MLS should mandate minutes for homegrown players

In 2007, Major League Soccer created the Youth Development Initiative, requiring its clubs to field youth teams.

Five years later, Commissioner Don Garber says that the league-wide investment in youth development is about $20 million a year.

“There was a time when our entire salary budget wasn’t $20 million a year,” Garber said. “Clearly developing young players is one of our top priorities.”

The Commissioner added that the investment has not paid off yet, but that the league is determined to forge ahead on the youth front.

“We will continue to invest massive amounts of money in our academy programs and our reserve league,” Garber said during his State of the League press conference on Monday. “We are very focused on doing everything we can to build a pyramid and take responsibility for growing the game in this country. We benefit by that obviously with access to young players, but probably as important, the league continues to want to take a leadership position in growing the game overall. … We know how important that is to help our country be better on the national team level.

“We’ve got a great partner in adidas that supports this effort. Those Generation adidas players in essence are an incentive for our clubs to have on their rosters in that they don’t count against the cap.”

Six MLS clubs -- D.C. United, New York, Columbus, Chicago, Chivas USA and Colorado -- fielded teams in the inaugural 2007-08 season of the U.S. Development Academy in its U-15/16 and U-17/18 leagues. This season, 17 of MLS’s 19 clubs field teams in the Development Academy, which in 2013 is expanding to U-13/14. (Toronto does not take part; the Philadelphia Union affiliates with PDA, FC Delco and PA Classics.)

A big benefit of MLS’s expansion into the youth game has been providing cost-free soccer to elite players. But five years since the Youth Development Initiative, we’ve yet to a significant impact of homegrown players with their MLS clubs’ first teams.

Of the 57 players MLS clubs have signed to homegrown contracts, only 29 played in the 2012 season. Of those 29, only six could be classified as regulars: Chivas USA's Juan Agudelo, D.C. United's Bill Hamid and Andy Najar, New York's Connor Lade and Toronto FC's Ashtone Morgan and Doneil Henry.

One solution would be to force clubs to give a minimum of playing time to homegrown players. UEFA requires teams to include a minimum of eight homegrown players in their 25-man squads to be eligible for its competitions.

The Mexican league, in 2005, introduced the rule known as Regla 20/11, which required first division teams to give at least 1,000 minutes of action to players under the age of 20 years-11 months during a season or be penalized with points subtractions. Mexico dropped the Regla 20/11 in 2011 because it was no deemed longer necessary. Garber says MLS has contemplated such a rule.

“We have we have spent a lot of time, as recently as two-three weeks ago, when we had a competition and technical meeting, talking about the concept of mandatory play for young players,” Garber said. “We’ve done a lot of research on it. We’re certainly mindful of the success Mexico has had. We’re not sure if that success was driven by the mandatory rule as much as it’s driven by just a massive commitment by the league working in partnership with the federation down there.

“It’s hard to argue that they haven’t been incredibly successful.”

For their part, MLS clubs have increasingly looked to imported foreign talent. Coaches, whose tenures end quickly if the results aren’t good, can be reluctant to give youngsters a chance. Perhaps they should be forced to place faith in what their clubs are doing at the youth level.

And mandating a reasonable amount of playing time to homegrown players would end up rewarding the clubs that have invested well in player development.

Wouldn’t that be the obvious final piece in the puzzle of MLS’s quest to improve American soccer?

Wouldn’t that be the obvious final piece in the puzzle of MLS’s quest to improve American soccer?


umm, no. I won't pay as a fan to see the third string play and i didn't pay to watch a development game. i paid to watch the best possible soccer that the club can provide. seems kind of obvious except to some people here....

I would rather pay to see the kids than the mess the coaches 'believe' is the top side. The mess they march out there now would seem more interesting if there was a future included...the other American sports are different...but in soccer it seems like we see the same old retreads...would love to see some kids play at an elite level. Seems like LA gets this better...

soccerisgood123 wrote:Wouldn’t that be the obvious final piece in the puzzle of MLS’s quest to improve American soccer?


umm, no. I won't pay as a fan to see the third string play and i didn't pay to watch a development game. i paid to watch the best possible soccer that the club can provide. seems kind of obvious except to some people here....

soccerisgood123 wrote:Wouldn’t that be the obvious final piece in the puzzle of MLS’s quest to improve American soccer?


umm, no. I won't pay as a fan to see the third string play and i didn't pay to watch a development game. i paid to watch the best possible soccer that the club can provide. seems kind of obvious except to some people here....

That's just it. I'd be willing to bet the level would actually go up...not down.

Yet another problem with our society though...if it isn't "Champions league quality", we scoff and turn our noses up at it.

