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Generation adidas: 5 things to know about Darren Mattocks Meet the latest and greatest scoring machine from Akron December 20, 2011 Travis Clark MLSsoccer.com
With the 2012 MLS SuperDraft around the corner, the final additions to the draft class are being made through the Generation adidas process. Over the next week, MLSsoccer.com's college and youth expert Travis Clark will reveal and analyze the 2012 members of the GA class.
We begin with University of Akron striker Darren Mattocks.
1. He’s outscored some MLS names.
During his two years at Akron, Mattocks scored an impressive 39 goals in 47 games. Starting all but one game his college career, his two-year total eclipses the production of current MLS players Steve Zakuani (26),Teal Bunbury (23) and Darlington Nagbe (19) when they were at Akron.
2. He's an electric talent.
Like the Zips forwards before him, Mattocks is an exciting attacking talent who can make things happen in the final third. Speed is one of his biggest assets, and his ability to stretch defenses in college is going to make him an entertaining player at the next level.
3. He can do it alone.
Last year, Mattocks scored 18 goals as a freshman, benefiting from the attacking talents of Nagbe, Anthony Ampaipitakwong and Michael Nanchoff, to name a few. This year, after seven starters departed from the title-winning side of 2010, Mattocks proved he could still produce without the same talent around him, scoring 21 goals this last season.
4. He's a Reggae Boy with a future.
The native of Portmore, Jamaica, Mattocks is a member of the Under-23 player pool and hopes to represent the full national team one day. Akron head coach Caleb Porter made a recruiting visit to watch Mattocks play in early 2010 that encouraged the striker to choose Akron as his destination that fall.
5. He’s the next…
Omar Cummings. Speed, creativity, finishing — a deadly trio.
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Stay Humble, work hard and learn some French.
Jamaicans MLS -> Europe
2001 Onandi Lowe, Kansas City to Port Vale(England League Two) 2005 Damani Ralph, Chicago to Rubin Kazan (Russia Prem.) 2006 Khari Stephenson, Kansas City to GAIS (Sweden Prem.)
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December 20, 2011 Mattocks Signs Generation adidas Contract, Will Enter 2012 MLS Draft
AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron striker Darren Mattocks has signed a contract with Generation adidas and will enter the 2012 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, the MLS announced Tuesday.
Mattocks, who scored 39 goals in 47 career matches as a Zip, will forgo his final two years of eligibility at UA to turn professional. According to Soccer by Ives, the Jamaican native could be taken with one of the top two picks of the draft.
"We are extremely happy for Darren," said UA head coach Caleb Porter. "He has proven over the last two years that he can produce goals at the highest levels of college soccer. Now he will have the opportunity to showcase his talents in MLS as a Generation adidas player."
When Mattocks is drafted into MLS, he will join a long list of former UA players currently competing in the league. As it stands now, Akron has 13 players on a MLS roster after setting a league record with seven draftees a year ago. All 13 standouts played for and were developed by Porter, who is currently serving in a dual role as the head coach of the U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team.
"The Generation adidas contract always gives young professionals the best platform to make a jump," Porter added. "Not only will he have stability in the form of guaranteed years and compensation, but also the academic security to be able to finish his degree when the time is right. Darren is clearly ready for the next step in his career and I know he will do very well. We wish him all the best and will look forward to watching him blossom for many years to come."
It is the fourth consecutive season an Akron player has signed one of the coveted Generation adidas contracts. Steve Zakuani was the first to do it in 2008, teammates Teal Bunbury and Blair Gavin followed in 2009, and five underclassmen from the Zips' National Championship team – including Perry Kitchen, Darlington Nagbe, Michael Nanchoff, Kofi Sarkodie and Zarek Valentin – did the same in 2010.
The 2012 MLS SuperDraft, which will be broadcast live on ESPN2, will be held on Jan. 12 at Noon (ET) in Kansas City, Mo. The 19 MLS clubs will select a total of 38 players.
The expansion franchise Montreal Impact, who already owns the rights to a trio of Zips' standouts, including Evan Bush, Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Valentin, has the No. 1 in the draft. The Vancouver Whitecaps, who drafted Nanchoff No. 8 overall as an expansion franchise in 2011, own the No. 2 pick this year.
