Good evaluation.
A player that has a pathway to go pro would be a good fit for Cal.
A player that wants to play for a team that wins should reconsider.
Cal... What happened?
- Thread starter Supermodel56
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Good evaluation.
A player that has a pathway to go pro would be a good fit for Cal.
A player that wants to play for a team that wins should reconsider.
eastbaysoccer
GOLD
Pro? Nwsl probably won’t be around and there’s no money there.
Cal plays an experienced Portland team this year. That’s a tough game for any freshman.
Cal plays an experienced Portland team this year. That’s a tough game for any freshman.
The Outlaw *BANNED*
PREMIER
Interesting that those San Jose Earthquakes are all going to Westwood the next few years.
MakeAPlay
DA
If style of play matters then UCLA, Stanford, Penn State and Florida State are the place for players that can play possession. If kickball is a player’s forte then there are plenty of potential destinations. Cal plays very direct soccer, which shouldn’t be a surprise, their coach is Scottish and they have the fastest soccer player in the country at forward. He likes to recruit a speed forward and play her over the top. That style doesn’t work against the better teams in the PAC 12.
Drum roll please. What are your thoughts?
Maybe so, but most of this discussion has centered on their WLT record, I believe. No points there for style.
WLT doesn't always reflect a good or bad coach.
Is Cal coach any good based on recent WLT?
My player played for a very reputable coach, by endt of the season the team did not win many games. Players on the team were very talented and the coach was more than qualified and provided high level of quality training, I believe the team did not win many game due to poor chemistry.
Following season played for a coach that was good but not the same quality in comparison to the prior year coach, the team won most of their games. The player work hard and had the same drive to win many games.
SpeedK1llz
GOLD
Summer before her freshman year in high school, my player went to a Cal soccer camp and showed incredibly well. Granted, there were about 50 other girls there of vastly varying skill and ability level but still some talented players. To both mine and my daughter’s surprise, Neil actually called her by her name from the start.
Fast forward to the end of the camp where they play 11 v 11 and my kid is at forward running point like Iverson and assists on two beautiful goals in the first 10 minutes. Not a word from Neil at the end. Cal isn’t my kid’s first choice but wants feedback from the camp. Club coach knows Neil, so he calls and gets, “Yeah she’s a nice player but we don’t think she would be a fit”.
Fast forward to the end of the camp where they play 11 v 11 and my kid is at forward running point like Iverson and assists on two beautiful goals in the first 10 minutes. Not a word from Neil at the end. Cal isn’t my kid’s first choice but wants feedback from the camp. Club coach knows Neil, so he calls and gets, “Yeah she’s a nice player but we don’t think she would be a fit”.
MacDre
PREMIER
Very interesting
My player went to a Cal camp and showed really well. As a 10 year old she distinguished herself from the other players. She received positive feedback from Neil & Austin and they posted her on their Instagram page.
My daughter is shy and introverted and Neil & Austin bought something out of her. Seriously, I think my daughter would walk through fire with gasoline draws on for Neil & Austin.
Over spring break she caught the attention of the FSU coach but she still wants to go to Cal.
I also think Neil contacted US Soccer on my players behalf as well.
Not only did he coach there, it looks like a lot of players coming in this year are from his dd’s club and high school team. With all the trips he takes to SoCal and in particular San Diego, you would think there would be more of our local girls on the roster.
MacDre
PREMIER
Good point. I’ve heard that Cal was having budget problems because they spent too much money retrofitting their stadium. So, if Neil can recruit rich kids from Danville, Moraga, & San Jose he probably doesn’t have to come off of any scholarship money. IDK, just speculating.
I don’t think we should be critical for coaches having a bad year or even a couple. Chemistry, leadership, injuries can wreck a team.
But it is fair to look at several years of results combined with personnel on the team and make a realistic judgement.
Take Oregon. She’s been a head coach for over a decade at several stops and has had 1 winning season in that time. 1. I know Oregon is getting lots of talented kids but how much talent do you need to have a winning record? And in over a decade of coaching she’s NEVER had enough talent? If she needs 15 studs to win more than half her games that’s not a great sign.
And I am critical of style and hate how Arizona plays but at least he’s committed to it and he’s won. Cal goes after all these athletes and doesn’t win anyways.
But it is fair to look at several years of results combined with personnel on the team and make a realistic judgement.
Take Oregon. She’s been a head coach for over a decade at several stops and has had 1 winning season in that time. 1. I know Oregon is getting lots of talented kids but how much talent do you need to have a winning record? And in over a decade of coaching she’s NEVER had enough talent? If she needs 15 studs to win more than half her games that’s not a great sign.
And I am critical of style and hate how Arizona plays but at least he’s committed to it and he’s won. Cal goes after all these athletes and doesn’t win anyways.
MacDre
PREMIER
Yeah, but I think Cal has done a better job than most of producing professional/International players. So, how does one measure success?
Also, if most players are students before athletes, maybe Cal is producing better results.
I was surprised to learn that all of the players at FSU are constantly wearing GPS monitors to see if they are putting forth max effort and resting. Maybe the programs that are constantly winning are putting athletics over scholarship.
Also, if most players are students before athletes, maybe Cal is producing better results.
I was surprised to learn that all of the players at FSU are constantly wearing GPS monitors to see if they are putting forth max effort and resting. Maybe the programs that are constantly winning are putting athletics over scholarship.
Well if they did then to maximize the $$ for Recruitment they would have to select majority of players from "in-state".
Maybe the $$ to fund for class of 2021, 22, 23 has grown, as I metion they have pick up a few out of state players.
I enjoyed watching Vandy thought they did a good job moving the ball. Oregon not bad either. But neither of them are Stanford or UCLA.
Scholarship money doesn’t change. They won’t limit who he can go get. That’s not how it works. But recruiting rich kids means you can offer less scholarship money to them, and then go get more players. The lack of money WILL impact why he hasn’t been fired. It’s expensive to fire a coach and go pay market rate to get a top candidate. Who will then ask hard questions like “why doesn’t our stadium have lights? Why can’t I pay my assistants more?
I think that’s why he’s still there.
MacDre
PREMIER
Neil coached Alex Morgan who will probably Captain the USWNT in France. He is also the current coach of Abi Kim who went to the U20 world cup and is currently on the U23 USWNT. I think that’s why he’s still there.
GPS is common practice across all D1 programs
eastbaysoccer
GOLD
there aren't many great coaches out there. The ones that are great,....win and develop the kids.
1) Paul Ratclife was one of few that won at St. Mary's and now wins at Stanford
2) Jerry has been winning for years with CAL and Stanford in his back yard, both of which are BETTER schools
3) Anson Dorrance at UNC -his resume speaks for itself
4) Steve Swanson at Virgina - 26 consecutive winning season, 22 NCAA appearance.
5) The great Clive Charles who coached Portland to multiple championships.
Maybe Amanda Cromwell who had great success at UCF and now at UCLA. Amanda has already proved she's better coach than Neil. Neil is just ok, just another coach that does well enough to stay around because CAL is too cheap to pony up for a big time up and coming coach. And that's true for their big programs like football and basketball----BOTH programs haven't done crap since the old Mike Montgomery and Maruucci/Tedford days.
Wow, then he's got job security see the new players that will be playing soon. I guess he's focused on top GK players, seeing he got both the top 2019, and 2022 GK.
I would think coaches would rather get the top Forward and Mids.