I would only ask, whose purpose does this serve?
As a parent of a "dual citizen," I can tell you that, come February, a significant number of kids are more than ready to take an extended (four-month) break from Academy. And not just the kids at the end of the bench. They reconvene briefly in June, then break out again.
By August, they're reinvigorated by the high school "break" and summer vacation and are ready to go back to the grind.
So, again, whose purpose does this serve?
The kids? Maybe. Maybe not.
The USMNT? I guess you can make the case that, in the long run, Herr Klinsmann will benefit from a more consistent pipeline. (As opposed to Division 2 and 3 in Germany.)
Academy programs such as SCUBDA?
High school soccer?
My sense is that the powers that be in soccer are grasping at straws in the wind, hoping against hope that largely cosmetic changes will yield better USMNTs.
I am not convinced, though I am open-minded to a balanced argument.
