2006 Addidas Major League Soccer Player Combine Review

The approaching new year means the 2007 Addidas MLS Combine is nearly here. The 2007 version is from Jan. 5^Th – 8^th in Ft. Lauderdale Florida. Earlier here at From College To Pros Bonji took a look at the 58 players invited this year. But instead of looking at this years combine, I want to take a look back at past combines to see what happened with those players. Over the next few weeks I'll be posting on past combines and what happened with those players since the combine. I welcome everyone to look things over and share their own conclusions. As for myself after looking back at 2006, I could see that many of the players drafted were not at the combine. I'm already wondering how important the combine is for the players and coaches.

For it's 3^rd player combine, Major League soccer invited 4 goalkeepers and 15 defenders. Interestingly enough all of them were drafted in either the the 2006 SuperDraft or 2006 Supplemental Draft. And the majority of them were still with MLS teams by the end of the 2006 season. A break down of the players follows.

Goalkeepers

Ray Burse (The Ohio State University)
SuperDraft 3^rd Round pick (30^th overall) by FC Dallas (FCD)
One thing that that doesn't get mentioned often about player development in the US is the PDL. It's an amatuer league that is part of the USL. Like many of his fellow collegiate players, Ray Burse played in the PDL during the college off-season with the Columbus Stars in 2004 and Chicago Fire Premier in 2005. One other bit of trivia on Burse is that during the national team player stike, he trained with the USMNT before their qualifier against Grenada in 2004. Burse didn't see any playing time with FC Dallas during 2006 but is still listed on their roster.

Eric Kronberg (University of California)
SuperDraft 4^th round pick (40^th overall) by KC Wizards
Played with Sonoma County Sol of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL; US 4^th division) 2004-2005. Kronberg didn't see any playing time for KC in 2006. He was loaned out to USL-1's Miami FC (home of the famous Brazilian Romario during 2006). He got in 932 minutes in 11 games with Miami. A good prospect for KC who could give Kevin Harman a challenge in 2007.

Chris Dunsheath (Bradley University)
Superdraft 3^rd round (36^th overall) by Los Angeles Galaxy
While he made the Galaxy's roster, he didn't get any playing time in 2006 with Steve Cronin and Hartman battling it out for the starting spot. Instead of playing he went back to school to finish him. Word on the street is that he'll "return" for 2007 with LA still holding his rights.

Andy Gruenbaum (University of Kentucky)
Supplmental Draft 1^st round (3^rd overall) by Columbus Crew
Gruenebaum was the only goalkeeper from the combine to get playing time with his respective first team in 2006. Part of that was due to Columbus' string of goalkeeping injuries. He got 185 minutes in 3 games. Don't be surprised to see him out on the pitch for the Crew's opening 2007 game. Sigi seems to hold Gruenbaum in high regard.

Defenders

Kenny Bertz (University of Maryland)
SuperDraft 4^th round (47^th overall) by DC United (DCU)
Note: DCU aquired the draft pick from the New England Revolution
Played with the PDL's Columbus Stars in 2003. With the depth of defenders at DC United, it was going to be difficult for Bertz to make the opening day roster. He was cut in March and went to the Portland Timbers who had drafted him (1^st round; 20^th overall) in the USL-1 draft. He ended up signing the Rochester Rhinos and started and played in 26 games including their loss in the final to Vancouver.

Chris Lancos (University of Maryland)
Supplemental Draft 4^th rounn (41^st overall) by Real Salt Lake (RSL)
While he participated in the combine, it was unlikely that Lancos was going to play in the MLS. RSL was willing to use a supplemental pick on him to secure his rights in case he signed with the MLS in the next few years. Lancos went to Europe and signed a contract with Kaiserlaurtern. He played with Kaiserslautern II which is their reserve / youth team that plays in Germanys Regionallia Süd. Chris Lancos is the first player from West Virginia to play in Germany.

Daniel Wasson (University of Tulsa)
Supplemental Draft 4^th round (38^th overall) by Colorado Rapids
A Colorado Springs native, Wasson started his college career at the Air Force Academy. He finished at the University of Tulsa. The MLS listed him as defender but Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo successfully deployed him as a defensive midfielder. He got 7 starts and 17 games for the Rapids in 2006. Watch for him to get a lot more playing time if the rumors come true and Pablo Mastroeni is sold during the off-season.

