Tyler Boyd - USA (Nashville SC | USA)

Yeah, I get the impression that the talent gets sucked up by the handful of big clubs who do well in Europe (Porto, Benfica, Sporting, maybe Boavista) or goes overseas, and that the quality drops off drastically after those big clubs. The last time someone other than Porto or Benfica won the top flight was 2002. The last time someone other than those 4 sides won it was 1946. The second tier has 22 teams, 5 of them reserve sides, and 10 of the non-reserve sides have stadiums which wouldn't fit Saturday's Nix crowd. Just because it's Europe and the Portuguese national side and a couple of club teams are doing well doesn't mean that there is a lot of depth there.

As a former Auckland resident (and regular across football grounds there) and now resident in Portugal, I feel fairly well-placed to respond to the questions of quality in Portuguese football.

Yup, it's fair to say the "big three" hoover up any major talent that is harvested in Portugal. Money is a huge factor. In short, Portugal is not a wealthy nation and football is included in that. The big three don't pay big wages compared to most leagues in Europe, and the second tier even less so. That said, the quality is good in the top-flight. Boavista are a different kettle of fish because they were relegated to the third tier a few years back (illegally it turned out) and they have only been back in the top-flight for close to three seasons.

Due to various restructures of the pyramid in Portugal, the second tier is due to change again next season. Five get relegated this season to shrink the divisions down. Only two will automatically be promoted from the third tier (a possible third side if they win play-offs against the 17th & 18th in the second tier). Gil Vicente are currently in the process of taking the FPF to court over illegal relegation and look likely to win. If they do, they'll have to be promoted back to the top-flight and then that will require more restructuring.

With regards to Tyler Boyd at Guimarães B, it may be playing for a reserves side in the pure sense, but Guimarães are one of the bigger clubs in Portugal (maybe 4th or 5th) and regularly get five-figure crowds. By being in the club's B team, Boyd has a great opportunity to progress to Pedro Martins' first team. They're flying high in 5th in the top-flight at the moment. He has previously been involved with the first team's squad but is seen as very much a work in progress over here. Portugal may not be a glamour league (especially the second tier) but it is a fantastic place for players to learn their trade and kick on. Scouts come to Portugal from almost all of the major leagues in other countries. Boyd is well positioned.

I think the Portuguese second tier is a much higher standard than some of our other players play, for example its a better league then the dutch second (Williams plays), higher than what Dyer and Lewis play at, higher than the USL where Wynne plays at, higher than the German 4th division where Marinovic plays at, and higher than the South African league. So his continued absence from the nation team baffles me.  

Insane curl top bins finish from boyd, wathc it here.

Would be bloody handy to have had at the 'Nix this season. That's a cracker of a finish

It baffles me that he has not been called up to AWs recently

Out of the picture since turning down ONC. Understandable.

Nope. Hudson has back flipped on others. Should be calling him.

does anyone know why boyd isnt playing for victoria b? Is he injured? I have tried googling it but im nit great with the net

Does he knock-the-door-down start? No. Then he can stay away.

Ingham?

How do we know that Tyler has actually made himself available?

Not sure what the point is - Ingham's not someone who's done anything wrong and asking to be let back in?

If Boyd's absence is still down to him making himself unavailable once, then that's just petty. He was establishing himself at a club... if Smith can be forgiven, then surely he can too! 

Maybe he hasn't grovelled back?

Or still holding out hope for that USA call up ...

Joking aside, I wish Hudson would at least look at him again because I don't rate Jai Ingham.

Muscat is not an idiot (in a coaching sense)... if he thinks he's good enough, I imagine he is.

nice

Season now finished for Boyd, who played 34 games for the Vitoria 2nd team and scored 8 goals. He never once made a match day squad for the 1st team, unlike last season where he made a few appearances for the top side.

I think his deal with Vitoria is now finished, so you would think on the move over the European summer, in a bid to get first team action with a lower table side in Portugal or similar quality European league?

