Ajax's Youth Academy article

[TX Bill]

Even though the New York Times is a [Poor language removed] rag, they occasionally have a decent article. This is one of them. Take the time to read it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/magazine/06Soccer-t.html

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Nice pickup Bill.

I'm sure you chuckled when Martin Tyler made that comment about don't mess with Dempsey he can take care of himself because was from the rugged west in Texas.

 

[mezzrow]

Even though the New York Times is a [Poor language removed] rag, they occasionally have a decent article. This is one of them. Take the time to read it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/magazine/06Soccer-t.html

And getting worse every day, it seems... Thanks for the link.

 

[Dutch Toffee]

Didn't read the article, but it's the Youth Academy that made Ajax one of the worlds great. They neglected their academy for a few years and paid the price for it. Now they've gone back to their roots and the future looks bright again.

 

[TX Tiburon]

Excellent. Truly lays out the gap between US soccer and the rest of the world. Makes you wonder if the US will ever be able to be top of the world if we are depending on such a flawed model to randomly produce 11 players that are technically gifted enough to win a world cup. One would think it could only happen by sheer volume of population and wishing upon a star.

I've felt we have mis-trained our youth baseball players in much the same way... by focusing on games and neglecting technical skills. Some select teams play 50-100 games a year. If, they practice it just adds to the burnout rate. I applaud Ajax for placing their emphasis on technical skills.

Certainly, there must be some middle ground. As poorly as we train our players technically, the article points to a very cold, heartless model at the end of the spectrum. But regardless, the US soccer model needs to be rethought and rebuilt. But will it happen?

 

[TX Bill]

What the USA doesn't understand is that they think that the model we've used for MLB, NBA, NFL, etc... that has gone through the NCAA college game works for Football.

Well guess what? The NCAA is the absolute worst route to take if you're really aspiring to become a professional footballer.

I think you'll continue to see the academy system grow here and just last week, I read a good article on the MLS academy systems that are starting to see the fruits of their labor.

Dutch...take the time to read it. You'll enjoy it.

 

[Aztattooedfootballfan]

Didn't read the article, but it's the Youth Academy that made Ajax one of the worlds great. They neglected their academy for a few years and paid the price for it. Now they've gone back to their roots and the future looks bright again.

Totally agreed. I follow Ajax while watching the Eredivisie and it is good to see them going back in that direction.

 

[sotnas]

I think the USA are a potential power in world football.

Look at how far you've come since the '90 WC.

It's only 20 years. _Now you have a lot of players playing in Europe.

I heard that football is earning more fans, year after year. That's very important because the camp of recruitment is bigger and bigger.

If I were a high responsible for MLS or at College football level, I'd put my chips on gettinf some foreign coaches. But not some high profile coaches. I'd get to Brazil, to Holland, to Germany and get coaches that work at youth level.

At the same time I'd send coaches to Europe, to learn from europeans top academies.

Americans have a great deal of potential. They can match the germans mentality and organization.

Now, all you have to do is groom the kids into top footballers.