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Cosmos continue to focus on signing, developing young stars

GiovanniSavareseNYCosmos1-AtlantaSilverbacks (Getty)

 

By RYAN TOLMICH

Since the start of 2015, the New York Cosmos have turned a major eye towards finding the game’s future stars, and that search is beginning to pay off.

On one hand, the Cosmos have made major splashes in signing two established U.S. youth internationals while, on the other, the club’s creation of a reserve team has paid immediate dividends in the form of a championship victory.

Most recently, the Cosmos made waves in signing U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team fullback Alexis Velela. Pairing the fullback with fellow U-17 star Haji Wright, the Cosmos have added two of the country’s premier prospects, something that head coach Giovanni Savarese takes great pride in.

In both Wright and Velela, the Cosmos get players that have drawn plenty of interest and eyes from around the world. Looking to help the two teenagers reach the next level, Savarese says that the Cosmos are a team that is excited by the idea of helping these young prospects grow into legitimate international players.

“Definitely. It’s a direction that we’re taking,” Savarese said in a conference call. “We want to be a team that caters to a mix of young players, veteran players, local players. We want to be a complete team.

“Youth is very important to the future of the club and we also want to help the U.S. federation with their national teams in having players continue to grow and develop and do more someday for the national team.”

Despite all of their talents, Savarese and the Cosmos know that both of the youngsters are ones for the future. Wright, who made his first start with the first team this past week, has primarily featured with Cosmos B while learning from players like Raul and Marcos Senna.

Velela, meanwhile, will spend the fall with the U.S. U-17s and isn’t expected to link up with the Cosmos fully until after October’s Under-17 World Cup. However, in Velela, Savarese believes he has found a special player, one that is ready to contribute all over the field.

“He’s a young, talented player. He’s very versatile,” Savarese said of his new signing. “He has the skill to play different positions and the knowledge to perform in different ways, and that’s something that we like from him and what we saw from him.

“He was with us one week and we’re excited to have him start with the team.”

While much of the focus has been on the internationally-experienced duo, the Cosmos youth efforts have seen tangible progress with the creation of Cosmos B.

This past weekend, Cosmos B claimed the NPSL title in the club’s first ever campaign with a 3-2 victory vs. Chattanooga FC in the league’s final.

For Savarese, that result wasn’t completely unexpected. Under the guidance of Cosmos assistant Alecko Eskandarian, players like Wright, Ibrahim Diaby, Cristhian Hernández Hernandez, Ruben Bover and Julian Stahler were given chances to shine while earning valuable minutes on the field.

Savarese always knew he had a talented group, and while the aim was to get that group first team ready, the Cosmos head coach was glad to see the hard work put in rewarded with a trophy.

“To be honest with you,” Savarese said, “first I have to say that everything that we do we always do it in a way that we feel is going to be the best way and with all of the attentions to do what is the priority. For us, the first concern, the main priority, was to develop players, to be able to provide a team to see young players that can grow and first team players that can get back into shape.

“The mindset was to be as professional as we could,” Savarese added. “We worked very hard, and in the end, when you work hard and you see that you’re able to win a championship, it’s good because of the work that they had to put in.”

Comments

  1. agree with – “let’s hope they move these lads forward, without retarding their development.”

    that is questionable in the nasl (which went 0-7 vs USL teams in the USOC)

    It is also very questionable for the author to write that “the Cosmos have made major splashes” – its 2 16 yr olds – come on now. cosmos are minor league and play at a college turf lacrosse field, they have not developed any young players for the US teams like many MLS academies have.

    Reply
    • Two guys, this year, from this team: US U-17 MNT.

      MAYBE they know something you don’t now. Nah, no way!

      Also, Cosmos 2-2 vs MLS in USOC last two years (and got robbed vs Philly).

      P.S. Don’t become another slowleftarm.

      Reply
  2. Dalomismo+elpaso= love affair 🙂

    Dalomismo+sex= virgin Dalomismo

    Just playing buddy 🙂 have a beer n a stripper.

    So what u think about MLS expansion.

    Will we see 30 or 32 teams.

    Vegas is about to get nhl. Maybe mls is next.

    Seattle said no to nhl,maybe waiting for basketball.

    Rams look destined for LA and mls can take their spot.

    Once MLS reaches 24 teams, all the other cities who want MLS,wil go crazy to join and do anything to join.

    No way MLS stops at 26,I say 28 will be a magic number for now, then 30 will.follow.

    About the cosmos thing, they will.give.in once they have a.stadium, and MLS will give them a spot. New York and LA can handle 3 teams and that’s Garbers dream.

    If MLS reaches 32, expect a 3 team in new york or LA.

    I just dont see san diego,san Francisco or even Phoenix getting MLS in the west. It would be nice but vegas,austin, san Antonio have a future in MLS and Sacramento,plus a 3rd team in LA.

    The east has, Detroit,Charlotte,st.Louis,Tampa bay,3rd new york team and Pittsburg.

    Reply
  3. The only way cosmos survive thats if they join mls which is never I believe but if mls have 30 teams or 32,then I do see them in MLS.

    The east can easily add, st.Louis once the rams move or not. Then after that money talks, u can add Detroit, tampa bay,Charlotte,cosmos,indy and those 4 sound perfect for the east to reach 16 teams.

    The west sounds more unpredictable, u have Phoenix, vegas, a Canadian team,san Francisco,san diego, Austin, san Antonio,Sacramento.

    I would go for Austin, Phoenix,vegas,and Sacramento.

    I Think mls willl.never be in san Francisco,san diego or san Antonio in the west, they have mls teams around owning territory rights.

    Reply
  4. For some reason when it’s like, we’re focused on youth players (with an old fart senior side) I think of Nicholson in A Few Good Men saying, “I’m here to help you in your investigation, you believe that, right…” shortly before he wanders into the whole ask me nicely bit.

    I’m not sure the kids realize that signing with a minor league side at the formative stage of their career might mean that with a little bad luck NASL or even worse NPSL is as high as they ever see in terms of leagues and money.

    Reply
    • What’s isn’t there to learn from “old farts’ who are pretty much player coaches, willing to pass on their knowledge more so then MLS superstar divas with their priorities being themselves.

      Reply

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