5 homegrown cut by LAGALAXY

Questions- What does the large amount of foreign players rostered and playing on virtually every MLS team do to the development of upcoming American players?
What role does the relatively low salary structure for the majority of players have on the development of upcoming American players?
 
ultimate20 said:
Questions- What does the large amount of foreign players rostered and playing on virtually every MLS team do to the development of upcoming American players?
What role does the relatively low salary structure for the majority of players have on the development of upcoming American players?
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This is a weakness I have been discussing lately. A good number of our better youth players end up in college soccer programs. After they graduate, they may have college-graduate options. So the choice is take an opportunity to sign on to a low-level professional soccer team at a low salary with no promise of even lasting out the first year, or take a job with a tech startup for twice as much with a possibility of stock options and performance bonuses.
 
boomer said:
Sunil, something from Pulisic's open letter to America today...

"I’ve gotta say: It really does frustrate me, when I watch MLS, and I see our best U-17 players — who, again, are so talented and so capable — being rostered … but then not being put on the field much to actually play. I watch that, and I just think about how I was given a chance … a real chance … and it changed my life. Why then are we seemingly hesitant to allow these other talents to blossom?"
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Fair enough....but my question would be, given the overall standard of the league, is this truly a platform for any player to blossom?
 
Sunil Illuminati said:
Fair enough....but my question would be, given the overall standard of the league, is this truly a platform for any player to blossom?
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I definitely hear ya. It would be ideal if players with high potential had the opportunity to go to academies and eventually first teams overseas early like Pulisic did, but the unfortunate reality is that for many talented teenagers, MLS is the only legal option before the age of 18. Even though the standard of MLS isn't great, it is certainly better than USL. If a player develops well enough in MLS at a young age (16-20yrs old), opportunities outside of the US will happen more frequently for those kids, or at least they could make a real go at a pro career here in the states if they don't quite meet that overseas standard. Take these 5 players again...none are going to have better leagues anywhere in the world lining up to give them a shot because their development was severely undermined during their formative years here in the states. Was there another Pulisic in that group? I seriously doubt it, but how many potential Pulisics have been overlooked and underdeveloped by the MLS machine where quality teenagers are pushed aside in favor of middle-grade veterans and marque names on jerseys? USL is supposed to be a short-term stepping stone for homegrown players, not a destination and eventual career graveyard.
 
You have to earn your place on a team, so Galaxy has every right to cut them, but I think these kids that were cut by Galaxy were strung along too long. If these kids are not getting regular first team minutes by 20, they should be cut so they still have time to go to college on a soccer scholarship.
 
JJP said:
You have to earn your place on a team, so Galaxy has every right to cut them, but I think these kids that were cut by Galaxy were strung along too long. If these kids are not getting regular first team minutes by 20, they should be cut so they still have time to go to college on a soccer scholarship.
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Can’t play in college if cut from their pro contract at 20. No longer eligible having been a pro, but I get your main point. Play them or let them move on.
 
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MLS has some interesting, convoluted, and ever changing rules and regulations regarding home grown players
https://www.mlssoccer.com/league/official-rules/mls-roster-rules-and-regulations

This is older guide by has the concept down: https://www.brotherlygame.com/2015/...-player-rule-major-league-soccer-visual-guide

There is a new twist just recently:

"Multiple league sources tell me MLS is set to approve a new rule this offseason that will allow teams to keep 100 percent of transfer fees for Homegrown Players. This incentivizes league owners to invest more in player development, and rewards the teams that do so successfully. Currently, MLS receives 25 percent of any Homegrown transfer"
http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2017/11/08/report-mls-to-change-how-clubs-profit-from-transfers/

"When stories come out that have Atlanta United turning down $30 million in transfer fees for two players, it’s clear that something is quite backwards. And the way Carlos Bocanegra and Darren Eales have been running ATL, that money could bring in some massive talent."
https://www.dirtysouthsoccer.com/20...-major-impact-on-the-future-of-atlanta-united

If you kid plays for a MLS club in the DA there are somethings you might want to consider, the club now has your homegrown rights so your options could be somewhat limited in MLS if you want to sign as homegrown to any other MLS club or what to come back to the MLS at some point.

