Taken a deep breath yet?

I understand why fans are upset and are looking for what's wrong with US soccer but in all the soul searching I haven't heard anyone mention what is happening for the first time in US soccer history that bodes well for the future. What is just now emerging in the US that is the major thing every developed soccer nation has that allows them to eliminate pay-for-play while nurturing young talent?

If you watched the U20 World Cup or are watching the U17 World Cup you know the answer to our future is mature development academies. Players like Weston McKinney, Matt Miazga, Kellyn Acosta, Erik Palmer-Brown and Tyler Adams are the first generation of US players to grow up playing in professional academies and there are more coming behind. The proven world model is investment in academies. It will work and is already working here.

 

I think other things need to happen as well, but that is a key component, to be sure. Identifying young talent at a very early age and getting them into such academies is also important. The incentive to do that is part of that equation. Every professional American club needs to have their own private academy to stimulate the development of homegrown talent. There has to be a profit driven return on investment model to make it work. Having the USSF develop and run them all ain't gonna work.

 

Putting this here more to bump Barry 's great initial post than anything else. Should be no shortage of opinions:

http://www.espnfc.us/united-states/...nterested-in-taking-united-states-job-sources

 

Shoot. Posted this in the other thread. Anyway, my reaction remains the same. No. Just no.

 

I'll pass.