Ever since the San Jose Earthquakes hired general manager Jesse Fioranelli, the club has made a statement of intent to be more youthful and put an emphasis on developing players for the future.
Head coach Matias Almeyda has played a vital role in the movement, offering increased playing opportunities for younger players and giving Academy members regular chances to train with the first team. A great example would be the increased reliance on players such as Jackson Yueill and Tommy Thompson, who quickly went from off-the-bench role players to bona fide starters week in and week out. Yueill, now 23, was named the team’s captain for the first time last weekend.