RedDevilDad
GOLD
https://elevensports.com/en/view/event/cktngdg9objbt0hbqalexwdny?src=CPT_EL#mycujoo
RSL v Seattle u15s starting at 8am PST today 9/18.
RSL v Seattle u15s starting at 8am PST today 9/18.
2007 DA
- Thread starter USC
- Start date
RedDevilDad
GOLD
RSL Academy vs Sounders U-15
Watch RSL Academy vs Sounders U-15 in Major League Soccer on 09/18/2021 (America/Denver) live or on-demand
elevensports.com
https://elevensports.com/view/event/cktpxj75ld5is0g8nntovhc3h fixed
The game results are published by MLS Next, usually same day or day after:
U15 MLS NEXT Schedule & Scores
Official MLS NEXT schedule and scores for U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U19 matches
www.mlssoccer.com
The 2 others are not published yet.
Yep I know, I was just trying to get ahead of the MLS website!The game results are published by MLS Next, usually same day or day after:
LAFC - Timbers is up (LAFC won 1-0)U15 MLS NEXT Schedule & Scores
Official MLS NEXT schedule and scores for U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U19 matches
The 2 others are not published yet.
Way too early, potentially meaningless statistics...for the first two weekends I counted 21 games in the SW division (including LAG and LAFC that played out of SW division MLS teams). Out of those 21 games, 17 (81%) ended in a tie, or one goal differential. For comparison purposes the ECNL SW had 20 games of which 7 (35%) were ties or one goal differential.
Now, way too early standings (yes LAFC and LAG have tougher schedules):
Now, way too early standings (yes LAFC and LAG have tougher schedules):
| W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | |
| Murrieta | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 3.0 | ||
| LAFC | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | ||
| CVFC | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2.3 | |
| Nomads | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2.0 | |
| RSL Az | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2.0 | |
| Strikers | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2.0 | |
| LA Galaxy | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 2.0 | |
| Albion | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 3 | 1.5 | |
| TFA | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1.0 | |
| Santa Barbara | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 2 | 0.7 | |
| SC Del Sol | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 2 | 0.7 | |
| Barca | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 1 | 0.5 | |
| City | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 1 | 0.3 | |
| Rising | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | -5 | 1 | 0.3 | |
| LA Surf | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 | - | ||
| LAUFA | 2 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 | - | ||
| Ventura | - |
| W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | |
| Murrieta | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 3.0 | ||
| LAFC | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | ||
| CVFC | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2.3 | |
| Nomads | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2.0 | |
| RSL Az | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2.0 | |
| Strikers | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2.0 | |
| LA Galaxy | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 2.0 | |
| Albion | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 3 | 1.5 | |
| TFA | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1.0 | |
| Santa Barbara | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 2 | 0.7 | |
| SC Del Sol | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 2 | 0.7 | |
| City | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 1 | 0.3 | |
| Rising | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | -5 | 1 | 0.3 | |
| Barca | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 | - | ||
| LA Surf | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 | - | ||
| LAUFA | 2 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 | - | ||
| Ventura | - |
Standings and results appear to have much more focus under MLS Next. The downside of this is that I expect we will see a change in the style and quality of soccer being played without the DA focus on development. The DA wasn't perfect, but at least it provided some structure to reduce the hyper focus on standings and results. The MLS next has none of the restrictions and has also further emphasized results with the qualification for the year end competition. I suppose if we don't care about the style of soccer our youth and college players are playing, the future of professional soccer in the US or the growth of soccer as a national sport, it doesn't really matter.
I'm curious as to what restrictions that were employed by DA promoted development vs. MLS Next (my memory sucks)? My son has played both. IMHO I don't see any material difference in terms of focus on winning, I felt the "development" angle was more marketing then substance for the DA. To me the development vs winning (not mutually exclusive) is more of a function of the Club than the league. My son played DA for a different club than MLS Next. His MLS Next club is significantly more focused on development than winning, at least in the short term.
Besides it being a cultural foundation and focus of the program, no public scores for the younger age groups, I don't recall standings being displayed at any of the ages but do remember a forum parent was tracking and posting standings, 50% starting rule, no year end qualification and all the tournaments ( or most?) were showcases for DA teams.
I mostly see a lot of turnover for various reasons at this age and focus on recruitment (versus developing existing or promoting from within) and the big fast strong players getting the majority of playing time. The DA model seemed to reduce some of the pressure on coaches and clubs to win at all cost.
No question that happens a lot. But I haven't seen that any more than when it was DA. What I do see more in MLS Next are non-MLS Next and ECNL teams actively promoting players for placement on MLS Academy teams. San Diego lost over a half dozen players moving into U15 to out-of-state MLS academies. Now to some extent, that's probably a function of the MLS's push for their clubs to develop their academy teams.
DA was intended to be more YNT/MNT focused whereas MLS Next is clearly MLS focused. Which system is better for developing players? Probably neither, we do know that DA didn't have much of an impact, if any, on the success of our MNT.
My son is a U15. The turnover has been significant for many clubs between U14 and U15. Some of that is MLS academies taking players, but a larger portion is kids just not wanting to make that big of a commitment to soccer due to high school, other interests and burnout.
The best though is when the parents complain that they're not winning and need better players. Then a better player shows up and puts their kid on the bench and the parent complains about that how their kid has been on the team for X amount of time and how the new kid hasn't "earned" their kids spot.
I get that, although if their club is selling them on “development”, it’s not exactly keeping their word by recruiting and replacing.
Let’s see over the course of the season and the next few years. It’s too early to see the impact but I can’t see how these changes are for the betterment of the kids or the sport long term. It would have been great to see the MLS take the best of the DA and build on it rather than revert to just another league that mostly benefits the adults profiting from it.
From my experience, I see zero difference between DA and MLS Next in terms of advantages for development. In fact, I in some ways there was more pressure on winning with DA clubs, in particular, with those DA clubs that didn't have a full complement of age groups. There was this concept in DA of "meaningful games" which was an euphemism for winning. The DA club my son was at only had 2 age groups, Year after year they tried to add older age groups, but were told that their DA teams didn't have enough "meaningful games", aka not enough wins to warrant adding age groups.
Clubs define development, not leagues. Development in most cases means development of teams and not players. Not saying its right but a player in ECNL and MLS Next (and formerly DA) is one new player away from being benched. Words like development and pathway are just marketing.
MLS Next is just another league like DA. Nothing particularly special about either, other than its the moniker for the top league which tends to attract some of the best talent.
RedDevilDad
GOLD
I like the MLS Next structure better. Particularly the "Pro+ Pathway," meaning how the MLS academies play each other in regions. Non-MLS teams get more games against each other but still able to play their local MLS academy. MLS teams get to play more games against other MLS academies but not overwhelm the travel by still pulling in local opponents. Seems like the best for everyone.