It's been nearly six years since the LA Galaxy made Tristan Bowen the first-ever Homegrown signing.
Since then, more than 100 Homegrown players have joined Bowen in inking contracts with Major League Soccer, a base of players that will only expand in the coming years as youth academies and a burgeoning partnership with USL PRO continue to pay dividends.
With eight Homegrowns on this year's 24 Under 24 list, I set about building an 18-man roster to see just how far the initiative has come. Could I build a team that could be competitive in MLS? Which talented, accomplished players would fall by the wayside in my numbers game?
My starting XI is above, a team I feel confident could give any MLS team a run for their money on any given day despite their youth. Oh, and that bench isn't bad either.
How would you set up your Homegrown 18-man roster? Critique my roster and share yours in the comment section below.
FORWARDS
Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls) – Agudelo may be experiencing a bit of professional purgatory at the moment – Stoke City was forced to release him from his contract after work-permit issues – but it's important to remember we're still talking about a US international with 18 caps who is ... wait for it ... just 21 years old.
Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy) – "Fifteen goals is pretty good, but he plays with Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane." How many other players, I might ask, have done with same with LD and Keano over the past few years? Nobody, that's who. In fact, nobody even got close. Zardes is going to be a double-digit scorer for years to come.
MIDFIELDERS
Diego Fagundez (New England Revolution) – It's been a bit of a rough go for Fagundez a year after setting a Homegrown goal record (13) that's since been broken by that Gyasi fella. Still, at just 19 years old, five goals and four assists is nothing to sneeze at. On this team, Fagundez will cut in from the left and combine with former Revs teammate Agudelo up front.
Russell Teibert (Vancouver Whitecaps) – Once I settled on a 4-4-2 (after experimenting with a 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-4-1), Teibert was an easy choice. He can play wide too, but I'm sticking him in the middle where his ability on the ball and underrated play without it will help free up the players in front of him.
Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew) – No brainer here. They don't call Trapp "Franchise" in Columbus for nothing, and he'll anchor my midfield, spraying diagonals to Fagundez and Najar on the flanks and keeping time in the middle with Teibert. He might even score a goal or two given the chance to push forward from time to time.
Andy Najar (D.C. United) – The Honduran is, without a doubt, the most accomplished Homegrown player of all-time (for now, at least). His play with D.C. United earned him a multi-million dollar move to Anderlecht, where he's locked down a starting spot and logged Champions League minutes for the Belgian champs. Oh, and he played in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
DEFENDERS
Ashtone Morgan (Toronto FC) – Difficult choice here, but Morgan's international and MLS experience gave him the nod over FC Dallas' Moises Hernandez. With Justin Morrow taking the majority of the left-back minutes in Toronto this year, it's been a slow season for Morgan but he's still just 23 with 58 MLS starts under his belt.
Doneil Henry (Toronto FC) – Yes, he has a tendency to concede penalty kicks, but Henry has tremendous upside potential (Hubie Brown alert!!!). It was a toss up between the TFC man and Philly's Ethan White. Henry takes it by a nose, with the resurgent White on the bench just in case.
Shane O'Neill (Colorado Rapids) – When injury felled O'Neill earlier this season, it was a massive blow for the Rapids, one they've still not recovered from, with Drew Moor down and out as well. O'Neill marshalls this backline and will take on the majority of the distribution duties from central defense into the feet of Trapp and Teibert.
DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders) – Do I really have to explain this one? I pity the left back for whatever imaginary team my Homegrown squad are taking on. Najar AND Yedlin running down your throat? That just sounds exhausting.
GOALKEEPER
Bill Hamid (D.C. United) – On the fringe of the national team and a shoo-in for D.C. in goal, Hamid seems to be the heir apparent when it comes to the next great American netminder.
BENCH
Richard Sanchez (DAL); Ethan White (PHI), Kellyn Acosta (DAL), Victor Ulloa (DAL), Dillon Serna (COL), Tommy Thompson (SJ), Harrison Shipp (CHI)