As a Generation adidas signee, Mattocks will be invited to participate in the 2012 MLS Player Combine in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., from Jan. 6-10 in anticipation of the draft. There, he will be joined by Akron senior Luke Holmes, who received an invitation to the showcase earlier this month.
Mattocks was a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy and was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year this fall after netting 21 goals, which was the third-highest single-season total in school history, in 22 matches. The striker, who was the second-highest scoring freshman in the country in 2010, leaves the University after scoring 39 goals in 47 matches during his two-year career.
Mattocks is the fourth UA sophomore to enter the draft in as many seasons, following Zakuani, Bunbury and Valentin. Kitchen, who played one season at Akron, was the youngest to enter the draft in 2010.
Generation Adidas is a joint venture between Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer aimed at raising the level of young soccer talent in the United States. The program, sponsored by adidas, encourages early entry (without college graduation) of American players into MLS. Entering into the program automatically classifies a player as professional and thus, disqualifies them from playing college soccer. As a result, Generation adidas players are also guaranteed scholarships to continue their college education should their professional career not pan out.
UA Players Currently in MLS Anthony Ampaipitakwong, San Jose Quakes Teal Bunbury, Sporting KC Evan Bush, Montreal Impact Blair Gavin, Chivas USA Perry Kitchen, DC United Chris Korb, DC United Darlington Nagbe, Portland Timbers Michael Nanchoff, Vancouver Whitecaps Kofi Sarkodie, Houston Dynamo Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Montreal Impact Zarek Valentin, Montreal Impact Steve Zakuani, Seattle Sounders Ben Zemanski, Chivas USA
"As a Generation adidas signee, Mattocks will be invited to participate in the 2012 MLS Player Combine in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., from Jan. 6-10 in anticipation of the draft. There, he will be joined by Akron senior Luke Holmes, who received an invitation to the showcase earlier this month."
What in the world is Mattocks going to do at player combine? Where in NFL do you see the top 2 draft prospects attending combines? I hope they don't expect him to be at this place and participate. The number 1 and 2 NFL prospects or top 5-10 prospects in the draft do not attend the combines. MLS is joke if they expect this guy to participate in a player combine.
Jamatl, do you know what is going on with Ashton Bennett. Why hasn't he been offer a GA contract when he was the leading scorer in the country in NCAA DivI soccer and in his first year being transfer from Junior College. His school is rank #23 in the final NCAA top 25. He scored against North Carolina (the eventual national champion) in the second round of NCAA tourny. So far some of the latest Mock draft do not even have him in top 25 pick. This guy a proven goal scorer similar to Mattocks. They both been leading scorer in the DaCosta Cup and Manning Cup in Jamaica at some point in their high school career. Only because these guys are from yard why they been look past. Last year MLS didn't even offer Mattocks an GA contract, just to show you how them dis yard ballas.
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Originally Posted By: Watchfutbol833
Jamatl, do you know what is going on with Ashton Bennett. Why hasn't he been offer a GA contract when he was the leading scorer in the country in NCAA DivI soccer and in his first year being transfer from Junior College. His school is rank #23 in the final NCAA top 25. He scored against North Carolina (the eventual national champion) in the second round of NCAA tourny. So far some of the latest Mock draft do not even have him in top 25 pick. This guy a proven goal scorer similar to Mattocks. They both been leading scorer in the DaCosta Cup and Manning Cup in Jamaica at some point in their high school career. Only because these guys are from yard why they been look past. Last year MLS didn't even offer Mattocks an GA contract, just to show you how them dis yard ballas.
Mattocks might have received a very low offer last year.
In regards to Bennett, let us remember he is a 23 yrs old with only one year of NCAA D1 experience and little to no youth national team experience for Jamaica.
The BIGGER question to ask our youth national team coaches is, how di hell is Mattocks able to be considered one of the top 2 MLS draft picks but he has NEVER played an official match for the Reggaeboyz senior or youth national teams?
