1. Anias Smith
2 Haynes King
3. Chase Lane
4. Demas
5. Achane
6. Leon O'Neal
7. Baylor Cupp
8. Myles Jones
9. Hez Jones
10. Caleb Chapman.

Edit: I'm not saying they can play now. What I'm saying is if they had been in a DA at age 11, they could be world class now.

I will take the punters and kickers and Achane and beat your 10

MookieBlaylock said:

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I will take the punters and kickers and Achane and beat your 10

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Well, I'm going to say that the kickers and punters are good at kicking because they kicked alot.

But you fail to realize that I'm not saying they can play now. What I'm saying is if you put them in an MLS next program at 11, they could be world class now.

The kickers and punters play football because they failed at futbal.
So Mr. Blaylock, suck on my 4th leg.

Sure. They might be really good given those conditions. Or they might not.

Also, it's futbol.

Couple of those guys gonna have crazy long limbs flailing around and would have no ball handling skills

jeffk said:

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Sure. They might be really good given those conditions. Or they might not.

Also, it's futbol.

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Could be great. Could.

Your thread title is confusing then.

jeffk said:

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Your thread title is confusing then.

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Apparently.

I think everyone agrees getting all the top athletes to train in soccer would increase the chance you would produce more top soccer players. It's a conversation that has been to run to death over the years. I do think a lot of the athletes you selected have the kind athleticism that would translate well to soccer. Achane is a great choice for a defense midfielder/destroyer.

However, in my experience, there were plenty of amazing athletes on my youth teams that just had no ability to play soccer. They went on to be football stars, or basketball stars, but I think everyone is born with a base level of foot-eye coordination.And a lot of those people will just never pick it up. Which goes for most sports. (not sure if thats a term, but its the only way I can explain it)

So you have a time machine to send those players back an MLS training program?

Pretty sure the aussie can play soccer

And its not like soccer was just discovered here in Merica

All those players had the opportunity to play and went football most likely bc they suck with their feet

Soccer is way harder of a sport to be skillful at than football

MookieBlaylock said:

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And its not like soccer was just discovered here in Merica

All those players had the opportunity to play and went football most likely bc they suck with their feet

Soccer is way harder of a sport to be skillful at than football

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More like they went to play football because of $$$$$$$$

akm91 said:

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MookieBlaylock said:

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And its not like soccer was just discovered here in Merica

All those players had the opportunity to play and went football most likely bc they suck with their feet

Soccer is way harder of a sport to be skillful at than football

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More like they went to play football because of $$$$$$$$

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Which is funny because there's more money in soccer.

jeffk said:

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Sure. They might be really good given those conditions. Or they might not.

Also, it's futbol.

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Or fussball ?

Alan G.

I always thought that Johnny Manziel would have been a phenomenal soccer player. Speed, balance, agility, fight, ability to make something out of nothing. Perfect size for a creative midfielder whereas "too short" for professional qb.

Kevin the 3-legged dog said:

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akm91 said:

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MookieBlaylock said:

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And its not like soccer was just discovered here in Merica

All those players had the opportunity to play and went football most likely bc they suck with their feet

Soccer is way harder of a sport to be skillful at than football

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More like they went to play football because of $$$$$$$$

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Which is funny because there's more money in soccer.

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If you're American kid who wants to make big money in sports, the clearest and most familiar path forward is to play basketball, football, and/or baseball. For those sports, the best leagues in the world are here in the USA, the best youth development programs in the world are here in the USA, and they dominate our TV market.

And to go back to Mookie's post, most of those guys probably never spent much time or any at all trying to figure out if they were any good at soccer. They figured out they were good at football and that's case closed if you're in the USA.

The other thing is that at the elite level, you can play basketball, football, and baseball for free (funded by school system). For the most part, soccer is pay-to-play. I realize that there are DA sides where players don't pay but that is a tiny amount of roster spots.

ThunderCougarFalconBird said:

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The other thing is that at the elite level, you can play basketball, football, and baseball for free (funded by school system). For the most part, soccer is pay-to-play. I realize that there are DA sides where players don't pay but that is a tiny amount of roster spots.

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Well, to be fair, only in football is the highest level not pay to play. Baseball and basketball, the highest level is played in club.

TXAggie2011 said:

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Kevin the 3-legged dog said:

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akm91 said:

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MookieBlaylock said:

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And its not like soccer was just discovered here in Merica

All those players had the opportunity to play and went football most likely bc they suck with their feet

Soccer is way harder of a sport to be skillful at than football

---

More like they went to play football because of $$$$$$$$

---

Which is funny because there's more money in soccer.

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If you're American kid who wants to make big money in sports, the clearest and most familiar path forward is to play basketball, football, and/or baseball. For those sports, the best leagues in the world are here in the USA, the best youth development programs in the world are here in the USA, and they dominate our TV market.

And to go back to Mookie's post, most of those guys probably never spent much time or any at all trying to figure out if they were any good at soccer. They figured out they were good at football and that's case closed if you're in the USA.

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Which is why it's funny.

FIDO95 said:

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I always thought that Johnny Manziel would have been a phenomenal soccer player. Speed, balance, agility, fight, ability to make something out of nothing. Perfect size for a creative midfielder whereas "too short" for professional qb.

