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Post by bogan on Jun 11, 2021 13:57:08 GMT -5
Brinker said “… It certainly feels like (in GA) the MLSNEXT league is for the leftover teams that don’t make ECNL. UFA, NASA, GSA, and CF all chose ECNL and ECRL. ” For the record no one “makes” ECNL or MLS Next. They are voted in or not by some nebulous opaque process. While ECNL is stronger today…two years from now, who knows. No dog in the fight except I’d like to see a clear path based on pro-rel. yeah, I know…
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Post by Soccerhouse on Jun 11, 2021 14:06:59 GMT -5
1st in my opinion, the MLS next region will have to change to suck in nasa/ufa/concorde. They are mimicking the DA southeast division for the older age groups, and North Carolina - Tenn, all the way down to south florida is just too big. Too expensive in my opinion. The ECNL was smart to chop florida out and separate them from the boys division in my opinion. 2nd -- MLS has to give a guarantee they will not tier the MLS academies into their own separate table. But to bogan 's point, in 2 years -- the landscape i'm sure will be completely different. Hell maybe most MLS clubs drop their younger teams, if so, MLS looses a lot of cred. this is just conjecture. But I'll go back to my pulpit and preach, Atlanta united should start at u15+, and no reason to mess with the younger age groups. Maybe run some monthly sessions and treat it like ODP used to be and bring kids in for training and occasionally scrimmages with other clubs, but leave the day to day training to the local club. |
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Post by soccergurl on Jun 11, 2021 14:19:15 GMT -5
When I look at the teams in MLSNEXT here in GA, I can’t see any of them being competitive against AU or any other MLS team. Are these teams joining MLSNEXT because they are not getting accepted into ECNL? Competition in the SE for MLSNEXT has to be limited. Give this program another 5 years. For now, the better competition and quality games are elsewhere. It certainly feels like (in GA) the MLSNEXT league is for the leftover teams that don’t make ECNL. UFA, NASA, GSA, and CF all chose ECNL and ECRL. AU will dominate those other MLSNEXT teams. |me thinks this occur now au dominate all alphabet league| |nothing 2 see here same as before|
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Post by flix on Jun 11, 2021 14:27:14 GMT -5
When I look at the teams in MLSNEXT here in GA, I can’t see any of them being competitive against AU or any other MLS team. Are these teams joining MLSNEXT because they are not getting accepted into ECNL? Competition in the SE for MLSNEXT has to be limited. Give this program another 5 years. For now, the better competition and quality games are elsewhere. It certainly feels like (in GA) the MLSNEXT league is for the leftover teams that don’t make ECNL. UFA, NASA, GSA, and CF all chose ECNL and ECRL. AU will dominate those other MLSNEXT teams. If your top level ECNL team DIDN’T make the playoffs, please be quiet. |
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Post by Keeper on Jun 11, 2021 14:29:54 GMT -5
2nd -- MLS has to give a guarantee they will not tier the MLS academies into their own separate table. This is why I think only B level clubs have been added / wanted in to MLSNext because nearly everyone knows that in two years they’ll be a Top/MLS level and a second/everyone else. And The Egos like Gregg at Concorde and other top clubs nationwide just won’t have that. |
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Post by georgiatechalum on Jun 11, 2021 16:00:37 GMT -5
Respectfully, many of you don’t know what you are taking about. Ask AU how they did against the 2008 LSA team.
Also take the time and go back and look at the game video someone posted of just a few days ago of the 06 - Boys ECNL NASA v. GSA . If I am not mistaken those teams finished 1st and 3rd respectively. If you are telling me that games does not resemble rec soccer and the MLS - Next teams can’t compete with that you are kidding yourself. Georgia soccer needs to do better. I am curious to see how the Georgia ECNL Boys teams do at Nationals,
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Post by onekickpop on Jun 11, 2021 16:14:42 GMT -5
You can always catch teams at questionable moments. Did anyone catch the USMNT vs Mexico with our rockstar US players? They are young and certainly don’t have the depth of experience as Mexico under Tata, but with the exception of corners and Weston McKinnie’s head that team did not look great to me.
I don’t doubt over time that some teams can compete at the ECNL level. I also don’t doubt that a team of untapped talent can be developed if we got rid of pay to play.
Since I don’t know an AU player, how did they do? I assume they lost? Was it AU 08 vs LSA 08?