He did not make 2007 U17 squad or 2009 U20 squad. fyi, Mattocks skipped practices for the 2011 U22 squad training
Jamatl, do you know what is going on with Ashton Bennett. Why hasn't he been offer a GA contract when he was the leading scorer in the country in NCAA DivI soccer and in his first year being transfer from Junior College. His school is rank #23 in the final NCAA top 25. He scored against North Carolina (the eventual national champion) in the second round of NCAA tourny. So far some of the latest Mock draft do not even have him in top 25 pick. This guy a proven goal scorer similar to Mattocks. They both been leading scorer in the DaCosta Cup and Manning Cup in Jamaica at some point in their high school career. Only because these guys are from yard why they been look past. Last year MLS didn't even offer Mattocks an GA contract, just to show you how them dis yard ballas.
Mattocks might have received a very low offer last year.
In regards to Bennett, let us remember he is a 23 yrs old with only one year of NCAA D1 experience and little to no youth national team experience for Jamaica.
The BIGGER question to ask our youth national team coaches is, how di hell is Mattocks able to be considered one of the top 2 MLS draft picks but he has NEVER played an official match for the Reggaeboyz senior or youth national teams?
He did not make 2007 U17 squad or 2009 U20 squad. fyi, Mattocks skipped practices for the 2011 U22 squad training
From a news article I read about 1 or 2 weeks ago, stated, "Mattocks was not offered a Generation Adidas Contract last year 2011 class." As for Ashton Bennett being 23 yrs old and only play one season of D1 soccer. That should just goes to show what a talent the guy is. A guy scoring 23 goals in D1 soccer is an accomplish no matter what conference he plays in. If he was from example the USA you better believe he would've been high on draft board and even already been offer a GA contract. As for the Reggae boyz coaches looking past Mattocks, me have gut feeling say them a try keep the man down, and this looks like this been going on from his junior days. From high school the guy a leading scorer, then again U-21 league, but him not good enough for Jamaica's U-17 and U-20 teams. If I am not mistaken, the U-23 qualifiers were play around the same time University of Akron were about to go to Spain for their summer trip. But wasn't Marvin Morgan excluded from that team too? What was his excuse for not showing enough interest or exclusion? Up to two weeks ago, the Reggae boyz coaches staff talked about getting young guys in the national team fold. What was odd is that nothing was mention about Darren Mattocks, the hottest guy in NCAA D1 soccer and on MLS, Scandinavian clubs radar. Something is not right with that picture. Mattocks and Bennett should get matches under them belt for the senior team ASAP, they are the present and future for the Reggae Boyz going forward in positive direction along the coaching staff have self believe and confidence. Why go into a match already defended by your own-self? Panama displayed bravado during Gold Cup, that started with the coach and down to the players. A lesson the RB coaching staff can learn from.
Jamatl, do you know what is going on with Ashton Bennett. Why hasn't he been offer a GA contract when he was the leading scorer in the country in NCAA DivI soccer and in his first year being transfer from Junior College. His school is rank #23 in the final NCAA top 25. He scored against North Carolina (the eventual national champion) in the second round of NCAA tourny. So far some of the latest Mock draft do not even have him in top 25 pick. This guy a proven goal scorer similar to Mattocks. They both been leading scorer in the DaCosta Cup and Manning Cup in Jamaica at some point in their high school career. Only because these guys are from yard why they been look past. Last year MLS didn't even offer Mattocks an GA contract, just to show you how them dis yard ballas.
Mattocks might have received a very low offer last year.
In regards to Bennett, let us remember he is a 23 yrs old with only one year of NCAA D1 experience and little to no youth national team experience for Jamaica.
The BIGGER question to ask our youth national team coaches is, how di hell is Mattocks able to be considered one of the top 2 MLS draft picks but he has NEVER played an official match for the Reggaeboyz senior or youth national teams?
