Academy Parts Ways With Three

[Nestease]

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2011/05...rts-ways-three

Toronto FC announced Thursday that they have parted ways with Keven Aleman, Dino Gardiner, and Jonathan Lao all players from the Toronto FC Academy program.

“We ask that our Academy players sign a letter of commitment, which is an agreement between our club and player that they will receive the best training and development opportunities, with the goal of reaching the first team,” said Toronto FC Head Coach and Technical Director Aron Winter. “These players have decided not to commit to our Academy in order to pursue tryouts overseas.”

Gardiner and Lao were members of the Academy senior squad while Aleman was a member of the junior squad. Aleman spent time with the first team during the preseason.

Aleman Bio: http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1589/...yne-de-rosario

[TFCRegina]

I hope things work out for them.

[DichioTFC]

it truly is a shame, Aleman and Lao were outstanding in the very limited time that I had seen them play.

I'm sure those three will find a way to professional football sooner rather than later, but in all honesty, to me this speaks volumes about the club. When we can't convince local kids to stick around, we're in big trouble.

[gomesv]

I hope things work out for them.

I saw Aleman play in the U17 world cup qualifications in Jamaica during my trip......He was pretty impressive to watch and I think he'll do well over in Europe.....hopefully we see him back with TFC one day.

[ag futbol]

MLS is going to keep learning the hard way there is no "cheap" way to keep your prospects unless you actually put them under contract.

I think Chivas lost a kid last year who ended up starting in the Boca / River derby.

[mastermixer]

So are we going to have problems keeping academy players at TFC too? Hopefully this is the exception more than the norm.

[London]

aleman will be a big loss, very good player for sure,

it sucks that the academy loses players.

[Whoop]

It's a reality in MLS that players, especially academy kids, will want to go overseas and try their luck.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

meh, i dont hope they succeed as id rather have them play here (and im that petty).
As discussed in todays news thread, i think it speaks more about the league than it does the club. Theres nothing to indicate that this has anyhting to do with the club at all. If anything it states the kids wanna try their luck in europe. Its still the MLS and kids are still going to leave if they think theyve got a better chance in Europe.

[Section 117]

MLS is going to keep learning the hard way there is no "cheap" way to keep your prospects unless you actually put them under contract.

I think Chivas lost a kid last year who ended up starting in the Boca / River derby.

For the most part these kids should not be signing contracts as professionals. The reason for that is that they would lose their eligiblity to play in college. It is a safety net for most players and unless thy are sure fire locks to become professionals I would advise them not to sign a contract.

TFC's academy will forever have this problem as the allure of playing in Europe is too great for most kids to pass up. It is the dream like most hockey players want to play in the NHL

[London]

so why are we opening up this giant compound if this is going to continue??


or am i way off???

[flamehawk]

Nooooo....

I was looking forward to Lao and Aleman continuing on with us.

[Shep]

so why are we opening up this giant compound if this is going to continue??


or am i way off???

There'll be plenty of kids who are willing to commit to TFC for the chance to train there I'm sure.

Curious though, does anyone know if other youth adacemies (Europe or otherwise) have similar stipulations?

Personally I have no issue with the Academy requesting a commitment (within reason), it's a big investment to put into a person if they just up and leave as soon as something seemingly better pops up. I wish the boys success, but at the same time, I hope they don't get dreams squashed across the pond and find themselves without an option to come home to.

I assume too, even if a player does commit, the club can always grant them permission to travel and train elsewhere if the circumstances are right.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

so why are we opening up this giant compound if this is going to continue??


or am i way off???

not every kid will go to europe and some kids will blossom at a diff time etc etc

[Beach_Red]

For the most part these kids should not be signing contracts as professionals. The reason for that is that they would lose their eligiblity to play in college. It is a safety net for most players and unless thy are sure fire locks to become professionals I would advise them not to sign a contract.

TFC's academy will forever have this problem as the allure of playing in Europe is too great for most kids to pass up. It is the dream like most hockey players want to play in the NHL

So how does this work, will the kids will have to chose between the TFC academy and NCAA scholarships if they get offers?

[Section 117]

So how does this work, will the kids will have to chose between the TFC academy and NCAA scholarships if they get offers?

If a player signs a professional contract and are getting paid to train and participate they looses their amateur status, so they can't play in the NCAA, I am not sure about Canadain university.

If I recall the MLS worked out something to let the academy kids sign these letters that Winter said the 3 refused to sign and keep their eligibility.

I know is other sports if a college kid hires an agent he looses his eligibility as well. I am not sure if this still applies.

But I hope that these kids have the proper support group around them that are looking out for them first and not just solely financial. Cause it is easy to sell the dream, but reality sucks.

[werewolf]

TFC will be due Training Compensation when the players become professionals.

http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affe...sfer2010_e.pdf

Training compensation shall be paid to a player’s training club(s): (1) when a
player signs his fi rst contract as a professional and (2) each time a professional
is transferred until the end of the season of his 23rd birthday. The obligation
to pay training compensation arises whether the transfer takes place during
or at the end of the player’s contract.

Page 23

1. A player’s training and education takes place between the ages of 12 and 23. Training compensation shall be payable, as a general rule, up to the age of 23 for training incurred up to the age of 21, unless it is evident that a player has already terminated his training period before the age of 21. In the latter case, training compensation shall be payable until the end of the season in which the player reaches the age of 23, but the calculation of the amount payable shall be based on the years between the age of 12 and the age when it is established that the player actually completed his training.
2. The obligation to pay training compensation is without prejudice to any
obligation to pay compensation for breach of contract.

Page 59 onwards.

