If you don't know much about English club Burnley FC, it might be because the small club has spent the past 23 years outside of the English top flight. That drought ended last spring when Burnley earned promotion to the English Premier League.
The club has plans to stay in the top flight and grander plans to establish new sources of talent to help make that happen, and one of Burnley's ideas is to establish feeder clubs in the United States, with the hope of uncovering some gems on this side of the pond.
Hearing of foreign clubs trying to establish roots in the United States can often draw mixed reactions. There are those who are happy to hear that American players may wind up having more opportunities to move abroad, but then there are those who believe that having foreign clubs mining for young American talent can hurt American soccer by stunting the growth of Major League Soccer.
Burnley doesn't seem to have quite grand enough plans to make something like that happen. The club is starting out small, with events like its recent friendly vs. the Ventura County Fusion. While Burnley's plans seem modest enough, there has been plenty of talk about larger European clubs trying to develop academies and feeder teams in the United States.
Should MLS be worried about more foreign clubs looking to set roots in the United States? The reality is that the league's current 14 American clubs just can't cover a country the size of the United States. That will remain the same even after cities like Philadelphia and Portland come aboard. If foreign clubs can come in and help fill the gaps in player development that currently exists, gaps that are closing somewhat thanks to the growth of U.S. Soccer's Premier Development Academy, then young American talent can only benefit. Yes, there can always be concerns about the exploitation of young American talent by unscrupulous clubs and talent scouts, but those are issues that can be policed.
What do you think of Burnley's vision? Like the idea of foreign clubs setting up shop in the United States? Wishing MLS would step up its player development initiative? Think the more Americans going abroad the better?
Share your thoughts below.
I think Burnley is putting the cart before the horse. However, other more established clubs ignore USA talent at their own peril. Soccer is on the verge of becoming the fourth sport in the states.
Also, as long as the talent goes both directions, I’m fine with it.
those cheap MLS owners who have not set up youth systems should be ashamed of themselves
I saw in a TV special on Fox how teams like Westham have training camps in the US and how they believe in the talent this vast nation potentially holds. With PDL teams, Y-league teams, USL, MLS academies the grassroots soccer system is getting much better. Are there any other training camps operated by foriegn clubs in this nation? I’m sure there must be.
LOL, this was pretty confusing.
If a European team would like to use the United States for player development why not partner/support/buy an MLS team?
Instead of working outside of MLS working together to make futbol more successful in the states.
Most soccer players want to play in Europe any way but maybe not an entire career. This may be a short term solution but an easier way to create the infrastructure needed to create the feeder system they are looking for without injuring MLS.
Without MLS it doesn’t make sense for a European team to be here. MLS is needed to continue to attract the best athletes to soccer in America.
if Burnley thinks they can make 2-3 EPL players per year go for it! thats not that likely and i bet most of them end up in the MLS so ya.
The MLS is a product in a market place with many products worldwide. Competition might just make the MLS tighten up their act. As of now they operate in a vaccum with the limited exception of the USL and that might explain why they are so poorly run on THE SOCCER SIDE OF OPERATIONS.
Lets say that the worst case scenario is a situation like Brazil or Argentina where the best players are bought by foreign clubs early in their careers. Tons of our best are off to Europe, earning impressive wages, playing for/with/against top competition and learning how to be great professionals. Lets replicate that for 2-3 generations, now we have coaches/refs/administrators in the US who were professionals abroad but love their homeland. Now explain to me how that hurts the game in the US long term? Our system is upgraded upfront with our talent getting better and on the backend with the return of players who seek to continue their careers in the front office. I like it, I want to see more of it, and I hope that every MLS/USL club gains some connection to an outfit abroad within the next few years.
I love this idea. MLS will only get so big and USL will be able to touch more players with partnerships like this. USL has several levels where MLS has one. Any developement that can happen here in the states for our players is great. I know our youth systems are getting better but they can use help as well and in the end dose it matter if a European club or an American club leads to the developement of our players? they all still end up playing for the US National team and that is where it ultimately counts.