It doesn't have to be champion league quality. It is pro soccer not a development league, not AA, not an experiment. It is the pros and I want to see the highest quality not the b level kids. Frankly the whole idea is absurd

soccerisgood123 wrote:It doesn't have to be champion league quality. It is pro soccer not a development league, not AA, not an experiment. It is the pros and I want to see the highest quality not the b level kids. Frankly the whole idea is absurd

I guess it depends on what the endgame is.

It has certainly worked for Mexico and the Scottish Premier league.

We certainly can't depend on the NCAA.

The reserve league is a joke.

I'd personally rather see up and coming players (especially homegrown) get more time on the pitch.

And honestly, I can't see the level dropping either.

The future of the sport is in the youth. Giving them a chance to shine will only bode well for the US. If you don't see that then you are blind and/or ignorant.

Jules

78Comet wrote:The future of the sport is in the youth. Giving them a chance to shine will only bode well for the US. If you don't see that then you are blind and/or ignorant.

Jules

gee, deep thoughts on that one..if they can play at the pro level, then more power to them if not, tough luck, pro sports are a meritocracy not a quota system

yep as SIG said the whole idea is absurd. Sure never mind that it worked in Mexico who's professional league is well beyond the MLS. Oh and UEFA yeah screw those guys because MLS is far beyond anything done there. So just because the idea has worked doesn't mean we should even consider it here because the american way is the best way.

go99 wrote:yep as SIG said the whole idea is absurd. Sure never mind that it worked in Mexico who's professional league is well beyond the MLS. Oh and UEFA yeah screw those guys because MLS is far beyond anything done there. So just because the idea has worked doesn't mean we should even consider it here because the american way is the best way.

Take your logic and get off my lawn!

Just about every professional league/team in the world starts giving their 17 and 18 yr old academy players minutes in first team games. Granted it is a gradual process.

Unless they are truly prodigies, they don't start getting starting slots until around 20-21. (Especially defenders.)

That rarely if ever happens in MLS.

MLS needs to figure out that bringing in more retreads isn't going to increase revenue.

A bigger investment in youth now will pay huge dividends down the road.

The rest of the world has figured it out...why can't MLS?

78Comet wrote:The future of the sport is in the youth. Giving them a chance to shine will only bode well for the US. If you don't see that then you are blind and/or ignorant.

Jules

I believe the children are our future.

Laimport wrote:Just about every professional league/team in the world starts giving their 17 and 18 yr old academy players minutes in first team games. Granted it is a gradual process.

Unless they are truly prodigies, they don't start getting starting slots until around 20-21. (Especially defenders.)

That rarely if ever happens in MLS.

MLS needs to figure out that bringing in more retreads isn't going to increase revenue.

A bigger investment in youth now will pay huge dividends down the road.

The rest of the world has figured it out...why can't MLS?

but I doubt they are MANDATED. The objective of pro sports is to see a sport played by the best that that League can offer. If you want to take the risk of putting homegrown players in then fine. But mandating it and then charging to see B level players, you are out of your mind. Baseball doesn't mandate minor leaguers nor does any other pro sport, time is earned not mandated.

this isn't Baseball and it was "mandated" in Mexico and is credited with much of their current success. Oh and Baseball has an extensive minor league system to develope it's future talent.

go99 wrote:this isn't Baseball and it was "mandated" in Mexico and is credited with much of their current success. Oh and Baseball has an extensive minor league system to develope it's future talent.

still barking up the mandated tree? forcing people to do things they don't want, play people they don't want to, charge customers to pay to see players they don't want to?
Meritocracy is what sports is about not edicts fron bureaucrats for inferior players to play. but given your previous responses on other posts i am not surprised...

ps what is the goal for mandated minutes? better national team players? since when does a for profit business owe it to anyone to build a national team?

go99 wrote:yep as SIG said the whole idea is absurd. Sure never mind that it worked in Mexico who's professional league is well beyond the MLS. Oh and UEFA yeah screw those guys because MLS is far beyond anything done there. So just because the idea has worked doesn't mean we should even consider it here because the american way is the best way.

Ha-ha.... you nailed it. We want our youth soccer to be better here at NTX, we fiercely oppose to mandate homegrown players minutes in our Professional Soccer League, but then, we don't go to MLS games because the "best" line-up their coaches can come up with....is not enough... LOL. We love our ways, but we idolize Messi, Barcelona, and the Premier League. Why have I not read a better idea from the "opposers" in this thread?

By the way, Mexico has won 2 U17 World Championships, the Pan-American Games, Toulon Tournament and Olympics Gold medal since....oh! 2005!.. right when they established the 20/11 rule! Nah, it's just a big coincidence, those programs are absurd!

soccerisgood123 wrote:
ps what is the goal for mandated minutes? better national team players? since when does a for profit business owe it to anyone to build a national team?

http://www.uefa.com/uefa/footballfirst/protectingthegame/youngplayers/index.html


Quote: One of the biggest challenges facing European football is that, since the European Court of Justice's Bosman ruling of 1995 and the rapid growth of television revenue, the richest clubs have been able to stockpile (or 'hoard') the best players, making it easier for them to dominate both national and European competitions.