[CretanBull]

^ Read section 60. If the players aren't under contract to the club who trained them then the training team isn't owed anything.

[ElvistheEvilScotsman]

I understand the spirit of the TFC academy contract but I dont blame these kids at all. Why would you commit to a team that pays youth jackall and then holds them to a ransom contract with very little reward? Attakora is a great example of being under paid compared to his peers frozen out as he wants to be paid fairly.

[Nestease]

If a player signs a professional contract and are getting paid to train and participate they looses their amateur status, so they can't play in the NCAA, I am not sure about Canadain university.

Players also drop their amateur status for one year at the Canadian University level. Andrea Lombardo played for York after being dropped from TFC. They had to forfeit the four games he participated in.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

i seem to think thats been changed recently

[prizby]

Players also drop their amateur status for one year at the Canadian University level. Andrea Lombardo played for York after being dropped from TFC. They had to forfeit the four games he participated in.

CIS rules are a bit confusing...that same year Gabe Gala and Nana Attakora played for UofT and York respetively...difference between them and Lombardo was they were on a developmental contract while he was a on a 'pro' contract...look at St. Mary's...they got Mike Danton who use to be an NHL player...with Danton though, he had to start in his 3rd year of eligibility because you lose a year for each year you are a pro past the age of 21

at the same time though, I haven't been able to figure out why Haley Wickenheiser was on year 1 of eligibility with Calgary this year (she played professionaly in Finland, albeit in a mens league)

[werewolf]

^ Read section 60. If the players aren't under contract to the club who trained them then the training team isn't owed anything.

Registered doesn't necessarily mean signed a contract, just registered to play for them. You have to be registered for a team to play a match for them, i.e. CSL.

. On registering as a professional for the first time, the club with which the
player is registered is responsible for paying training compensation within 30
days of registration to every club with which the player has previously been
registered (in accordance with the players’ career history as provided in the
player passport) and that has contributed to his training starting from the
season of his 12th birthday. The amount payable is calculated on a pro rata
basis according to the period of training that the player spent with each club.
In the case of subsequent transfers of the professional, training compensation
will only be owed to his former club for the time he was effectively trained by
that club.

[Benficachop20]

NOOOOOOO!!! i really wanted to see Aleman playing for the senior team. Have high expectations and really thought he would be a big star for the club.

For those who don't know Dino Gardiner, he's a rb. Another player i had hopes for. His playing style reminds me of Maicon (not as good of course but an example) loves to get forward and takes on defenders very well and looked pretty built for a young guy. He played for Canada's u18 team but i believe recently he was called up by Jamaica's u20 team.

[Pookie]

I'm sure those three will find a way to professional football sooner rather than later, but in all honesty, to me this speaks volumes about the club. When we can't convince local kids to stick around, we're in big trouble.

The issue you raise speaks to the larger picture of youth development and career aspirations. These 3 players may have better opportunities in Europe but for the bulk of these kids, there is a bigger question.

If you are asking a youth soccer player to commit to TFC and the base salaries that earning a first team spot would represent, you are forcing them to make a very tough decision.

If you take hockey as an example, many players are foregoing the quicker "route to the NHL" that is the CHL in favour of NCAA opportunities. They recognize that making it to the big time is a long shot, regardless of your talent and having something to fall back on is important.

No one would recommend that they would forego an education in favour of a spot on an East Coast League Professional team. That's effectively what you are asking a kid to do to sign on to the MLS.

Nana didn't get rich off his $40k salary. And he was (and still is) a good Canadian player.. Without an education, players like him are an injury away from a low paying career for life. Of course, there are exceptions but the stats say that without an education your income is lower.

Addressing this as part of the "commitment" is an important factor if we want the Academy to take off.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

id argue that but at 40k you can still afford to go to school or get osap like the rest of us schmucks, hes still young and youre never too old for an education

[CretanBull]

Registered doesn't necessarily mean signed a contract, just registered to play for them. You have to be registered for a team to play a match for them, i.e. CSL.

"Registered as a professional" - these players weren't professional.

Compensation is not due if:

i. the former club terminates the player’s contract without just cause
(without prejudice to the rights of the previous clubs); or

ii. the player is transferred to a category 4 club; or

iii. a professional reacquires amateur status on being transferred.

1. These players weren't under contract to TFC to beging with.

2. The players weren't transferred

3. The players weren't professional.

[werewolf]

Yes, when they register as a professional for the first time (sign first pro contract), their previous clubs are entitled to reimbursement.

On registering as a professional for the first time, the club with which the
player is registered is responsible for paying training compensation within 30
days of registration to every club with which the player has previously been
registered (in accordance with the players’ career history as provided in the
player passport) and that has contributed to his training starting from the
season of his 12th birthday.

[denime]

Yes, when they register as a professional for the first time (sign first pro contract), their previous clubs are entitled to reimbursement.

True and there is a way how they calculate how much clubs are getting based on from what country player is coming.

I don't remember exactly what formula they are using but I know that club that develop player in Holland get most $$.

For example TFC will get $20K for Aleman,while Holland club would get for him $100K.

[CretanBull]

Registered doesn't necessarily mean signed a contract, just registered to play for them. You have to be registered for a team to play a match for them, i.e. CSL.

I just spoke to someone who's involved in these things. What it comes down to is what is meant by "parting ways". If these players have been released from their obligation to TFC, then we aren't owed anything under any circumstance.

If the players are transferred to their new clubs (even on a free transfer) then we're owed money if they sign a pro contract. If the player goes from one academy to another (and keeps amature status) we get nothing now, but will get money if the player signs a pro contract within 30 months.