http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_ ... e-position Sigh, I thought he was one of our best youth coaches we've had. Hopefully he left because he has something better for himself lined up.
Frankly I never understood how the guy got the U17 gig in the first place with only a few years of coaching at a youth club and community college. There had to be loads of more qualified coaches. Hopefully one will get the gig now. Heather he used to part of the youth program that is associated with the Cosmos. Maybe he's going there.
Here's a good translation of an interview Wilmer did after his negotiations fell though with US Soccer. From Bigsoccer: http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost ... stcount=19
I found this interesting: Counter to the pervading opinion, especially of hispanics, but is in agreement with what my husband sees as a high school coach.
Yeah, I found that to be interesting as well. I think it's a valid point. I know in a lot of recreation leagues slide tackling is not allowed and can get you quickly dismissed from a game. I think people put their kids in these type leagues solely because they want them to be active in sports but not get hurt. Slide tackling is just not taught enough at youth level. At least it wasn't when I was a youth player. I hope it's changed, as the US teams do need to use our size more to knock people off the ball...especially at youth international level.
Grant Wahl seems to think USSF might leave Bradenton, site of the U17 residency program. Maybe that had something to do with them not coming to terms with Cabrera. I dont know if that means they would move the program or eliminate it. I would wonder if it is not a little soon for the latter option. We just still dont have enough academies for a country our size, IMO.
Mo, I think US Soccer is getting away from Bradenton and moving towards development academy clubs and MLS youth academies (a more "European" system). Brent Latham wrote briefly about this yesterday -> http://usa10kit.com/2012/01/03/cabreras ... bradenton/
Late to this conversation, but WC's premise makes sense to me. How many great athletes cut their teeth on unregulated pickup/sandlot/neighborhood games in any sport? Look at our man Demsey. Started playing with hispanic kids in an east Texas mobile home park. Calvin Murphy said it best..."in my old neighborhood, it was 'no autopsy, no foul.'
Looks like Cabrera will be joining fellow countryman Oscar Pareja as part of the Rapids coaching staff. http://www.denverpost.com/rapids/ci_19769428
Lax the goal of the US Developmental academies is for them to be models of Bradenton, only distributed around the nation so kids can stay at home, and so more kids have the opportunity. There are still something like 18 states that dont have a single academy so I hope we will maintain a residency program somewhere for kids that dont have an academy close to home. But maybe the cost is too high, especially since those kids are unlikely to represent best of the best due to the sparsity of competition.
Re: Richie Williams named U17 Head Coach http://www.ussoccer.com/News/U-17-MNT/2012/01/Richie-Williams-Named-US-U17-MNT-Head-Coach.aspx
