Chris Richards who is owned by FC Dalls was loaned out to Bayern Munich this season part of the youth partnership deal Dallas and Bayern have. No one really knew of this kid. He is 18 years old and has played significant minutes in preseason for Bayern Munich's first team, and really impressing Kovac. It was originally thought he would be joining Bayern's U19 team( which is probably still the case where he will see most of his playing time), but Kovac states that he is really impressed with Richards and that Richards will be available to call on this season for Bayern first team. That is a hell of an endorsement for a young CB. A position he switched to at like 15. Keep your eye out for this kid, and don't be surprised Bayern make a permanent offer for him at the end of the season.
Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has ruled out a move for France's World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard and left the door open for Jerome Boateng to leave the Bundesliga champions.
Defender Pavard has been linked with a move away from Stuttgart after starring as Les Bleus went all the way in Russia.
Rummenigge said they would consider a "serious offer" for reported PSG target Boateng.
He told German newspaper Bild: "Could Benjamin Pavard replace Boateng in Bayern? No. We have Hummels, Sule, Martinez who can play in central defence, Alaba and two young players, Lukas Mai and Chris Richards. There are many qualities."
He can only continue to impress and at least earn a spot on the Bayern bench most match days and start in the domestic cups and make some CL matches if they are already qualified for the knock-out round.
Pulling for the kid. For all the guys who've been tracked like tagged deer since they were 13 and don't pan out, there's usually several who come in later from off the radar. Praying to the USMNT center back gods that he's one of them.
Rooting for the kid (as I do all our prospects) and I hope he has a long productive career, wherever he ends up (Bayern or elsewhere). That being said we don't need to rush the kid, or over hype him at this point. We've got a nice stable of Center Backs that are established players or are emerging should be in consideration for 2022-2024.
Now if this kid takes off and starts seeing serious minutes of course he should be in consideration. But we need to give kids like this a little time to show what they are before we start hyping them. Especially when we have a nice stable to pull from.
Let him progress at his club and in the Youth National teams (U-20 & U-23). If he performs there then we can start talking about where he fits into the depth chart overall depth chart.
He needs to play at the U-20 World Cup, then we can judge him. I doubt he gets more than 10 minutes at Bayern in the whole season (I would guess he stays with the youth teams for 90% of the time).
I guess I don't see this as a healthy stable of CB's. I see Brooks (good but frequently injured), Miazga (who I think will be our best CB by end of year even if Brooks is healthy), and then a whole bunch of average and untested.
CCV is nice, but isn't ready. Another championship loan is needed.
Zimmerman is probably the 3rd choice right now, but he's an average CB at the international elvel.
Parker is right behind Zimmerman.
US has the chance to have a nice stable of CB's, but that's if Miazga and Brooks continue to develop and stay healthy....and at least two of the rest of the list make a big step forward.
Zimmerman and Parker are nice players, but if we are hanging our hat on them, we are being satisfied with average.
It all comes down to perspective and expectations. I really don't care where our CBs are right now, I care about where we will be when the Hex Rolls around in 2021. The only Sr. Level "Competitive" matches we have on the horizon is next summers Gold cup. Brooks, Miazga, Zimmerman, & Parker are equal to that level of competition right now (except against possibly Mexico & Costa Rica).
CCV & EPB are gaining momentum/experience. In another year they will overtake Zimmerman & Parker. In 2 yrs they will likely be challenging Brooks & Miazga for starting spots.
Glad, Trusty, & Richards are/will be competing for places on the U-23 squad since CCV & EPB are not going to be released for the qualifying tournament. If we qualify re-insert CCV & EPB as the starters for the Olympics which will only help their advancement. After the 2020 Olympics I wouldn't be shocked if Glad, Trusty & Richards had all overtaken Zimmerman & Parker as the 3rd string CB options.
Birnbaum, Redding & Alverado are basically dark horses at this point. Birnbaum & Alverado are probably 4th stringers right now, but will slide unless something drastic changes.
4 years is a long time, and defenders usually progress the most between the ages of 22-26. Therefore by the time we have to face any of the big-boys in a competitive match (Hex, Confed, WC) all the young emerging CB's will have had 3+ years of additional experience...and the "Average" players will have been past over.
Brooks (B1), Miazga (EPL/B1), CCV (EPL/B1), EPB (EPL/B1), Richards (B1), & Glad/Trusty (?). Parker/Zimmerman (MLSers) will be 4th stringers or deeper depending upon how some of the current U-17/U-20 CBs progress (keep an eye on the new German-American who switched to the US).