Yeah, safe bet that I'm sarcastic and skeptical of anything related to youth soccer. lol.
I am a generous tipper. lol.
I have no doubt that they would attempt to include MLS Next games as part of an MLS media package. Some of these streaming networks need content and there is enough niche demand for HS age games that it would drive some people, on the margins, to add the subscription to their streaming network just to see the youth games. Doubt it would be for just any game, though, because video quality would vary so much as to be unwatchable in some cases. It would probably be for the showcases/playoffs etc where they could bring people in to do all the video work at a single site. That's what they did for the Generation Adidas Cup, which was on Twitch in 2019, but only for the finals
www.mlssoccer.com
Hadn't thought much about the no re-entry rule, but I think your spot on. That is going to be particularly troublesome for my son's team given there is a precipitous drop off from starters to bench. I have to believe that our coach didn't think that one through when he added players that aren't currently ready for this level of competition, but thought he could develop. That's going to be difficult to manage...there will always be unhappy parents but this has the potential to magnify the situation.
I'm not sure the rationale for the sub rules, but the actual documents do state that they will be inspecting game reports for general observance of the 50% play "recommendation" for U13-U15, which makes it sound more like a strong recommendation. My sense is that if that recommendation is taken seriously, then the no re-entry rules would prioritize choosing which games kids play in rather than how many minutes they get in each game. You might play your best players most of the game in the tough games, but give other kids the full game in the games against lesser opponents. I guess playing the full 70 or 80 minutes every third game and maybe a few minutes in the other games could be better for a kid than playing 10-12 minutes each half in every game, at least if there is some transparency about it each week.
Is it possible your coach is going to roster those players as "Future Players" (the old Developmental Player) under the rule, rather than fully rostered players? That would allow them to get minutes in another team in the club. I think you can have a really large number of those players, enough for everyone who isn't a starter.
Do you happen to know if there is going to be a full time vs. part time distinction whereby the part time wouldn't be subject to the 25% start and 50% play guideline and could only play in a certain number of games?
Our thoughts must have crossed in space. In his conversations with me, he termed them development contract players but we don't have a lower team for them to play on. He's a great coach tactically but often doesn't think things through logistically.
The new Future Player is basically the same as the old Developmental or Part-Time player. Practice with the MLS Next team at least 1x/week and play in no more than 12 or 13 games I think. The players’ other games can be with another team in the club or in an “affiliated” club. I don’t think they are subject to the 25/50% recommendation since their status assumes they play elsewhere too.
Any sense on what - if anything - they're doing with "late developers" being able to play a year down? same as DA or different or not at all?
I don't think they saying anything about playing down, but they do allow playing up with the ability to play two games in a day if the total minutes isn't more than the total minutes of one game for your regular team.
alas. got it. thx.
RAE was a misguided experiment by US Soccer that was doomed to fail. RAE is not going to make any difference until US coaches change their whole mentality of picking size over skill at the youth level. Why change the game by playing down when we need to change our mentality. Coaches think they can teach a big kid touch, but aren't willing to invest in the shorter more skilled, oftentimes smarter, kid over the long run. Size has a short term benefit for winning, but not much significance relative to skill and IQ in the long run.
That's a tough decision for a coach to make, choosing between an athletic kid capable of handling the current level or choose a skilled kid currently being knocked off the ball all the time. How will he know what the future holds? What if the big athletic kid puts in the work to learn the game and become skillful? What if the small one never grows and always has beautiful touches but can't keep up with speed and strength?
