New York City Fc Launching Youth Academy

The important bits:

Starting with a single team at U-13 and U-14 level, comprising players drawn both from New York City FC’s existing Youth Affiliate Club network and elsewhere, the youngsters will be schooled by top coaches implementing the style of play used by Head Coach Jason Kreis in the first team. The players selected for the Academy will be assessed at regular NYCFC hosted Talent Centers and while playing for Youth Affiliate Clubs. Academy coaches will be looking for players both with the talent and character to succeed at the highest levels.

Further age groups will be added to the Academy in the years ahead.

Training will be designed to enhance the players’ existing qualities and offer support in improving technical ability, aiming to produce both quality soccer players and rounded individuals, educated in the New York City FC style, with a skill set which will serve them well for the future.

The U-13/14 team will compete in the US Soccer Development Academy League beginning in the 2015-16 season.

I'm slightly confused whether the U-13/14 team members will be playing for their affiliate clubs in addition to the academy team, or the "Talent Centers" will just be used to scout affiliate clubs for players to call up to the academy squad.

It also seems like they are going to just start at the bottom and let the players grow up through the academy, rather than throw together a U-16 and U-18 academy team. They want academy prospects to be coached for years, its less effective trying to force a random 17-year old into the system.
 
That's what I understood as well. Definitely the long approach.
Even though this means no homegrown players for a while (4-5 years at least, right?), I fully support this approach. I believe in Kreis and the way NYCFC has been handling the team. The foundation being laid by the team is strong. Another great move!
 
The important bits:



I'm slightly confused whether the U-13/14 team members will be playing for their affiliate clubs in addition to the academy team, or the "Talent Centers" will just be used to scout affiliate clubs for players to call up to the academy squad.

It also seems like they are going to just start at the bottom and let the players grow up through the academy, rather than throw together a U-16 and U-18 academy team. They want academy prospects to be coached for years, its less effective trying to force a random 17-year old into the system.

Well, considering that several of the affiliates also play in USSDA, I'd say that if they get called up into the u-13/14 team then then would be leaving their old youth club behind to do so, otherwise you end up with conflicts of interest over which team a player registered to both teams in a match ends up playing for. Also, I'm pretty sure that if a player is called up to join the u-13/14 team, they're going to be receiving coaching from NYCFC's academy coaches several times a week, to a level which would make it impossible for them to keep up their commitments to the old team.

No doubt there will be things going on like players being invited to trial for a while, maybe join for a month or so as a test, but the whole time they'll always be signed up to one club, and if they join the academy it must surely be at the expense of their old club.
 
Well, considering that several of the affiliates also play in USSDA, I'd say that if they get called up into the u-13/14 team then then would be leaving their old youth club behind to do so, otherwise you end up with conflicts of interest over which team a player registered to both teams in a match ends up playing for. Also, I'm pretty sure that if a player is called up to join the u-13/14 team, they're going to be receiving coaching from NYCFC's academy coaches several times a week, to a level which would make it impossible for them to keep up their commitments to the old team.

No doubt there will be things going on like players being invited to trial for a while, maybe join for a month or so as a test, but the whole time they'll always be signed up to one club, and if they join the academy it must surely be at the expense of their old club.

I agree with your conclusion.

However, I think only one of our affiliates are playing in the USSDA, Blau-Weiss Gottschee. At least I don't see any others listed on the Wikipedia page for the league: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Soccer_Development_Academy#Northeast_Division
 
World Class FC, Beachside, Manhattan SC, New York SC, Met Oval, all fly the USSDA badge on their websites.
 
Last edited:
What I think might happen (again) is theyre going to use Gottschee (my youth club) as a means of an USSDA team. Change the name to NYCFC, like the Cosmos did, pay them for a few years, then part ways to more or less be its own thing. But of course these affiliates have always had one of the strongest youth programs in NY. Gottschee is always one of, if not the best in NY. Met-Oval used to have an USSDA program, started out strong with Savarese as the coah but then a few years later they won 1-3 games a season at most, so they got kicked out pretty much. And I'm pretty sure New york soccer club is affiliated with Gottschee, if not then im thinking of another organization.
 
I know we all joke about the team being run out of Manchester, but this would be ridculous!

Keep NYCFC out of London! ;)
Haha! I meant Westchester of course. But now that I'm thinking about it, probably NYCFC academy will share with its affiliates in the city.
 
Excuse my ignorance - is the idea here for NYCFC to ultimately develop their own young players, who would bypass the MLS draft entirely? Are there any other teams with similar setups?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kjbert
Excuse my ignorance - is the idea here for NYCFC to ultimately develop their own young players, who would bypass the MLS draft entirely? Are there any other teams with similar setups?
Thats exactly what it is. NYCFC will be able to sign players directly from the youth academy bypassing the MLS SuperDraft. However since they are starting so young, it may also be setting up NYCFC to not sign a player for 4-5 years. Maybe.
 
Excuse my ignorance - is the idea here for NYCFC to ultimately develop their own young players, who would bypass the MLS draft entirely? Are there any other teams with similar setups?

Imagine if the next Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley joined our squad and we had. 100% ownership of them, not allowing them to go into the draft. That's what this is about.