FC Dallas signed 16-year-old goalkeeper Richard Sanchez as a homegrown player on Friday, giving the team a league-record six homegrowns on its first-team roster.
Sanchez, a goalkeeper for Mexico's Under-17 national team, joins Bryan Levya, Ruben Luna, Moises Hernandez, Victor Ulloa and Jon Top as homegrown signings for the MLS Cup runners-up.
The 6-foot-3 Sanchez will have the chance to shine for his country this summer, as Mexico hosts the FIFA U-17 World Cup. He'll join FC Dallas' preseason training for the next couple of weeks before reporting to Mexico's camp on March 6.
What do you think about the signing? Impressed with the FCD Academy output?
Share your thoughts below.
That’s what happens when American kids raised on an American diet and with American healthcare decide to play for Mexico.
I’m thrilled to see MLS developing the future of Mexico.
6-foot-3? Has Mexico ever had a keeper that tall before? What is the world coming to???
I know this is the Internet and all so name-calling is considered acceptable, but because you disagree with Martek your first instinct is to lead with “you’re an idiot”?
That’s a shame. I disagreed with him, too, but you certainly came off looking worse than he did in this exchange.
Houston should sign the U.S. U-17 Pina.
The new academy rules are really exposing the haves and have nots in MLS like nothing else ever has before. You have teams like Dallas, Seattle, New York, Houston that just keep adding homegrown player after player. New England especially is looking like they could become a permanent cellar club with these new rules.
“The first team” is a bit flexible in MLS. You can be pretty certain he won’t see action beyond the reserve league.
I’m sure Dallas signed the kid to keep from losing him to a Mexican side. Since the MLS pays the kid’s wages and he won’t even count against the cap, it seems a pretty reasonable move to me.
Perhaps Avi shouldn’t have used the term “first team roster”. He won’t be on the 18 man squad for a league match for quite some time. Relax, Francis.
I agree. Besides the kid has potential to even be considered for Mexico’s U-17 team. I mean, all mexican clubs have academies and they obviously have keepers with them. To have Richard Sanchez selected over them speaks volumes for FCD academy. And they will not give him up to other clubs
For context, per the 2010 census:
Hispanics accounted for nearly 2/3 of Texas’ growth from 2000-2010
Total Texas population: Hispanics 38%, Anglos 45%, Blacks 11.5%
Ever been to an FCD game? All announcements are made in English y Espanol Amigo.
Your observation can be explained by demographics and marketing.
Before Dallas he was with Atletico Madrid youth system for a bit, not too long ago he was voted the best player in a tournament in Chile with his national team.
He’ll do good as he ages, its not like the MLS its that competitive
Iker Casillas has been on real madrid’s first team since he was 16. Played his first game for them at 18.
Pareja is also Hispanic. Would you also rather see less of that and maybe more of a black or white guy in lieu of him? Your analysis is odd. To say the least.
I can’t imagine some moron saying: I need to see more Hispanics and Whites and less Blacks on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Yawn. Jonathan Dos Santos was promoted Barcelona’s top squad when he was 18. Gio the same. Pedro when he was 20. Messi was 16 or 17 when he was promoted to their top side. Bojan was 16.
This is all just ONE team, who by the way is known to be great at bringing players up through their youth teams, to Barcelona B and then top squad for those who can.
So you guys are saying that the top club in the world somehow promotes these guys at 16 or 17 fairly frequently yet FCD’s doing it is somehow wrong?
Arsenal is another team that does something similar. Some teams depend on their youth system to bring up players. If FCD can be one of these teams I think that’s great. You get promoted, know how the team likes to play, and in theory can incorporate yourself more quickly.
Yeah, that sounds like an awful strategy. Whatever.
With the number of goalkeepers the US had playing abroad (especially in the EPL), it seemed the US was replete with quality goalkeepers. But with a lot of them near the end of their careers and/or approaching 40 yrs old, Only Tim Howard seems to be a lock on the USMNT. But what if he is injured? Do we have any “outstanding” goalkeepers playing abroad in any 1st team action in a first division team?
