US U16 National Team for Nov 13-21

http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/11/04/10/09/141104-u16bnt-roster#.VFklVzMqIwA.facebook

What happened to Texas soccer? Not even a single player is from Texas.

22 Players to Represent U.S. U-16 Boys’ National Team for Nov. 13-21 Camp in France
NEWS Nov 4, 2014 0
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Group of Mostly 1999-Born Players to Face France’s U-16s on Nov. 20

CHICAGO (Nov. 4, 2014) – A 22-player roster has been named to the U.S. Under-16 Boys’ National Team’s international camp from Nov. 13-21 in Clairefontaine, France, near Paris.

The U-16 BNT roster of mostly 1999-born players (19 of the 22) has been formed to provide the younger age group of U-17s with an opportunity for additional international competition and training. U.S. Soccer technical advisor and former U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team assistant coach Clint Peay will oversee the camp.

The USA will face France’s U-16s on Thursday, Nov. 20, in Clairefontaine. The U.S. is also potentially going to schedule another match against a French club team, with details to be announced at a later date.

The roster includes 18 current Development Academy players, with 21 of the 22 players on the roster having been a part of the Academy system. LA Galaxy Academy goalkeeper Eric Lopez, 15, became the youngest player to earn a USL PRO contract, signing with LA Galaxy II on Monday.

Lopez and Monterrey forward Jonathan Gonzalez have both been capped several times for the U.S. U-17 MNT. Lopez has two caps and a shutout victory (4-0 against Faroe Islands on July 31) in international competition for the U-17s, while Gonzalez has earned three caps and logged 184 minutes for the older age group.

Forward Lucas Del Rosario and defender McKay Eves have also been called into previous U-17 MNT competition, but they have yet to earn an international cap at that age level.

Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Alex Budnik (Sockers FC; Arlington Heights, Ill.), Eric Lopez (LA Galaxy; Westminster, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (: Jose Alfaro Jr. (Fuerza Monarca; West Chicago, Ill.), Andrew Aprahamian (Philadelphia Union; Malvern, Pa.), Jordi Avila (Kendall SC; Hialeah Gardens, Fla.), McKay Eves (Real Salt Lake AZ; San Diego, Calif.), Kyle Gruno (Leicester City; Saddle River, N.J.), Matthew Real (Philadelphia Union; Drexel Hill, Pa.), Daniel Villegas (Chivas USA; Los Angeles, Calif.), Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids; Colorado Springs, Colo.)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Raul Aguilera Jr. (Orlando City; Sanford, Fla.), Jose Carranza (D.C. United; Manassas, Va.), Christopher Goslin (Georgia United; Locust Grove, Ga.), Nicholas Taitague (Richmond United; Midlothian, Va.), Juan Pablo Torres (Georgia United; Lilburn, Ga.)
FORWARDS (7): Andrew Carleton (Georgia United; Powder Springs, Ga.), Lucas Del Rosario (Capital Area RailHawks – CASL; Durham, N.C.), Jonathan Gonzalez (Monterrey; Santa Rosa, Calif.), Jeanpaul Marin (New York Red Bulls; Rego Park, N.Y.), Marty Raygoza (FC Golden State; South El Monte, Calif.), Adolfo Trujillo (De Anza Force; Livermore, Calif.), Hanif Wright (Unattached; Los Angeles, Calif.)

3 players are from the same club in Georgia.

7 kids from California.
2 kids each from Illinois, Virginia, Florida, Pennsylvania.
1 kid each from NY, NC, NJ, CO.

Prove it on the pitch.

Wow! The 99s are a goose egg at U16. Unbelievable.

The same goes for the U17s playing in Florida this week.

NTX is on a dry spell.

The U14 team called to California a few weeks ago had 3 kids from NTX in it.

Great for the U14s!

Can't wait to see the '04s at U16. The MNT should be stacked with NTX players!!

finish1 wrote:Great for the U14s!

Can't wait to see the '04s at U16. The MNT should be stacked with NTX players!!

Great for the U14s indeed.

There were 2-3 of the 99/98s who were present in the national team when they were 14 years old as well. Lets hope that those U14s now are going to continue performing at the national team level.

