Pictures of OA members

Hahaha had 5 weeks off the piss from AFL Grand Final until the first weekend in November, but that is a rare occurrence :wink:

2 Likes

Powder…

My hometown team won the MLS Cup. Great atmosphere…

Cold, rainy night…thankful for the Dome with the retractable roof.

12 Likes

You have a very mature posting style, I had no idea you were so young.

5 Likes

:arteta::joy:

Here’s one with me then:

19 Likes

I’d like to commend you on bringing your kids up correctly by giving them the best sport. :slightly_smiling_face:

P.S. That badge is basic as anything but still manages to be classier than about 98% of other soccerball badges. :smiley:

2 Likes

I think ‘soccer’ is like the most played sport played by kids in the US anyway. But somewhere a long the line they get lost hehe.

@jmb27 is the MLS so shit that an expansion team can immediately win the League or is Atlanta extremely well run?

1 Like

Yeah, I think you’re right, it’s the most popular played as kids. I think they give it up because it has a reputation among the older kids/adults that it’s for children and girls? Or least it did.

1 Like

Atlanta is that well run. Arthur Blank (who also owns the NFL Falcons) began building the team a while ago. Atlanta has Tata Martino as a coach who is terrific and responsible for some of the Mexican/South American talent on the team. Which is also smart marketing to the Hispanic community in Atlanta that have embraced the team as well. Blank also spent money to ensure a competitive team right out of the gate as opposed to other MLS expansion clubs that were just making the step up from a lower league (i.e. NASL).

Throw is a great coach (who is leaving to coach the Mexican Nat’l team), strong front office and astute signings such as Almiron, Martinez, Barco, Dressel, Guzan, etc and you have a mix of young talent, veterans that have played in top Euro leagues and other guys that fit into Tata’s pressing, aggressive style of play.

Atlanta has a big futbol following—pubs are filled early on the weekends to watch the EPL, La Liga, the Bundesliga, etc.

It’s a step down from the EPL, but the gap isn’t nearly was wide as it was when the league started 20 years ago. The top MLS teams could compete with lower table EPL teams. They could not with the upper table clubs.

2 Likes

Not so sure about that anymore.

The popularity of the EPL and the following of top European clubs has changed/is changing that mindset.

Having a viable professional league keeps the interest level in the sport much higher as those younger players become adults.

Some cities (like Atlanta) have a large # of academies as well. My sons play for Brookhaven FC. The academies begin to identify kids that may have a future in the sport as they become adults, college scholarships, etc.

Lastly, the U.S. now has adults like me that played through college and have kids growing up in the sport, playing and following clubs like Arsenal. When I was younger, there was no coverage of the European leagues—the World Cup was the only time I got to watch the sport on TV.

1 Like

From what I understand there’s a reason we don’t develop talent the same way as you guys do. @jmb27 you say there are academies but what is the program like? From what I understand the Arsenal academy is like a high school but they train their promising talent all year round. I’ve never heard of an academy like that in the states. Our collegiate soccer programs are piss poor, the season is only about 3 months long and by the time college rolls around it’s probably too late, those kids should be professionals if they are any good by the age of 18.

Nice pics man

You really remind me of James van der Beek haha

1 Like

Yes!!! I couldn’t place it but you’re right. It’s Dawson.

Or Justin Bartha :grin:

I wanted Portland timbers to win just because I go for the blazers in the NBA lol. Looks like em enjoyable night @jmb27 congrats :+1::ok_hand:

1 Like

The Academies offer a competitive environment for players that is a step or two above rec leagues. Better coaching, development, etc. My youngest son (8), is in his second season of Academy play and my oldest is in Select (u13 and above). They play for a fall and a spring season—this winter, they are playing futsal (indoor).

I wouldn’t say that the collegiate programs are piss poor. Most of those guys are training year round as well. Many of the promising athletes also play baseball, American football, basketball, etc so not all of the talent stays in the sport. Where as in many Euro countries, it’s football only. I think that is the underlying issue for the U.S. vis a vi other countries is that the best talent will often end up in another sport—that is changing somewhat.

Google Academies where you live in CA and I’d be shocked if there aren’t a ton available.

Both systems are just completely different. Sports are seperated from middle/high schools/college, professional teams are reponsible for their own academies (from age 8 - 18) as you well know. AAU is big here, just recreational and too let children play sports (or at least what I think you guys consider as AAU in the States). Sports and education are unrelated and children are enrolled by their parents in these local sport clubs (could be any sport). Scouts from the professional teams scout these sports clubs and tournaments they participate in or hold talent days etc.

1 Like

with great mustache and beard…

Sadly without great mustache and beard

11 Likes

Stephen Merchant has a hairy chest? :slight_smile:

1 Like

Missus and I in cloudy Orlando for our winter vacation. Future Gooner arriving in May 2019! My wife already ordered her teeny little Arsenal clothes.

22 Likes