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Post by georgiatechalum on Jun 11, 2021 16:24:55 GMT -5
My understanding is yes . It was AU-08 vs LSA 08
(my information is coming from a LSA parent from an older age group)
I also think AU 08 was 6-0 against the top 08 - ECNL teams this past year. So I guess you could say the 2 best boys teams in Georgia at the 2008 age group are both from the MLS-Next League. 🤔
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Post by georgiatechalum on Jun 11, 2021 16:30:04 GMT -5
My point is not that MLS- Next is great and ECNL isn’t. I have a younger son ( Pre ECNL age) who plays for UFA. I hope UFA stays very competitive. My point is we need to stop knocking other leagues especially when many really don’t have all the information.
Like I said - Georgia soccer needs to do better, that’s includes the clubs. the kids, coaches and parents. All of us.
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Post by Brinker on Jun 11, 2021 16:31:51 GMT -5
Brinker said “… It certainly feels like (in GA) the MLSNEXT league is for the leftover teams that don’t make ECNL. UFA, NASA, GSA, and CF all chose ECNL and ECRL. ” For the record no one “makes” ECNL or MLS Next. They are voted in or not by some nebulous opaque process. While ECNL is stronger today…two years from now, who knows. No dog in the fight except I’d like to see a clear path based on pro-rel. yeah, I know… Fair point, “make” is a poor choice of words. And I still don’t fully understand why UFA, NASA, GSA, and CF all choose not to join MLSNext (NASA turned them down, for example), but coming from the USSDA years, I have been pretty happy with the competition and showcases of ECNL. |
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Post by papacoach on Jun 11, 2021 16:52:21 GMT -5
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Post by soccerdad76 on Jun 11, 2021 17:17:38 GMT -5
Did any 08 MLS Next teams play any official games against any 08 ECNL teams? AU did not enter ECNL for u13 (2008), and most “regular” local tournaments (including SSA tournaments) did not feature MLS-Next teams from AU, SSA, IAFC, or LSA. Looking at Sinc, the only exception is “ATLUTD U-13” played in a CF tournament and won all of those games. Best competition was GSA’s (national bound) ECNL team, others can decide if the other games were impressive wins or not (I refuse to bash teams/clubs).
Yes, we all know AU is high quality, not doubt. But there is no sample set of non AU MLS-Next teams vs ECNL teams over the past year. SSA, IAFC, and LSA seem to be in an MLS-Next forced vacuum and can’t come out to play... it’s too bad.
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Post by soccerdad76 on Jun 11, 2021 17:31:28 GMT -5
My understanding is yes . It was AU-08 vs LSA 08 (my information is coming from a LSA parent from an older age group) I also think AU 08 was 6-0 against the top 08 - ECNL teams this past year. So I guess you could say the 2 best boys teams in Georgia at the 2008 age group are both from the MLS-Next League. 🤔 You’re a fellow tech grad... is this how your theory works: AU is the de facto best and beats some ECNL teams, then LSA beats AU, therefore LSA > all ECNL teams? If you say so, maybe you were serious, maybe you were in jest. but again too bad they can’t all play each other. |
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Post by allthingsoccer on Jun 11, 2021 21:10:41 GMT -5
Listen, the amount of money that is being put into MLSNext league is/ or will be more than all the leagues x10.
Yes ECNL is a great pathway, very well proven on the girls side. The boys side is still somewhat new but very good quality of play.
I think you will be surprised of the quality AU is starting to produce from the OG u12 teams. 04/05/06s
AU is so young in regards of "finished" product. Fast forward to 10 years.
Anyways, GA has always had high quaility soccer.
The AU pathway
MLS
D1 University/MLS Reserves(u23)/USL
U12-u19 MLSnext
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Post by Brinker on Jun 11, 2021 21:14:36 GMT -5
Did any 08 MLS Next teams play any official games against any 08 ECNL teams? AU did not enter ECNL for u13 (2008), and most “regular” local tournaments (including SSA tournaments) did not feature MLS-Next teams from AU, SSA, IAFC, or LSA. Looking at Sinc, the only exception is “ATLUTD U-13” played in a CF tournament and won all of those games. Best competition was GSA’s (national bound) ECNL team, others can decide if the other games were impressive wins or not (I refuse to bash teams/clubs). Yes, we all know AU is high quality, not doubt. But there is no sample set of non AU MLS-Next teams vs ECNL teams over the past year. SSA, IAFC, and LSA seem to be in an MLS-Next forced vacuum and can’t come out to play... it’s too bad. In the Unite Cup and tournaments, ECNL played MLSNEXT. Here are the results I am familiar with: NASA 07 played LSA twice and split one win and one loss. NASA 07 played Inter Atlanta and won 5-1. NASA 07 played SSA and won 2-0. NASA 07 played AU twice, 1 draw and 1 loss, both against the full 07 team. |
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Post by soccerdad76 on Jun 11, 2021 21:42:18 GMT -5
Good to see the 07 examples, but I was specifically referencing the 08 comment. Hopefully next year the 2008s mix it up in the Unite Cup.
