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Post by sidenetting on Mar 25, 2020 11:46:47 GMT -5
With UFA leaving DA has anyone heard anything from TH leadership? Will TH go ECNL as well?
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Post by atlfutboldad on Mar 25, 2020 11:57:57 GMT -5
Doubtful. They will likely enjoy their status as the only GDA game in town.
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Post by cleansheet on Mar 25, 2020 12:04:03 GMT -5
Doubtful. They will likely enjoy their status as the only GDA game in town. The travel may suck but they Can really sell that status. It’s like trying to join Augusta National now. |
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Post by soccerlegacy on Mar 25, 2020 12:51:30 GMT -5
Doubtful. They will likely enjoy their status as the only GDA game in town. The travel may suck but they Can really sell that status. It’s like trying to join Augusta National now. True, but you have to be REALLY passionate about Tophat, because if you don't make that DA team, you are placed on a DPL team with even more travel and cost. It makes the 3 day tryouts all at the same time seem even more ridiculous to me. This also makes me wonder... if DA losing market share and quality, especially in the Southeast what, if any, affect is that going to have on DPL? Which is just trying to ramp up here on the East coast... |
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Post by soccermonster on Mar 25, 2020 13:45:59 GMT -5
Doubtful. They will likely enjoy their status as the only GDA game in town. TH may enjoy the status as the only DA game in town but I highly doubt that the existing parents are happy about the potential of increased travel costs with no local travel partner in sight. The minute the news hit that UFA was leaving along with NCC (one of the better competitors in the region), TH should have released a statement but in normal TH fashion, you hear crickets and this is not going over well in the soccer community. It is highly likely that some DA kids will bail and go the ECNL route and some ECNL kids may try their hand at a spot on the DA teams. It is also likely that some of the UFA kids are wanting to stay DA and will fight for a spot on one of the teams as well. It's going to be an interesting tryout season again. |
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Post by Soccerhouse on Mar 25, 2020 13:53:28 GMT -5
Tophat and Concorde are the top 2 destinations clubs in this city for girls -- it will remain that way for now.
Kids will always change and move clubs and look for something better.
Problem UFA had was girls at u13 wanted ecnl, they didn't have ecnl, girls left.
They were awarded DA, but along with concorde dropping out - girls DA didnt' move the needle for many.
UFA girls program will benefit greatly from this. ECNL moves the needle. I think more players will be retained, and they will entice other ecnl players to potentially join.
Keep in mind -- UFA has more turf fields than anybody, turf by the miles. They don't miss sessions unless its a pandemic or torrential down pour or extremely horrible weather.
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Post by fridge on Mar 25, 2020 14:33:09 GMT -5
Soccerhouse is 100% right.
I think TH is at crossroads but their PR machine can pull it off. TH will market the hell out of the fact that it is the only DA team in GA coupled with its USWNT camp invites. That is appealing to some kids--especially high level kids chasing the USWNT dream.
However, TH will be walking a very fine line.
I believe if TH stays in DA that it will lose depth and lose some top kids who find ECNL more alluring for whatever reason (the substitution rules, playing high school, less practice, etc.). Also, it is significant that it likely won't be stealing from UFA anymore. If you look at the TH DA rosters, you can see that depth issues are occurring-- they have shorter rosters and have young kids filling in older roster spots. And, for 2 of the age groups, a significant amount of their goals are from ex-CF kids who wanted DA when CF switched back. Those kids are propping up Th dramatically. Bottom line, TH has to fear that all of this will compromise its results on the field. (And, it seems that Troy coaches most of their teams which I hear is an issue as he is spread to thin.)
All said, if I were ECNL, I would go after TH to put a dagger in DA's heart in the southeast.
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Post by atlfutboldad on Mar 25, 2020 14:56:08 GMT -5
All said, if I were ECNL, I would go after TH to put a dagger in DA's heart in the southeast. Maybe after another year or two. |
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Post by straightred on Mar 25, 2020 15:36:42 GMT -5
Doubtful. They will likely enjoy their status as the only GDA game in town. The travel may suck but they Can really sell that status. It’s like trying to join Augusta National now. In this climate, where people are worried about any unnecessary travel, I think having no one within a few hundred miles to play is not an advantage. This will pass, and we will go back to crazy travel for meaningless games, but I don't see anyway they spin their current situation and GDA's outlook as a positive in the medium-term or long-term. The two-team deal won't be offered forever... |
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Post by atlfutboldad on Mar 25, 2020 20:57:29 GMT -5
I don't think the 2-team deal was offered to NTH this time last year. Not sure why ECNL would offer it now. NTH picked GDA over ECNL, I doubt ECNL cares about having NTH back for a year or two. Business decisions can lead to bad blood.
