The Beautiful Game: Child’s Play
September 19th, 2008 . 8:58 am . By: Lorenzo de MediciIt has long been said that soccer is a young mans game and that the game seems to be getting “younger” all the time. In a sport where you are old at age 30 and most likely finished by age 34 there is a continuing emphasis on younger and younger players. Arsene Wenger at Arsenal seems to be a master of knowing just when a young player is ready to step in to his first team line-up, his nurturing and development of Theo Walcott just the latest of several examples. Schellas Hyndman seems totally immune to criticism, a result of a truly difficult upbringing allied to an apparent penchant for finding enjoyment in being kicked in the balls. It is amazing he was ever able to father children at all. (Personally I have a great dislike for any unwanted contact with my own privates either by foot, knee or soccer ball.) The fact that Schellas now has a grandson is testament to the durability of his own testes. Which brings me to the point of this article. Schellas Hyndman has a talented 12 year old grandson, a small boy not yet through puberty but with enough talent to have already peaked the interest of Newcastle United. No doubt the lad has the possibility and opportunity to progress to high levels eventually. That he is a regular part of FC Dallas’ practices and has even played in full field inter squad scrimmages should give all of us pause however. At least those of us that care about this teams direction. One wonders if this kid were just any kid off the street would he be allowed anywhere near FC Dallas’s practices as a participant and the answer is obvious. No he would not. The fact that he has played in these games while senior players have stood and watched from the sidelines (Dax McCarty, recent Olympian being one of these players) attests to the idiocy of this, the coaches, decision. What must these players be thinking? They just cannot be happy with this situation in any way, shape or form. What can they do about it this side of kicking the little lad two yards up in the air at the first opportunity? There is only one player on this team who could get away with that and still start and play 90 minutes in the attacking mid field role in the next game and we all know who that favorite son is. Schellas Hyndman has an agenda here and the agenda is the fast tracking to European stardom and money of his grandson. He is doing this at the expense of his employers, this team and it’s disbelieving players. No doubt, as part of his contract negotiations he discussed this in advance with HSG, may even have had it written into his contract. This doesn’t make it right and in fact the involvement of a child who is still biologically a young boy in a competitive game situation reeks of an arrogance almost beyond comprehension. This is the same self belief that has Bruno Guarda first on the team sheet, his name written in indelible ink, apparently never to be removed regardless of how often he gives the ball away. This is the same out-of-touch-with reality attitude that had Hyndman furious, five years ago, with Kenny Cooper for having the audacity to sign a guaranteed three year contract with some English pub team named Manchester United rather than play for the greatness that is Southern Methodist University. Does anyone believe, even for one minute that Arsene Wenger would allow anybody’s (much less his own) 12 year old grandson to participate in scrimmages with the first team? By the age of 15 Wayne Rooney was, biologically if not chronologically, a man and trained regularly with the Everton first team. He was fully grown and three years from now so may young Hyndman be. Similarly Ramon Núñez consistently trained with the Dallas Burn at the same age of 15 when he was mature enough to handle it. Schellas Hyndman’s grandson at the age of twelve has no business participating in training sessions with professional players. None. It seems like unless someone in the organization with the balls to step up and challenge the coach to a nut kicking contest this situation will continue, so don’t count on that happening anytime soon. Players will be lining up to get out of here come the effective end of the season, (which may well come this week-end) Next year’s line-up will be built around college players and the by then13 year old Emerson Hyndman will be a regular on the practice field. Good luck with that, we’re going to need it. 20 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment |
All things FCD have become a complete joke….and it will continue to get worse with a college coach who also couldn’t get it done at that level.
Quite a saga this season. At least it isn’t boring.
is there a chance SH now knows he’s in over his head? Maybe he wants to get fired and paid for doing nothing for the next 4 years.
“One wonders if this kid were just any kid off the street would he be allowed anywhere near FC Dallas’s practices as a participant and the answer is obvious. No he would not.”
Freddy Adu was a regular participant in DCU practices at age 12.
tanto bella giovinezza
che si fugge, tuttavia
chi vuol esser lieto sia
del doman non v’e’ certezza
dai Cantici di LDM
I thought the same thing myself when reading about him participating in practices. Maybe BG plays well with EH well at practice and they are planning for the future?
Really? You’re seriously criticizing the coach for allowing his grandson to kick around and practice some?