The Vitoria 1st side will play in the Portuguese Cup final next Monday morning against Benfica. Vitoria had a great season finishing 4th on the table, so qualifying for the Europa League. Still be a big upset to win against Benfica who were comfortable league champions

If he can get his US passport sorted, I'm sure a few MLS teams would be happy to look at him.

I thought it was a 4yr deal when he signed 

Apologies yes was a 4 year deal signed Feb 2015. Guess comes down now to whether Vitoria still feel he has ability, talent and work ethic to crack the first team.  

Also being in Europe next season will they sign some new quality players which could push him further down the pecking order, given he didn't make one first team match day squad at all this season just finished.

Apart from Porto, Sporting and Benfica, I'm not sure too many clubs in Portugal are able to throw much money around when it comes to signing new players and putting them on big contracts. 

They should be able to use the pulling power of playing in Europe to lure a couple of players, but it would be good for Boyd if he can keep in his name in the frame and get into a few extended squads - the further they can go further in the competition he could be a good option for sqaud rotation.

can someone contact him and ask if he knows why?

We should all invade his instagram dm hahahha.

I have a feeling he is trying to get that US call up.

too late. He's played a senior international.

Even if he hadn't he is nowhere near good enough to make the US side.

He can still switch - hasn't played a competitive A international for NZ yet. But surely he's not good enough for the US anyway.

FYI Vitoria lose Portuguese Cup final to Benfica 1-2

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/93119466/ball-for-portuguese-cup-final-delivered-to-the-referee-by-drone

What constitutes an A international?

Basically an A international is a match involving the senior team. A Competitive 'A' International is a match in a FIFA competition (inc. Qualifiers) - & this is what would lock him into NZ. Tyler Boyd has played for the U20s (not 'A' internationals), and 5 friendly 'A' internationals (not competitive matches). Therefore he is still able to switch to the US.

maybe, just maybe, the US have contacted Boyd and said they are following his progress... hence Boyd's possible reluctance to commit to the AWs....

Maybe, but I really doubt he would get even close to consideration. He's 22 and couldn't get a sniff in to first team football in a middling Euro league this season. Hardly a bright prospect by US standards

Also has u US passport

Reckon he could quite easily get a call up if he has a few first team apperances. The US team are good, but a lot of their players play at a middling level.

Boyd is a million miles off ever being good enough for the US of A. There is probably 150-250 players in the MLS playing weekly at a fair standard who are American for starters. 

I'm guessing but there is probably another 30+ guys (incl young kids in youth teams etc) in Europe many at big clubs esp in Germany. Their U20 team for example has kids at Spurs, Arsenal, and Bundesliga sides.

I just don't imagine him being on the radar of Herr Klinsmann, plugging away in the Portuguese Div 2. Compared to NZ, the States would also have a huge number of talented youngsters coming through their academies/college systems each year.

Far more likely that Hudson either doesn't rate Boyd high enough, or didn't like him turning down the reported ONC call up last year. For me it's disappointing to have not seen him in an AWs shirt (for whatever reason) since he moved to Portugal. Be interesting to see if he has progressed much.

If he was playing regularly in the first team in the Portuguese top flight then I could see how he might be a long shot for a call up, although not a favourite. But he didn't play at all for the first team this year and only two games off the bench last year.  At his age you wouldn't expect massive improvement anymore so if he's not good enough to force his way even into the fringes of the first team now I can't see that changing

Klinsmann was sacked not long after our friendly against them. Bruce Arena is back in the job now, so it would be interesting to know if contact was made by the US if it was Klinsmann's staff or someone else at US Soccer. However I think the most likely scenario is that Hudson just doesn't want to use him and the US thing is a red herring.

I was going to point out Julian Green, being a similar age to Boyd, having probably less first team experience (15 appearances all up, 10 in the 2nd Bundesliga) - but he has been picked on promise which may never eventuate.