Paul Arriola's move to D.C. United a case study in MLS transfer rules
http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-...-dc-united-a-case-study-in-mls-transfer-rules

"What's also giving many pause is the $500,000 in allocation money DCU sent to the Galaxy. A player qualifies as a Homegrown Player if he's been with the club's academy for at least one year. Arriola spent a mere seven-and-a-half months with the Galaxy, and played in just 11 matches. But apparently there is another mechanism triggering Homegrown status. An MLS spokesperson confirmed that by virtue of LA offering Arriola a contract prior to his signing with Club Tijuana, the Galaxy obtained right of first refusal should he ever opt to try and sign a contract with an MLS club"

Arriola acutally played academy with Arsenal for longer than the Galaxy but they scopped him up, retrained his rights, and make a cool 500K in the process even though all they did is offer him a contact which he did'nt sign.



 
SBFDad said:
Can’t play in college if cut from their pro contract at 20. No longer eligible having been a pro, but I get your main point. Play them or let them move on.
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You’re absolutely right, forgot about that. It just goes to show u how f—ked up the NCAA system is. Colleges, coaches, administrators are making money hand over fist while kids take all the risk and provide free labor.
 
A handful of schools are making money hand over fist. Not all of them. And not men's soccer coaches for sure. And while it's "free labor" the kid does get school paid for, gear paid for, medical services paid for, tutoring paid for, housing paid for, travel paid for, internships on campus, nutritionist paid for, strength and conditioning training paid for and, if applicable, marketing for any future athletic career done for free. So I am not sure how this qualifies as "free" labor. A lot gets invested in each student.
 
JJP said:
You’re absolutely right, forgot about that. It just goes to show u how f—ked up the NCAA system is. Colleges, coaches, administrators are making money hand over fist while kids take all the risk and provide free labor.
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zero money in men's college soccer. including the coaches. it's just really bad all around, unless you really are a "student athlete" or want to play soccer for a couple of years at school, on your way to an MLS career.
 
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full90 said:
A handful of schools are making money hand over fist. Not all of them. And not men's soccer coaches for sure. And while it's "free labor" the kid does get school paid for, gear paid for, medical services paid for, tutoring paid for, housing paid for, travel paid for, internships on campus, nutritionist paid for, strength and conditioning training paid for and, if applicable, marketing for any future athletic career done for free. So I am not sure how this qualifies as "free" labor. A lot gets invested in each student.
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A good college education costs $$ so for a student's athletes all the things you listed + potential sholarships money are nice benefits.

The Paul Arriola comparison as opposed to the JV home grown route is telling.

Back them 30k or so was the starting wage for fresh home grown MLS players but still only about 55k today. Considering the hours their putting in this amounts to equivalent of a minimum wage job.

Interesting about this:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homegrown_Player_Rule_(Major_League_Soccer)

"MLS roster rules allow a team to sign players to contracts similar to Generation adidascontracts,[2] which do not count against the MLS salary budget and may earn a much higher salary than the league minimum. MLS has since removed this wording from the roster rules.[3] That means homegrown players will not count against the salary budget only if they are registered using supplemental roster slots, but will still count against the salary budget if they are registered using senior roster slots. There is, however, supplementary salary budget made by MLS only for homegrown players that are registered using senior roster slots called homegrown player funds.[4]

Zades is getting almost 600k as a homegrown off the books but most are geting a lot less, 55k for the rookies.

http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/the9...a-mixed-bag-in-the-latest-league-salary-dump/

Gamble on a homegrown or USL soccer contact for low pay and become ineligible for college soccer, potential benefits, and the other stuff? that goes with home grown or get a sure fire education? For Arriola who plays for MNT, makes good $ his choice is paying off, for the 5 cut maybe not so much yet.
 
xav10 said:
zero money in men's college soccer. including the coaches. it's just really bad all around, unless you really are a "student athlete" or want to play soccer for a couple of years at school, on your way to an MLS career.
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Sure, the money is in college men's football and basketball. You're absolutely right.

But I'd rather see that money given to students, not the administrators. I guess I'm tired of the so called "amateur idealism" BS in college sports. There may have been a noble intention a long time ago, but today it's clearly done to make sure the athletes, who are basically the talent and labor, don't get the money.

There's no reason why the NCAA can't change its rules to make an exception for soccer players under, say, the cutoff age of 20, and treat them as amateurs if they get terminated or leave a pro contract.
 