If MLS were doing enough to develop talent, then there would be no opportunities for a Burnley. It’s precisely because MLS is not doing enough to develop domestic talent that an opportunity exists.
In the long term I think the more clubs developing players ready to become professionals, the better. Not all of the players developed in this system will catch on in England and those who don’t will benefit the college system and potentially MLS.
West Ham have a USL2 club as well. I’ll worry about it when/if anything comes of it.
Doubt it will.
1) Why should we worry about foriegn clubs “exploiting” us talent? Should MLS have an exclusive right to be the only ones who do that? more markets for players to go to can only be good for players.
2) I disagree completely with Dan that the issue with US talent is training and touches – it is all about the fact that soccer is not the glamor sport at the youth level. In almost every town in this country, high school football teams play to thousands on friday night under the lights, even teams that suck. And soccer teams play in front of the parents and a few close friends. Even really strong teams.
A 12 year old kid who is going into high school and is a great athlete gets to decide which way to go – most of them go to football. Football (american) has the added draw of being still a 1 season sport, even at the very high levels, so if a kid wants to play b ball in the winter and baseball in the spring – his football coach is not going to have a problem with that. But a high level soccer player needs to play it year round.
This will always be the way in the US, and it will mean we will never compete at the VERY highest international levels (although we can get closer and closer) because the Lebrons and the Randy Moss types will not become our great soccer players.
I’m always amazed at the “colonial cringe” mentality exposed on soccer sites, especially in relation to England.
Sorry Tolik but I think you’re a bit wrong about Starbucks. Yeah, there might be a pro-coffee buzz at first in the town and it might send the people like me that wouldn’t buy from Starbucks over to the local place out of spite, but after the initial buzz the local coffee shop is dead. Owensboro, Ky (third largest city in Ky) got a Starbucks and within a year lost their ten year old local store because of it (Beyond the Brim was its name).
Walmart enablers used to use the same logic about small businesses they put out: “We help the local business because they can buy supplies cheaper from us” used to be thier lie of choice.
There are a couple of things at odds for this to be successful on a large scale.
In feeder systems in football countries, the main goal is to develop and funnel young players to supply their teams across multiple levels of competition. A kid that goes into the system does so because his goal is to play football first. We do not have that mentality in the US, where there is always the emphasis on getting an education first and therefore doing the tour de force through college. Can you imagine the outcry from NCAA when they start loosing all these prospects who decide to bypass college?
The other entities that could be affected are the large academies who benefit financially from the current system, and USSF who looses control of a player’s rights.
Cheers
These programs are a win-win for American soccer.
I am associated with the Derby County Wolves National Development Academy teams, formerly the Michigan Wolves. While the Wolves club as a whole can only get stronger as a result of the financial and technical support from Derby County and from the name association, the only players who will go to the Derby Academy will be those with Euro or UK passport eligibility. Of those that do, and we are talking small numbers, many will eventually return to the US to strengthen MLS and the USL.
We did not start this program to run camps or sell merchandise. It is a long term program solely for player development purposes. We are delighted with the resulys so far.
“In due time, we’d expect two or three players a year to be coming into the senior squad in Burnley from U.S. links.”
Ambitious…
I don’t think it’s bad for MLS. Some players from these academies may not necessarily make it in Europe for one reason or another (Szetela, Convey come to mind…both are good players). They will come to MLS and make the league stronger. This is the case with many players from around the world: Fonseca, Ochoa (Mexico), Guerrera (Ecuador) even some Brazilians and Argentineans choose to return instead of playing for B sides.
And like Ives said… this is a big country without enough clubs that have serious academies.
The problem lies deeper when we are speaking on US player development. Kids overseas and south of the border are playing soccer their entire life, and maybe some cricket or golf.
In the USA, kids are playing soccer…and baseball football golf basketball wrestling swimming etc. This can benefit our soccer athletes however, since they are more athletic, but they will lack the better touch the rest of the world’s youth possess.
So if we are talking about US player development, it needs to begin young, and continue at a steady pace all the way up to the MLS. The PDL, USL 1 & 2 are SO essential in player development, since it gives kids who just aren’t there yet (pro-quality) to keep their feet wet and progress at a good pace.
