Brian Breslin Philadelphia, Pa. How good is this young kid named Bobby Convey. Obviously he must be a star to be on the U.S. under-17 national team at such a young age. However, is he really capable of turning pro within a year some rumors are saying? Also, are they referring to the MLS or the U.S. national team? Being from Philadelphia I’m very curious to what the majority of experts think! Scott French: Hi, Brian: This is a tough question to answer because, as with most outstanding young players, Bobby Convey’s potential is enormous, but when or whether he reaches that potential is anybody’s guess. He’s only 16, a sophomore in high school, and he’s a part-time starter for what many believe is the finest youth team in America’s history. That says that Convey is a superb talent, and the U.S. U-17 coach, John Ellinger, praised him as one of the players who had come the furthest — and was at the top of form — heading into the U-17 World Cup. MLS has talked to the U-17 team as a whole about Project-40, so he might opt to sign on there. He also could get the chance to go to Europe — many clubs will take a chance on a young, talented player with a huge upside — and a strong showing in New Zealand would enhance those possibilities. We won’t be seeing Bobby Convey on the national team for a few years. His next step within the U.S. program would be the U-20 team, then the U-23s, then the full national team. Not every player makes each (or any) of those steps. So, I guess the short answer is that Bobby Convey is a very talented young player with immense potential. What he does with it — we’ll have to wait and see. (If you have a question for a Soccer America Magazine editor, click “Q&A with SA Editors” in the left column of the home page under “Interactive.”)