How about that Hispanic kid – Ledesma or something? – that was 14 and practicing with the team a while back?
There are a lot of legitimate, major issues to bring up with Hyndman. Allowing his grandson to kick a ball with professional athletes isn’t one of them. (See Peter’s article.) At most, it might be a distraction.
3rd Degree is better than this….
How hard do you think aby of these players are going to go against this kid? YOu know by nature they are going to let up, and not practice at 100%…and this will show in their GAme Day performance. Get the kid off the field…nepotism isn’t pretty, but the kid ain’t Michael Bradley, either.
Sal said:
“tanto bella giovinezza
che si fugge, tuttavia
chi vuol esser lieto sia
del doman non v’e’ certezza”
the song upon men’s lips in the troublesome times of the renaissance
If mountain views PIQUE your interest then sneak a peek from Pike’s Peak.
also: his, yours, ours, theirs and its have no apostrophe.
a practice touch of the ball by Emerson H. is a practice touch not enjoyed a squad member – not all of ‘em are exactly George Best
I’ve heard lots of people comment on the subject of EH’s involvement in the practices…and I’m not talking about people posting here or in other forums. Things said at FCD games, by season ticket holders, by those in the soccer community at large, etc.
I’ve gone out to practice once or twice a week for the past couple of months, the kid is not just kicking the ball around or doing drills, he is actually playing in formation scrimmages. IMHO – not good. He is small for his age and certainly has a lot of growing to do. No place for him in these type of practices. Warm ups, drills, ok I guess, but not scrimmages.
I went all grammar police on you only ’cause you’ve got a worthy viewpoint – the only way I’d disagree is if Emerson H. actually IS the next Georgie Best.
THANK YOU.
Thank you for having the cojones to stand up and say it out loud. I have been b****ing about this ever since the moment I heard about it, but I didn’t know just how far it went. Dax is my entire family’s favorite player and to hear about him being relegated to the sidelines while a 12 YEAR OLD gets to play is, in a word, disgusting.
I’ll be delivering my letter to the FO personally.
Yes I am husband of CM
Lets put aside for the moment that the kid is on the field. Lets just look at the professional side of this equation. Even if Wayne Rooney was practicing with the 1st team at 13,14,15 he came up through the system. He was on the youth team and made contributions to the club as a whole. He earned his spot as a professional. Let EH join the Juniors team. Hell let him play on the youth squads. Let him contribute to the team first before he gets his spot.
James… If he were a sideline participant in these practices I would agree. But that is not the case… By all reports the kid has been involved as much as any of the starting 11. And that is a problem.
Granted the kid is outstanding and maybe a Pele starter kit for all I know.
But this is insulting to the pros on the roster and SH’s intent is obvious and self-serving.
This is not something to dismiss and a worthy topic to be discussed and debated on 3rd Degree. It was something I had thought about adding into my commentary, but I am glad Leo has chosen to do so.
This is not a Div 1 college. It is the highest level of the sport in this country.. This is not the place for this kind of thing and the fact that SH doesn’t recognize that should raise alarms with the fans, the rosters, the other coaches, the front office and the ownership.
I believe it is time to bring in Coops dad to answer all the negative comments in regard to FC Dallas. Surely he can answer all these comments. Many comments have been made on this blog over the last year. May be it is time for a soccer forum. Come on Buzz, it is time to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth in regard to this franchise,
maybe SH’s true calling is the U13 team newly created by FCD. switch him out for oscar pareja so he can kick balls w/ his grandson all day long.
Maybe the owners want to run the franchise into ground in order to justify the sale to the St. Louis constortium. Hopefully Cuban or even Hicks finds an interest in the club in the near future.
Re: “At most, it might be a distraction.”… So, James, even if we were to accept that you’re right and that, apparently, the rest of us are all overreacting to this situation, does this team really need any more distractions? Really? Throw out all of the other reasons why this is wrong, and that by itself should be more than enough reason for it to stop.
I agree with most of what’s been written here – this should NOT be happening, we damn well SHOULD be upset about it, and it DOES add more to the perception that this guy is in over his head and does not know how to properly coach a PROFESSIONAL team.
And alot of you guys were saying Oscar’s not ready for that job???????At least he is a professional who gives respect and gets respect from ALL the players and staff on this team….