There seem to be more fields in Holland than Germany. In Holland, it seems a soccer club flashes by every few minutes when traveling on train. In Germany, I did not see many….then again, for most of my train ride….it was dark.

In Germany there are…………25,805 Soccer clubs. There are 171,877 teams playing each weekend. 2.127.189 girls and boys play soccer in Germany.

Soccer grew by 45,277 players after the world cup. Of those playing in Germany 902,494 are female.

 If we look at Südbaden with 266,176 players - a number of players equal to Northern California - we find there are 729 clubs.

This morning I purchased in Germany:

Four Four Two – German Edition
Revier Sport
FIFA Magazine – German Edition
Bayern Munich Fussball Magazine
Westfalen Sport
Ich Speile fussball
Frauen Fussball Magazine
Fussballer
11 Freunde
Player
Kicker Fussball Magazine
Sport Bilde

All but two of these magazines are total soccer. The two – 90% soccer.
In addition, I read the Waz, and the Bild both with sports pages devoted to soccer.

I did not buy the French, Italian and Turkish soccer magazines or Uefa Champions League Magazine ( I read it on the train yesterday) or Monday’s Kicker ( I have already read it).

We need soccer magazines to give people some perspective and insight into soccer.

For example: Kicker analyses every 1st and 2nd division game in Germany. They give each player a grade. They review the system of each team, how it worked and they grade the referee.

For Example: 4-4-2 asks what the future of German Football is with the wave of new youth soccer players.

For example: There are no articles about rankings of youth in their magazines but if we post any article about rankings on the Far Post Report it has, along with articles about winning, the greatest number if hits.

For example: The article about the 23 year old player unheard of two years ago – now a professional with talk of his first national team appearance. The late developer was a kid four years ago – his club had the patience to wait.

Do our colleges have the patience to wait four years…..or do they take the best 17 or 18 year olds….the most developed.

Question: What does Sunil Gulati think about youth development and why does he seldom speak of it? What did Bruce Arena do with the bully pulpit he had as national team coach? Where is USSF?