We have a lot of young goalkeepers over 6’+ playing in our domestic league, but almost none receiving 1st team minutes abroad.
While Sanchez may have to make a decision when a US or Mexican National Senior Team come calling, he might not get any attention, or be in the plans, from the US for several years, he might get some fist team action at the youth international level and maybe in a 1st division league abroad.
The thought of an uncapped US player, playing first team ball, OUTSIDE the US, is appealing, and is a must need for the future of the US goalkeeping depth chart.
I thought MLS set a limit to homegrown players which teams could sign?
People just love hating on FC Dallas.
All our youth players we’ve signed are standouts of their age group, and as good as or better than the players we’re getting out of some of our draft picks. The fact that their younger only helps their stock, we’re able to lock them in at a relatively low salary, and move them into the first team when they’re ready. Luna and Leyva are going to get minutes in the MLS this season, and players like Ulloa and Hernandez will probably be getting minutes in the Open Cup and CCL. Top and Sanchez now have a chance to train at a higher level and improve, having every opportunity to break through if they’re good enough.
Young talented exciting prospects is exactly what all MLS teams should want out of their academy, and FC Dallas has produced 6 of them.
The answer lies in the man behind FCD Academy: Oscar Pareja. Great work, Oscar!
The “white and black” kids who are good enough are either off to college, or moved on to European teams.
Let’s not worry about race or nationality, if they are good enough should be the only thing that matters.
Just because these kids sign with the big club, doesn’t mean they can’t still play with the Dev academy teams FYI. All of Dallas’ kids played last year, signing them gives them first team training and experience, then this year they will have the opportunity to play in the Reserves and DA games. Not sure why anyone is knocking this or any other Home grown signing, this is how the rest of the world works. You get kids when they are young and show talent, then nurture them until they can contribute to the big boys, or show they can’t cut it and you move on. Welcome to football.
Exactly, they signed him to keep him and to own his playing rights. He won’t play a second of “first team” action this year or next. But now if some Mexican club wants him they have to pay a transfer fee to Dallas and MLS.
you’re an idiot. so much disarray going on that they made the MLS cup final. They likely signed him so he wouldn’t be stolen by a Mexican club, Academy’s aren’t in the business of developing talent for other clubs.
That was a mixture of good analysis and then idiotic doublespeak (like a good politician). Should have stopped before the whole ‘I wish they had less Hispanics and more whites and blacks.’
my sentiments exactly,
definitely the purpose of the academy system. thats why i dont get why its such a big deal.
totally disagree Chris, these kids will only develop if they play with the best and holding them back will not help. If the coach thinks theyre ready to come up they have a right to come up
Josh is still with the team. He was loaned out last season. and was exopected to compete with Seitz for the reserve games and CCL games. Now this may mean they are going to send him out on loan again this year. Or Sanchez may still be able to play for the academy team for another year or two. Not sure how the academy works with signing a professional contract.
It’s hard not to be impressed by what FCD is turning out in the youth ranks. I believe they defeated Ajax academy and narrowly lost to Barca academy 2-1 a year or two ago with these guys on the roster. Next month the current U-16s and U-18s will go to Spain to play the Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid academies. If they go to Spain and come away with results than it’s impossible to turn a blind eye on these guys. Luna is poised to shine this season for the first team like no other academy player has in MLS. Give these youth players a couple of years to mature and play at the professional level to see if they’re the real deal or not.
On another note, I am a little disappointed that FCD academy keeps churning out Mexican citizens rather than Americans. I would like all players from Dallas to play for the USMNT and win trophies on the World Stage. Additionally, I would like to see some more diversity from this academy. Every youth player signed has been Hispanic (not that there’s anything wrong with that because these players can’t choose that), but I would like to see some talented white and black kids come through the ranks as well.
Overall, outstanding job from Pareja and co. Keep up the good work.
Broke jaw-o.
Hasn’t been the same-o since.
Sign up the Mexico YNT players and bank on selling them after the World Cup. Makes sense, Mexican teams can spend a little for unproven YNT stars.
