A look at the next generation

If you are sitting around wishing there was some soccer to watch this afternoon, you are in luck.

The U.S. Under-17 national team will be playing Russia today on Fox Soccer Channel at 3pm. The match is part of the Nike Friendlies down in Florida.

I'm not sure which players will be playing, but you may get a chance to see  U-17 national team standouts such as Ryan Finley and Charles Renken (the players I mentioned before are not playing in these games. Apologies for any confusion).

If you can't catch today's match, you're in luck. The Americans will face Brazil on Saturday (2:30pm) and Turkey on Sunday (8pm). Both matches will be shown on Fox Soccer Channel. These are the types of games you tape and pull out five years from now and chuckle at how far some of these players have come.

Comments

[scott]

Is it possible that we can rate the american players? Kind of like how EA FIFA 2008 does.

[James Clark]

Ives, there is always more soccer to watch than you think -- UEFA Cup on Setanta! You have to get Setants, my friend.

[Ives]

James, it's not that I don't get Setanta, it's that A) if you pay the extra money for Setanta then you don't need me telling you what's on it and B) most people don't have Setanta. A majority of readers have GolTV and Fox Soccer Channel.

I'll probably start including Setanta when the New Year rolls around if there is enough demand for it. As it stands, most folks don't get it so they don't mind its games not being listed.

[Derek (Brooklyn)]

Hopefully it will be a chance to see Charles Renken (born in December 1993) play. I'm sure the level of play will be inconsistent but it is always nice to see young players who may have a future with the USMNT.

[Elliott]

I think it is awesome that this is being picked up by FSC.

Sometimes I cannot believe how quickly we've come - in terms of TV coverage - in such a short period.

[Lee]

Alex Nimo is also a player I'd like to see. Have read a bit about him already.

[Toothless]

i remember the only soccer i could get was on sunday mornings, in italian, on channel 17 or something. the quality was terrible, but it was something.

[Lawrence]

I think it's the '91s and '92s (Renken is the only '93, so he might be in the mix). Jeffery, Bates, Lambo, McLoughlin, Nimo, and Williams are all '90s. So I don't think they'll be playing.

[Lawrence]

They say Renken's vision and selflessness is off the charts. A real team engine. I remain reticent on him, but definitely hope to see him play with my own eyes.

[Michael]

Good call Ives. I am going to tune in and enjoy both matches against Russia and Brasil. I had no idea about todays game, so I am thankful for the heads up.

I would agree with you about Setanta. Most people who have it know what matches are on because they do their job advertising what they are broadcasting. GOLtv and FSC, not so much.

Thanks again.

[James Clark]

Fair enough, Ives, but the fact that I pay 'extra money' for Setanta doesn't mean that I wouldn't like you to list those games here! (You do such a good job with all the games-on-TV breakdowns). Plus, Setanta is only $12.99 per month on DirecTV, which is what I have. A great benefit is you also get Setanta Xtra when the Premiership matches are on, so at 10 a.m. Eastern time, there are 3 Prem matches on live (on FSC, Setanta and Setanta Xtra). On Sunday morning, there are also usually three live matches at staggered times over those 3 channels. I think it is a slight misconception that Setanta is not widely subscribed to by soccer fans. Here in South Jersey, almost all fans of English football get it, either via satellite or through a broadband connection on a set-top box in addition to their (evil!) cable connection. It's all still so less expensive than the 'old days' of even 3 years ago, when the season-long Premiership pay-per-view package was $369 and you got 4 games, maximum, per weekend.

[Ilya]

Ives,

Setanta Broadband is only $15/month and shows loads of good football. Check it out.

[Tom]

Will this new era mean no more players will get a 2 full years residency because their brothers went throught the program?
like Zimmerman and Sakordie?

Does it mean that kids whose dads are in "power" won't get 2 full years anymore, even though the kid could have been replaced by hundreds of other players as he was that mediocre? Hello Brandon King.

I wonder.

As a former BW Gottschee youth player I know how they teach. It's not US suburban soccer. That's for sure.

I have high hopes for Mr. C.

Especially compared to the last 2 clueless, inexperienced, overmatched, unqualified, politically appointed youth suck ups in Hack and Ellinger.

Let's bring in the new era.

[Elliott]

1-0 US (Martinez - outside of the box)

Renken has looked great

[Alex]

I know he isn't playing, but Ives, how good is Alex Nimo? I didn't get a chance to see him play last summer but I have heard great things about him. What kind of chances does he have of going pro and eventually playing for the Nats?

[Elliott]

Good half from the youngsters.

I like the way Cabrera has us playing.

Lots of short-short-long. It has been very effective as the US has dominated possession.

Even though it is 1-0, the Russians cleared a sitter off the line and Renken hit the crossbar with a blast from 25+.

[LA Metro]

Renken looked real good, controlled play in the middle. The US lost a lot of possession once he came off.

Gyau looked good with his dribbling, passing, and combination play.

Jerome, the forward, looked like an exciting player as well--the speed and size of an Eddie Johnson but excellent skill as well.

Martinez and Duran both looked solid, as did Polak, the LB.

Was encouraging to see the dangerous possession and purposeful passing along with the skill. Should be an interesting game v. Brazil.

[Alex]

I didn't get to watch the whole game, but #9 Jerome had a couple of fantastic touches in the last 10 minutes. A Freddy-vs.-Brazil-esque juggling move followed up by a nifty little back heel to himself almost set up a third goal. I was very impressed.

[Tom]

Wilmer -

The shirt is only for the best, not for some who dissappear.

Accountability at B'ton?

It just arrived.

Not from the USSF where it should come from of course, but from the coach himself.

[Derek (Brooklyn)]

#9 Jerome and #10 Renken looked fantastic. #13 Gyau had good skills but liked to dribble too much and turned the ball over because of it.

[Elliott]

Duran, our holding-mid, also played great.

[Andrew S]

Tom, are you writing in haikus?

[EssEff]

Ives, kind of harsh on James, dude. I mean, we are all super fans of the game. Setanta is awesome and totally worth $15 a month. It really is one of the big three euro soccer networks. FSC, Gol, Setanta. It makes sense. The boy is just excited!

[Katatonia]

SETANTA!SETANTA!SETANTA!SETANTA!SETANTA!SETANTA!

u17s look good!

[Tom]

Andrew S.

I post in anger when it comes to the youth system set up here in the US.

I know way too much about it. Most who do, and who aren't in the political payoff/patronage/get suppoted by it group, get disgusted fairly quickly.

It's not about the kids and development, its' about their jobs, and keeping them. That means removing threats, which more often than not means improvements to the structure and personal. Yes, those are threats to most in the system.

I applaud Sunil for his first steps however. Just the tip of the iceberg but someone had to try, and it is an insulated, paranoid, midevil system he is trying to break down.