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Cabrera out as U.S. Under-17 coach

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

There's been another coaching change in the U.S. Soccer youth tree under the Jurgen Klinsmann regime.

Months after Thomas Rongen and Mike Matkovich made way for Tab Ramos and Richie Williams on the Under-20 and U-18 levels, respectively, U.S. Soccer and U-17 national team coach Wilmer Cabrera have mutually agreed to part ways, according to a federation press release.

Cabrera had guided the U-17s since 2007, including trips to the 2009 and 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cups. This past summer, the U.S. U-17s made it out of the group stage to the Round of 16, where they lost to eventual third-place finisher Germany, 4-0. He also led the U-17s to a championship at last month's Nike International Friendlies, where the United States beat Brazil and Turkey and tied France.

Cabrera won't officially be out until the end of the month, after he coaches a group of U-17s during a trip to Turkey. U.S. Soccer says that a search for the next coach to head the U-17 residency program in Bradenton, Fla., is underway.

What do you think of this development?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Finally, now there is hope at the youth level. Wilmer’s previous WC teams always disappointed despite the fact that they trained two years together. But it was never his fault. He didn’t seem to pick the right players and failed to inspire the ones he chose.

    He was tough on discipline? What a joke.

    Any coach would be an improvement, but let’s hope US Soccer hires a proven youth coach this time.

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  2. Oh my God how clumsy of me…The Pateadores…The US Academy (where $3,000 a year will get you all the exposure you want)

    Wow! what impressive credentials!

    Typical academy parent (or worse academy coach) response….don’t you get it what a joke the academy is?

    Hey A Ward the US only has about 20-25 guys who know how to get us to the next level and (Hang down your head) Tom Dooley ain’t one of them A Ward (are you A Rod’s brother lol)

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  3. Wrongen and Sunil jumped on the U-20s at the WC saying they could could never compete with the big soccer nations with skill. Wrongen is gone, Cabrera is gone now, just Sunil is still here.

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  4. To be honest ODP is not really that big of a deal anymore, kind of a waist of time. I think you can call it a club because of the pay to play but thats because it costs money to run teams. I was hoping US soccer could funnel money to these clubs to help them out but they dont really have that much money with Jurgens salary

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  5. I was hoping Rongen would stay on as a scout but thats the past. I know Ramos was a great player but i just think he is too inexperienced for the U-20’s and thought he should have maybe been an assistant coach for team before the head coach

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  6. Hmm, he has been coaching Pateadores at the U-17/U-18 ranks in the Academy system. So I would imagine he has the credentials to caoch the U.S. 17 players. Cabrera had no credentials before they brought him in. So please know what you are talking about before replying to a post.

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  7. Thomas Dooley???? Please put down the crack pipe.
    What coaching experience does he have? He has been running soccer tennis tournaments for the last couple of years.
    But I guess this is the new way of doing things. HIre guys that played for the full national team regardless of the fact that they never have really coached.
    Hey, let’s get Jonathan Borenstein to be Ramos’ assistant with the u 20’s! Or better yet, Beasley to take over at IMG

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  8. I would say that this parting of ways has a lot to do with the fact Colombia’s coaching position is still Vacant. And it’s no secret Colombia has flirted with hiring Cabrera at in the past, but there has also been many rifts at Bradenton with players under Cabrera as well in the 4 years he has been in charge. Good luck to him. One name jumps in my mind to replace Cabrera, and that name is Thomas Dooley.

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  9. Having a grandparent born in the USA does not give you US citizenship. Only if a parent, you yourself was born in the US, or if you are naturalized that is the only way. You cannot get it through a grandparent. Bradley Johnson who plays for Zak Whitebreads team Norwich city had a American grandparent and he wanted to play for the US, but since he had it through a grandparent he was not eligible.

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