How do players like this not get noticed here?

[Regs]

http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vanc...a-e9402d44aee1

If he is good enough for a major European team, how is it that he never played for a provincial or national team?

Is it a break-down in the current "identification" system?

KNVB, the article says he played for you guys... what's the scoop?

Cheers,

~Regs.

[Hands of Stone]

Regs, he is signed with fukcing Celtic, no wonder he is not good enough for our Provincial or National teams, they are not even take a first look at this kid.

Perhaps he was more interested in going overseas than trying out for a Provincial or National team. How about Forrest who went over when he was 15 or so, did he come back to try out for these teams or would that be a waste of his time while trying to get on with one of the EPL Clubs.

hos

[knvb]

Jacob is an unreal talent. He never actually played games with us, well there was that one round of duck, duck, goose....., but he did play a role with the U-21's while on permit from his youth North Delta team. He did, right before he left,trained full time with us while we were getting ready for the provincials. Cracking little player when he's playing with guys his own size, but was a little overwhelmed with some of us goons at times,(to be expected) but if he was afforded a little time did some pretty cool shit with the ball.



I can only assume he was never pick up because BC soccer or Canada don't normally search the gold level youth for players. Not to mention if you don’t know someone or something about these try-outs or mini camps the provincial team has, you'll never be found or find out. Never mind the National team.

[Regs]

I can only assume he was never pick up because BC soccer or Canada don't normally search the gold level youth for players. Not to mention if you don’t know someone or something about these try-outs or mini camps the provincial team has, you'll never be found or find out. Never mind the National team.

I suppose this begs the question though if BCSA (nevermind CSA at this point) have made it known to the individual clubs to help them identify kids that maybe playing at a lower level? I understand that there is only so many resources the BCSA can allot to this but if they haven't covered this angle... well, some heads should roll perhaps starting with the BCSA president

I also have a hard time believing The Vancouver Sun would have enough insight to publish an article on the little shite in question and the BCSA never to have heard about him

~Regs.

[knvb]

Not just the Sun, but City TV had their cameras out to our training session late one night catching Jacob in action and of course all my shank touches, bad tackles, and sitters I had sent soaring over the cross bar and into the FVSL referee’s 5 aside. I suppose I should have spent more time concentrating on what I was doing rather than trying to lump the little shit in order to get on camera.

Now that he's signed (or going to) he had better send me my autographed jersey I asked for...

[revolutionary]

To end all discussion i know for a fact that he has been selected to play for provincial teams despite being overseas for the weeklong springbreak camp. Which means that he did not have to participate in the tryouts, essentially he had a spot handed to him without doing anything. He accepted the invitation but later declined because he wanted to play for the whitecaps in the Y League (where his father had more control). And i do not know why he has not played on national teams but i have a hunch that he has had oppertunities that he has blown. With this news i would imagine that more oppertunities will come his way and without his fathers interference he should be able to take advantage of them.

[Regs]

Thanks Rev, makes sense.

Though I find it very surprising that a kid's father would 'control' his kid's destiny... I've never heard of such a thing in soccer circles...

Speaking of youth national teams, aren't you involved in one of them or something?

Cheers,

~Regs.

[cside17]

A guy on my over 30s team, helped with his personal training. I think it was the owner of the gym that tipped off the local media, through a team member of mine, the story was supposed to be for the Province, but ended up in the Sun. At least the kid had tthe sense to sign for a decent team

[SC]

Originally Posted by knvb

and of course all my shank touches, bad tackles, and sitters I had sent soaring over the cross bar and into the FVSL referee’s 5 aside. I suppose I should have spent more time concentrating on what I was doing

Now that he's signed (or going to) he had better send me my autographed jersey I asked for...

It's always about you innit K-nobby?
Best of luck to the kid, it's too bad we don't take advantage of our local talent around here...

[knvb]

It is, yes. And it would seem you feel the same way.

[TheRob]

Pardon me for being a tad ignorant, but if the kid was playing for a youth Surrey team, chances are he would be playing in the FVSL, no? That would explain why he hadn't been "noticed". Who looks there for talent?

[Ballbaby]

Originally Posted by revolutionary

To end all discussion i know for a fact that he has been selected to play for provincial teams despite being overseas for the weeklong springbreak camp. Which means that he did not have to participate in the tryouts, essentially he had a spot handed to him without doing anything. He accepted the invitation but later declined because he wanted to play for the whitecaps in the Y League (where his father had more control). And i do not know why he has not played on national teams but i have a hunch that he has had oppertunities that he has blown. With this news i would imagine that more oppertunities will come his way and without his fathers interference he should be able to take advantage of them.

