[U.S. SOCCER] Northern Californian Edwin Lara, one of the brightest young stars in the U.S. youth national team program, is being courted by theMexican soccer federation (FMF). Lara, who turned 15 on Sept. 8, has been a starter on Coach Richie Williams’ U.S. U-17 national team.
“I haven’t made up my mind yet,” Lara toldthe San Jose Mercury News while attending a Northern California
Sources say Lara, who has alreadytrained with Mexican club Pachuca, is currently training with Mexico’s U-17 national team in Mexico City.
He is one of the players brought into the U.S. national team fold byHugo Perez, the USSF’s Northwest Technical Advisor who was recently relieved of his U-15 national team head coaching duties.
Lara, who started youth ball with theHayward Tecos, has played for De Anza Force and San Jose Earthquakes U.S. Soccer Development Academy teams.
Lara debuted for the U-17s last December and played in victories over England (5-1)and Brazil (4-1). Lara was also part of the U.S. U-17s’ tournament victories in Sarajevo in April and in Turkey in January.
Although young for this U-17 cycle, Lara, a left-footedplayer, seems poised to start for the USA in qualifying play for the 2015 U-17 World Cup — unless he chooses to represent Mexico.
The USA failed to qualify for the 2013 U-17 World Cup after arecord 14 straight appearances. Mexico finished runner-up at the UAE-hosted 2013 U-17 World Cup after lifting the title on home soil in 2011.
In past years, U.S. products EdgarCastillo and Joe Corona played for Mexican youth national teams before committing the USA. Richard Sanchez, who was born in California and raised in Texas,Texan Uvaldo Luna and Californian Julio Morales played for Mexico at the 2013 U-20 World Cup.
One of the goalkeepers on the current Mexico U-17 teamis Abraham Romero, a product of the LA Galaxy academy program and a former U.S. U-17 resident in Bradenton.
Some of us saw that coming a year ago.
The tendency if Klinsmann to frequently choosing German-American or European-American players over Mexican American (or Mexican-based) player will discourage any young Mexican American from joining the USMNT. Klinsmann apparently chooses Mexican American players only for second rated events like the Gold Cup and ignores them for the major one, which is the world cup.
We do NOT need him. We need more German and English premier style players.
I’m sorry I am Mexican-American and I grew up in the US, why wouldn’t you play for the US national team? Yes Mexico is a great team and country, but if you were born here, gre up here, and benefitted from our country, step up and play for it!
This young guy is NOT National team material, as talented he could be, anyone who “Has not made his mind yet” is not National team material. To defend our colors you should be 100% commited, and no doubt in your mind that you ARE American.
Every time I’ve seen his name come up on the roster for internationals he has been Unattached. I don’t personally know this player, but I see the mercenary mentality all the time with talented kids. Unfortunately, it comes from their parents, who are always great fans of the game but not team players, always insistent that their kid is special and deserves special treatment. Is this kid like that? I can’t say, but I hope JK finds a way to integrate, foster and grow the talent in this country.
Amos, thats probably what England fans say. Not the best model to follow
Mike, really?? Dont we have a few German born players on USA’s Senior team that were undecided just before joining us?? Klins held out a long time for them waiting on that very decision. Actually, I am willing to bet that had most of those German Born players been offered a secure spot on the German Natiopnal team they would all not be wearing USA colors. I guess we have quite a few Non National Team Material players on our team at the moment.
Mike – Nice read. The issue is complicated. US Soccer hasn’t decided what it wants to grow up to be. Not surprising, the current USMNT has an international, Euro-centric feel under JK. Prior regimes reflected mainstream, suburban US youth soccer products. And this is still the case for the current US Soccer Development Academy system. In the meantime, inner-city soccer is flourishing off the radar with some players finding their way to Academy clubs—but there are many more that are not. US Soccer, along with its USYSA and US Club soccer affiliates, and the MLS have not focused on this inner-city demographic, comprised primarily of 1st and 2nd generation immigrant players. This is a demographic weighed heavily towards Mexican and other Spanish-speaking communities, but includes other immigrant groups as well. The net result is talent leakage. Additionally, professional Mexican soccer clubs have embraced soccer capitalism to the fullest and are setting up shop throughout the country. CF Monterrey is the latest to make a concerted effort to mine US youth soccer quarries, hiring American, often White, franchise coordinators to establish affiliate clubs with the explicit goal of exporting American talent. This is how Uvaldo Luna and Abel Fuentes, both US born players from the same neighborhood in Houston, TX, ended up at Tigres and subsequently on the roster of Mexican national teams. The idea that two American players from inner-city Houston were overlooked by US Soccer, offered professional contracts in Mexico, and then courted by FMF is disappointing. I hope someone at US Soccer has the wherewithal to understand the situation and cares enough to do something about it.