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Post by georgiatechalum on Jun 11, 2021 23:38:46 GMT -5
Yes . Soccerdad. I am a Georgia Tech grad.
I had to go check with my LSA resource to see if I could get some further
perspective. Here’s what I got . So LSA 08 beat AU twice. AU beat ECNL teams by a goal differential of something like 24 goals to 1. So yes my expensive degree allows me to theorize that LSA is better than the ECNL teams in the 08 age group.
But for a bonus LSA 08 player Concord P - and won something like 6-1 ( my friend wasn’t positive on the score - but said it was a lot to a little) and tied GSA 2-2 . I am told LSA dominated the GSA game. I am also told LSA called all ECNL teams and only GSA would play them. Why is that ? .... The CF - P was in a tournament. So- I punched in the calculations into my trusty Georgia Tech calculator and AU and LSA are the top 2 teams in Georgia 08. I am more convinced now that I was earlier.
This is a stupid back n forty though, my point is not really who is better. Like I said I am an ECNL supported but don’t discount other leagues. IMO there is not a lot that separates these boys.
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Post by Keeper on Jun 12, 2021 0:20:43 GMT -5
Didn’t that Lanier 08 team lose players to a couple ECNL teams at tryouts?
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Post by flix on Jun 12, 2021 7:19:30 GMT -5
Like a great man once said “ the other day I didn’t have time. Today I got time cuz”.... AU played LSA three times. LSA won 3-2, AU won 3-0 and LSA won 3-2. The major difference in the two one goal losses was simply the fact that AU’s top keeper wasn’t playing. However, anyone can know you can lose a match by a goal but does that mean the team is better? No. Every single match these AU boys have to play is like the World Cup for the opposition, parents are convinced it’s your time to shine so you can make the team. All of these boys aren’t pumped up to play you like you are pumped up to play them, so sometimes things like this happen. AU 08 played in the UFA tournament and I would tell you that Rush Union 08 team was better than Concorde Premier. They beat GSA in the final who finished first in ECNL 3 or 4 nil( they also beat them in a friendly) They also played UFA ECNL 3-0 in a friendly. They also played a good number of 07 ECNL matches and those kids improved over the year by doing so. For example they played the great NASA squad in the fall and lost 6-0 but played them again in the spring and it was a 2-0 loss and anyone that saw that match will attest to the fact that NASA was outplayed by a big margin however they scored two goals and won. Same NASA team that got a draw won’t tell you their coach was heard saying “ we don’t have to win”, so they gave up 90 percent possession and down a couple goals and come back when the AU subs are in and tie, wow. I don’t care about a result more than the method of how you got the result. I have seen more than a few boys on that NASA team over the last couple years trying out over at AU but are still at NASA. Maybe that explains why you guys are always talking about AU. Come to think about it, how many players from NASA are at AU? Concorde yes, UFA yes, SSA yes, LSA yes, GSA yes, Soccer in the Streets yes, NASA?  |
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Post by rifle on Jun 12, 2021 7:27:25 GMT -5
When you compete in a big d*** contest sometimes you just look like a big d***
-Confucius
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Post by Brinker on Jun 12, 2021 10:03:21 GMT -5
Like a great man once said “ the other day I didn’t have time. Today I got time cuz”.... AU played LSA three times. LSA won 3-2, AU won 3-0 and LSA won 3-2.The major difference in the two one goal losses was simply the fact that AU’s top keeper wasn’t playing. However, anyone can know you can lose a match by a goal but does that mean the team is better? No. Every single match these AU boys have to play is like the World Cup for the opposition, parents are convinced it’s your time to shine so you can make the team. All of these boys aren’t pumped up to play you like you are pumped up to play them, so sometimes things like this happen. AU 08 played in the UFA tournament and I would tell you that Rush Union 08 team was better than Concorde Premier. They beat GSA in the final who finished first in ECNL 3 or 4 nil( they also beat them in a friendly) They also played UFA ECNL 3-0 in a friendly. They also played a good number of 07 ECNL matches and those kids improved over the year by doing so. For example they played the great NASA squad in the fall and lost 6-0 but played them again in the spring and it was a 2-0 loss and anyone that saw that match will attest to the fact that NASA was outplayed by a big margin however they scored two goals and won. Same NASA team that got a draw won’t