Whenever a writer makes a rankings list of any kind, somebody has to finish last.



Back in September, Will Parchman published his hierarchy of the 23 MLS academy setups for The Athletic. Ultimately, it was Minnesota United’s academy which propped up the rest of the table. Parchman is about as qualified as they come in terms of assessing youth academies in the United States, and his impression of the Loons’ structure was very bleak.



“After some rocky early days, Minnesota United’s academy is finally, blessedly, lurching to life,” he began. “Why it’s taking as long as it has in such a fast-paced game is the mystery… Danny Luis Flores, Shattuck’s shining academy star and a U-17 U.S. youth international, chose the Philadelphia Union academy in August in part because he literally wouldn’t have had a place to play with Minnesota United, just an hour up the road.”



According to sporting director Manny...