Keller Again? Whither US Youth?

Filed in archive US Soccer on December 1, 2005

Source: CNN/ SI

At 36 goalkeeper Kasey Keller has been named US Player of the Year for the second time, the first coming in 1999. Keller plays for Borussia Moenchengladbach in the German Bundesliga at the moment, and has remained a fixture in the US national side. He beat out three-time winner Landon Donovan, as well as DaMarcus Beasley, for the award.

While I congratulate Keller on the award, the fact that in five years only a handful of American players have won the award tells me we still have a major talent issue in US soccer. Make that a talent progression problem. While the national team is doing well, it lacks depth. Only a couple dozen players are vying for spots. Part of this is a problem of the weakness of the MLS as a feeder, and part may be down to how young players are trained and brought into professional systems.

We may be on the verge of seeing the fruit of the system now, as some young, talented players are making their way up at the moment, but "sameness" seems to be an issue in the US talent pool. Many players reared on highly technical training that denies an opportunity for organic talents to emerge. Instead the US game favors rote drilling, speed, power, muscle and precision. Your views are welcomed.