Young American Keepers Going Abroad...Because There Is No Room At Home...

Each year, after the college season ends and before MLS kicks off we start seeing reports of young Americans testing the European soccer waters. Players of all positions give it a go, but it seems Goalkeepers are among the most successful. This year young prospects Tally Hall and Chris Konopka are trying to join the long list of successful American keepers playing abroad. Both were drafted by MLS clubs but they have decided to try their luck on the other side of the pond. Konopka is awaiting a Polish passport to sign with Cardiff City while Hall is considering an offer from top Danish side, Esbjerg fB.

Names like Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel and Tim Howard are well known by all American soccer fans. They're starting keepers in the English Premier League and two of three got their start in MLS. We can't forget about Adin Brown and Marcus Hahnemann. Two more keepers holding down the starting job professionally in European top leagues and two more keepers who earned their current jobs by impressing in MLS.

Hall and Konopka are not the first American keepers to try Europe before MLS, however it seems this is becoming the preferred route for young American keepers. Both of the young Americans fell in the draft. While I don't have information as to why the highly regarded and skilled Hall fell to the last round of the SuperDraft I assume there were two factors. 1) MLS clubs have a couple talented keepers already on the books 2) Hall was already looking to see his options abroad.

I contend that reason #1 is the heart of the matter. Hall was no doubt looking abroad before the MLS draft because he knew his value wouldn't be too high with clubs already deep in keepers. The LA Galaxy drafted Hall and they in no way need another keeper on the bench with Joe Cannon, Steve Cronin and Josh Saunders already on the bench. Cannon has established himself as the best keeper in MLS, Cronin was a highly touted college prospect himself a few short years ago and Saunders is no slouch after splitting time between the Gals and USL-1 Timbers. With keepers being able to play well into their late thirties (Onstand and Meola I'm looking at you) how is a young keeper supposed to break through and earn a starting job and bigger paycheck. At a certain point it becomes impossible when ten keepers are being drafted into the league each season and only a couple leave.

The US is for some reason a perfect breeding ground for soccer goalkeepers. It must be all the good food we eat, making taller and bigger kids every year. At young ages their coaches put them between the pipes and they stay there. We've got a glut of goalies and we're starting to bust at the seams.

Hall and Konopka seem to be making the right move for their careers and I have no doubt this trend will continue and expand. American keepers are in demand abroad why should they rot on the bench while old farts like Pat Onstad continue to mind the nets. This is one situation where I'm happy to see young players bolting from MLS and the USL. We've got enough quality in our league...and the young guys shouldn't be waiting around for an opportunity to prove their worth.

2007 USL-1 College Player Draft...

The USL-1 held their annual draft yesterday. The expansion Carolina RailHawks held the first pick in the two round draft. Since the USL is the second division of American soccer it doesn't have the attention of all of the college players. However, for those who were drafted by MLS and aren't offered a contract, or for those who slipped through the MLS draft and were taken by a USL-1 team, it still offers the path to professional soccer. MLS standouts like Brian Ching and Pat Onstad fought their way through the USL. Other USL players like recent Yank Abroad addition Cam Weaver cut their teeth in USL.

I've added the USL drafted list to the margin on the right as well. You will notice some of the players were drafted by both MLS and USL-1. I can only assume that USL-1 teams are hopeful that the player will not sign with MLS and will not go abroad. If for some reason the player is signed by the USL team, the MLS team that drafted him will retain their right to the player for two years if at some point another MLS team wants to sign him from the USL team. Very complicated, I know.

MLS Development Players Get a Raise...

Ever since the first MLS salary list was leaked, fans of soccer in America have not been able to pick their collective jaw up off the ground. The statement I often get from non-MLS fans is, "I hear these guys make peanuts." Unfortunately, that is not going to change in 2007. On one side of the spectrum designated players are signed, making over $400,000/year and on the other side there are the grunts of the league, trying to make their passion their profession, earning $12,900 in 2007 (according to Steven Goff of the Washington Post.)

Good news for those poverty-striken developmental players. Looks like their salaries will be $12,900 this season, a $1,200 increase.

First, we'll look on the bright side. That is a 10.3% raise over the 2006 developmental player salary. Earning a 10% raise is a good feeling and I know a lot of people out there working in corporate jobs don't earn those every year.

Now we'll look on the dark side...they are barely making more than the US Poverty level for single person households ($9,800 in 2006 according to the Federal Register.)

