Anybody played pro or semi-pro on here?

[BlueLonghorn]

I played select soccer in Austin, Texas until 18. My club toured Germany in 1990 after they won the World Cup, as well as touring Scandinavia in 1993 and playing in the Dana Cup and Gothia Cup. I then moved to Arlington, TX in 1994 for college and earned a place with a short-lived club playing in USISL (div 3, semi-pro) called the Texas Lightning. There were paid and non-paid players on the team; I was only 18 and was non-paid. If I remember correctly we finished bottom of our division that season and I never saw the field in a competitive match, but I played a bit in a few friendlies with teams in preseason like FC Daugava Riga from Latvia.

Now I play co-ed indoor soccer to keep "fit" (still fat, LOL). We finished 7-1 this season though and won promotion!

 

[Fame Monster]

Numerous trials for City, Rochdale, Leeds, united and played for Bolton academy - my first two games were against Bayer Leverkusen and Ajax. Also played for Manchester Boys. I gave up when I discovered I was clever.

With hindsight you shouldn't have given up :-)

I only gave up when I realised that I was never going to be professional. Semi-pro was easily attainable, but the effort didn't justify the money when I had other things on my plate.

I had some great laughs, though, when playing. I remember going to Barcelona with my team comprised of the best inner city lads of Manchester; after two riots, we were expelled.

 

[Leyth Blue]

I played in the reserves for Leigh RLFC at age 16/17 (20 years ago). So much pain on the morning after matches!!!

 

[LCBblue]

Your welcome mate and thank you. Good luck with everything on your plate at the moment also.

Thanks. My son had his final tryout this morning, so we should find out soon enough whether he was able to make the cut. Generally played as a winger/striker for his teams and the coaches of this club picked those spots for him to tryout at as well. He scored a couple today, so hopefully he'll get the call. He's quite excited about it.

Sounds good mate, all the best of luck with it and bump the thread to let me know of his hopeful success! :)

 

[macmanson]

Thanks. My son had his final tryout this morning, so we should find out soon enough whether he was able to make the cut. Generally played as a winger/striker for his teams and the coaches of this club picked those spots for him to tryout at as well. He scored a couple today, so hopefully he'll get the call. He's quite excited about it.

Sounds good mate, all the best of luck with it and bump the thread to let me know of his hopeful success! :)

My son got the call this morning that he's made the Fury U14 squad. Haven't had a chance to let him know yet as he's still in school but I'm sure he'll be thrilled.

I'm happy for him that he'll be able to develop his skills with some professional coaching. The Fury seem to be involved with the Tottenham Hotspurs as they often run week long camps that are led by Tottenham coaches. This past summer it was Andy Rodgers, Ryan Hall & Alex Maton. Andy Rodgers has a FA Certificate in Talent Identification, so I would assume that talent identification would be part of the reason the Fury are involved with them.

Everton FC are also pretty heavily involved with the OSA (Ontario Soccer Association) and have some coaches involved as well as some talent scouts. There is a 12 year old who my son has played against a couple of times that just got a developmental deal with Everton a couple of months ago.

http://www.yourottawaregion.com/opinion/letters/article/244479

Here is some youtube clips he's made. Based on your experience with Leeds, how would you say the skill level compares to U13s/U14s there?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooByvjmPBmM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLL0MC5yPk8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhUHptgv2I0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf3fwBBr7-A&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/user/twardji#p/u/0/tmfp0afKK1s

 

[LCBblue]

Sounds good mate, all the best of luck with it and bump the thread to let me know of his hopeful success! :)

My son got the call this morning that he's made the Fury U14 squad. Haven't had a chance to let him know yet as he's still in school but I'm sure he'll be thrilled.

I'm happy for him that he'll be able to develop his skills with some professional coaching. The Fury seem to be involved with the Tottenham Hotspurs as they often run week long camps that are led by Tottenham coaches. This past summer it was Andy Rodgers, Ryan Hall & Alex Maton. Andy Rodgers has a FA Certificate in Talent Identification, so I would assume that talent identification would be part of the reason the Fury are involved with them.

