# City SC Partner With Real Salt Lake & Utah Royals To Provide Pro Pathway



## LA Galaxy San Diego (Feb 29, 2020)

Yesterday evening at Aviara Community Park City SC announced that they will be partnering with Major League Soccer (MLS) and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) powerhouse programs Real Salt Lake (RSL) and Utah Royals FC (URFC).

For more info on this new partnership and to view the press release please visit:
https://ourcitysc.com/rsl-urfc-partnership/


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## Giesbock (Mar 3, 2020)

General question about men’s pro game...

I watched Bayer Leverkusen vs Leipzig a few days ago. Then a few days later, watched LAFC vs Miami.

One game featured crisp, perfect passing, clean, fast play.  The other was full of bad touches, irregular and off target passes, herky jerky mid field play.  Yes, a beautiful soft touch goal but everything else was pretty sloppy.

Easy to guess which was which even without the goal hint! 

What am I missing? Is MLS just a rougher style or are German players just that much technically better?

Appreciate comments from players and former players perspective.


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## timbuck (Mar 3, 2020)

I'll bet $2,000 that nobody from City SC becomes a pro at RSL.


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## focomoso (Mar 3, 2020)

Giesbock said:


> General question about men’s pro game...


This was the 3rd game of the year for LAFC and the first game ever for Miami. Things will improve. (There was a stretch during the middle of the season last year where LAFC look almost "European".) But on the whole, you're right. The Bundesliga is far better than MLS, as are the other top UEFA leagues (Premier League, Serie A and La Liga). The next level (France, Portugal) are also better. It isn't until the level below that (Ukraine, Scotland, Turkey and similar) that you might see some parity and I'd say the level below that (Poland, Greece, Israel, Norway, ...) is where the top MLS teams might potentially dominate.


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## pitchplease (Mar 3, 2020)

So RSL/royals are sponsoring teams in Az and sd? How does that work?


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## Messi>CR7 (Mar 3, 2020)

Giesbock said:


> General question about men’s pro game...
> 
> I watched Bayer Leverkusen vs Leipzig a few days ago. Then a few days later, watched LAFC vs Miami.
> 
> ...


One thing that really impresses my kid when we watch European soccer is the way they effortlessly make those long, ridiculously accurate passes. 

Here is my favorite goal of the year.  Right back to left back to right wing!  Seriously?


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## timbuck (Mar 3, 2020)

timbuck said:


> I'll bet $2,000 that nobody from City SC becomes a pro at RSL.


I'll follow this up with - I'm not trying to be a jerk.  But look at LA Galaxy and their academy team.  The Galaxy 1st team should have had an inside track on Uly Lllanez and Alex Mendez.  They were lucky to hang on to Efrain Alvarez.  (And I bet he transfers to Europe soon).
And these were players that were in the actual LA Galaxy Academy program.  Not in some sort of affiliate 500 miles away.
The idea that City FC and Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals are connected is kinda cool if you are a player.  But didn't LA Galaxy just remove all of their youth club affiliates?  Why would Utah clubs want to be associated with youth clubs in So Cal?  I don't know the answer.  But I'd guess it goes back to some sort of financial arrangement. Or someone in Utah hates someone in So Cal and they want to boost their ego.  Or someone at RSL/UTR is very close friends with someone at City FC and this is some sort of "bro deal" to market themselves).


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## methood (Mar 4, 2020)

timbuck said:


> I'll bet $2,000 that nobody from City SC becomes a pro at RSL.


But but but but - PATHWAY!