Who earns the developmental salary in MLS? Anyone who doesn't make the senior roster of a team but does stick around on the developmental roster to play in reserve matches and occasional senior games. That will include many of our friends in the recent SuperDraft and Supplemental Draft. In 2006 that list included Chicago's Dasan Robinson who played in 23 games while earning the paltry developmental salary. Daniel Wasson earned the developmental salary while winning the reserve division championship with the Rapids. In all, there were 47 developmental salaries paid by MLS in 2006. That is 15% of the players in MLS. 9% of the players in the league earned $16,500, the next step up the salary ladder. Overall 24% of the players in the league are making under $20,000 per year.

I guess we can see why some young Americans are turning to the greener pastures of Europe and other foreign leagues. However, I don't want to imply that Preston Zimmerman, Kamani Hill, Neven Subotic or Charlie Davies would have automatically been earning the base MLS salary. We know from published reports that Davies was offered a salary comparable to the $175,000/year he is earning with Swedish club Hammarby IF. If you look at some of the young American stars who did sign with MLS you'll see that the top talent is earning a solid payday. For example: Josmer Altidore was paid a 2006 guaranteed salary of $98,333, Marvell Wynne $150,000, Nikolas Besagno $96,500, Tim Ward $44,125, Ramon Nunez $93,000, Patrick Ianni $78,000 and Jacob Peterson $63,750.

The average MLS guaranteed salary in 2006 was $85,329. 31% of the league earned more than the average guaranteed salary (remember average and median are not the same.)

I am conflicted on the news that the developmental players will only be getting a 10% raise this season. On the one hand I want more and more American players to be able to make a living kicking a ball into a goal. On the other, not all of the developmental players are good enough to be playing in MLS and the league needs to continue encouraging the best to get better and the worst to consider a new career. We don't want MLS to be a graveyard for young talentless players the same as we don't want it to be a bone yard for old Euro has-beens. I take comfort knowing that MLS is working on signing the top talent. They won't get them all but as the league grows and prospers we'll continue to get more. I also feel better knowing that when a team finds a gem on the developmental roster they sign them to a bigger contract (i.e. word is that Daniel Wasson will graduate to the Rapids' senior roster this year earning a substantial raise.)

In the long term I want MLS to get to a point where the lowest salary is a living wage for a professional athlete and the league is getting the best of the best to sign so that they don't need to worry about supporting a player not good enough to cut it. We're not there yet, but as the league grows I know we'll get there.

US U-20 Men Qualify For World Cup...

The US U-20 Men stormed through hostile territory this past week booking a trip to the World Cup in Canada this summer. Yesterday they destroyed the home team 5-0 putting the rest of the world on notice. Through the qualifying group play the US scored 8 goals while allowing 1. The only goal allowed by new MLS keeper Chris Seitz was a penalty against Haiti.

Freddy Adu had the game he needed to have, scoring two goals while creating another. Captain Freddy showed poise and leadership in front of 20,000 hostile Panama fans. He led a group of nine professionals into battle, in unfriendly territory, and got the job done. Kudos to Freddy and the rest of the Americans.

The US will learn their tournament fate March 3rd when hosts Canada draw all of the participants into groups. The U-20 World Cup will run from June 30-July 22 in the great white north. While not the home team, the US will certainly be able to attract fans giving them an advantage over the rest of the world. The location of this Cup could help launch the US to the winners podium come the end of July. Until the US hosts this tournament, our boys won't have a better shot to win it all.

2007 MLS Supplemental Draft Is In The Books....

The MLS SuperDraft comes in with a bang and the Supplemental Draft goes out with a fizzle. I've added the players taken in today's Supplemental Draft and further reduced my FCTP Pro-Prospects list in the right margin. The next draft we all have to look forward to? The USL-1 College Player Draft. This next one will be a barn burner!

US U-20 Men Take Haiti to Task....

The US U-20 Men's National Team broke their first game of qualifying for the US U-20 World Cup wide open, winning easily by a score of 4-1. The exciting start to the qualifying tournament hopefully is a sign of things to come as the US has games against Guatemala and Panama still to come.

Andre Akpan, sporting an immense hairdo, showed that Harvard is a place to learn soccer skills as well as academics. His hat-trick backed up Head Coach Rongen's decision to start the college forward in place of professionals Josmer Altidore, Preston Zimmerman and Johann Smith. This was Akpan's first international match, making Rongen's decision even more daring and in hindsight, brilliant. Recent MLS draftees Chris Seitz and Anthony Wallace started the match while Amaechi Igwe got into the game as a late sub and Bryan Arguez kept the bench warm.

I didn't get to see the whole match, but a review of the goals showed a happless Haiti trying to keep the Americans from scoring. Each of the goals could have been stopped by a better keeper or at least prevented by a skilled defense. Haiti had neither. They also didn't have a midfield to possess the ball or forwards to take shots. Well, I take that last one back; Haiti managed 7 shots while only three were on goal. Without the late penalty, Haiti would have left without a goal.

