Liverpool joins National Premier League

Anyone have insight on this? What is the NPL? Is this similar to ECNL? Is this boys only or girls too?

http://nationalpremierleagues.com/SouthCentral/index_E.html

http://www.liverpoolfcamerica.com/news_article/show/274078?referrer_id=316942

NPL is the boys trying to keep up with girls ECNL  

Yes, it's the boys analog of ECNL. Not sure if this means they are paving the way for ECNL joinage.

santos.l.halper wrote:NPL is the boys trying to keep up with girls ECNL   

Yes, it's the boys analog of ECNL.  Not sure if this means they are paving the way for ECNL joinage.

I thought so too, but article says "Boys and Girls"

Liverpool FC America is proud to formally announce their exciting new partnership with the National Premier League (NPL) hosted by US Club Soccer, in which we will be identifying players (Boys and Girls) to form Elite teams that will train and compete on a Regional and National level.

From the press release it looks like it's boys and girls. It's a fairly new league, only a couple of years old.

Quite honestly LP needed to do something or risk losing their younger teams here in a couple of years by the siren call of ECNL. These things tend to go in cycles so maybe they are getting in on the ground floor of the next big thing, with only two years under its belt who really knows.

GrandTXSoccer wrote:From the press release it looks like it's boys and girls. It's a fairly new league, only a couple of years old.

Quite honestly LP needed to do something or risk losing their younger teams here in a couple of years by the siren call of ECNL. These things tend to go in cycles so maybe they are getting in on the ground floor of the next big thing, with only two years under its belt who really knows.

I agree with you. They need something but this something is nothing and will not stop the mass exits.

The way I see it they have two years to do something, there's really no rush for any of the 03's or 04's to leave because no matter what anyone says you can find a spot on an ECNL team regardless of if you've been playing for their club previously. If you can play you can play. So between now and when they jump to the u-13 age group they either have to hope that this NPL league explodes or they somehow find a way into ECNL. They probably have the deepest pools of talent in the 03 and 04 age groups and an ECNL squad from Liverpool in those age groups would be stout, however I wouldn't hold my breath if that's what some are waiting for.

Joe scafone wrote:Anyone have insight on this?    What is the NPL?  Is this similar to ECNL?     Is this boys only or girls too?    

http://nationalpremierleagues.com/SouthCentral/index_E.html

http://www.liverpoolfcamerica.com/news_article/show/274078?referrer_id=316942

Four clubs from Houston, one from Dallas and one from Oklahoma?  Better than nothing I suppose if ECNL won't allow them in.

Pinnochio wrote:

Joe scafone wrote:Anyone have insight on this?    What is the NPL?  Is this similar to ECNL?     Is this boys only or girls too?    

http://nationalpremierleagues.com/SouthCentral/index_E.html

http://www.liverpoolfcamerica.com/news_article/show/274078?referrer_id=316942

Four clubs from Houston, one from Dallas and one from Oklahoma?  Better than nothing I suppose if ECNL won't allow them in.  

It's seems desperate and does not show confidence! I would not of made this move at this time. Just my opinion! Who is to say that being the #1 developing academy program is bad!

There are still other avenues for competing against top teams, but, in NTX - ECNL will rule for quite a while given the clubs to which they are attached.

The competition in the National League is stellar from coast to coast, but, in this state - per every ECNL coach's spiel - it's ECNL-centric. The 2013-2014 National League field includes 50 of the 56 teams that qualified for the 2013 National Championships, 14 of the 16 finalists and six of eight champions.

Any team, from any club can compete and try to get into National League. There is college exposure within that league and ECNL, not so much elsewhere.

I'd agree that 03 and 04 have quite a while before they need to do anything - and, even then, most likely have zero reason to jump ship from their current environs. With rosters of 20+, and coaches targeting a handful of players, not the entire roster, does it really make sense for everyone to move? Probably not. Keep in mind, in ECNL, you can't win a State or Regional Championship- you do get the opportunity to win the ECNL National Championship as well as have very good local competition.

Regarding NPL/ECNL there just isn't enough talent to go around. Very similar to having more than one ODP team from NTX. Makes financial sense, but, doesn't help funnel talent (especially as long as top players don't participate). There's obviously no magic bullet, although - plenty of coaches shoot a lot of them into our heads.

OK, Houston and Austin will all, eventually, field very strong teams - just doesn't come together at the early years.

Are there really mass exits from LP? If they leave at early years -they are not thinking about their kid's future. The coaching matters more than the club or any potential ECNL/Academy situation - not much of a reason to leave prior to U15, even then, if your kid is a serious player, there may be no reason to leave. I'd think this will help LP as some might not want to be on the lower end of an ECNL situation but may want these playing opportunities.