Sprint wrote:The U14 team called to California a few weeks ago had 3 kids from NTX in it.

cool which 3 kids? there were a few 99s called up in years past but i guess their NTX development betrayed them

I heard the bias stems from the coaches of the Men's team coming from both coasts...so they have more contacts there and scout there more....maybe clutching at straws...I hope we turn the tide here soon

omega striker wrote:

Sprint wrote:The U14 team called to California a few weeks ago had 3 kids from NTX in it.

cool which 3 kids? there were a few 99s called up in years past but i guess their NTX development betrayed them

Here is the August camp for U14
Johnson Names U.S. U-14 BNT Roster for August Camp

Those boys are all from South Texas though:

Colton Stanley (Texas Rush; Woodlands, Texas)
Jesus Ortiz (Houston Dynamo; Pasadena, Texas)
Jacobo Reyes Murillo (CF Monterrey Rayados; Harris, Texas)
Daniel Cabrera (Texas Rush; Woodlands, Texas)

The most recent camp for the U14s was a few weeks ago. It was the first time for 01s to be called in.

There were two kids from FCD and one from Solar.

http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/10/09/14/15/141009-u14bnt-roster

Recent Roster with 6 kids from Texas. California still dominates and I think 5 were from the same team.

Sprint wrote:The most recent camp for the U14s was a few weeks ago.  It was the first time for 01s to be called in.  

There were two kids from FCD and one from Solar.  

This should be the camp where 48 players were invited:
Brian Johnson Names 48-Player U-14 BNT Roster for Oct. 11-19 Camp

Three from NTX is great compared to none on the other camps/tournaments
Julian Hinojosa (FC Dallas; Garland, Texas),
Canvas Reeves (Solar Chelsea SC; Keller, Texas)
Bryan Reynolds (FC Dallas; The Colony, Texas)

Here is the copy of the text from the link above:

CHICAGO (Oct. 9, 2014) – U.S. Under-14 Boys’ National Team head coach Brian Johnson announced a 48-player roster for an eight-day training camp from Oct. 11-19 at U.S. Soccer’s National Training Center in Carson, California.

Throughout training camp, the players will train twice a day in the morning and evening on either side of an afternoon break to focus on their academics. The October training camp will mark the first one for the U-14s in the new 2014-2015 cycle.

The group will play a pair of intrasquad games on Oct. 15, and a third one on Oct. 18 at 3 p.m. Following the third intrasquad contest, the group will go against Academy club team Arsenal FC’s U-13/14s at 5 p.m. PT.

Of the 48 players named, 46 were born in 2001, with midfielder Efrain Alvarez and forward Frank Gonzalez rounding out the group as the only two born in 2002. Defender Togo Nakamura, 13, is the oldest participant, while 12-year-old Gonzalez is the youngest.

Hailing from all over the country, 14 states will have representatives at the training camp, with California topping the list at 13. New York and Texas claim six each; four are from Maryland; three apiece from Colorado, Florida and Illinois; Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia boast a pair of players each; while Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey and Utah will each have one representative.

More than half of the roster has ties to the Development Academy as 27 of the players on the group are currently on an Academy club roster.

Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (4) : Logan Kowalczyk (Crew Soccer Academy Wolves; Pinckney, Mich.), Cole McNally (Celtic; Mt. Airy, Md.), Alex Rando (New York Red Bulls; New York, N.Y.), Duncan Wegner (Capital Area RailHawks Academy – CASL; Apex, N.C.)
DEFENDERS (17): Davide Clarkson (Met Oval, New York, N.Y.), Jackson Conway (Georgia United; Marietta, Ga.), Cameron Duke (Sporting Kansas City; Olathe, Kan.), Paul Elliott (Colorado Rapids; Denver, Colo.), Nick Fernandez (Chicago Fire; Downers Grove, Ill.), Theodore Gunter (San Antonio Scorpions; San Antonio, Texas), Luke Hansen (Colorado Rush; Littleton, Colo.), John Hilton (Unattached; Long Beach, Calif.), Julian Hinojosa (FC Dallas; Garland, Texas), Togo Nakamura (LA Galaxy; Torrance, Calif.), Kevin Ramos (PWSI; Woodbridge, Va.), Canvas Reeves (Solar Chelsea SC; Keller, Texas), Cesar Rivera (Chivas USA; Los Angeles, Calif.), Jose Ruvalcaba (TFA Barcelona, Los Angeles, Calif.), Sebastian Serpa (Weston FC; Miami Beach, Fla.), Leonardo Supelveda (Empire SC; Corona, Calif.), Cole Turner (Philadelphia Union; Churchville, Md.)
MIDFIELDERS (13): Efrain Alvarez (Chivas USA; Los Angeles, Calif.), Timothy Bielic (Sockers; Arlington Heights, Ill.), Taylor Booth (La Roca Utah; Eden, Utah), Ethan Bryant (San Antonio Scorpions; San Antonio, Texas), Roberto Hategan (San Juan; Roseville, Calif.), Oliver Larraz (Colorado Rapids; Denver, Colo.), Lincoln Lillwitz (Chicago Fire; Aurora, Ill.), Marcelo Palomino (Houston Dynamo; Houston, Texas), Michael Pellegrino (Philadelphia Union; Wenonah, N.J.), Veljko Petkovic (Met Oval; Ridgewood, N.Y.), Matteo Ritaccio (BW Gottschee; Westbury, N.Y.), Gabriel Segal (Bethesda-Olney; Bethesda, Md.), Simon Vasquez (Weston FC; Weston, Fla.)
FORWARDS (14): Angel Ariza (West Coast FC; Costa Mesa, Calif.), Luis Arriaga (Santa Rosa; Santa Rosa, Calif.), Kyle Davis (D.C. United; Bowie, Md.), Gabriel Findley (Capital Area RailHawks Academy – CASL; Cary, N.C.), Frank Gonzalez (FC Golden State; South Gate, Calif.), Alan Hernandez (PWSI; Woodbridge, Va.), Ulysses Llanez (Chivas USA; Lynwood, Calif.), Salvatore Rasizzi (Met Oval; Whitestone, N.Y.), Bryan Reynolds (FC Dallas; The Colony, Texas), Jose Rivas (Weston FC, Weston, Fla.), Jacob Silva (Nomads; San Diego, Calif.), Travian Sousa (Ballistic United SC; Lathriop, Calif.), Indiana Vassilev (Storm SA; Savannah, Ga.), Kejiel Watt (New York Red Bulls; Springfield, N.Y.)

Sprint wrote:The most recent camp for the U14s was a few weeks ago.  It was the first time for 01s to be called in.  

There were two kids from FCD and one from Solar.  

well at least a few from NTX were called up

sukiakiman wrote:I heard the bias stems from the coaches of the Men's team coming from both coasts...so they have more contacts there and scout there more....maybe clutching at straws...I hope we turn the tide here soon

Or is it that the U16s were so filled with politics that for the most part, the potential talent that could be developed was overlooked by coaches whom were willing to 1) go for the immediate win with the BSF that is no longer "good" now that everyone else is as big as he is, or 2) put the kids on those teams because Mommas and money being passed under the table?

finish1 wrote:Wow! The 99s are a goose egg at U16. Unbelievable.

The same goes for the U17s playing in Florida this week.

NTX is on a dry spell.

Politics,, bias,, It's comical .. The simple FACT is our " s* for brains " win now , system continues to develop the wrong talent from an early age . Been on ye old hamster wheel for a long time and have seen it time and time again . Catch a F-in clue . Want a player worth training, look at the gene pool the product is derived from . Pro/ athletic parents tend to have the same. Now identify that kid no matter the current size or weight . Just look at the skills and dynamic for the game and train them . Half the f-in time our current system wastes it's time . Not saying size is everything but there are very few messi's . . The game is progressing to bigger players . The top players in the next gen will have the size of Ronaldo and the skill of messi. Simple Fact is ntx players are tought to play waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to directional . The goals that way lets go score. We have good teams ( a conglomerate of talent ) but very few special players .

I don't think we're disagreeing, Plantit. I said that they were overlooking the potential talent! The difference is that I am explaining why (the politics).

I don't disagree with you that "size matters," but the kid that is towering over the others at 12 is almost never the standout by high school.

Soccerinsanity wrote:I don't think we're disagreeing, Plantit.  I said that they were overlooking the potential talent!  The difference is that I am explaining why (the politics).

I don't disagree with you that "size matters," but the kid that is towering over the others at 12 is almost never the standout by high school.

But the sad fact is, that is who the system is picking to train. If their fast than it's a bonus . Point being they eventually stop growing and are often caught up to. By then it's to late to teach real skills .

plantit wrote:

finish1 wrote:Wow! The 99s are a goose egg at U16. Unbelievable.

The same goes for the U17s playing in Florida this week.

