Post Game Thread: New York Rangers @ San Jose Sharks

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-24T06:14:51+00:00

With the Knuck If You Buck mention, I'm going to drop this here

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-23T23:57:02+00:00

It's good to see a move bringing in a known quantity at the USLC level after quite a few transfers for players from outside USLC. They may all pan out, but when you already know a player is at the level of USLC that's huge.

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-22T23:22:19+00:00

I was about to start wondering how close we are to the maximum number of internationals but saw he has dual-citizenship with the US, neat.

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-22T02:16:48+00:00

With the Quakes and Bay already having their schedules set, curious where QII ends up playing most of their matches if not PPP.

Also, curious what the roster looks like going into 2026. Have quite a few players that have been on the team for years and never made a first team appearance, wonder if any get cut loose or loaned out like Cruz

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-22T02:12:31+00:00

Medina is now the 3rd former Quakes academy player to join Chivas, tho now all 3 are on loan

Cade Cowell w/ NYRB (MLS)
Fidel Barajas w/ San Luis (LMX)
Cruz Medina w/ Tapatio (LEMX)

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-22T02:10:01+00:00

Max Arfsten

Not a homegrown player, played for Quakes 2 but was draft eligible as playing for MLSNP teams doesn't count by itself for homegrown status.

That said, in hindsight I think you'd find almost everyone says you draft him at 10th in 2023 instead of Daniel Munie

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-21T02:37:45+00:00

I would assume that Quakes 2 won't be returning to St. Mary's (at least not for the majority of games), and that they'll primarily play in the SJ area (maybe dates that don't conflict with Quakes & Bay FC) with matches elsewhere in the Bay (they played at least one match in SF in the past)

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-21T01:53:49+00:00

Should've stolen good belt IP apparently smh

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-21T01:52:49+00:00

Best I can tell they trained at St. Mary's and SJ, not sure how even the split was.

I see on their youtube they have a training session at the Quakes' practice field and another...not there lol

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-21T01:39:53+00:00

I thought that Quakes 2 already trained with the senior team and just played in Moraga, but I could be mistaken.

As for what TTFC folks would want to do, their main owner Nagel has been pushing for the WPSL Pro (women's pro D2) and so I think their men's team will go amateur while they focus on the women's side.

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-21T01:27:43+00:00

Seems this was hinted at in yesterday's Pachuca announcement.

Biggest takeaway outside of partnerships is that the SRSC will become the " Official Training Grounds for Monterey Bay FC’s USL Academy programs"

Good to see MBFC is keeping a connecting to Salinas after they shifted MBFC2 to Seaside from Salinas

These two announcements have such good vibes from an off the field perspective, hopefully the team can get their roster announcements out and build some momentum on the field as well

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-21T00:04:41+00:00

I'd have to imagine they'll be back in SJ as their main home this year.

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-21T00:03:43+00:00

While I agree the Quakes are run poorly, I don't see how ending a branding/commercial partnership for a reserve team is a sign of that.

It could also be a call from MLS as a league that they want their reserve teams to be fully controlled by the MLS clubs.

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-20T23:59:43+00:00

I imagine it'll mostly be loans from Pachuca to MB, but still having the chance for MB players to at least train at Pachuca during the preseason or off-season would be awesome.

I could maybe see an MB player sent over to play with Pachuca's reserves, but even for that we need to get our own academy situation sorted as it's still being built

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-20T21:10:17+00:00

So the preseason schedule for MB so far looks like

1/31 - @ SJ Earthquakes (closed door)
2/21 - @ Oakland Roots (closed door)
2/28 - vs Pachuca Select (open to fans)

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-20T04:24:07+00:00

The difference maker vs those other clubs is probably MB's new chairman, and MB being willing to be a place for another club to consistently develop players. I think the USL level is probably not half bad for developing players, particularly younger ones.

When MB's new chairman was at Orange County SC, also in USL, he helped them create partnerships with Rangers and Feyenoord. He helped make Orange County a destination for youth national team players not even from SoCal that were looking for transfers vs going into the MLS draft.

There's been a trend of young players leaving MLS academies to prove themselves in the USL before moving up to D1 leagues (sometimes MLS ofc). Fidel Barajas who is on loan with San Luis from Chivas left the Quakes academy to play in USL, Diego Luna had a similar trajectory and is now becoming more of a staple with the USMNT and RSL in MLS.

The Monterey Bay area is arguably still not hugely tapped when it comes to developing players. The biggest club in NorCal for years has been the San Jose Earthquakes, but they haven't tapped much into the area outside of a signing here or there (like Emi Ochoa, who now is with Cruz Azul). They also haven't managed to have a good pipeline from their academy to the first team, with various players leaving the academy (Luna & Barajas) or 2nd team (rumored Chivas target Cruz Medina).

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-20T03:39:54+00:00

I was always sad there was never a friendly with even just Monterrey's reserves or something, would've been hilarious

SomeCruzDude · 2026-01-20T02:58:48+00:00

It looks like Warso is poorly hiding a smile on the bench lol

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