Everton FC are also pretty heavily involved with the OSA (Ontario Soccer Association) and have some coaches involved as well as some talent scouts. There is a 12 year old who my son has played against a couple of times that just got a developmental deal with Everton a couple of months ago.

http://www.yourottawaregion.com/opinion/letters/article/244479

Here is some youtube clips he's made. Based on your experience with Leeds, how would you say the skill level compares to U13s/U14s there?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooByvjmPBmM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLL0MC5yPk8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhUHptgv2I0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf3fwBBr7-A&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/user/twardji#p/u/0/tmfp0afKK1s

Some very, very talented kids there mate. It's similar over here, now obviously they are very technically gifted as are many of our players here at Leeds.

I'm happy for your lad also, good for him I hope he go's far. How was his reaction when he got home? Obviously ecstatic but is he nervous? Or just looking forward to it?

Pleased for him and as said before, I hope he does really well for himself. :)

 

[bezdog]

I was in the same class as Paul butler if you've heard of him.?

But me personally was like kinkladze!! i wish.

I could do about one mazy run and score a wonder goal about every 7 years lol!

I was'nt called crazy legs for nothing!!

cheeky twunt's the lot of em oj.

I was crap. :^(

 

[macmanson]

My son got the call this morning that he's made the Fury U14 squad. Haven't had a chance to let him know yet as he's still in school but I'm sure he'll be thrilled.

I'm happy for him that he'll be able to develop his skills with some professional coaching. The Fury seem to be involved with the Tottenham Hotspurs as they often run week long camps that are led by Tottenham coaches. This past summer it was Andy Rodgers, Ryan Hall & Alex Maton. Andy Rodgers has a FA Certificate in Talent Identification, so I would assume that talent identification would be part of the reason the Fury are involved with them.

Everton FC are also pretty heavily involved with the OSA (Ontario Soccer Association) and have some coaches involved as well as some talent scouts. There is a 12 year old who my son has played against a couple of times that just got a developmental deal with Everton a couple of months ago.

http://www.yourottawaregion.com/opinion/letters/article/244479

Here is some youtube clips he's made. Based on your experience with Leeds, how would you say the skill level compares to U13s/U14s there?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooByvjmPBmM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLL0MC5yPk8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhUHptgv2I0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf3fwBBr7-A&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/user/twardji#p/u/0/tmfp0afKK1s

Some very, very talented kids there mate. It's similar over here, now obviously they are very technically gifted as are many of our players here at Leeds.

I'm happy for your lad also, good for him I hope he go's far. How was his reaction when he got home? Obviously ecstatic but is he nervous? Or just looking forward to it?

Pleased for him and as said before, I hope he does really well for himself. :)

Yeah, those 2 brothers are also into soccer freestyling as well which helps with the technical part. My son was quite excited about having made it and is eagerly awaiting his first training session, but is nervous about being in the starting 11. I just told him that he has to earn that by demonstrating in training that he's the best option they have available. That games are a chance to demonstrate what you've mastered in training. He's thrilled about the travelling aspect of it, as the club plays in a league with other pro/semi-pro youth teams in Canada & the US. He'll have the full "pro" experience. :)

He was just enjoying playing for local amateur clubs with friends up until about a year ago when his skill level improved vastly over his friends (something I attribute to back to back years of Futsal & ball mastery training) and he started taking training and playing seriously. This year his amateur team ended up a wash and he decided he'd had enough and wanted to pursue a spot with a top level team that took training seriously. Glad it was his decision to pursue it. He's even started working on his soccer freestyling tricks. :)

 

[HelloCity]

I usually just start off on regular and then move up to pro if it's not too difficult.

 

[Alba555]

I had a trial at Bournemouth when i was 15, but never made it :(

O well, I live in New Zealand now, and over here I'm the Messi of Australasia :p

Went to school with Adam Lallana though, and he's making a name for himself at Southampton to be fair