NTX is on a dry spell.

Politics,,  bias,,  It's comical  ..  The simple FACT is our " s* for brains " win now , system continues to develop the wrong talent from an early age .  Been on ye old hamster wheel for a long time and have seen it time and time again . Catch a  F-in  clue  . Want a player worth training, look at the gene pool the product is derived from . Pro/ athletic parents tend to have the same.  Now identify that kid no matter the current size or weight . Just look at the skills and dynamic for the game and train them .  Half the f-in time our current system wastes it's time . Not saying size is everything but there are very few messi's .  . The game is progressing to bigger players . The top players in the next gen will have the size  of Ronaldo and the skill of messi. Simple Fact is ntx  players are tought to play waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to directional . The goals that way lets go score. We have good teams ( a conglomerate of talent ) but very few special players .

Agree...for the most part...

Something else to consider...and is often not talked about.

We obsess over 'technically gifted' players. Most want to see the guys that can beat people on the dribble and fire off a nice shot....ie scoring/attacking ability.

All well and good...but the game is really built around organization and overall 'simple' play.

By simple, I mean the players that can control and pass the ball quickly. 1 and 2 touch.

Yeah, size and speed don't hurt. But the reality is the best players at 13-15 don't end up being the best at 18, 20, etc. Largely because the physical playing field is not level.

Plus, it's really hard to tell a player's true quality (more importantly their potential) until you put them in an environment with players with the equal ability.

Hence why the vast majority of YNT players tend to come from the big, branded clubs with coaches who are 'connected'.

Now, with Europe and South America's elaborate academy system (where just about anybody with any semblance of talent is picked up...a 'wider net') in place....some players still fall through the cracks...

Imagine how bad it is in the states? Where the best athletes and otherwise one dimensional players are thrown into the system and pushed up through the age groups...

Remember, technique isn't just dribbling and shooting...it's control, passing..and everything else done with the ball. But, more importantly, it's the decision making and reading of the game that are just as important.

And that takes an educated and 'keen' eye to see....and with the politics, money grabs and everything else associated with youth soccer...well, let's just say it is not an efficient talent identification system. To put it mildly.

In combination with the things you described Laimport, look at who is coaching our supposedly most gifted soccer players in NTX. Old school (mostly British coaches) that focus on athleticism. The only place you don't see that is at FCD and they generally, not all the time but generally, on focus on Hipanic/Latino players who may for this discussion lack the size that other folks (National Coaches) are looking for. It's just kind of the the worst of all possible scenarios for NTX. The big kids are athletic but lack the technical aspect of the game because they've never had to develop it. Case in point is the Solar DA18s. Super Athletic and the core of that team is only been coached and developed by one guy. Can they win games? Of course. Truley Special players? Maybe once and a while. Same with Texans and Andro. Maybe we have the same problem here that England does?? Just a thought.

striker6 wrote:In combination with the things you described Laimport, look at who is coaching our supposedly most gifted soccer players in NTX. Old school (mostly British coaches) that focus on athleticism. The only place you don't see that is at FCD and they generally, not all the time but generally, on focus on Hipanic/Latino players who may for this discussion lack the size that other folks (National Coaches) are looking for. It's just kind of the the worst of all possible scenarios for NTX. The big kids are athletic but lack the technical aspect of the game because they've never had to develop it. Case in point is the Solar DA18s. Super Athletic and the core of that team is only been coached and developed by one guy. Can they win games? Of course. Truley Special players? Maybe once and a while. Same with Texans and Andro. Maybe we have the same problem here that England does?? Just a thought.

Are you saying that FC Dallas and Solar win games at D18 due to being more athletic and less technically skilled than the other teams in the league? And are you then saying that Texans and Andro are less athletic than the other two? Shouldn't truly special players only be once in a while, after all they wouldn't be special if the system produced them regularly.

Still thinking about your one coach theory for Solar and Texans.

My take on his comment was that he believes FCD style of play was less outdated than the others. One group focuses on size over skill and FCD looks for skill, but not necessarily size. If you roll up the Texans and Solar, it is one guy calling the shots regarding style of play. That is his take on NTX soccer at the older DA level.

