D.A POLL
- Thread starter Dominic
- Start date
The basic principle as stated was good (develop players for US National and Olympic teams by organizing the best players in a system that provides the best training). The first round of execution showed how insincere the clubs were about adhering to the principle (start with oldest "youth" players, and since there is little time left to develop them, recruit the better players from neighboring clubs to try out for the clubs' best teams that had overnight become DA teams).
More to the point would have been to start developing with 10-year-olds, with a selection funnel as time went on leading to fully-funded teams associated with MLS teams at about age 18.
More to the point would have been to start developing with 10-year-olds, with a selection funnel as time went on leading to fully-funded teams associated with MLS teams at about age 18.
Aside from the bias in your statement, there is a massive hole in your logic. The DA was only just a LEAGUE. The people running the DA were the clubs. US Soccer simply subsidized a league for these DA club teams to play. The subsidized league paid for referees and had some tournaments/playoffs. The clubs participating the DA League had some excellent results and identifying kids for the next level of development, but we had two problems:
- There was (and remains) no "next level" of professional development in the US on par with our European and Latin American friends for that critical stage of 17-22.
- Only a lucky few with dual citizenship could escape the US young adult development (18-22) disaster and sign with real professional academies (Pulisc, Sargent, Reyna, etc.)
This is not and never has been US Soccer's cross to bear, it is the 110% on the MLS and USL.
... well maybe US Soccer is to blame in 1 area, which is its lack of embracing RSTP (training and solidarity fees). This failure set us back at least a decade or more. Fortunately, the MLS pulled its head out of its ass and is now demanding RSTP payments for the loss of its youth academy players.
Correct. They tried the Bradenton model and moved away from it. DA was the next step in this evolution of trying to develop national team players. US Soccer setup the system and the rules. Why would I blame MLS clubs when US Soccer created and presided over this setup?
Again, who setup the system of allowing individual clubs to work within this loose framework? The heavy handed Brandenton approach failed, and now the loose DA model has failed.
When I refer to US Soccers lack of results I don't just mean failing produce boys youth players, I mean US Soccer in general. Bad (IMO) selections for men's senior head coach, failure of the USGNT at the youth world cups, etc. There's a track record.
A lot of ECNL responders. Haha
US Soccer IS responsible for screwing a lot of players half way through a season, in the middle of a pandemic, right before finals and without a heads up so clubs could start planning ahead, oh wait they did let their buddies know. As far as we are concerned, US soccer will never have our support again at the youth level, college level or professional level. Not a single dollar, not a single TV coverage, and not at the Olympics or World Cup, nada!
MacDre
PREMIER
Wow. Very informative but if I’m understanding you correctly, you just help me spot a major issue that I don’t think USSF can fix. If you are worried about development from 17-22 I think that could be the problem.
In Mexico this Spring will be the last opportunity for most of the 2008 birth year to have an opportunity to make a Fuerzas Basicas academy team for the fall. So in Mexico the funnel narrows substantially at 12. Between 16-17 some sign professional contracts but most are let go. Do you think we should narrow the funnel earlier like Mexico and I think Europe too?
Kicknit22
GOLD
Spot on!!
Answer: The Clubs. Back when US Soccer was creating the DA league, they needed the Clubs on board with "a model." There were negotiations between US Soccer and the MLS and large clubs that would be the founding members. These negotiations resulted in the model we saw. Because US Soccer was never in a position to fund the DA training, it had to placate the clubs. The Clubs would not participate in the DA League if the standards and financial demands were too much. If the Clubs could not pencil out an ROI then the DA League would never get off the ground. Don't think for one minute that the DA League was created without significant input from the founding clubs and representatives.
What is very interesting (historically speaking) is that US Soccer did an end run with the DA League around existing Youth Affiliates (US Club and US Youth who were already runing high level leagues). This has always been a sore point.
You can't look at the DA League through today's lens, rather, you need to look through the lens of 15 years ago and the state of youth soccer. Practically speaking, the DA League would never get off the ground unless there were sufficient number of regional teams to allow clubs to play each other without traveling across country. This required compromises demanded by the clubs.
jpeter
PREMIER
12:years and millions on top of millions was spent.
Some clubs feel like there were burned big time and don't want to participate in anything where MLS or the former DA execs are running the same game under a different name.
Others see it different but either way now there is more division & and strife. instead of collaborating once again we are diluting, the battle between USYS and USClub rages on with no end in site.
My opinion they all should have waited, worked together and made unifed announcements when youth soccer is actually closer to a return.
Some clubs feel like there were burned big time and don't want to participate in anything where MLS or the former DA execs are running the same game under a different name.
Others see it different but either way now there is more division & and strife. instead of collaborating once again we are diluting, the battle between USYS and USClub rages on with no end in site.
My opinion they all should have waited, worked together and made unifed announcements when youth soccer is actually closer to a return.