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I've thought the same thing as well for a while. When the argument of how good would the US be if guys like Lebron played soccer I always think it isn't the Lebron's that would make a better USNT but more likely all of those fringe professionals of other sports that could have chose soccer but didn't for whatever reason.

FIDO95 said:

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I always thought that Johnny Manziel would have been a phenomenal soccer player. Speed, balance, agility, fight, ability to make something out of nothing. Perfect size for a creative midfielder whereas "too short" for professional qb.

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I think his ability to bounce off players, and change his course without really losing speed would translate. He had phenomenal balance.
Also, vision and awareness of players surrounding you play a BIG part in soccer, which were attributes he had in spades. "pocket presence" so to speak.

PatAg said:

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FIDO95 said:

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I always thought that Johnny Manziel would have been a phenomenal soccer player. Speed, balance, agility, fight, ability to make something out of nothing. Perfect size for a creative midfielder whereas "too short" for professional qb.

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I think his ability to bounce off players, and change his course without really losing speed would translate. He had phenomenal balance.
Also, vision and awareness of players surrounding you play a BIG part in soccer, which were attributes he had in spades. "pocket presence" so to speak.

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Couldn't agree more. I've said that for years.

tysker said:

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FIDO95 said:

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I always thought that Johnny Manziel would have been a phenomenal soccer player. Speed, balance, agility, fight, ability to make something out of nothing. Perfect size for a creative midfielder whereas "too short" for professional qb.

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I've thought the same thing as well for a while. When the argument of how good would the US be if guys like Lebron played soccer I always think it isn't the Lebron's that would make a better USNT but more likely all of those fringe professionals of other sports that could have chose soccer but didn't for whatever reason.

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The LeBron sized athletes of the world aren't in soccer for a reason.

PatAg said:

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tysker said:

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FIDO95 said:

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I always thought that Johnny Manziel would have been a phenomenal soccer player. Speed, balance, agility, fight, ability to make something out of nothing. Perfect size for a creative midfielder whereas "too short" for professional qb.

---

I've thought the same thing as well for a while. When the argument of how good would the US be if guys like Lebron played soccer I always think it isn't the Lebron's that would make a better USNT but more likely all of those fringe professionals of other sports that could have chose soccer but didn't for whatever reason.

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The LeBron sized athletes of the world aren't in soccer for a reason.

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Exactly. You think if Luka weren't his height he wouldn't be playing soccer?

PatAg said:

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tysker said:

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FIDO95 said:

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I always thought that Johnny Manziel would have been a phenomenal soccer player. Speed, balance, agility, fight, ability to make something out of nothing. Perfect size for a creative midfielder whereas "too short" for professional qb.

---

I've thought the same thing as well for a while. When the argument of how good would the US be if guys like Lebron played soccer I always think it isn't the Lebron's that would make a better USNT but more likely all of those fringe professionals of other sports that could have chose soccer but didn't for whatever reason.

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The LeBron sized athletes of the world aren't in soccer for a reason.

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Indeed which is the argument comes across as silly. Myles Garrett isnt built like a soccer player. The fringe tennis pro players and your typical D1 college MBB walkons seem like a more likely group of players that 'coulda gone pro in soccer.' That being said, soccer lends itself to more body types and builds than other many other pro sports.

Kevin the 3-legged dog said:

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PatAg said:

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tysker said:

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FIDO95 said:

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I always thought that Johnny Manziel would have been a phenomenal soccer player. Speed, balance, agility, fight, ability to make something out of nothing. Perfect size for a creative midfielder whereas "too short" for professional qb.

---

I've thought the same thing as well for a while. When the argument of how good would the US be if guys like Lebron played soccer I always think it isn't the Lebron's that would make a better USNT but more likely all of those fringe professionals of other sports that could have chose soccer but didn't for whatever reason.

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The LeBron sized athletes of the world aren't in soccer for a reason.

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Exactly. You think if Luka weren't his height he wouldn't be playing soccer?

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In Luka's situation specifically, his dad was a pro basketball player and coach. Luka grew up in a pro gym. Never had a choice, and as a Mavs fan I'm thankful someone with his handles didn't try to play a sport with only his feet

TXAggie2011 said:

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Kevin the 3-legged dog said:

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PatAg said:

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tysker said:

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FIDO95 said:

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I always thought that Johnny Manziel would have been a phenomenal soccer player. Speed, balance, agility, fight, ability to make something out of nothing. Perfect size for a creative midfielder whereas "too short" for professional qb.

---

I've thought the same thing as well for a while. When the argument of how good would the US be if guys like Lebron played soccer I always think it isn't the Lebron's that would make a better USNT but more likely all of those fringe professionals of other sports that could have chose soccer but didn't for whatever reason.

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The LeBron sized athletes of the world aren't in soccer for a reason.

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Exactly. You think if Luka weren't his height he wouldn't be playing soccer?

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In Luka's situation specifically, his dad was a pro basketball player and coach. Luka grew up in a pro gym. Never had a choice, and as a Mavs fan I'm thankful someone with his handles didn't try to play a sport with only his feet

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Well, yeah, he's different. He's still pretty good with his feet.

Johnny would be great at any sport he decided to play. He just has it.

Current players, give me Achane. The right size and speed for days. I could see him being a Raheem Sterling.