I disagree that this is bad for MLS. Competition is a good thing. This will push MLS to do more with player development to foster new talent and offer higher salaries and bigger rosters to win and retain that talent. If MLS wants to survive long term, this is the direction is has to go.
The Burnley/Fusion game was a 10 minute walk from my house, and I find out about today?
I need to start going to more Fusion games.
Great article Ives.
It’s good for US player development. Bad for the MLS.
fin.
whatever happened to the Real Madrid and RSL academy? Their relationship is a total joke.
Supposedly RM was supposed to pump a ton of $$ into it. And I am not going to buy the excuse of no money…they have spent crazy money in summer transfer window. another couple mil isn’t going to hurt ’em.
I’m sorry but I have to say it: Whoever writes “first” all the time on these posts should be banned from making comments anymore. It is the stupidest thing ever. Get a life.
OK I’m done…sorry about that but I had to get it out.
I am all for it, MLS growth will not be stunted but other sports like the NFL, NBA, and MLB.
I think its fine as long as big money clubs aren’t sucking up talent in MLS markets. If they wanna set up a academy in Orlando, go for it. But if a club is thinking about setting an academy outside of NYC, then that’s a problem
It’s a good news.
Very much reminds the situation with Starbucks. The popularly held belief that Starbucks expansion was killing off mom-and-pop coffee shops is not true. The opposite happened. They created a BUZZ, a wave of interest. Smart small shops were able to ride the wave without spending much for marketing. Starbucks created the market for them.
The more soccer the better.
I googled a few references for you:
http://blogs.reuters.com/small-business/2009/06/24/starbucks-and-small-business/
http://www.slate.com/id/2180301
I apologize for the overuse of the word ‘talent’ in my previous post. It will not happen again. Talent.
I think there’s plenty of talent to go around in the States (bear in mind, we have 300 million people in this country), and if having more competition for young talent results in the development of more American talent, all parties will benefit from it.
If anything, I think the growing presence of foreign clubs should serve as a wake-up call for MLS to step up its own game — to be more proactive about setting up academies and developing North American talent for its own use. Again, this should be a win-win in the long run.
@ Dan. I completely disagree. In the mid 90’s I traveled with my select team (Santa Rosa United) to the UK to train and play in tournaments for the month of August. For the most part, our touch was superior to teams we were training and competing with. In fact, we beat quite a few youth squads (i.e., Wolverhamptom, Stoke City) based on our skill and physical fitness alone. The glaring difference was the tactics. The European teams were superior at this. So, I don’t think the problem is lack of touch. There are many American kids with ridiculous ball skills. But, the coaching, at least in my day, was sub-par. So, having both players and coaches exposed to Euro style football is key for US development. Oh, and making sure all the guys don’t go on to other sports which happened with many of the top players around Northern California in the 90’s.
USA player trafficking is the new hotness. Sign these players for free. Train them up a bit, have them perform for your team and then sell them off. Its great business for these smaller euro teams. Expect to see a huge outflow of players from youth teams and colleges from now on.
This already happens in USL and is not a problem.
What is a problem is MLS prostituting itself as a JV circuit for foreign clubs (Chivas USA, proposed Miami FCB).
If maintining college eligibility is the issue, so players can get their degree on a full scholoarship. Then why can’t the development clubs sign the players to make them a pro and set the players up with a tuition fung and bypass college altogether?
It seems like the best of both worlds to me. They get the soccer education at the time when it is most needed. If they are good they move onto the bigger better teams. If not, they have their tuition fund to fall back on and get their degree later.
Since we do not have a professional club in every town, I have no problem with this. Let them have clubs in the lower divisions and youth levels to find talent. The ultimate goal is to get better American players and to keep players from slipping through the cracks. I could care less if it is an MLS club or a foreign club that trains them.
The main problem is, and will always be, the lack of touches by Americans. European kids are picking up the ball and learning moves and tricks long before American kids are. And they are much better at it. It has nothing to do with attracting the better American athlete to the game. It has to do with the fact that whoever is playing soccer in the U.S. is basically only picking up the ball during organized games and practices. That is not enough.