tell you their coach was heard saying “ we don’t have to win”, so they gave up 90 percent possession and down a couple goals and come back when the AU subs are in and tie, wow. I don’t care about a result more than the method of how you got the result. I have seen more than a few boys on that NASA team over the last couple years trying out over at AU but are still at NASA. Maybe that explains why you guys are always talking about AU. Come to think about it, how many players from NASA are at AU? Concorde yes, UFA yes, SSA yes, LSA yes, GSA yes, Soccer in the Streets yes, NASA? Sorry but you have your facts wrong on the 2-2 draw between NASA 07 and AU 07. There was no comeback against the AU subs. NASA was winning most of that game, so it was AU that came back. It was 1-0 NASA, 1-1, 2-1 NASA, and then 2-2. It is true that NASA only needed a tie to win the group so happy with a 2-2 draw. In the Cup final AU won 3-1. NASA was up 1-0 in that game too but made some defensive errors, went down to 10 men, and lost. As for the games against the 08 team, I agree that AU 08 team played much better in game two. The whole “outplayed by a big margin” is a bit much, NASA won both games (8-0 aggregate) even though the second game was closer, which is to be expected when playing a very good but younger team. |
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Post by messindreams on Jun 12, 2021 11:27:53 GMT -5
You can always catch teams at questionable moments. Did anyone catch the USMNT vs Mexico with our rockstar US players? They are young and certainly don’t have the depth of experience as Mexico under Tata, but with the exception of corners and Weston McKinnie’s head that team did not look great to me. I don’t doubt over time that some teams can compete at the ECNL level. I also don’t doubt that a team of untapped talent can be developed if we got rid of pay to play. Since I don’t know an AU player, how did they do? I assume they lost? Was it AU 08 vs LSA 08? Please watch the other games played by various teams(including these two), not a fluke or a questionable moment. There is a reason why both teams made decent amount of changes to their rosters for good or bad. Let us see how that pans out. What I am interested in seeing is that these MLS Next and ECNL team friendlies. That will help both teams get better and showcases the talent on both sides. Right now ECNL teams look stronger on paper and could stay that way for next couple of years. Who knows what happens after that? MLS might fold the Next and move on to the other Next(pun intended). |
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Post by soccerdad76 on Jun 12, 2021 17:02:27 GMT -5
I looked at Sinc for “LSA 08B MLS” and found vs. ECNL:
7-3 win over CF ECNL Premier (CF second team)
0-3 loss to NASA ECNL
2-2 tie against GSA ECNL isn’t on there (must be a non-Sinc tournament or a scrimmage)
LSA is probably a great team. Still not sure how anybody can be called the best (or perhaps second best) when these teams have such a small sample set against other leagues much less all of the teams... wish it could be played on the field.
Ok, this horse is officially beaten, perhaps beyond death 🤪
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Post by bogan on Jun 12, 2021 18:21:19 GMT -5
💀☠️🏴☠️🧟♀️🧟🧟♂️(officially a zombie-it keeps coming back)
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Post by soccerfam404 on Jun 12, 2021 20:00:53 GMT -5
MLSNext added AFC Lightning…..how’s their record been in ECNL?
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Post by bogan on Jun 12, 2021 21:04:40 GMT -5
MLSNext added AFC Lightning…..how’s their record been in ECNL? Perfect |
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Post by Brinker on Jun 12, 2021 21:09:09 GMT -5
MLSNext added AFC Lightning…..how’s their record been in ECNL? I don’t believe AFC plays in boys ECNL. They were in USSDA but were not overly competitive at the younger ages. Not sure about older ages. |
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Post by hawkfan84 on Jun 13, 2021 16:48:11 GMT -5
Except for AU, looks like MLS next is having to pick the second tier clubs. This is referencing the older select ages where smaller clubs typically lose their top players to the Big 5. Interestingly they are not mentioned.
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Post by allthingsoccer on Jun 13, 2021 21:18:23 GMT -5
AU U17s ( a mix of 06,05,04) played the #2 U18/19 GSA ECNL today.
AU won 7-1
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Post by Futsal Gawdess on Jun 14, 2021 21:54:46 GMT -5
AU U17s ( a mix of 06,05,04) played the #2 U18/19 GSA ECNL today. AU won 7-1 AU U16s (a mix of 06, 05) played their GSA U16s counterpart - AU won. I hear folks stopped counting after 14 or 15 goals. Oh btw AU kept a clean sheet...🙉🙊🙈 |
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