The second match of the night on GolTV was Guatemala and Panama. It looks like both of these teams should be able to put up a better fight than Haiti. The US will play Guatemala tomorrow and Panama on Sunday. Finishing within the top two of the group to grab a seat at the U-20 World Cup got a lot easier today, but until tomorrow can't be assured.

While Akpan and Danny Szetela were singled out for solid performances, Freddy Adu seemed to earn the "where is he playing" award. While the American captain didn't make mistakes per say, he was not a force on the game and sometimes seemed like he wasn't there. As I've said before, this U-20 World Cup is where Freddy needs to prove himself if he wants to continue being seen as the US Soccer golden boy.

Congrats to the young Nats and good luck against Guatemala! For those with access to GolTV, Friday's game will be shown at 6:30 pm est.

2007 MLS Supplemental Draft....

Not much info is coming out of MLS HQ on the Supplemental Draft, but FCTP has learned it will take place today at 1 pm est via teleconference. Once the list of drafted players is announced I'll add it to the margin, below the SuperDraft results. This morning I am also going to be deleting the Pro-Prospects who have been drafted, so that should give you some idea of who is available in the Supplemental Draft. However, MLS will add more players to the Supplemental Draft list based on team requests. So, my Pro-Prospects list will by no means be a complete list of players available in the Supplemental Draft.

***Editors Update - The Supplemental Draft is kicking off at 3pm est, not 1:30 est as previously reported. Here is a link to the draft tracker on MLSnet.com***

New Addition to FCTP Sidebar...

Ok readers. I've added the 2007 MLS SuperDraft class to the margin on the right. Once we have the Supplemental Draft I'll add that list as well. Then the USL should have their draft and I'll add that information. That way, you'll all be able to easily find the 2007 draft information in one place.

Enjoy!

2007 MLS Draft...a Review...part II...

Ok, I have to admit it. I have a draft hangover. I've been looking at spreadsheets, reading stories and thinking about this draft too much. I don't think I can put together a quality review, part II. I know, you're all going to be very disappointed.

Since I am not going to write a whole review for you, I'm going to link to the pieces by others I've enjoyed...or not enjoyed (I do realize that other opinions count.)

ESPN talks about the trades that didn't happen...
U-20 Players React to the Draft Results...
Jonathan Nierman at mlsnet.com discusses the big day...
PDL players taken in the draft...
Folks like you and me discuss the Draft on BigSoccer...

Ok, those are a few...As I find more I'll update this.

Here is a good review of the Rapids' draft from assistant coach John Murphy.

2007 MLS Draft...a Review...part I...

Friday, January 12th 2007, MLS held their annual college draft. Each year the league uses the event to make announcements and refocus American soccer fans on their national top flight soccer league. Some years there is more news surrounding the draft then others. For example, when Freddy Adu joined the league and was selected first overall by DC United in 2004, there was a lot of media attention on the draft and MLS that had never been there in the past. Three years on and another player signing stole the show leading up to the draft...David Beckham. No, he has nothing to do with the actual draft, and in many ways he completely and totally over shadowed the draft, but his signing helped people take note and remember, "There is a professional soccer league in the US."

The buzz created by Beckham's signing certainly got my juices flowing even more for the draft. For example, each time LA picked another player I thought to myself, "Ohhh, he'll do well learning from Beckham." So who were the lucky LA draftees?
Robbie Findley - F - Oregon State
Josh Tudela - M - Indiana
Ty Harden - D - Washington
Tally Hall - GK - San Diego State
Bobby Burling - F - Loyola Marymount

I am sure they are all excited about the prospects of playing with such a strong, International player. No matter what you think of Beckham's current level of play, there is no denying he is the most recognized soccer player in the world today...up there with Pele and Diego Maradona at their peaks of notoriety.

Like the title says, this is a review of the 2007 MLS SuperDraft...not a gushing about Becks post....so on with the show. I am not going to try to rank the draft class because as many people have pointed out, player potential isn't known until we see them on the field against professional level players. This isn't the NFL where special players are on display before the draft on a weekly basis for the entire country to watch play College Football. The gems are much harder to see in the MLS Draft.

Going into the draft I picked LA and Colorado as the two teams who I thought could really make some waves in the draft base on the number of total picks and the number of picks in the first three round, where most of the talent is picked. What does LA do? They trade the #5 pick to New England for a portion of the Dempsey allocation and the #10 pick to Toronto for a partial allocation. With the 16th pick they got the 3rd Degree top rated forward in Findley. I wonder if those allocations were necessary to sign Beckham or if LA has another foreign import in their plans. Whatever the case, LA clearly decided to foregoe possible stars of tomorrow for star power today...and I don't blame them.

