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Posted by
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September 15, 2014 |
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Aaron Nielsen
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@ENBSports
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A talking point regarding MLS recently, that doesn't include any MLS games or current players, is more clubs electing to follow the LA Galaxy and have a second, or what can be called a reserve team in USL Pro next season. The LA Galaxy II has been perceived as a success with the club finishing 3rd overall, despite playing a schedule against mostly weaker western clubs, including two other expansion teams. The team has been exciting to watch scoring 54 goals during the 28 game regular season, but not well supported with only an average attendance of 597 per game. Based on these numbers, LAG II as its own entity will be financial loss this season.
Although called LA Galaxy II, the club is more of a minor league/farm team as I have advocated for a number of years. With a mix of LA Galaxy II players under contract with the LA Galaxy and MLS, LAG II also brought in a number of North American pro players to fill the roster and arguably it has been the success of these non-LAG II players who have helped make the club successful in the league this season. Goalkeeper Cody Laurendi, defenders Daniel Steres and Logan Emory have given LAG II the stability in the back to allow the younger, more offensive players, the freedom attack and keep control of the game.
LA Galaxy's senior team management were also smart in creating depth via homegrown, draft picks, and minimum paid players who would be starting or least a key reserve player on most other MLS clubs. This includes Jack McBean who had 5 goals and 6 assists in 26 USL Pro games, Charlie Rugg who scored 8 goals and had 3 assists in 25 USL Pro games, Oscar Sorto who played 23 USL Pro games. They also have Chandler Hoffman, a Generation Adidas signing who struggled in his past MLS opportunities, but scored 13 goals in 17 games this past USL Pro season and will probably be a high selection in the upcoming expansion draft if the Galaxy decide not to protect him. LAG II also provided playing time for their new Homegrown signings Jamieson Bradford, who scored 6 goals and an assist and Raul Mendiola scoring 2 goals and 7 assists. This is an important note because other clubs struggled in giving minutes to Homegrown players they signed in 2014.
Other MLS clubs this past season elected to loan players to USL Pro sides. Arguably DC United, who have not been in the conversation for creating their own B team, would be the most prepared to do so through their ongoing relationship and influence of players on the Richmond Kickers. The Kickers three main players this season were Matthew Delicate, George Davis and William Yomby and are not DC United products, but for the second season in a row the top Goalkeeper in USL Pro was a DC United product this year being Joe Willis. Kyle Porter, Michael Seaton, Conor Shanosky, Taylor Kemp, Colin Martin and Jared Jeffery all played influential minutes and showed the capabilities of being potential MLS players.
A club who underutilized their USL Pro relationship and known for lack of depth at the MLS level, had players did very well during their period on loan. Toronto FC sent five players on loan to Wilmington during the season including Quillan Roberts, who was the Hammerheads starting keeper most the of season and showed a good account for himself playing 17 games while allowing 20 goals. Manny Aparicio played 19 games with the Hammerheads scoring a goal but struggled in terms of being a standout player. However, players who spent a short time with Wilmington did excel with Daniel Lovitz playing 5 games before being called up and playing the rest of the season with Toronto FC. Jordan Hamilton scored 5 goals and 2 assists in 11 games before being loaned out to Portugal, while Mark-Anthony Kaye scored 2 goals and 2 assists in 7 games with the Hammerheads.
The question remains why Toronto chose not to loan players like Ashtone Morgan, Kyle Bekker or an Andrew Wiedeman who could of used the playing time to stay match fit and work on things which would of made them a commodity now when they are dealing with so many injuries. I also feel Toronto FC have missed out in not signing two serviceable Wilmington defenders in Christian Davidson or Ashani Fairclough, which shows me that Toronto were not monitoring the Hammerheads as close as they should have been.
There has been some talk about Toronto FC starting a USL Pro club although it's not yet known if this is just talk or going to happen, but the other Canadians team have expressed a major interest in joining USL Pro next season. The Montreal Impact has announced their reserve team FC Montreal, which is interesting since currently Montreal has no relationship with a USL Pro club or any players who were loaned out. One thing Montreal has going for them is recently fielding a PDL club and their success in the US Development Academy League. Some players to watch for next season on the FC Montreal team includes Anthony Jackson-Hamel, Nazim Belguendouz, Frederic Lajoie-Gravelle, Charles Joly and younger players Fabio Morelli, Mastanabal Kacher and Marco Dominguez. The question remains how Montreal will build out their USL Pro club, however, like LAG II they will need to add some senior soccer experience if they want to be competitive in USL Pro and properly develop their young talent.
Meanwhile, Vancouver is in talks of creating a USL Pro club in the suburbs of New Westminster. Not yet finalized, I do think it's important for Vancouver to find a closer home then their current relationship with the Charleston Battery.
During this past year the Whitecaps loaned out seven players to the Battery with Omar Salgado, Jackson Farmer and Marlon Ramirez only there for a short period time with Salgado scoring 2 goals in 6 games. While Mamadou Diouf, Andre Lewis, Adam Mena, and Aminu Abdallah played the full season in Charleston. Diouf scored 3 goals and an assist in 17 games, Lewis had a goal and three assists in 14 games, Mena a goal in 27 games and Abdallah played 20 games. Charleston struggled early season trying to integrate the Whitecap players and it wasn't until players I talked about in my overlooked players Dane Kelly and Jose Cuevas that the Battery started winning and qualify for the playoffs.
It is unknown if the Whitecaps will keep players such as Diouf and Lewis for next season, but like the Impact the Whitecaps field teams in the PDL and US Development Academy League and also have a number players currently in US and Canadian universities. They will have the surplus players to field a USL Pro club, but the question still remains are they good enough to complete in USL Pro or be future MLS Players?
Other players with MLS Clubs did well on loan in USL Pro this season include Columbus forward Aaron Schoenfeld who used his size to score 12 goals with Dayton. San Jose striker Adam Jahn scored 6 goals with Sacramento, and 2014 Philadelphia draft picks Pedro Ribeiro and Richie Marquez had strong seasons with Harrisburg. However, like Vancouver, outside of LA Galaxy you did see a disconnect or a lack of understanding of MLS teams and their relationship with these teams. Meaning, most USL Pro players who stood out this season including a number from my overlooked players, performed better than the loaned out players including a number of Orlando City players as well as JC Banks, Brock Granger and Ben Newnam to name a few.
There is specific reasons for the LA Galaxy's success this season in their creation of LAG II, and as proven in the past, the Galaxy are a very smart organization and just repeating them, as Toronto FC senior team learned this season, does not mean you will also be successful. LAG II was a success because the Galaxy had quality homegrown and drafted players, they also knew how to attract quality USL Pro players to join their side, and most importantly have a plans in place in terms of what they want to achieve. Arguably other interested American MLS clubs who look to follow in this venture are the New York Red Bulls, Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake, who have similar development in place, at least regarding their own academies.
In terms of the Canadian clubs some questions still remain. My first concern is I don't think they have the contacts or awareness of American lower league soccer as some others MLS clubs have. I also feel all three Canadian clubs have some interesting homegrown and academy players, but currently are not as good, in my opinion, as LA, Red Bulls, Salt Lake and Seattle's are.
Added to this is the discussion of how many Canadian players the USL Pro teams will have to field, which will bring up additional issues of soccer depth in our country that I will discuss in an upcoming article, is how it raises concerns of putting Canadian teams at a disadvantage. This doesn't mean I'm against the idea of Canadian teams fielding a USL Pro II team next year, as it shows further signs of the game growing in our country. If done right, it can create a much needed pool of players to continue to allow the Canadian MLS clubs and our National team to grow.
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