At the same time, clubs have fewer incentives to train their own players or give a genuine chance to young players from their region. This trend is exacerbated by the increasingly unreliable financial compensation for training young players who leave early, and the ability of many European clubs to 'poach' young players from the age of 16 from across the European Union.

UEFA's rule aims to encourage the local training of young players, and increase the openness and fairness of European competitions. It also aims to counter the trend for hoarding players, and to try to re-establish a 'local' identity at clubs.

In this case, I would think the main goal is to establish a 'local' identity at clubs... and to foster and develop talent that can play at the professional level...

sig, we aren't talking about putting inferior players on the field. We are talking about 'blooding' young players more (gradually) into first team games.

The team is still going to play for results.

The system in place now isn't working. We still have an inferior (let's say underachieving) product on the field in most cases.

We're talking about using younger players as subs...and gradually giving them valuable experience.

And, let's face it, MLS IS A DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE...of sorts.

The best players gravitate to the top teams and leagues. And that is Europe. That's where the money is.

When the NCAA get its act together regarding college soccer...then we can talk about merit.

soccerisgood123 wrote:

go99 wrote:this isn't Baseball and it was "mandated" in Mexico and is credited with much of their current success. Oh and Baseball has an extensive minor league system to develope it's future talent.

still barking up the mandated tree? forcing people to do things they don't want, play people they don't want to, charge customers to pay to see players they don't want to?
Meritocracy is what sports is about not edicts fron bureaucrats for inferior players to play. but given your previous responses on other posts i am not surprised...

ps what is the goal for mandated minutes? better national team players? since when does a for profit business owe it to anyone to build a national team?

Why do you think countries like Brasil, Argentina, Uruguay are so successful at the National Team Level and are also the best players in your beloved UEFA? Because they play their "teens" against better players... Forget about mandating it, why not doing it on our own? What bothers you so much about this idea?

because this is America and we know whats best. Thats not how baseball does it, thats not how football does it. Instead of learning from the mistakes and best practices of others we should just keep doing the american way. Mexico may be better than US now in soccer but we just need to get bigger and faster and that will do it. SIG is right. We should just keep fielding aging journeyman players in the hunt for another paycheck. That some exciting soccer and FCD has been doing a great job of filling the stadium with them so far

go99 wrote:because this is America and we know whats best. Thats not how baseball does it, thats not how football does it. Instead of learning from the mistakes and best practices of others we should just keep doing the american way. Mexico may be better than US now in soccer but we just need to get bigger and faster and that will do it. SIG is right. We should just keep fielding aging journeyman players in the hunt for another paycheck. That some exciting soccer and FCD has been doing a great job of filling the stadium with them so far

you didnt answer the question (as usual) whats the point? why should a pro team be required to field players they dont want to field?

because they are sanctioned by US soccer and it is in the interest of US soccer. You asked the wrong question. So not why should the pro teams do it. The pro team should only be concerned with wins and revenue. US soccer is the bigger picture and they should require it to get the sanction. MLS could follow or be an unsactioned league. So just like Football and baseball the teams do things that they don't like or that even benefit them because they are required by the league.

go99 wrote:because they are sanctioned by US soccer and it is in the interest of US soccer. You asked the wrong question. So not why should the pro teams do it. The pro team should only be concerned with wins and revenue. US soccer is the bigger picture and they should require it to get the sanction. MLS could follow or be an unsactioned league. So just like Football and baseball the teams do things that they don't like or that even benefit them because they are required by the league.

that's rich even from you. do what they say or lose your multimillion dollar investments. barack would be proud

grow up and join the real world. Do what I say or you can't be part of the NFL. Do what I say or you can't be sanctioned by FIFA. Do what I say or you can't be part of the NCAA. Every organization or governing body has its rules and guidlines and surprise not everyone agrees with them. Outside of your make believe fox news world this is the real world and how it works. oh and in the real world you lost so just get over it already.

go99 wrote:grow up and join the real world. Do what I say or you can't be part of the NFL. Do what I say or you can't be sanctioned by FIFA. Do what I say or you can't be part of the NCAA. Every organization or governing body has its rules and guidlines and surprise not everyone agrees with them. Outside of your make believe fox news world this is the real world and how it works. oh and in the real world you lost so just get over it already.

Lol, 48 million didn't vote for the amateur and he will be gone in a few years. The media has been in the tank for him for years. The most unqualified person to be president in our lifetime.But he too shall pass.