The third of a four-part chat with FC Dallas Technical Director Fernando Clavijo about offseason roster building, Homegrowns, expansion draft and more. Check out Part I and Part II
FRISCO - The professionals in Frisco keep getting younger and younger.
After FC Dallas signed 15-year-olds Jesus Ferreira and Bryan Reynolds last month – the youngest such signings in club history – three members of the Academy’s U-16 and U-18 National Championship squads now have first team deals (so far). Dallas has led the way in capitalizing on the incredible development taking place from the youth teams below.
“We are signing them quicker and younger than we expected five years ago, but I think they are also closer than five years ago,” Technical Director Fernando Clavijo said. “Those kids have the quality, the desire, the know-how of the FC Dallas way to step into the team and do well.”
With the latest additions, FCD has now nine Homegrowns on their first team roster, more than any other MLS club. To put into context, conceivably FC Dallas is just two Homegrown defender signings from being able to field an entire Starting XI of former Academy players:
Jesus Ferrerira, Bryan Reynolds
Paxton Pomykal, Kellyn Acosta, Victor Ulloa, Coy Craft
Homegrown 1, Aaron Guillen, Homegrown 2, Moises Hernandez
Jesse Gonzalez
It might be slightly far-fetched right now, but considering 7 of the 9 are 21 years old or younger, and the continued growth of the Homegrown talent pool – Dallas is not far away from making what was once a dream of Oscar Pareja into a reality.
But first, there’s a long road ahead for the newest batch of high schoolers in the pro locker room. Each still has several years of development ahead before reaching their respective peaks, but given Pareja’s track record with youngsters they’re on the right track.
“I think little by little, Oscar is going to bring them in and this is our future, this is what we're looking for, this is what we aim at - to make sure that those players can one day be like a Kellyn Acosta, Victor Ulloa and Jesse Gonzalez. They were [in the same position] in the last couple years,” Clavijo added. “Now we need to be sure to play them in order to help them mature and give them an opportunity. If it's here, it's great. If it's not, we need to find them games to play.”
Regardless, because of the success of signing Homegrowns and top draft talent the space on Clavijo’s Supplemental and Reserve rosters – those generally considered depth players 21-28 on the roster who don’t count towards the salary cap (Homegrown, Generation adidas or SuperDraft players mostly) – is already crowded, and possibly not done growing just yet.
“We have some good, very good college players that still may come out and surprise us all, and then we go back to the draft [in January],” he said. “When you realize your eight Supplemental roster positions are pretty much gone and they are covered with the Homegrowns. It's a good problem to have.”
