Travis talks to Marc Nicholls, the Technical Director of the Seattle Sounders Academy. They discuss the upcoming Generation Adidas Cup, how the Sounders are working to incorporate young players into the professional game, the impact of national team call-ups on the growth of Sounders academy players, and much more! Today's show is sponsored by... Open Goaaal USA! It's a soccer goal + rebounder + backstop ALL IN ONE! Use the Top Drawer Soccer Spring Sale discount code TDS40 to get $40 OFF + Free Shipping while supplies last at opengoaaalusa.com.   Techne Futbol! The soccer training app for individual players, teams and clubs.Players can train on their own, when and where they want, while coaches track their progress.  Download the Techne Futbol app for a free trial or go to technefutbol.com

Seattle Sounders Academy Director Marc Nicholls on Developing Future Pro Players

Uncovering the underbelly of American soccer

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Soccer

0:00 - Taylor and Travis give an update on the show and discuss some of the things they've been watching and reading while live soccer has been off the airwaves. 12:59 - Yael Averbuch West discusses Techne Futbol and the importance of individual work in player development.

Yael Averbuch West on the importance of individual work in player development

Taylor and Travis do their best to answer your listener question!   Who is the next dual-national that could help the national team that wasn't involved in our youth national teams? Here's a link to the Kim McCauley article I mentioned: https://www.sbnation.com/2020/3/19/21183601/building-a-better-usmnt-together-football-manager-fm20     Why don't we see more college coaches making the jump like they do in football or basketball?   What are the best non MLS-affiliated USDA programs?  Who's the best classic target forward coming through the ranks that's not already a pro? If Liga MX and MLS combine at some point down the line, what will that look like and is it a good thing for American players? Has there been any hint that NWSL clubs are going to launch concerted academy initiatives? What do you think of the sleeping giant that is the Canadian men’s national team? If Don Garber tasked you with selecting the locations for the next MLS expansion teams, where do you put them and why? Why does the Olympics only allow for the U23 men to play but there is no age restriction for the women’s team? Do you think this is open to changing? Are there athletic scholarships for NAIA? 

Who is the next big USMNT dual national, will Canada eventually take over Concacaf, and more listener questions

Taylor and Travis break down the 23-man squad Jason Kreis has assembled for Olympic qualifying. Who are the notable omissions and what do they say about the state of the program? Who will be knocking in the goals? Who should start in midfield? Will there be a goalkeeper? All that and much more!

US men's Olympic qualifying roster, plus the U20 women are Concacaf champions!

Who are the young players to watch in the 2020 USL Championship? The Athletic's Jeff Rueter joins the podcast this week to break down the league's relationship with player development, names to know for this season, and much more.

The most exciting youngsters in the USL Championship

Joe Lowery joins this week's podcast to chat about some of the up-and-coming young U.S. players to watch ahead of the start of the 2020 Major League Soccer season.  

Seattle Sounders Academy Director Marc Nicholls on Developing Future Pro Players

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