Yes. Legends is picking up top players left and right and not enough spots to go around with the haul they've been getting up North. No one in the IE can compete with Legends. Rumor has it these top players that don't make the top team will train up North during the week but come play with the Sharks and have a Combo team during the games.
DMCV Sharks Girls Director
- Thread starter silverback
- Start date
That's interesting + makes sense. But, what you're saying without saying is that LegendsSD is where the 2nd string plays.
Sort of. However, the players who live in-between SD and the IE will have some options as well as unhappy customers in San Diego and South OC. JH is ready to spread his wings. I give him a lot of credit. His story is all about starting with one team in Glendora and beating top clubs and then seeing the top clubs stealing his players and blocking him entry into the old ECNL. His club was poached hard after he and a few others would develop their goats only to have Slammers, Arsenal and Blues steal their goats. Now the tables have been turned. Surf and City will lose (already happening based on my rumor mill) players that want more help and a plan for a college deal or YNT.
Code
GOLD
Your right, I wasn't aware Legends SD had teams up in Escondido and San Marcos as well. Pulling up their clubs fields from last season we can see they are heavily into the Kearny Mesa and Clairemont Mesa area. Not sure if the fields will be the same this year (probably keep what they have and add the Sharks fields), we will see once SOCAL League updates the schedule for the upcoming season. Anyone know if the Legends SD teams and/or fields in Kearny Mesa and Claremont area are the previous Knotts Forest teams/club? When Albion SD took over Knotts Forest I know a number of the teams broke off and went elsewhere. It's been a couple years, but I wonder if these Legends SD fields/teams from the area spawned from previous club mergers, or did Legends SD build from the ground up?
WatchthemPlay
BRONZE
Yes, exactly what is going to happen. Kids practice at either location so where you live is irrelevant. Huge rosters with no certainty where your kid will play each weekend. Works for some, but just know what you are getting into. Less of a team and more of a showcase environment.
What you're describing is very speculative.
What I see is the same Sharks now LegendsSD leadership that couldn't recruit or win games are wearing a different jersey.
LegendsSD might get a bigger funnel of talent to choose from by aligning multiple smaller clubs but as it stands nothing really has changed.
If Legends cleans house with LegendsSD bringing in top leadership and coaching they'd have people's attention.
Soccer Dad & Ref
SILVER ELITE
i don't think people know how far away Norco is from Del Mar
Hello Pats, Blues, Sporting...
A big giant pool of players, just like the Surf pool. These mega clubs will now have players all over the place. Team is gone
Speculative? JH knows how to play ball. My "guess" is to keep the sanity, you keep the coaches until one drops at a time. Before you know it, JH will have a house in Del Mar.
That logically makes sense.
But Sharks have been able to exist as is for a long time. I have a feeling that current leadership are very good at not getting pushed out.
Well my brain says that Sharks were about to be pushed out and Legends came to save the day. A win win for both clubs.
I doubt it. They had two age groups make the playoffs and go to Seattle this year (on the girls side). I obviously have no idea what ECNL's criteria might be to consider dropping a club from the league, but I'd imagine having moderate success in a couple of age groups would be enough to not get kicked to the curb. I suspect this was just MW thinking bigger and trying to make something happen in hopes of improving the club's overall performance.
Does Sharks have a boys program?
From the Spot
SILVER
In the past Legends has mined the Temecula area for some really talented players, if they're able to shift those players down to SD it will instantly upgrade the existing rosters. I'm not a fan of the roster pool, it just creates too much uncertainty.
Overall, I think this is a good move for both clubs. Sharks desperately needed a rebrand and this keeps Legends in the super-club tier along with Slammers and Surf. I wonder if LA Breakers will be the next club to merge.
Overall, I think this is a good move for both clubs. Sharks desperately needed a rebrand and this keeps Legends in the super-club tier along with Slammers and Surf. I wonder if LA Breakers will be the next club to merge.
Soccer Dad & Ref
SILVER ELITE
Must be brutal to live in Temecula and find a good club. Yikes. Travel to central San Diego or Norco several times a week?
I personally know of several families doing just that, and they've been doing it for a while. If you have a talented soccer player in that valley, you're putting miles on your cars.
It's one thing to make that slog down and back up the 15 on a weeknight to play for a national contender. Sharks hasn't had anything remotely close to that in several years.
Unless they overhaul, which based on their press release they aren't, this will be another momentary positive blip at best.
Just like when MW came over.
Just like when FK won back to back nat boats.
Just like when they hired SM.