That being said, I think more American clubs should be travelling to European clubs to watch how they develop youth soccer. They are not only better organized, they make it extremely fun. And they focus much more on player development than we do and really don’t pay attention to wins and losses like we do.
As an aside, I heard Owen Coyle on WSD the other day and he seems like a good guy. I hope they find a way to stay up this year. Gives me another team to have a routing interest in, besides Fulham and Everton.
Also isn’t Chelsea doing the same thing? They have put money into the Baltimore Bays system as well as partnering up with LAFC.
sounds good, it would only be another great option for US youth to develop. and whos to say they don’t leave the academy and join a NCAA or MLS team? its not like every player that enters this place is going to england to play.
that said they should locate in NC or MD, it seems like a lot great soccer players are from their these days.
Ives – what exactly does club partnerships like Cyrstal Palace BLT and Arsonal + Rapids do for a club? is this similar?
It hasn’t turned Crystal Palace into a contender yet. I like the ambition. It can only help. But I think the returns on that investment will be slow. Look at the hit rate of the U-17’s in Bradenton. There are a lot of success stories. But there are also a lot of failures. Plus, players who get through the cracks (Clint Dempsey).
Manchester United just signed an affiliation agreement with the Dallas Texans which has access to 18,000 in their organization. Five players from the Dallas Texans visit Carrington in September to experience even more closely the workings of Manchester United’s famous Academy system and get some looks.
http://www.manutdsoccerschools.com/Soccer-schools/Brian-McClair-in-the-USA.aspx
MLS will have to adapt if they want to grow. The salaries are too low for rookies/drafties, the insane rules about signing academy players, the strange discovery system, and the overall salary cap are things that need to change. There is no benefit besides location for a college kid, or special high school one, to sign with the MLS vs heading over seas if they have a chance.
I have no problems with this at all. I just wish MLS teams would actually do this more often and better. Baseball organizations have many affiliated lower level feeder teams stocked with talent. MLS needs to adpot a simliar system. keep the kids out of the college game. Start training academies for coachs and refs. outside of a few select teams, soccer coaching in the states at the youth level is “here is a ball, go kick it around” in high schools, soccer coaches are more often than not, retreaded football coaches who dont know the first thing about soccer
If the United States, with the MLS and the USL divisions, can one day get big enough for promotions and relegations, then I don’t think there would be gaps in development, as the majority of cities would have a team somewhere.
Will we ever get there? Doubtful.
If MLS clubs are worried about overseas clubs developing talent in the USA, they should do a better job developing that same talent.
Good stuff Ives. I think you just need to take over the ESPN soccer website and do a rehaul (aside from A. Hush) or just get guys like you and G. Lalas in one place because the major outlets really lack in reporting anything substantial.
I think what would work best would be teams like Barca, Real, Man U, and even the Burnley’s of the world establishing these academies but in parternship with the top level (whether it be MLS or A League) team to groom these players all the way through. They can start as youth academy players, rise up through the ranks here in the U.S., and then maybe step up to the big “parent club” abroad once they feel they’re ready to make that step. Lots of possibilities, but to placate everyone this seems like the best avenue for both clubs and players.
Youth development in USA is an evolving process. IMHO the one thing that makes it most difficult is college. Clubs don’t want to sink $ into players they can’t sell and if a player signs with a pro team they lose their college eligibility. Until we find a way to solve that conundrum we are stuck with a finite group of players who either are so good they don’t care about college or desperate enough to take the chance. With that in mind Burnley’s option makes sense!
Isn’t Crystal Palace already doing this with its’ USL Club? Seems like Burnley is only following a trend rather than showing any sort of unique vision.
MLS should be worried but they don’t have large enough squads or academies where they can develop talent. I think this trend will continue, at least at the level presented here but there may be more ownership as well such as we have here in Austin with the Aztex having the same owners as Stoke City.
If this is what it takes to get better player development than “Let’s play 4 games a week across the state…and it costs $4000” than I am all for it.
First!