9.11.2008
Remember This Name: Eric Valentine
Jozy Altidore hipped me to this clip of 8 year old nasty-boy Eric Valentine via Facebook this afternoon. All you need to do is watch the first 55 ankle-breaking seconds to know that this kid is the truth. Or Clint Dempsey 2.0.
This kid is just straight up outlandish. And he's repping for Prince William Sound Courage U-9's out of Mananas, VA so if you are reading this DC United, get those Discovery Claim forms up & poppin' ASAFP. I just hope we don't find out that his parents are from ______, Europe anytime soon.
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21 comments:
Holy shit.
This kid has been watching youtube videos of Nike Freestyle since he was five maybe and he started trying the tricks too about that time.
He should ask Santa for speed the next few year for Christmas or those tricks will be null by the time he hits high school.
^^^^^^^
Exactly
Kids impressive now, but he's breaking ankles off of about half a dozen stock trick moves. When he gets older if he has no vision, game intelligence, or speed he'll be Manzonelli light
I agree with Bela. Clearly this kid has a head start, which is great and should inspire more kids to try watching clips on Youtube and elsewhere. Equally clearly, this kid is not orders of magnitude faster than the other kids, so if he doesn't pick up speed or more skills, the other kids will start catching up. Especially if they start learning how to defend these types of dribbling skills. The poor kids in the video just didn't know what was coming.
Still, I hope this kid keeps developing. We need more of this early skill development if we are ever to compete internationally.
There's quite a few kids coming out of this/that area that CAN PLAY. Manassas for some damn reason has turned into a gold mine of talent around the ages of 7-14 right now.
Seriously.
DC United's youth program will get this kid.
There are only two possibilities.
1. the film is doctored. or
2. just like freddy adu this cat is really 14 years old.
LOL. That kid is amazing, I need to get him on my indoor team.
Is this the new Xtreme Soccer League you were talking about. You know the new MISL????
Man i was doin the exact same things at the EXACT same place, at the exact same age. U know what they use to call me?....ball hog. And honestly it didnt really help my game to much as i got older cuz as u get older u have to excel in the basics of the game...so im not hatin on mini-me here but i HOPE someone coaches the kid to simplify his game and see the whole field better. But ya we some ballers in VA hahaha!
I don't know . . this kid could be the real deal . . .he passes as well as he dribbles . . .give this kid some good coaching and the shy is the limit.
haters. kids gots ball skills, decent passing and finishing, and good vision.
hell, hes better than half our MNT at times.
This kid is good and basically has a head start on the others at his age. As long as he keeps developing, no defender can contain his game.
anonymous with the joke about the xtreme league should win a prize for one of my favorite comments ever.
well done sir. well done.
i can do all the same moves....on FIFA
Even if his parents are from the US if he goes to another country to play footie and gets a citizenchip they can persuade him you know to switch the chanels I just hope it doesn't happen
I can't agree with most posters here. This is the type of skills that US players lack most: the ability and confidence to beat an opponent off the dribble. At this age, of course the kid is not going to have every move in the book, and his vision and ball sense are something that he is going to develop in his teens. You don't develop touch, control and moves at age 15-18, you develop them at the age he is. I think its great, and I hope more coaches try to get their players comfortable taking on opponents instead immediately passing the ball when under pressure. Only then will the U.S be able to consistently beat Argentina, Spain and countries like that.
Whatevs. Kid has no left foot.
Impressive though for a 9-year-old, but not as impressive as that Aussie 9-year-old ManU signed last year.
Great dribbling combined with the passing to his teammate means he may be a good mid in the future. We'll have to keep an eye out for him.
this reminds me of those ronaldinho indoor soccer videos of when he was a young kid. and he turned out alright.
Fear not, fellow TOR readers. The U.S. coaches will soon have that awesome flair, great touch and sublime individual skill coached out of him quicker than you can say "Bob Bradley".
I mean, he can't even play good defense. Come on...
/sarcasm
He's the best player I've ever seen, except for Eddie Johnson.
wherever this kid goes, i just hope (1)he doesn't get a coach that tries to "simplify" his game and turn him into a robot, and (2) doesn't get into overly structured soccer for another 3-4 years.
He's only 8, he'll get faster, but you don't need ridiculous speed to be a baller.
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