Sounds like we are letting a Little Hugo Perez, slip through our “Feet” again… Que Lastima…We Need Our own Messi, to go with the Tremendous Workrate and Forza of our Current Squad..
He can make whatever choice he wants. But the reality is that US soccer would have wasted two years of paying for a kid to go to national team camps… international tourneys… He is not the only one going south. This energy could have been given to somebody who would never even have to question there loyalty. He is not the only one from this group to be … say uncomitted… But as we can see already this dual national hype is just becoming a way to raise your stock. I have seen Lara play many times. He is great… and very fast. But he was also a fully grown man child when the other boys still didnt have there first pimple.
BJ, It seems they choose to go in every direction. Not only south. Rossi went east. I would bet most of the German Born Players would pick Germany over USA in a heartbeat if given the choice. Are we wasting years with them?? Because if we are you better tell Klins soon. He’s looking to get more on roster. Do you think Lara will stop growing or getting any faster before the other kids that didnt mature as fast as him?? Or get better as a player?? I understand you thinking a slower maturing player has a disadvantage when young vs faster maturing players but you also must understand that maturing later doesnt neccessarily gaurantee theyn will be drastically better or catch up to players like Lara. It can go either way my friend.
Futsal, here lies the crux of the problem. Your right, maturing later does not gaurantee that they will catch up. Lara was given the best training from top PDP coaching, ID2, and national camps and tourneys. Therefore we should expect great great things right? You are right, it can go either way, I wonder which way it would go if we invested in late bloomers a little more. And worry about the resume a little less. I will be following Lara’s career because my Son was in his age group and attended many similar things. But he was very small. Despite his size he was still picked to be in the same circle several times with different programs… but rarely chosen for the final draw to natinal camps and over seas trips. And he was told it was because of his lack of physicality. Mine would have given his left you know what to put that jersey on…
Bj, I hear you man. Very hard to know who will be where from 15 to 18 or 20. Or is it?? Germany, Spain, Netherlands seem to have it down to a science. More than 90% of their World Cup players have been identified from U15-U18 with more than at least 3+ years of Youth National Team experience. Are they picking them big or small?? Or are they looking at the potential of these players regardless of anything else?? My guess is potential. Those 3 teams are the most succesful in the last 2 World Cups and very consistent. Now look at African Teams Youth National Team experience. Complete opposite.
BJ, send me your email if you can. I’d like to talk to you.
nthewood@sbcglobal.net
I find it ridiculous that some of these Chicanos have time to think about playing for Mexico. Yeah, maybe their parents are Mexican, but still. Richard Sanchez and Uvaldo Luna are just paisas. That’s why they chose Mexico over US Soccer. Those are the type of people that don’t care bout USA and think they’re 100% Mexican, when they’re not. They yell “¡Viva México!”, but take the American citizenship for granted. They root for Mexico and don’t give a shit bout the US. It’s a shame, cause it’s a waste of opportunity. There’s a lotta Mexican born people in USA that wanna become citizens cause they love USA, but people like Sanchez and Luna don’t give shit. I was born in Mexico and played youth soccer in USA. If I’d turned pro, I would’ve chose the US over Mexico.
Hilde, maybe people think the same about you. You are born mexican and want to play for USA. Whats the difference?? You think the German born players currently on senior team would not pick germany first or foremost over USA if given the chance??
BJ little ones get passed up everywhere, not just here in the states. In regards to Lara they have the right to do whats best for him. I’m sure they gave also spent some serious money, time, and effort to get him where he is at. Lara was originally an attacking player the first time I seen him play. Probably the best in the country. He was switched to left back, I’m sure that took some serious convincing. What makes Lara ia great left back is the offensive he can create through the left flank and that power and accuracy of that left foot. Now, if you want a straight up defender in the left that is shackled to his position, Lara is not that player. He is fortunate enough to have choices, that’s the way I look at it. By they way, he was a beast way before PDP and all the rest of the stuff
Yeah you would to cuz your an ass licker echavarria all this players choose Mexico cuz its better soccer team and people like you don’t have no nation u think real Americans would want you on there team they want German or European players you suck!