession soccer lies its intricate nature, demanding that all players possess not only technical prowess but also the ability to synchronize their tactical movements. Although many coaches express an interest in embracing possession strategies, they often grapple with the scarcity of 11 technically proficient players necessary for the successful execution of such a style. However, notable exceptions, such as SD Surf and MVLA, stand out amidst a landscape where other clubs default to direct play due to limited technical resources. They are at least trying to teach possession from an early age group but
across the overall girls game possession soccer is way behind some of the mls next boys team that practice it. Which in turn they are also behind the Europeans specifically the spaniards. The higher your team’s level of possession proficiency is usually shown when the team that usually plays possession ends up chasing for the ball when playing versus a more advanced possession system. Hence there are levels to possession soccer.


Harmonious with the principles of total football, possession soccer thrives on players fluidly exchanging roles to maintain a structured gameplay. Yet, most ECNL players find themselves confined to specific positions due to prior decisions made by docs, resulting in an inability to adapt because players got pigeonholed early on to the roles they needed to play to win games. The complexity of possession soccer is underscored by the understanding and execution of the four distinct phases:

1. **Phase 1: In Possession** - This phase materializes when your team takes control of the ball and all players have position themselves to posses the ball with the aligned tactical objective for the off the ball movement that supports the objective to usually attack. Off-the-ball movements should be aligned with this phase, reinforcing the possession phase. The team can be in possession of the ball but not with the objective to attack. Like in the case when being up by a comfortable margin and your are simply possessing the ball to kill time.

2. **Phase 2: Out of Possession** - In this phase, your team surrenders possession and often transitions into a defensive formation. Off-the-ball movements must adapt to support defensive efforts. Importantly, "attacking" and "defending" are consequential actions depending on the current phase. They are not phases as taught by many American Docs.

3. **Phase 3: Transition from In to Out of Possession** - This transition occurs when your team loses possession, necessitating quick adaptation to a defensive stance against potential counterattacks. Team needs to move off the ball and align to a defensive structure that supports the out of possession phase. Note that a team can also move into a structure that keeps you in the out of possession phase deliberately to play the counter game. Like Japan executed very well when playing Spain. The case when you don’t press, let your opponent posses and your structure supports a counter attack. That’s why attacking and defending are not phases but actions that go with the phases.

4. **Phase 4: Transition from Out to In Possession** - When your team regains possession from the opponent, the next transition comes into play once again when all players are in the right structure. The transition out/in possession usually has the objective to get everyone moving into structure to support the in possession phase. Players need to be weary for counter pressing by the side that just lost the ball while transitioning off the ball movement that supports the next phase. You move out of the transition out/in phase and into the in possession phase when the player structure is set to support the in possession phase. Players must recognize this shift and adjust their positions to facilitate the possession strategy.

The path to realizing true possession soccer appears distant. The scarcity of technical proficiency across players, coupled with coaches' limited emphasis on tactical phases, impedes progress. Only through a comprehensive & holistic approach encompassing understanding the phases, making tactical decisions, and mastering technique can the shift towards possession soccer take root, culminating in enhanced unity and performance.

I can bet you many docs are clueless to the phases of true possession style of play. They see it as defending or attacking and don’t take into account the transitional phases. Which leads to bad tactics. If all players on a team understand this concept and are all technically sound and tactically aligned to the recognition of these phases then if and only if then you can start to make progress in improving the style of play.



View attachment 17844
At the highest levels, possession soccer unfortunately does not translate to winning soccer. Tactical soccer equates to winning soccer.
Possession soccer sometimes wins the day—Spain in the women’s World Cup, Barca 2010-2011 and Man City finally winning CL last year. But the higher level stats clearly show that being out of possession and counterattacking rules the day the majority of the time. Tactical teams will beat possession teams at the youth level—just wait for the mistake and counter attack with numbers. Few US coaches can teach this method of counter attacking.

I agree with you that 95% of DOCS are clueless about the 4 phases you quoted above. Possession is fun to watch; however possession for sake of keeping the ball—aka meaningless possession doesn’t get it done. Tactics win games. Counterattacking against possession oriented teams wins games. College soccer coaches recruit athletes over technical players at every showcase, and this is unfortunate. Go watch a college women’s D1 game. Not all, but the majority of coaches play the direct style because it wins at that level, and they get to keep their jobs by winning. To win, they recruit athletes and not total footballers There’s a few rare schools out there that try to play with possession the right way, and this highlights the problems with US Soccer, for both men and women. 99+ percent of American parents want to see their kids get into a college and play soccer. Not in Europe. There is no college soccer. However, many European players are more and more coming to the US to play college soccer. Just like the Marshall team that won an NCAA men’s title with no U.S. players, and the current lack of technical development on the women’s side, you will probably see something similar to that in the NCAA’s.
The European academy model from 6 years old, with no pay to play, is the way to go.
US Soccer needs to figure that out yesterday.
 
Unfortunately ECNL is too entrenched in its ways + NWSL has no power to recruit.

For women playing in college at 18 still has significantly more benefits than going pro at 18.

