MLS: Room for improvement in replacing youth development program

MLS will form a league to replace the now-defunct U.S. Soccer Development Academy. But can the new league produce a more effective system?

Last week, the U.S. Soccer Development Academy fell in the economic downturn resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Its absence opens up the opportunity for a new system to be put into place, one that could be more efficient and effective than its predecessor.

Listen to the latest episode of the MLS Multiplex podcast here! —  What happens with COVID-19?

Fred Lipka, Major League Soccer technical director of youth development, said, although unprepared, that the league is committed to taking over this comprehensive development academy with its own program. Lipka announced a new youth development effort on the same April 15 day that U.S. Soccer jettisoned their academy.

More from MLS Multiplex

• Javier Milei Elected in Argentina: Potential Impacts on MLS and Signings of Argentine Players
• Orlando City and New York City FC in the Battle for Matías Arezo; Grêmio Enters Negotiations! Who Will Come Out on Top?
• USA, Honduras, Panama, and Canada Close in on a Spot in the 2024 Copa America
• De Gea Turns Down Al-Nassr’s Lucrative Offer: Speculation Points to Possible Reunion with Messi at Inter Miami
• Messi’s Magnetic Impact in the United States

At the same time, Lipka pledged that every club, both stemming from MLS and not, will have a place to play. Lipka emphasized that all clubs are invited to new youth development system, not just some. He described the mission to include players and clubs, not exclude them. MLS will continue what U.S. Soccer Development Academy intended, but they will look to improve it, in some areas.

MLS acknowledged that the DA filled a vital space in elevating player skills but left room for improvement. However, due to the current disruption, Lipka said that the new program will look familiar to DA players. When changes happen early on, they will be minor.

Even the staunchest DA supporters acknowledged that the academy failed to excel in areas. Players that had moved to the U.S. Men’s National Team couldn’t help the squad make the 2018 World Cup. The U-23 team failed to qualify for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

Then U.S. Soccer started hearing grumbling about needing more control by clubs, better competition, cost- and travel-limits. There were plenty of logistical and competitive-based issues with the DA.

The decision to axe the DA was a financial one. The DA’s projected $7 million in cost 2020 — and even greater loss would have arrived in 2021 — plus overall coronavirus cutbacks remain the official reason for losing the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. But those closer to the debates saw this judgment coming, even without COVID-19.

Lipka suggested that long-term improvements would aim to develop for first teams and national teams. Therefore, to match the best domestic players, teams would play against each other in a tiered system and international competition would be welcomed. The development is crucial, and ensuring that the competition level is high enough is vital to that.

MLS VP of competitions and National Soccer Hall of Fame member Jeff Agoos said, in any case, MLS has the infrastructure to make this youth development program work. The organization already has 2,500 elite players and 250 youth coaches.

The federation added that there was no clear vision of what youth soccer will look like after the pandemic crisis. But U.S. Soccer will indeed find ways to assist that development in whatever new order emerges.