The U.S. youth soccer market is an enticing option for European clubs as some look for a quick buck via marketing deals while others look at the long term potential of coaching education. The latter is true for the latest venture from a club in Europe that continues to expand their reach into the U.S.

Feyenoord, one of the top European academies, recently set up an educational partnership with Tennessee SC, a powerhouse from the Volunteer State. The relationship between the two entities began to form in 2015. 

“The relationship was a development over a six-moth period of discussion through Feyenoord and Tennessee Soccer Club (TSC),” TSC Executive Director Stuart Brown told TopDrawerSoccer. “When Sevy Sucurovic (Feyenoord’s Director of Business Affairs - USA) and I met in Baltimore (at the NSCAA convention in January), we discussed the shared vision of coaching education and development. That’s when I first felt the importance of looking into the educational partnership.”

Brown said that Sucurovic was not talking about camps or branding, but referenced the development and growth of the coaches and the Directors of Coaching at the club, which stood out to him and opened his eyes to how this relationship would work and benefit Tennessee SC. Brown also remarked on how this would help the players, as the player development at the club is bound to grow with the resources that Feyenoord is set to provide. 

“Director of Coaching development and leadership by understanding how clubs in Europe continue to develop the pathway from youth academy players through to U19 and beyond,” Brown said when asked about the benefits from this educational partnership.

There is also a player development angle through internships and other opportunities with the Dutch club. 

While Tennessee SC holds a powerful position in the U.S. youth soccer scene, the club lacks the mark of the Development Academy acceptance, which leaves the club officials searching for other opportunities to get notice for the players. 

“As the top club in Tennessee, we strongly believe that the Development Academy is long overdue [here] and the club is well deserving of participating at the Development Academy level,” Brown said. “However, for us, it is more important to provide the correct environment for all of our players; which we are doing through various training and competition environments. Feyenoord is one of those opportunities that will assist in further development of our players and coaches, which ultimately improves the product of all of our players on the male and female side.”

Portland Youth Soccer Owner buys French Club 

Gary Allen, the owner of Portland youth soccer club Spartan Futbol Club, purchased French club Troyes AC in early June, according to the Portland Tribune. The newspaper reports that Allen’s intention is to improve the quality of youth soccer in the U.S. based off of the French model. 

Troyes AC currently sits in Ligue 2, the second division of French soccer. 

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