Breakout Youth Player in MLS/USL 2023 edition

No, Araujo looks like a good La Liga player, and the other guys didn't in Serie A.

 

No, he's a better player than Scally. Scally has a non-descript game. Araujo's a difference maker with recovery speed and defensive awareness. That means he'd have a role for the US in tougher games where Dest's defense is a question.

Correct, I saw interviews where people were delusionally hyping up those guys to him, saying it'd be hard to breakthrough. Then for the USMNT even our coaches were playing Herrera & an injured + out of position McKenzie over him. It was short-sighted & cost us probably.

 

There is a chance that we will be sorry that he didn't get any minutes at U-20 WC, sitting behind Dest even after Dest was destroyed by Ukrainians. That's, probably, how we got Dest and lost Araujo.

 

Dest wasn't really destroyed by Ukraine. He made a big mistake, for sure (he also played a big part in the US' goal). Anyway, Dest is 10x the player Araujo is, and that's considering their play on both sides of the ball. I mean, it would be great to have Araujo as depth, but Scally is also better than him, so....

 

Scally isn't close, Dest is. He did contribute to the goal, but was totally lost on defense.

 

Scally just assisted in a BL match. He has a goal this season. I think Scally is an outstanding defender that doesn't provide much offense, but he's capable. He'd be a great alternative to Dest. I'll take a 20 year that is in his 4th year of being a regular in a solid BL side over a 22 that is just breaking into a solid LL side.

JA is demonstrative - Scally is not. That seems to be what you're going on.

 

I'm really enjoying watching Paxten Aaronson grow at Frankfurt, and I was very excited to see him get a call up for the USMNT. I think both him and Brenden are great and have bright futures ahead. Brenden getting loaned out from Leeds seems like it might be a small set-back, but I feel confident he'll bounce back better than ever.

 

Who's our winner here? Noel Buck? Cremaschi? Schulte?

 

Even though he finished the season injured, Neal should be in consideration for top breakout player in 2023.

 

Duncan McGuire.

Olympics eligible, so still considered "youth" according to these boards.

Finished 2nd amongst USMNT-eligible goalscorers in MLS.

I'd vote for him.

Schulte in 2nd. In 2022 he was the MLS Next Pro goalkeeper of the Year.
Established himself as the #1 in Columbus, and won MLS Cup.
He's also Olympics-eligible.

Lots of honorable mentions.
I'll throw Kamungo of Dallas out there. He really came from nowhere. Signed to North Texas after an open tryout. Just plucked him off the damn street. I don't think even the most diehard of FCD fans expected anything from him.

 

Intriguing young player being signed by NYRB.

End of the Road for Roald —

Roald Mitchell is departing Wake Forest after having signed with New York Red Bulls as a Homegrown Player.

It’s bittersweet as he has been one of the most fun college players to watch, but it was almost inevitable that this season would be his last… pic.twitter.com/WVvQz0XNV6

— Mark Kelkenberg (@MarkKelkenberg) January 3, 2024

 

Roald? Must be named after the author. I once coached a kid from Nigeria who was named after an author (can't remember his name) and his brother was also - Nathaniel.

 

Sort of interesting the Everton interest given he hasn’t been able to really breakthrough in MLS quite yet. Even after a loan to Austin that was for the purpose of getting him minutes.

Update from sources:

Brandan Craig's trial/visit with Everton F.C. finished today, Friday, January 18.

He will be traveling to the United States tomorrow.

Everton F.C. is going to make a decision on the Union Homegrown player in the coming days/week.#doop | #EFC… https://t.co/sFSQmxopRY

— José Roberto Nuñez (@JoserNunez91) January 18, 2024

 

Such is the state of the World.
A US-eligible kid has trouble getting on the field at two MLS clubs, and then he's of interest to Everton. I can only guess that they scouted him at the U20 World Cup. Craig played well with that team.

Brandon Craig is a soon-to-be 20 year old that has played a grand total of 3 MLS minutes.

It kinda sucks that Philly couldn't find playing time for him, so they did the right thing. They loaned him to Austin. Unfortunately, Austin then didn't play him either. Sucks.

 

Sounds like Joe Scalley.

 

Good point and fair comparison.

 

Scalley went over to Germany at 18; he didn't get minutes at NYCFC but he was significantly younger and I think NYCFC knew he was going.

 

Counterpoint: CBs mature later than RBs and Everton>Gladbach.

Otherwise, everything else sort of matches. Both with HGP contracts for three years with virtually no minutes.

 

Sure. But I don't think it is similar in the sense that Scally was always a sign and move, while I think Craig simply got stuck behind a locked in and almost always healthy CB pairing in Philly and then got a late loan to a disaster of an Austin side.

No one wants to take risks at CB, but I really don't see where Everton is going with this. I'll be shocked if there's movement here -- I don't think he's fast enough for the EPL, even with his passing.

There are other leagues that are probably better suited for him than the EPL or MLS.

 

FWIW, the connection in my mind is that Scalley is proof that forcing your way into MLS minutes is no longer necessary before a successful transfer to Europe. That said, Everton are probably planning for Championship. They've been flirting with relegation for a while now.

 

Everton aren't going to be in the Championship unless they have more points deducted. If they do get relegated they'll get $75 million in parachute payments next season, which is more than 3x the Championship average payroll.

 

So, what's their plan for Craig?

 

He's on trial allegedly. He also had a trial for Liverpool when he was 15.