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Post by fridge on Mar 26, 2020 7:55:32 GMT -5
I don't think the 2-team deal was offered to NTH this time last year. Not sure why ECNL would offer it now. NTH picked GDA over ECNL, I doubt ECNL cares about having NTH back for a year or two. Business decisions can lead to bad blood. Atlfutboldad I've heard the same thing about the bad blood as well. I also agree TH wouldn't get two teams as that ship has sailed. All that said, putting all of the best GA clubs under one league would be the best thing for competition in GA. Further, the ECNL leadership has been brilliant and I think leadership would be smart enough to look beyond the past to put a dagger in the DA's heart in the SE. |
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Post by westcoastsoccer on Mar 26, 2020 12:44:08 GMT -5
I don't think the 2-team deal was offered to NTH this time last year. Not sure why ECNL would offer it now. NTH picked GDA over ECNL, I doubt ECNL cares about having NTH back for a year or two. Business decisions can lead to bad blood. ECNL will take them back. After all they have been taking back a number of clubs that left ECNL for DA. Long term it is in the best interest for ECNL to take back good clubs. It enhances the brand. |
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Post by atlfutboldad on Mar 26, 2020 13:04:18 GMT -5
Eventually for sure, but there's a difference.
Some clubs had both, and when they had to choose, chose ECNL.
Some clubs left ECNL and went to DA, then decided DA wasn't for them and asked to be let back into ECNL.
NTH was given an ultimatum because their ECNL was quite obviously inferior to their DA team (and ECNL wants a club's first team), they had to choose DA or ECNL, so they chose DA, rejecting ECNL as an inferior league/product.
I'm sure NTH is smitten with GDA and don't really care about the lack of local competition. And the parents who are all in and can afford it likely don't care either. I think they'll stay in DA to the bitter end.
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Post by barcab on Apr 10, 2020 20:01:24 GMT -5
There will be no more DA. It’s decided.
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Post by barcab on Apr 10, 2020 20:01:47 GMT -5
There will be no more DA. It’s decided. That’s what we just heard.
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Post by Soccerphreak on Apr 10, 2020 20:15:16 GMT -5
There will be no more DA. It’s decided. That’s what we just heard. Oh really? Who told you? twitter? It is still a rumor and according to the DOC in florida, they havent heard a thing and they are a DA club so the GA crazy soccer parents are at it again. |
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Post by aliensource on Apr 10, 2020 21:37:10 GMT -5
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Post by oraclesfriend on Apr 10, 2020 22:26:52 GMT -5
If you read the article they clearly state that it is an opinion piece and they have not gotten any answers from DOC's of large clubs or the USSDA. The shutdown that is potentially imminent is the season (which would not be a surprise and I heard an ECNL coach say that they were told there would be nothing through May at least for ECNL either). This article says it would be a good time to cut bait for USSDA because it would give 4-5 months for the clubs to plan for new leagues. That is completely not true as tryouts for most places will be sooner than that unless COVID 19 forces a delay until August and September for tryouts and parents and players ARE GOING TO WANT TO KNOW WHAT LEAGUE THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY 2020-2021 before tryouts. If the US gets rid of DA, that is fine, but I still don't think it solves all of our USMNT problems. |
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Post by atlfutboldad on Apr 10, 2020 23:38:00 GMT -5
USSF will need to address this next week as "baseless rumors" or "an unfortunate effect of the times".
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Post by newposter on Apr 11, 2020 9:29:19 GMT -5
Or USSF has finally admitted, DA has been a failure and they are moving on. There has been no improvement in the world competition in mens (perhaps digressing currently) and our USWNT was doing fine with ECNL player development.
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Post by justwatching on Apr 11, 2020 9:45:24 GMT -5
Unfortunately, I don't think DA shutting down for good is a baseless rumor.
But I am sure DA clubs won't announce it until they have a plan for next year. It would almost have to include getting ECNL or they are looking at losing all their top kids.
Hopefully for Tophat's sake the ECNL governing body adds them to the league immediately and doesn't give the local member clubs voting rights in this case. If US Club Soccer holds out because Tophat didn't go on its own could be bad news for Tophat.