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## whatithink (Mar 4, 2020)

timbuck said:


> I'll follow this up with - I'm not trying to be a jerk.  But look at LA Galaxy and their academy team.  The Galaxy 1st team should have had an inside track on Uly Lllanez and Alex Mendez.  They were lucky to hang on to Efrain Alvarez.  (And I bet he transfers to Europe soon).
> And these were players that were in the actual LA Galaxy Academy program.  Not in some sort of affiliate 500 miles away.
> The idea that City FC and Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals are connected is kinda cool if you are a player.  But didn't LA Galaxy just remove all of their youth club affiliates?  Why would Utah clubs want to be associated with youth clubs in So Cal?  I don't know the answer.  But I'd guess it goes back to some sort of financial arrangement. Or someone in Utah hates someone in So Cal and they want to boost their ego.  Or someone at RSL/UTR is very close friends with someone at City FC and this is some sort of "bro deal" to market themselves).


The coaches for the RSL-AZ BDA 06 & 07 teams in AZ are actually employees of RSL out of Utah. One of them is "over " the AZ market (afaik) and always scouting. Quite a few boys have been invited to try out in Utah and a smaller number were offered spots. Whether those kids make it or not of course, time will only tell. The avenue was not as defined only 2 or 3 years ago. Basically RSL have become much more involved since they moved their DA from Casa Grande to Utah but replaced it with the RSL-AZ "club" and started hoovering up various clubs to create a new "super" club.

On the girls side the Royals coach has been down, but its not as integrated. The goal there is college though, so no need for the same level of integration.

There is also some type of relationship between RSL-AZ and LVSA in Vegas. Some of the latter's players (boys & girls) have played with the top teams out of RSL-AZ in tournaments especially, and possibly GDA, but not sure on the latter.

No idea what that means for City FC, but RSL do seem to be spreading their net wider in looking for talent (boys). I believe they offered residential spots to some Surf 05B at the end of last season for example.


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## Speedy (Mar 4, 2020)

timbuck said:


> Why would Utah clubs want to be associated with youth clubs in So Cal?  I don't know the answer.  But I'd guess it goes back to some sort of financial arrangement. Or someone in Utah hates someone in So Cal and they want to boost their ego.  Or someone at RSL/UTR is very close friends with someone at City FC and this is some sort of "bro deal" to market themselves).



The owner of RSL has had his eye on North County SD before.  He tried to buy a golf course in Oceanside and turn it into a soccer academy.









						Soccer academy plans for Goat Hill dashed
					

A proposal to turn Oceanside’s city-owned Center City Golf Course into a soccer academy, decried by hundreds who attended a City Council meeting Wednesday night, fell apart when the council later directed its staff to end negotiations with Dell Roy Hansen, the owner of Major League Soccer Real Salt…




					www.sandiegouniontribune.com
				




_Real Salt Lake owner Hansen, who lives part time in Oceanside and directs a multibillion-dollar Utah real estate development firm, told the council the team intended to invest more than $10 million over the next three years including $2 million to improve the existing golf course. Years later the course would be reduced to a much smaller 9-hole "irons" course.
Hansen said he wanted to create a "soccer mecca" in Oceanside._


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## Soccerhelper (Mar 4, 2020)

Speedy said:


> The owner of RSL has had his eye on North County SD before.  He tried to buy a golf course in Oceanside and turn it into a soccer academy.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


A few others else beat him to it.  Dang, these guys are serious players.


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## outside! (Mar 5, 2020)

Speedy said:


> The owner of RSL has had his eye on North County SD before.  He tried to buy a golf course in Oceanside and turn it into a soccer academy.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There is almost no flat ground at Goat Hill. The "Hill" part of the name is very descriptive.


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## timbuck (Mar 5, 2020)

Speedy said:


> The owner of RSL has had his eye on North County SD before.  He tried to buy a golf course in Oceanside and turn it into a soccer academy.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Starting to make sense now. Does he also hold a grudge against Surf or Sharks and wants to show them that he’s a big deal?