Kyle Veris (The Ohio State University)
SuperDraft 3^rd round (25^th overall) by Los Angeles Galaxy
The big DC native played for PDL clubs Toledo Slayers, Mid-Michigan Bucks, and Columbus Shooting Stars (teammate of Kenny Bertz there). In 2006 he played in 10 games with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Frank Yallop may have seen enough between Veris and fellow 2006 combine player Nathan Sturgis to be willing to part with Ugo Ihemelu.

Tyson Wahl (University of California)
SuperDraft 2^nd round (19^th overall) by Kansas City Wizards
Note : KC aquired draft pick from Chicago Fire who had received it from DC United.
Saw over 600 minutes of play with a Kansas City team that was thin due to injuries and World Cup call-ups. He's still on the roster but his future will depend on new KC coach Curt Onalfo's vision for the team.

Trevor McEachron (Old Dominion University)
Supplemental Draft 1^st round (12^th overall) by Los Angeles Galaxy
He didn't make the roster cut with Los Angeles. He saw over 1,000 minutes of action with the Richmond Kickers (USL-2). He also saw some action with DC United's reserves in 2006.

Jeff Curtin (Georgetown University)
SuperDaft 2^nd round (14^th overall) by Chicago Fire
Note : Chicago Fire aquired pick from RSL
Younger brother of veteran Fire defender Jim Curtin. Jeff didn't see any playing time with the Fire this last year but he's still on Chicago's roster.

Corey Farabi (Drake University)
Supplemantal Draft 3^rd round (28^th overall) by Kansas City Wizards
He previously played for the Des Moines Menace in the PDL including a US Open Cup (USOC) against KC in 2005. The Menace won the PDL title in 2005. Made KC's roster for 2006 but at some point was dropped.

Justin Moore (Clemson University)
SuperDraft 2^nd round (15^th overall) by FC Dallas
Note : Pick was acquired from Columbus Crew
Moore saw very little playing time in 2006 with 159 minutes in 2 games. Justin is still listed on FCD's roster and will be looking to impress new coach Steve Morrow.

Anthony Noriega (George Mason University)
Supplemental Draft 1^st round (4^th overall) by Kansas City Wizards
Noriega was the Colonial Athletic Associattion Defender of the Year for 2005. Doesn't appear to have made the final roster cut with KC for 2006.

John Queeley (North Carolina State University)
Supplemental Draft 2^nd round (23^rd overall) by New England Revolution
The Denver, Colorado native more frequently goes by Thomas Queeley. While he didn't make it with the Revolution, he did end up playing wit the Puerto Rico Islanders (USL-1). He logged over 2,000 minutes for the Islanders in 2006. This fall Queeley played with PRI in the Caribean's club competition, the CFU Club Championship.

Danny Wynn (St. Louis University)
Supplemental Draft 1^st round (11^th overall) by New England Revolution
Wynn made the cut and was with the Revolution for 2006. He only saw 62 minutes of playing time and was waived by the Revolution after the 2006 season.

Jordan Harvey (University of California - Los Angeles)
SuperDraft 1^st round (9^th overall) by Colorado Rapids
Jordan Harvey didn't see any playing time with the Rapids first team. He did frequently play for the reserves both as a defender and left midfielder. He's still on the Rapids roster and given the number of players recently waived by Clavijo is likely in his plans for 2007.

Willis Forko (University of Connecticut)
Supplemental Draft 2^nd round (12^th overall) by Real Salt Lake
One of the surprise players of 2006 to come out of the Supplemental draft along with Lawson Vaughn and Dasan Robinson (neither of the latter two participated at the 06 combine). Forko got his chance to show his skills at left back for Real Salt Lake when injuries forced head coach Ellinger to move Costa Rican Daniel Torres into the center of the defense. He was a finalist for MLS rookie of the year.

Stephen Shirley (Virginia Commonwealth University)
SuperDraft 3^rd round (29^th overall) by Kansas City Wizards
Stephen Shirley didn't get any playing time for KC in 2006. He is still listed on the roster as both a defender and midfielder. It will be interesting to see how 2007 goes for him as he's shown a lot of talent at the youth levels having represented Scotland as a U-14 and U-15 plus the USA as a U-18 and U-20.