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Post by soccermaxx72 on Apr 11, 2020 10:11:18 GMT -5
Unfortunately, I don't think DA shutting down for good is a baseless rumor. But I am sure DA clubs won't announce it until they have a plan for next year. It would almost have to include getting ECNL or they are looking at losing all their top kids. Hopefully for Tophat's sake the ECNL governing body adds them to the league immediately and doesn't give the local member clubs voting rights in this case. If US Club Soccer holds out because Tophat didn't go on its own could be bad news for Tophat. Hopefully Tophat is not given an ecnl spot for next season as there should be consequences for their choice to do DA and DPL essentially going “all in” DA |
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Post by cleansheet on Apr 11, 2020 11:25:25 GMT -5
With UFA leaving DA has anyone heard anything from TH leadership? Will TH go ECNL as well? What will the MLS clubs that have girls teams do? Will they form their own league too or move to DPL or ECNL? |
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Post by justwatching on Apr 11, 2020 11:26:22 GMT -5
@soccermaxx72
Going DA for TH was the best thing for them at the time. That league has held the majority of the top talent across the country, which they also have for the area. DA also gave them more exposure to YNT. To hold them out because they made a decision to stay in the most competitive league for them would be wrong. If ECNL cares about the kids'development and having the best clubs and players holding out Tophat would be a huge contradiction to that. Tophat is ranked as best club or one of the best clubs in the country currently and pretty consistently. There isnt
another club in the area that has their level of college commitments, signings, or YNT selections. If you keep them out, or others like them who chose DA over ECNL, you are clearly not interested in having the best players or programs available in your league.
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Post by soccernoleuk on Apr 11, 2020 11:29:05 GMT -5
With UFA leaving DA has anyone heard anything from TH leadership? Will TH go ECNL as well? What will the MLS clubs that have girls teams do? Will they form their own league too or move to DPL or ECNL? If there is a girls league formed by the MLS clubs, would TopHat try to align with Atlanta United to be the girls arm of the club? |
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Post by cleansheet on Apr 11, 2020 11:47:58 GMT -5
If there is a girls league formed by the MLS clubs, would TopHat try to align with Atlanta United to be the girls arm of the club? That would be very surprising since TC has been extremely critical of all ATLUTD training programs and the coaching staff (in writing) to his TH parents. It would be hard for him to backtrack on those comments now. When Blank bought all that new land beside the training grounds the rumor was so he could form a girls academy, get a NWSL team and have more parking. But with the virus bombing the economy I’m sure this will be on hold for some time. |
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Post by atlfooty on Apr 11, 2020 11:56:01 GMT -5
If there is a girls league formed by the MLS clubs, would TopHat try to align with Atlanta United to be the girls arm of the club? That would be very surprising since TC has been extremely critical of all ATLUTD training programs and the coaching staff (in writing) to his TH parents. It would be hard for him to backtrack on those comments now. RDS is a money maker for Atlanta United. Half of those coaches do not have their licensing done. |
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Post by soccermaxx72 on Apr 11, 2020 12:22:42 GMT -5
@soccermaxx72 Going DA for TH was the best thing for them at the time. That league has held the majority of the top talent across the country, which they also have for the area. DA also gave them more exposure to YNT. To hold them out because they made a decision to stay in the most competitive league for them would be wrong. If ECNL cares about the kids'development and having the best clubs and players holding out Tophat would be a huge contradiction to that. Tophat is ranked as best club or one of the best clubs in the country currently and pretty consistently. There isnt another club in the area that has their level of college commitments, signings, or YNT selections. If you keep them out, or others like them who chose DA over ECNL, you are clearly not interested in having the best players or programs available in your league. Well, considering last year the only local club that tophat’s top level players competed against was UFA, doesn’t seem to be a big loss for the ecnl clubs. Plus, I only propose making them wait a year or two as that will weaken Tophat and protect the current ecnl clubs. And before someone tries to spin that I don’t understand the Tophat culture or they way they develop players, let’s just call that BS. I know for a fact that their top teams are built on mercenaries that have come from multiple different clubs to assemble their top teams. Less that 50% of their players on their u14, u15 DA teams started at tophat. I will give Tophat credit for being the best recruiters |
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Post by justwatching on Apr 11, 2020 12:30:05 GMT -5
Why try to weaken TH as a club though. Having a club and teams made up of really talented kids is a really good training environment for them and could accelerate their development. Mix them up and spread it out across others puts those players in a not as competitive environment as what they had before. That doesn't help those kids.
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Post by newposter on Apr 11, 2020 12:38:29 GMT -5
I had heard AB bought the property near AU training grounds to build a new Falcons office to have all his sports teams consolidated in one area. Next adventure...the Braves?
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