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## LASTMAN14 (Mar 5, 2020)

timbuck said:


> I'll follow this up with - I'm not trying to be a jerk.  But look at LA Galaxy and their academy team.  The Galaxy 1st team should have had an inside track on Uly Lllanez and Alex Mendez.  They were lucky to hang on to Efrain Alvarez.  (And I bet he transfers to Europe soon).
> And these were players that were in the actual LA Galaxy Academy program.  Not in some sort of affiliate 500 miles away.
> The idea that City FC and Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals are connected is kinda cool if you are a player.  But didn't LA Galaxy just remove all of their youth club affiliates?  Why would Utah clubs want to be associated with youth clubs in So Cal?  I don't know the answer.  But I'd guess it goes back to some sort of financial arrangement. Or someone in Utah hates someone in So Cal and they want to boost their ego.  Or someone at RSL/UTR is very close friends with someone at City FC and this is some sort of "bro deal" to market themselves).


This article explains partially why those players are not at LAG. Much more to it...








						Why was LA Galaxy academy coach Brian Kleiban fired?
					

The speculation continues




					www.lagconfidential.com


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## futboldad1 (Mar 5, 2020)

LASTMAN14 said:


> This article explains partially why those players are not at LAG. *Much more to it...*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I needed to bold that last part lol......no way they are putting the full story in print, not a good look for anybody....all I will say is LAG made the smartest move they could make.......


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## MWN (Mar 5, 2020)

I'm surprised that you all don't appreciate "why" this is happening and will happen more.  All you need to do is go back and read/understand this:








						MLS will seek compensation for affiliated academy players who sign outside the league
					

Major League Soccer announced Thursday that its clubs will now assert training compensation claims for any player developed in a league-affiliated academy who signs his first professional contract with a non-MLS team outside the U.S. and Canada.




					www.latimes.com
				




Last April, represented a "shift" in the thinking.  The USL is next up.  The MLS teams are also readjusting their relationship with US Soccer and the division of 1st and 2nd DA leagues represents that shift.

Before 2019, there was no financial incentive beyond the "homegrown" player exemption.  Post 2019 there is now a financial incentive to create additional academies and affiliated relationships.  LAFC and LA Galaxy are sitting in ground zero for quality youth soccer players.  Real Sal Lake is sitting in ground zero for Mormon missionaries.  They need to expand their footprint if they are going to "get in on" the new paradigm of viewing academy players as assets.  Forming allegiances with SoCal clubs, allows them to track and attract top talent to their academy programs as the MLS academies all move to fully-funded.  The next phase is creation of regional partially-funded academy circuits involving out of market MLS affiliated programs and USL.


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## LASTMAN14 (Mar 5, 2020)

futboldad1 said:


> I needed to bold that last part lol......no way they are putting the full story in print, not a good look for anybody....all I will say is LAG made the smartest move they could make.......


I know a few more points (from parents on the boys side) that were not mentioned in that or any article written. It sounds like you do too.


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## jpeter (Mar 5, 2020)

futboldad1 said:


> I needed to bold that last part lol......no way they are putting the full story in print, not a good look for anybody....all I will say is LAG made the smartest move they could make.......


Those player(s) made the smart move and would'nt be regarded anywhere near as they are now if they had stayed. 

There is a big gap between the academy and being a good professional. USL has a long way to go to bridge that gap.  Maybe in 3-4 yrs teens will have more options besides going MLS or overseas to get the training & competition needed to keep developing into world class players.


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## timbuck (Mar 5, 2020)

Kleiban was trying to develop players to be pros on an international level.  Galaxy wanted pros for the MLS level.


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## LASTMAN14 (Mar 5, 2020)

timbuck said:


> Kleiban was trying to develop players to be pros on an international level.  Galaxy wanted pros for the MLS level.


Yes, he probably was. However, there were issues regarding conflict of interest, as well as his decisions/actions/professionalism (which was in question leading up to his firing).


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## futboldad1 (Mar 5, 2020)

timbuck said:


> Kleiban was trying to develop players to be pros on an international level.  Galaxy wanted pros for the MLS level.


Listen to Lastman and me.....some very bad stories....


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