My POV on Cali teams is this. I often read there U13 and under soccet forum and yes they talk about wins and losses, but they really take pride in the fact that most of the top coaches and parents or fine that kids willl lose at the expense of playing the ball correctly out of the back, ball control, technique, first touch, better passes. Yes, you need to be both athletic and skillful. When you really look at how we play in NTX it is back to front and even though we have skilled midfielders out there, we fail to use them correctly. Long ball and speed in NTX is cool and can win, but also our demise. It is at U16 when you do need more skill and technique to move ahead, and everyone else in the US has caught up with fast and big, is where we begin to lose.
I also agree coastal coaches play a part and visibility plus comfort of certain players is a big factor when deciding who should be chosen.

earbucket wrote:

striker6 wrote:In combination with the things you described Laimport, look at who is coaching our supposedly most gifted soccer players in NTX. Old school (mostly British coaches) that focus on athleticism. The only place you don't see that is at FCD and they generally, not all the time but generally, on focus on Hipanic/Latino players who may for this discussion lack the size that other folks (National Coaches) are looking for. It's just kind of the the worst of all possible scenarios for NTX. The big kids are athletic but lack the technical aspect of the game because they've never had to develop it. Case in point is the Solar DA18s. Super Athletic and the core of that team is only been coached and developed by one guy. Can they win games? Of course. Truley Special players? Maybe once and a while. Same with Texans and Andro. Maybe we have the same problem here that England does?? Just a thought.

Are you saying that FC Dallas and Solar win games at D18 due to being more athletic and less technically skilled than the other teams in the league?  And are you then saying that Texans and Andro are less athletic than the other two?   Shouldn't truly special players only be once in a while, after all they wouldn't be special if the system produced them regularly.

Still thinking about your one coach theory for Solar and Texans.  

I think there's more to it than just the size vs skill thing. There are plenty of 'technical' players in NTX that can do plenty of tricks and flicks. But are they players?

Most aren't. Now, factor in the style of play of the above mentioned teams. Mostly direct style that depends on big central defenders and fast attackers that can run down a long ball.

What's missing is a rapid, one and two touch style passing game that is based on keeping the ball and breaking down the opposition. You can only have three or four "flair" players on a starting 11. The rest have to be smart, organized and simple.

It becomes a technique when the skill is properly applied in a tactical sense.

When you play "jungle ball" you have no choice but to rely on overpowering ("athletes) to defeat your opponent.

While I certainly believe that lack of quality coaching is at the heart of the problem. You have to consider that the market (parents) equate results with development.

And frankly it's easier to take shortcuts.

skillzski wrote:My POV on Cali teams is this. I often read there U13 and under soccet forum and yes they talk about wins and losses, but they really take pride in the fact that most of the top coaches and parents or fine that kids willl lose at the expense of playing the ball correctly out of the back, ball control, technique, first touch, better passes. Yes, you need to be both athletic and skillful. When you really look at how we play in NTX it is back to front and even though we have skilled midfielders out there, we fail to use them correctly. Long ball and speed in NTX is cool and can win, but also our demise. It is at U16 when you do need more skill and technique to move ahead, and everyone else in the US has caught up with fast and big, is where we begin to lose.
I also agree coastal coaches play a part and visibility plus comfort of certain players is a big factor when deciding who should be chosen.

What drives the attitude difference and style of play between Cali and NTX? i.e. what is the structural difference in Cali that means they do not resort to long ball so much as we do.

I think I heard they play small sided for longer. Do they not have promotion and relegation from U11 onward?

Politics definitely is a factor when you have players of relatively similar abilities. Truly outstanding players should not be victims of politics. NTX needs to produce more truly outstanding players.

I'm still full of observations without any particular conclusions here in NTX. I think the local DA teams win games because the fast guys can often get breakaways and convert set pieces. In general it seems that our whole selection of talent is amateurish at best as in the training most of the top talent receives. I can only go by what I have observed and that's mostly the training at Solar. When I watch the FCD DA teams play it is definitely a higher level of play and therefore I can only assume better coaching of more talented players. Or maybe just a larger pool of players idk. I have observed on a couple of occasions that the players and teams in SOCAL are very well otganized defensively at younger ages and apply more pressure all over the field. That style of play encourages the previously mentioned better first touch etc...generally a quicker style of play at younger ages equates to better players at an older age. What I see here in practice is not translated onto the field during games. Great movement and passing is generally encouraged during practice but in matches most become dribblitos and the ball is often lost resulting in more 50/50s and unnecessary clearances and less possession. Seems simple to see but harder to corect.