He did not make 2007 U17 squad or 2009 U20 squad. fyi, Mattocks skipped practices for the 2011 U22 squad training
From a news article I read about 1 or 2 weeks ago, stated, "Mattocks was not offered a Generation Adidas Contract last year 2011 class." As for Ashton Bennett being 23 yrs old and only play one season of D1 soccer. That should just goes to show what a talent the guy is. A guy scoring 23 goals in D1 soccer is an accomplish no matter what conference he plays in. If he was from example the USA you better believe he would've been high on draft board and even already been offer a GA contract. As for the Reggae boyz coaches looking past Mattocks, me have gut feeling say them a try keep the man down, and this looks like this been going on from his junior days. From high school the guy a leading scorer, then again U-21 league, but him not good enough for Jamaica's U-17 and U-20 teams. If I am not mistaken, the U-23 qualifiers were play around the same time University of Akron were about to go to Spain for their summer trip. But wasn't Marvin Morgan excluded from that team too? What was his excuse for not showing enough interest or exclusion? Up to two weeks ago, the Reggae boyz coaches staff talked about getting young guys in the national team fold. What was odd is that nothing was mention about Darren Mattocks, the hottest guy in NCAA D1 soccer and on MLS, Scandinavian clubs radar. Something is not right with that picture. Mattocks and Bennett should get matches under them belt for the senior team ASAP, they are the present and future for the Reggae Boyz going forward in positive direction along the coaching staff have self believe and confidence. Why go into a match already defended by your own-self? Panama displayed bravado during Gold Cup, that started with the coach and down to the players. A lesson the RB coaching staff can learn from.
Mattocks and Bennett should get matches under them belt for the senior team ASAP ?
833, a wa dis? college is college brethren not pros....
Do you know how many college hotshot sitting on the MLS benches? It's not as easy to score in the pros coming from college. Teal Bunbury in his second year manage to score 9 goals none else was close.
Lo the yute 833 mek him blossom, the R'Boyz is for the experience pro not unproven rookies.
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Mattocks to join the MLS Darren Mattocks.
Darren Mattocks, a former Jamaica under-20 player, is set to start his professional career in the United States Major League Soccer (MLS) next season.
Mattocks, 21, who had offers from clubs in Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and Brazil has chosen the US MLS.
The former Bridgeport High School and Waterhouse FC striker, who had two years remaining at the University of Akron, has signed a contract with Generation Adidas and will enter the 2012 MLS super draft set for January 12 in Kansas City.
Mattocks, who scored 39 goals in 47 matches over two years for Akron, says the five year deal, could see him playing for expansion franchise Montreal Impact.
Mattocks, who also helped Akron win the NCAA Division One title in 2010, believes his game has improved dramatically under his college coach Caleb Porter.
The Jamaican is scheduled to leave Jamaica on January 5, for the 2012 MLS player combine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from the 6th to the 10th.
Former Bridgeport High Manning Cup star Darren Mattocks has signed a three-year contract with the United States' Major League Soccer (MLS) for next season.
Mattocks, who represented Akron University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division One Championships this season, has been tipped by many pundits in the United States as the number-one prospect for the draft.
"It would be a great achievement for me if I am selected as the number-one pick in the draft because it will mean that all my hard at Akron University would have paid off," said Mattocks, who was voted the Freshman Player of the Year in 2010.
Mattocks was the second leading scorer in the Division One championship this season with 21 goals in 21 games, and in the process led Akron to the quarter-finals of the NCAA competition.
Fellow Jamaican Ashton Bennett of Coastal Carolina was the top scorer in the Division One Championship, with 23 goals.
Mattocks, who has attracted a lot of interest from a number of overseas clubs, told The Gleaner in an interview on Thursday that he decided to sign with the MLS because they presented the best offer.
"The MLS is giving me the best benefit financially in terms of my contract because it is a pretty good figure," said Mattocks, who refused to disclose the monetary terms of his contract.
"The MLS is growing in America and also worldwide and they are also going to secure my education while I am playing in the league," he said. "This is a big plus for me because in 15 years' time when I retire from football I am going to need something to fall back on and so this is pretty good," Mattocks reasoned.
Brazilian top club Botafogo, along with Brondby of Denmark, a team which played in the UEFA Champions League two seasons ago, as well as two clubs in Norway, had expressed an interest in acquiring the striker.
Easy to connect with boyz
The 21-year-old Mattocks, who was called up for the first time to the senior Reggae Boyz team for a four-day training camp earlier this month, said: "The next thing is that the Jamaica team has a lot of their training camps in America, and so this would make it quite easy for me to travel, rather than playing in Europe were it would take a much longer time to go back and forth."