Hopefully something changes + soon. Because what's currently available won't work at the highest levels anymore.
Did the DA have power to recruit when it was announced?
All it takes is the backing of US Soccer, a couple of commitments from 25 or so major clubs around the country, and the “new and improved” and better than ECNL will be announced. And this time, US Soccer will have hopefully learned from the mistakes of the DA. The DA was a great concept in principal, but run poorly. NWSL Next will be better.
Agree 100% that women playing in college at 18 has more benefits than going pro at 18.
But if the USWNT is going to win at the highest level (World Cup) the ECNL model of sending young ladies to play college soccer is not going to beat Spain, England, France and even Japan in the future. Those Academy countries have surpassed the USWNT.
 
Observing my inaugural year of ECNL in the 2010 age group shed light on a unique pursuit: possession soccer, particularly played by SD Surf and MVLA.

I much appreciate this comment. IMO - anyone watching MVLA play - at almost all age groups B&G, is watching a team that is being coached quite well in possession soccer. At the younger ages that doesn't always mean wins - and in fact we've come out on top from time to time - but it's clear as day that their kids are demonstrating a higher level of understanding of the possession game than most any of their opponents.
 
At the highest levels, possession soccer unfortunately does not translate to winning soccer. Tactical soccer equates to winning soccer.
Possession soccer sometimes wins the day—Spain in the women’s World Cup, Barca 2010-2011 and Man City finally winning CL last year. But the higher level stats clearly show that being out of possession and counterattacking rules the day the majority of the time. Tactical teams will beat possession teams at the youth level—just wait for the mistake and counter attack with numbers. Few US coaches can teach this method of counter attacking.

I agree with you that 95% of DOCS are clueless about the 4 phases you quoted above. Possession is fun to watch; however possession for sake of keeping the ball—aka meaningless possession doesn’t get it done. Tactics win games. Counterattacking against possession oriented teams wins games. College soccer coaches recruit athletes over technical players at every showcase, and this is unfortunate. Go watch a college women’s D1 game. Not all, but the majority of coaches play the direct style because it wins at that level, and they get to keep their jobs by winning. To win, they recruit athletes and not total footballers There’s a few rare schools out there that try to play with possession the right way, and this highlights the problems with US Soccer, for both men and women. 99+ percent of American parents want to see their kids get into a college and play soccer. Not in Europe. There is no college soccer. However, many European players are more and more coming to the US to play college soccer. Just like the Marshall team that won an NCAA men’s title with no U.S. players, and the current lack of technical development on the women’s side, you will probably see something similar to that in the NCAA’s.
The European academy model from 6 years old, with no pay to play, is the way to go.
US Soccer needs to figure that out yesterday.


You're absolutely correct about possession not being as effective today especially in men's soccer at higher levels. Inspite of Man City's evolved possession game. In women's soccer, while the tactical aspect may not be as advanced, possession should still yield results for around 5-10 years, evident in Spain's U17, U20, and national teams. For youth soccer, possession is an ideal style to teach the game – though future pros will evolve. Even non-possession high-level teams are technically sound, making the right decisions matter most. Problem-solving is key, needing a flexible approach as situations arise. Sometimes, direct play makes sense, and kids must learn to improvise. Too much structure in teaching possession may not suit youth; they need room to solve problems and improvise. Playing under a possession style generally benefits youth teams, but varying tactics aids tactical growth. Counterattacks are exciting to watch, and pressing as a team is another crucial skill for kids to learn.
 
At the highest levels, possession soccer unfortunately does not translate to winning soccer. Tactical soccer equates to winning soccer.
Possession soccer sometimes wins the day—Spain in the women’s World Cup, Barca 2010-2011 and Man City finally winning CL last year. But the higher level stats clearly show that being out of possession and counterattacking rules the day the majority of the time. Tactical teams will beat possession teams at the youth level—just wait for the mistake and counter attack with numbers. Few US coaches can teach this method of counter attacking.

I agree with you that 95% of DOCS are clueless about the 4 phases you quoted above. Possession is fun to watch; however possession for sake of keeping the ball—aka meaningless possession doesn’t get it done. Tactics win games. Counterattacking against possession oriented teams wins games. College soccer coaches recruit athletes over technical players at every showcase, and this is unfortunate. Go watch a college women’s D1 game. Not all, but the majority of coaches play the direct style because it wins at that level, and they get to keep their jobs by winning. To win, they recruit athletes and not total footballers There’s a few rare schools out there that try to play with possession the right way, and this highlights the problems with US Soccer, for both men and women. 99+ percent of American parents want to see their kids get into a college and play soccer. Not in Europe. There is no college soccer. However, many European players are more and more coming to the US to play college soccer. Just like the Marshall team that won an NCAA men’s title with no U.S. players, and the current lack of technical development on the women’s side, you will probably see something similar to that in the NCAA’s.
The European academy model from 6 years old, with no pay to play, is the way to go.
US Soccer needs to figure that out yesterday.


took me some time to write this but I feel it’s corner stone to proper youth development going forward.

