The Daily Dirt, January 18: Atlanta United academy players in first team preseason

One of the biggest potential negatives of Atlanta United conducting the first two weeks of their training camp in Bradenton, Florida was losing the interaction between the academy teams and the first team. However, according to Will Parchman, that will not be the case.

It would be one thing if preseason was being conducted at the club’s training facility and the academy kids were already there. In this case, academy players will be brought with the team to Florida to train alongside the professional players. To my knowledge, no MLS team has ever done this sort of thing before on this scale.

These are the types of moves that, while they do not seem like much right now and likely will not result in many Homegrown Signings straight away, create a culture of professional development. The academy players will get a taste of what it means to play for Tata Martino. They will take that level back to their academy training sessions. They will know where they stand with the first team.

The New York Red Bulls are perhaps signaling an intent to play their young players more with the trade of Dax McCarty. This makes room for Homegrown Players Sean Davis and Tyler Adams to see the field. Atlanta United is making a commitment on the other side of the development spectrum, incorporating academy players into first team training camps and sessions as early as possible. These types of moves will better the league in the long run.

Domestic

Patrick Vieira says that NYCFC’s philosophies won’t change in 2017 (ESPN)

More on the Dax McCarty trade and how it will affect the New York Red Bulls and Chicago Fire moving forward (FourFourTwo)

Could Jonathan Dos Santos be headed to the LA Galaxy to join his brother Giovani? (Goal)

What do the New York Red Bulls and Mike D’Antoni’s Phoenix Suns have in common? (Once a Metro)

Tim Howard speaks about the state of the USMNT in the wake of Jurgen Klinsmann’s firing (USA Today)

Herculez Gomez announced his retirement (Yahoo)

NASL needs to add four teams in 2018 to maintain its D2 status (Soccer America)

USWNT could be headed for a strike (NY Post)

Lynn Williams talks about her goals for 2017 with the North Carolina Courage in the NWSL (Excelle Sports)

International

Can Real Madrid get even better following the end of their streak? (SB Nation)

Former Atlanta Silverbacks forward Deon McCaulay scored for Belize in their 3-1 loss to El Salvador:

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