He also stated that one of his main goals in the MLS next season is to break fellow countryman Damani Ralph's rookie-year goalscoring record.
"My expectation is to break the MLS rookie scoring record of 11 goals, and I believe that once I get a lot of playing time, then this shouldn't be a problem for me," Mattocks said.
The 2012 MLS SuperDraft will be held on January 12. The expansion franchise Montreal Impact has the number-one pick in the draft.
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Right choice, i believe.
He would have also have left himself open to accusations of being an ingrate. It wasn't any of these 'interested clubs' that 'discovered' gave him the chance.
But if it gets to the point where MLS gets an offer they can't refuse, then it that is understandable. He will have to perform well against Euro clubs tour of US in summer.
Refreshing to hear him consider Jamaica in his now chosen profession.
I been following Mattocks' progress on the net and every year i see his goals per game ratio is crazy but i'VE NEVER SEEN HIM PLAY. Has anyone seen this yout in action ?
I been following Mattocks' progress on the net and every year i see his goals per game ratio is crazy but i'VE NEVER SEEN HIM PLAY. Has anyone seen this yout in action ?
Reggae boy, i've seen play a number of times since freshman yr, and him is the real deal the "future". Watch di ride!
Happy to hear that morefire. His goal ratio is a goal per game for the past past few years so i was expecting to hear that kind of response. I also agree that he is a role model for young jamaican players too so lets all hope he does his ting in the mls, sure he will.
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Young Mattox fulfils life's dream
BY HURBUN WILLIAMS Observer writer
Friday, January 06, 2012
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UNIVERSITY of Akron's Jamaican-born striker Darren Mattox recently signed "a most rewarding contract" with Adidas and will enter the 2012 Major League Soccer Super Draft.
This was revealed by the prolific former Bridgeport High and Waterhouse FC goalscorer in an interview on Wednesday.
[Hide Description] MATTOX... poses with his collegiate awards in Kingston [Restore Description] 1/1
The 21-year-old Mattox was upbeat with his good fortune and by the prospect of playing football at the highest level in North America for the time being.
He was a semi-finalist for the Hermann Trophy and was named the Mid-American Conference Player-of-the-Year this fall after netting 21 goals — the third-highest single-season total in school history — in 22 matches.
Mattox, who was the second-highest scoring freshman in the country in 2010, will forgo his final two years at Akron to join the professional ranks after scoring 39 goals in 47 matches in his two-year career.
"When the opportunity came I never hesitated as this is my life's dream, to play professional football," an elated Mattox said.
His University of Akron coach Caleb Porter, talking to Soccer By Ives, had this to say of one of the brightest prospects in the MLS for the coming season.
"He has proven over the last two years that he can produce goals at the highest levels of college soccer. Now he will have the opportunity to showcase his talents in MLS as a Generation Adidas player."
When Mattox is drafted into MLS, he explained that he will join a long list of former UA players currently competing in the league. As it stands, Akron has 13 players on the MLS roster after setting a league record with seven draftees a year ago.
All 13 played for and were developed by Porter, who is currently serving in a dual role as the head coach of the US Under-23 Men's National Team.
Looking at the Generation Adidas contract, Mattox said that according to Porter: "It always gives young professionals the best platform from which to make a jump.
"He also pointed out that there will be certain guarantees as I will not only have stability in the form of guaranteed years and compensation, but also the academic security to be able to finish my degree when the time is right."
Mattox is a consistent A and B student in the academics and maintains a 3.0 GPA.
It is the fourth consecutive season an Akron player has signed one of the coveted Generation Adidas contracts. Steve Zakuani was the first to do it in 2008.
Teammates Teal Bunbury and Blair Gavin followed in 2009, and five underclassmen from the Zips' National Championship team — including Perry Kitchen, Darlington Nagbe, Michael Nanchoff, Kofi Sarkodie and Zarek Valentin — did the same in 2010.
The 19 MLS clubs will select a total of 38 players.
The expansion franchise Montreal Impact, who already own the rights to a trio of Zips' standouts, including Evan Bush, Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Valentin, have the No 1 in the draft.
The Vancouver Whitecaps, who drafted Nanchoff No 8 overall as an expansion franchise in 2011, own the No 2 pick this year.