I'm going to defend Boris Lensky, the father, a little here. Firstly, the reason Jacob is more likely to succeed in Europe than mnay of the other local boys who have ventured over is that he has the mental toughness to persevere. His father has prepared him in that manner, no sugar coating or coddling! If you want to make it, this is what you have to do. Of course there can be negative consequences when taking this approach in the Canadian environment that does not offer much support for this philosophy, but Boris didn't and still doesn't, buy in. In fact, I believe he thinks Canadian soccer stinks and so do many of the coaches. In many aspects he is correct. Some of the "hard-nosed" coaches around here get a bad rap and unjustifiably so! Jacob obviously wants to play at the highest level and he had no problem with his father's militaristic approach to help him succeed.

Boris has his followers and I would have no problem with this "nutter" coaching my kid. I don't believe for one second that he has "interfered" with his son's future and progress but rather enhanced it.

[revolutionary]

Regs... No i dont currently play in on any national teams nor have i ever had an oppertunity to, my cousin does so you must have us mixed up.

I would like to clarify my position. At no point was i trying to insinuate that Boris has "interfered" with his development, because as we can all see with this offer he has obviously developed into a good player. Coaches like Boris were always the people i have played the best for in my "career" as well. However what i did say was that Boris has interfered with some of the oppertunities (if thats what we want to call provincial teams) within the local levels of soccer. Obviously he hasnt been hampered too significantly by not being involved in these environments and i wish him all the best.

Another point worthy of mentioning is that this isnt the first time that Jacob or Philip(older brother) have had oppertunities like this. Philip was invited to Ajax because of their old agreement with the 86ers, and he also had a stint with Anderlect in Belgium, so I would caution people in believing that is the next Owen Hargreaves. Especially considering that he is only 16/17. While it is a great oppertunity he still needs to take advantage of it or he will be another good amateur like his brother.

This entire post has seemed negative and i dont want that to be the message that i am portraying, but rather that we should wait and see before we put the pressure of lifting Canada Soccer out of #96 in the world rankings on his shoulders.

[djones]

Missed by BC Soccer but not by SkySports News.

The kid must be pretty good.

[MeatBag]

100 years of club soccer in BC and we still have to rely on import coaches and import parents to remind us and our kids that being a Canadian Soccer player means shyte.
And you have to ask why these kids do not stick it out.
How far would any program get when it eats it's own like we do.
Thank God the ladies game was left to people that have reinforced the idea of being a Canadian footballer.
I can remind all that Hargraves was cut by an English coach.
None of these guys can coach in europe but they come here and tell us were shyte.
It is what it is and once in awhile a great talent will come up.
Best Striker the country ever produced was Branko Segota and he had to go cap in hand to get a spot in europe.
Tony bloody Waiters wouldn't even play him on the National Team.
If you were the head of player development for the big european teams I am sure you would be itching to see your star pupil beat out by some kid from Kanada, all things being even guess who gets the nod.
We have to start putting value in our own club teams and trash the youth districts let soccer people develop the players and start having confidence that we do know what we are doing, we just don't have Proffessional Teams.

[Dude]

"All things being equal..."

That's the key statement from your rant, and I agree. Our kids have to be head and shoulders better than the European they line up against in a trial, otherwise they'll be sent back here to flounder.

Until we have a legitimate National Professional league for the top players to aspire to, we will remain a have-not soccer nation.

[Buckfast]

Let's put this is in perspective, folks. The boy has signed for Celtic.

[Captain Shamrock]

Originally Posted by Buckfast

Let's put this is in perspective, folks. The boy has signed for Celtic.

Spot on, Bucky. The 13th ranked team in the WORLD according to UEFA is quite an honour for the young lad. He certainly wouldn't go near a squad who was 17 points behind the 13th ranked team in last year's league play AND are currently 59th in the world. Well said, Bucky.

[sid]

I am sure with the local talent there will be more lucke kids with european background that will make it overseas,not if your playing for metro ford though

[Buckfast]

Originally Posted by sid

lucke

Generally, I'm not onboard with pointing spelling mistakes. But for fcuk sakes Sid, sort yourself out.