In soccer, success hinges on adopting diverse tactical strategies, as no single approach is universally victorious. Effectiveness depends on variables like team strengths, competition level, and opponent style, leading to different strategies achieving triumph in different scenarios.

Strategies such as possession soccer, epitomized by ball control and patient buildup, have flourished in teams like FC Barcelona and Spain's national team. Positional play, focusing on structured movement and passing lanes, remains pertinent. Tiki-taka, a blend of possession and positional play, has also reaped success.

However, it's important to acknowledge that modern soccer is multifaceted and multifarious in its approach. While tactical soccer and counterattacking strategies have shown their value, they don't necessarily negate the merits of possession-based play. Rather, they represent different tools in a team's arsenal, each valuable in its own right.

At the youth level, there's room for both tactical and possession-oriented strategies to thrive. Tactical awareness, counterattacking skills, and exploiting mistakes are indeed crucial abilities. Yet, teaching young players possession play also equips them with essential skills in ball control, teamwork, and decision-making. Moreover, mastering possession-based principles lays the groundwork for players to understand spatial awareness, quick decision-making, and adaptability—traits vital for understanding the tactical intricacies of the game.

In essence, both possession soccer and tactical soccer contribute to a well-rounded understanding of the sport. Rather than seeing them as opposing ideologies, it's valuable to recognize that a comprehensive soccer education encompasses both strategies. Teaching players to seamlessly transition between possession-based buildup and tactical counterattacks can empower them to excel across various game scenarios. This adaptability ultimately contributes to producing versatile and intelligent players who can thrive at the highest levels of the game.
 
Did the DA have power to recruit when it was announced?
All it takes is the backing of US Soccer, a couple of commitments from 25 or so major clubs around the country, and the “new and improved” and better than ECNL will be announced. And this time, US Soccer will have hopefully learned from the mistakes of the DA. The DA was a great concept in principal, but run poorly. NWSL Next will be better.
Agree 100% that women playing in college at 18 has more benefits than going pro at 18.
But if the USWNT is going to win at the highest level (World Cup) the ECNL model of sending young ladies to play college soccer is not going to beat Spain, England, France and even Japan in the future. Those Academy countries have surpassed the USWNT.
Unfortunately DA blowing up wounds are still too fresh, ECNL is making too much $$$ for member clubs (in its current form), and there's not enough people at the highest level that understand what needs to happen to make changes.

For women a group like NWSL needs to start fielding a product that is so competitive it creates demand for higher level play at lower levels. This is what's driving the changes for MLS players.

Top down changes vs bottom up.

Creating super amazing possession style teams that just get broken up at the college level + are forced to play boot it up to the fast player gladiator ball is ruining the type of play needed to win at the USWNT level.
 
D2

Europe has one other very important item that we don't have put here.

If a local club has a talented player which they know would do better at a higher level they generally sell them off to a higher level club. Higher level clubs are always looking for talent + willing to pay smaller clubs for bringing the talent to them. This action benefits both groups. The smaller club gets funds to keep the doors open and the larger club can shortcut looking for talent. Happens all the way up to the professional levels. Both the players and clubs have a financial incentive to push players up to the next level.

Keeping with the women's theme did Wave pay Surf for Melanie Barcenas when they signed her onto a 3 year contract? I'm sure there was some kind of kickback in the form of coaching positions, or facilities usage, etc. But it wasn't direct cash from Wave to Surf because that's not how us employment works.

BTW what I'm describing is called a Transfer Fee + the concept doesn't work with US labor law.
Something else people don't understand about the "transfer fee" concept is that it opens up opportunities for underprivilaged kids.

In Europe and other places that can do a transfer fee clubs end up setting up shop in the "roughest" parts of town + are able to fund their activities by identifying talent and selling it off to higher level clubs. What ends up happening is that soccer is cheap to play but it's because it's being subsidized by the players being sold up to the next level.

In the US kids/parents pay to play + this distorts the concept of "talent" because it's not just ability it becomes ability to play soccer and the ability to pay 10k a year to fund it.
 
All it takes is the backing of US Soccer, a couple of commitments from 25 or so major clubs around the country, and the “new and improved” and better than ECNL will be announced. And this time, US Soccer will have hopefully learned from the mistakes of the DA. The DA was a great concept in principal, but run poorly. NWSL Next will be better.

Ya, this is the direction they need to go. It's so obvious our current setup is a disaster...Spain has a fraction of the girls playing soccer that we do, but they have won the U17, U20 and now World Cup. Super happy to see Spain and other countries taking things to the next level. Hope this setup happens sooner rather than later.

Honestly, how many players on this years roster would be able to play for Spain? I don't see any of them having the technical ability to play their style. Great players and athletes for sure but they just aren't as clean with the ball. I'll pick on Sophia Smith - here feet were like blocks out there more often than not and on top of that she couldn't hit a pass to save her life...mostly because every time she got the ball she went heads down rushing forward...she is the same age as many of the best players on Spain.

On top of that, I would bet $$$ that most of Spains roster would be overlooked by our national team based on size/body shape/athleticism alone.
 
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