College soccer could be undergoing one of its biggest structural changes in decades. The NCAA’s proposed move to a two-semester season has generated considerable debate, with supporters arguing that a longer calendar would improve the quality of competition, reduce fixture congestion, and create a better environment for players.
But there’s a more fundamental question worth asking: Does college soccer still matter when it comes to developing professional players?
For decades, college soccer was an established pathway into MLS. Today, professional academies have largely replaced that route. We discuss how that transition happened, why college soccer has lost much of its relevance in the professional game, and whether changing the calendar will make any meaningful difference.
The conversation also raises an interesting possibility: What if university soccer programs could compete within the American professional soccer pyramid rather than operating exclusively under the NCAA?
From there, we revisit Yan Diomande, whose rise in European football continues to expose a problem we’ve discussed for years. American soccer has talented players who never receive the opportunities necessary to reach their potential. Diomande managed to find a way through, but how many others never get that chance?
An extraordinary cup upset involving Arsenal provides another opportunity to examine the importance of open competition. These are the moments that make football special, when smaller clubs can compete against established giants and entire communities rally behind something that belongs to them.
We also discuss Christian Pulisic, the performances of American players abroad, and why having more USMNT players competing in Europe doesn’t necessarily mean the national team is closing the gap on the world’s best.
Finally, we turn our attention to the USL, where another round of club closures raises questions about the financial viability of lower-division soccer in America.
Why do these clubs continue to fold? What incentives exist for investors to keep them alive? And would genuine promotion and relegation change the economics of owning a lower-division club?
Throughout the episode, we return to a central theme: The structure of American soccer determines the incentives, opportunities, and limitations faced by clubs and players alike.
00:00 Intro
05:39 NCAA Men’s Soccer Calendar Change
07:05 What Happened to College Soccer?
13:27 Will the Schedule Change Make Any Difference?
20:48 College Teams Competing in the Professional Soccer Pyramid
23:33 Yan Diomande and the Canyons of American Soccer
26:04 If MLS Really Wanted Diomande, They Would Have Made It Happen
30:10 Arsenal Knocked Out of the Carabao Cup by Fourth-Division Side Fleetwood
36:03 Pulisic Extends His Deal with AC Milan
39:06 Is Pulisic the Best USMNT Player?
41:54 Sebastian Berhalter at Middlesbrough
43:46 USMNT Players Finding Success Overseas
47:25 Why USL Teams Fold
54:44 Will Fewer USL Clubs Fold with Promotion and Relegation?
56:28 Ronaldo Jr. Called Up to Portugal’s U17 National Team
Premium Education for either Coaches or Parents
If you are a coach or a parent of a player, we've also codified and made available the remarkable work of a coach who trained and shepherded many, many players from the age of 9 all the way to graduating them to being professionals. The products that show you how this was done, is what sponsors this episode. Get aboard a proven path, a legitimately proven path, not something copied or synthesized from elsewhere, or worse. No, but rather a first hand account and curriculum directly from the source, from the practitioners themselves, whose work is unprecedented in the American soccer environment.For Coaches
Learn the methodology at 343coaching.com. If you're coaching 7v7, we've got you covered at 7v7coaching.com.For Parents
You don't have to be lost and confused. Learn to properly guide and develop your kid through the maze and pitfalls that is American soccer (from the folks who have actually done it). Gain access at 343masterclass.com.Never miss new episodes:
- Subscribe to 3four3 FM on iTunes
- Subscribe to 3four3 FM on Stitcher
- Subscribe to 3four3 FM on Spotify
Coaching Education Program
This is brought to you by the 3four3 coaching education program. Learn more and join over 1000 coaches using our proven possession-based methodology.Parent Education Program
Leave a Reply