Leyva and Luna are wonderful talents that have been developed by FCD since the U-17 WC and will be on display for the U-20 WC. Those guys are known in Mexico to be some of the brightest spots in Mexico’s YNT setup.
Its a win-win for the players and FCD.
What happened to Josh Lambo?
Ummm he admitted that there are exceptions to the rule….. I mean I can think of a few younger keepers playing first team ball, however most are around 30 and older.
6’3 16 yr old… FCD will have ample time to groom the kid. he’ll be able to train with the likes of Hartman, which is obviously a plus. He’ll get to play in the reserves matches as well as continue to play with the Reserves team.
He’s a U17 Mexican goal keeper. Honestly, if he pans out FCD could have lost out on a potential talent (or potential transfer fee).
it is possible that FCD simply doesnt want to lose a commodity. Let’s say Sanchez continues to do well with FCD’s academy team and then gets picked up by Chivas (or another mexican team). Ultimately FCD are out of a quality player (not saying he’s quality, merely using it in my example).
If FCD see potential in the kid, he’ll be able to train with the first team, play in the Reserves matches and still play with the academy team. Not sure why everyone is blowing this out of proportion. Fire signed a 17 yr old winger from their academy. This is the idea behind the academies
Based on your argument, all goalkeepers should stay amateur until they turn 33.
Rarely are the ‘young and talented’ that play all over the world 16 year old keepers. It is a position that requires experience and the knowledge and confience experience foster. 16 year olds, by definition, lack experience. Remember Chris Sietz? People talked him up like he was a star when just a teenager. Then everyone ripped on him when he played like you would expect a teenager to play as keeper. It is silly. He’s only now 23 and his best years are still probably a decade off.
Having said all that, I think Sean Johnson had a pretty good year at Chicago, and the Fire freed up a lot of $ by signing him. Still, if he happens to ‘underachieve’ in the next few years people should blame the Fire for starting a 21 year old keeper and not Johnson.
I’m not sure a 16 year old keeper really benefits from this, and I certainly don’t see how Dallas does.
Seeing as how he’s a goalkeeper, he’s probably making the correct decision. LOL
And how about the strong possibility that a Mexico U-17 player won’t go to college? Not because he’s Mexican per se, but rather because you know the offers will be there from FMF teams very shortly.
FC Dallas is doing what any good business does, finds a resource, locks it up, then sells it for a profit.
Seems pretty reasonable/savvy to me.
+1
Overreact much?
If they are motivated to become professionals they will just go somewhere else that doesn’t have a rule about being 18. Besides, why do they need to be 18? A lot of the Bradenton kids get their high school diplomas when they are 16 or 17 specifically so they can go pro when they were ready.
Regardless of whether every academy signing pans out, I’m very impressed with Dallas’ academy. They are keeping promising talent in MLS and providing other local kids with a blueprint for how to become a MLS player.
It’s fine not to be impressed because these kids aren’t gonna slot into the first team, but until every team has a stable of academy signings, I’ll continue to see it as newsworthy when one signs.
The mls should make you have to be at least 18 to play because signing these kids is worthless keep them in the academy till they are ready to contribute.
wellll theres a great chance they wont count against the cap, so thats probably why theyre doing it.
Born in California with dual citizenship USA/Mexico.
just like leyva, who also represented mexico u17s. dont need to be american.
cuz they dont count against the cap and these kidsll benefit from playing/training with the first team.
I do agree its not that big a deal tho.
Don’t be silly Martek. Very young and talented players play for top clubs all around the world.
Not impressed at all really. Some of these kids they signed aren’t any better than the Academy kids anywhere else. No clue why they are burdening themselves with player salaries rather than just letting the kids go to college.
Just curious. Is he eligible for the US seeing as how he was able to be signed as a home grown player? Anybody know? And why is he in the MLS if he is Mexico’s U-17 keeper? I thought they were pretty picky about having their young players play in the Mexican league? Probably completely wrong, but just asking.
A 16-year-old goalkeeper on the first team? What is this, women’s gymnastics? more evidence of the complete disarray/nonsense for the Frisco ISD Home XI