I would rather have my kid get a college degree then play mls starting wage at 40, 000 a yr before taxes. There are few MLS clubs that move their home grown player to first team bases. Lets be realistic.
 
Wez said:
Is it very rare for College players to get picked up by MLS, after they finish school?
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1.4% chance % NCAA to Major Pro*
MLS SuperDraft 2017 (College Players)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/superdraft/2017/tracker

Out of of the ~25K or so NCAA players there are 80 or so spots every year in MLS some of which don't get filled
http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/research/mens-soccer

Getting drafted is just the fist step, making the team and getting a decent wage is a whole another matter.

Besides Jordan Morris (who left college early) don't recall many college players making much $ in the MLS.
 
Soccerspew said:
Read our latest blog about the pitfalls of Academy soccer in the UK: http://www.soccerspew.com/2018/03/0...view-5-out-of-5-spews/?frame-nonce=0e26acd0e5
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I read this and I follow the US market closely. As a longtime soccer parent, I see that by 16 or so (at the latest), you can tell if your kid is D3-bound, D1, or pro level. So the parent and the kid have to have realistic discussions along the way. If I were in England at an academy at 16, I would start aiming at a US university opportunity, because you're probably of NCAA caliber, while so unlikely to get paid in the pros in England. However, I also believe you can make MLS-level salaries in the 3rd division in the UK, which we forget about when we focus on EPL.
 
xav10 said:
I read this and I follow the US market closely. As a longtime soccer parent, I see that by 16 or so (at the latest), you can tell if your kid is D3-bound, D1, or pro level. So the parent and the kid have to have realistic discussions along the way. If I were in England at an academy at 16, I would start aiming at a US university opportunity, because you're probably of NCAA caliber, while so unlikely to get paid in the pros in England. However, I also believe you can make MLS-level salaries in the 3rd division in the UK, which we forget about when we focus on EPL.
Click to expand...

If you aim high (like National/Olympic team by age 20) it's not so hard if you have to settle for partial funding at a DI school.
 
younothat said:
MLS has some interesting, convoluted, and ever changing rules and regulations regarding home grown players
https://www.mlssoccer.com/league/official-rules/mls-roster-rules-and-regulations

This is older guide by has the concept down: https://www.brotherlygame.com/2015/...-player-rule-major-league-soccer-visual-guide

There is a new twist just recently:

"Multiple league sources tell me MLS is set to approve a new rule this offseason that will allow teams to keep 100 percent of transfer fees for Homegrown Players. This incentivizes league owners to invest more in player development, and rewards the teams that do so successfully. Currently, MLS receives 25 percent of any Homegrown transfer"
http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2017/11/08/report-mls-to-change-how-clubs-profit-from-transfers/

"When stories come out that have Atlanta United turning down $30 million in transfer fees for two players, it’s clear that something is quite backwards. And the way Carlos Bocanegra and Darren Eales have been running ATL, that money could bring in some massive talent."
https://www.dirtysouthsoccer.com/20...-major-impact-on-the-future-of-atlanta-united

If you kid plays for a MLS club in the DA there are somethings you might want to consider, the club now has your homegrown rights so your options could be somewhat limited in MLS if you want to sign as homegrown to any other MLS club or what to come back to the MLS at some point.

Paul Arriola's move to D.C. United a case study in MLS transfer rules
http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-...-dc-united-a-case-study-in-mls-transfer-rules

"What's also giving many pause is the $500,000 in allocation money DCU sent to the Galaxy. A player qualifies as a Homegrown Player if he's been with the club's academy for at least one year. Arriola spent a mere seven-and-a-half months with the Galaxy, and played in just 11 matches. But apparently there is another mechanism triggering Homegrown status. An MLS spokesperson confirmed that by virtue of LA offering Arriola a contract prior to his signing with Club Tijuana, the Galaxy obtained right of first refusal should he ever opt to try and sign a contract with an MLS club"

Arriola acutally played academy with Arsenal for longer than the Galaxy but they scopped him up, retrained his rights, and make a cool 500K in the process even though all they did is offer him a contact which he did'nt sign.


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So even at 12U if you played on Galaxy or LAFC DA, then your homegrown rights are theirs?
How difficult is it to get rights released and is it easier to get released in the youngers vs olders when kids are more developed?
I'm guessing also that if your kid is a top player, then it would be more difficult.
 
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