I believe shutting down the DA was a very good thing, but the way they did it was poorly planned and left a bad taste for a lot of clubs. Bring back the FL model that brought us Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey and add a women's program. US soccer scouts actually go out and scour the country for the best players not just go for the low hanging fruit with the same players in the US YNT camps every time.
Club soccer is also scary. I have talked to coaches who are not up to date on the latest tactical of soccer. I had coaches told me that if a player is right footed they play on the right wing. Very 80s and 90s style. Trainings can also be disorganized. Appears to not have much long term structure.
The DA curriculum is very good. However the constancy of playing from the back, and not having the keeper long kicks the ball. Requiring all teams to play possession based soccer can result in inexperience when dealing with teams that play differently.
Not playing high school is not a big deal.
Having subs who play just 10 minutes per game is a big deal. Players getting so few minutes should be made part time do they can get playing time at another flight 1 team or play high school.
Travel is too far.
The DA curriculum is very good. However the constancy of playing from the back, and not having the keeper long kicks the ball. Requiring all teams to play possession based soccer can result in inexperience when dealing with teams that play differently.
Not playing high school is not a big deal.
Having subs who play just 10 minutes per game is a big deal. Players getting so few minutes should be made part time do they can get playing time at another flight 1 team or play high school.
Travel is too far.
oh canada
GOLD
They really had no choice at this point. I didn't realize the dire straits that USSF is in financially and Covid was the death knell. And i'm not even talking about the lawsuit, as I think much of that will be covered by insurance when they settle.
They need to focus all resources now into qualifying for 2022 WC to generate $$. If the men don't qualify again, USSF may be forced to move into a south-side Chicago garage and hire temp workers as coaches.
They need to focus all resources now into qualifying for 2022 WC to generate $$. If the men don't qualify again, USSF may be forced to move into a south-side Chicago garage and hire temp workers as coaches.
Doubtful. Unless US Soccer had a custom policy their regular liability policy wouldn't cover them and EPLI insurance typically doesn't cover wage claims. Furthermore, the articles about hiring the new law firm, Latham and Watkins, (assuming they're accurate) specifically said the firm was retained by US Soccer. If US Soccer was insured, the insurer would have hired the defense counsel and not the policy holder (except in very rare circumstances). The insured can recommend counsel but the carrier typically chooses their own counsel.
The claim by US Soccer that Covid was the cause of DA's termination is a convenient excuse. The reality is the complete bungling of the lawsuit by US Soccer and its prior law firm, along with its general mismanagement and the failure of the DA are the real reasons. The sexist brief filed by the law firm will cost US Soccer unknown millions. The brief will go down in the legal representation Hall of Shame.
When You Write A Brief So Bad It Gets The Client Fired - Above the Law
That takes some real skill.
abovethelaw.com
“Latham-Led US Soccer May Have to Pay Up in USWNT Suit,” Law360 | Cohen Milstein
The U.S. Soccer Federation, with its new legal team at Latham & Watkins LLP and a new president, appears ready to settle a pay discrimination lawsuit by players on the U.S.
The idea of DA is still crazy for me to comprehend...glad its gone. Kids only focusing on one sport and having to practice 4x per week and miss out on high school sports is detrimental to their high school experience. Imagine not playing your best sport when you were in high school?
All for the reason to: "develop players for US National and Olympic teams by organizing the best players in a system that provides the best training"....So this benefits .01% of players in the long run who likely don't need to be coddled in this form anyway. Never made sense to me.
All for the reason to: "develop players for US National and Olympic teams by organizing the best players in a system that provides the best training"....So this benefits .01% of players in the long run who likely don't need to be coddled in this form anyway. Never made sense to me.
I don't understand why this would be a problem except because of the way things turned out. Ideally, DA could have a solid 12-14 FT players in a team and the rest PT. PT players are allowed to play high school and also other leagues to supplement their game times. The FT players already got their game times on weekends so no big deal not playing high school.
However, I can see how this becomes an issue when the coaches do not allow a player to be PT. Maybe clubs need the higher income from FT. I see some teams with as many as 20+ players all FT. Not sure how they get solid game times if they are benched.
The best part about DA was the coaching or teaching. However, not sure if my experience is a club specific thing or DA mandated. Maybe someone can tell me.
I like the fact that the coach teaches a well planned out curriculum. Every week players are taught a specific part of the game and they understood they are following a curriculum.
Also like that the coach arrives 30 minutes earlier to setup the field. And he requires training to start on time (not including warm up) so players have to arrive early and warm up themselves.
Trainings were also hard.
It almost feels like you are in a football school not just playing travel soccer.
I hope the new league could replicate these parts of it.
I like the fact that the coach teaches a well planned out curriculum. Every week players are taught a specific part of the game and they understood they are following a curriculum.
Also like that the coach arrives 30 minutes earlier to setup the field. And he requires training to start on time (not including warm up) so players have to arrive early and warm up themselves.
Trainings were also hard.
It almost feels like you are in a football school not just playing travel soccer.
I hope the new league could replicate these parts of it.