Colorado had major defensive issues and this off-season has been a time to address them. So far the Rapids have brought Ugo Ihemelu, Brandon Prideaux and added Greg Vanney in a draft pick swap with Dallas. Colorado had two 2nd round picks in a row so they decided to give one up for a proven talent. Good move in my opinion because the odds are very low that the 18th overall pick would have produced a left back of Vanney's quality and experience. With the picks Colorado kept they stole the top Combine prospect, M - Greg Dalby, with the 17th pick. Rumor is that Dalby is looking for a large contract and is basically holding out. If the Rapids can convince him to stay, good selection. If not, they took a calculated risk and lost. Dane Richards
and Corey Ashe remained on the board and could have helped the Rapids...however the team took their risk that will either look genius or terrible in a year's time. With the #6 pick the team drafted a great GA talent in Nico Colaluca. I am hopeful that he will work out well for the team learning from gifted crosser Terry Cooke.

Toronto had a decent hand delt to them but they only came into the day with 3 picks. The 1st overall is obviously a strong starting position but by adding the 10th pick they were able to select a strong defender, Andrew Boyens. In my opinion that move, along with selecting Maurice Edu and Canadian forward Jeff Gonsalves gave FCT a strong draft class. They really improved a poor situation by trading up and then got lucky finding Gonsalves still available at #40.

New York had two picks...they didn't have a lot of room to move and they took two attackers in Dane Richards and Sinisa Ubiparipovic. Since the Red Bulls are getting their midfield help from the signing of Claudio Reyna, they did what they could. However, Richards is not an American and does not have his green card to my knowledge. So they added a international player at the same time they're trying to sign big name foreign stars. This may bite them in a couple years.

New England made a shocking move to me by trading up to the #5 position and then selecting Wells Thompson from Wake. Steve Nicol is a good talent judge so I hope for his sake he was right. However many pundits saw Thompson still being available later in the first or second round. Grabbing Amaechi Igwe with their next pick was a great move. The US U-20 and GA player has a lot of potential. Ryan Solle was another midfielder taken by the Revs who must be hoping one of these prospects will grow into another Clint Dempsey....that is a long shot.

1st Round of 2007 MLS Draft is in the Books...

You can see all of the MLS SuperDraft picks here at mlsnet.

Let's talk first round. My mock draft didn't turn out too well, but that is what I expected. It is nearly impossible to know who'll be #1, etc.

So let's look down the line:

#1 Pick - Toronto: Maurice Edu - M - Maryland: This Generation Adidas player has great on the ball skills. Here are a list of awards and honors that put him on my list originally (I'll do this for each player: 2003 ESP All*Star, 2004 NSCAA All-American, 2006 Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, 2006 ACC All-Conference, 2006 CSN 3rd Team All-American, 2006 NSCAA/adidas All-America Team 1st Team.

#2 Pick - Chicago traded up with Columbus: Bakary Soumare - D - Virginia: Solid defensive prospect. Honors: 2005 StudentSportsSoccer.com #10 top prospect, 2006 CSN 1st All-Freshman Team, 2006 SA Freshman of the year 1st team.

#3 Pick - Kansas City: Michael Harrington - D - North Carolina: KC gets a great full back prospect in Harrington. 2001 US U-17 Team, 2002 ESP, 2002 HS All American, 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Championships, 2006 CSN 3rd Team Pre-Season All American, 2006 pre-season Herman Watch

#4 Pick - Salt Lake: Chris Seitz - GK - Maryland: Some people saw Seitz as the top pick and his talent is well known. With good development and hard work will become a MLS starting keeper. RSL had so many needs this seems like a strange pick. GA status helps but they already have two starting keepers on the books. Seitz will take some time to develop...but still seems odd. Ellinger continues to show he should have stayed as the U-17 coach. 2004 ESP All*Star, 2005 1st All-Freshman Team, 2006 U-20 Milk Cup, 2006 ACC All-Conference, 2006 Defensive POTY, 2006 CSN 1st Team All-American, 2006 NSCAA/adidas All-America Team 3rd Team, 2006 SA MVP

#5 Pick - New England: Wells Thompson - M - Wake Forest: New England trades up to take a player many didn't see going in the first round. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

#6 Pick - Colorado: Nico Colaluca - M - Virginia: The GA status helps me like this pick. Likes to control the attack. I've heard he has an attitude and we've seen how Clavijo deals with those. Hopefully he'll work out but I don't see this as a great pick. 2002 - 2003 ESP, 2004 NSCAA/adidas National High School Player of the Year, 2004 1st All-Freshman Team, 2006 CSN 2nd Team Pre-Season All American, 2006 ACC All-Conference, 2006 CSN 1st Team All-American, 2006 NSCAA/adidas All-America Team 2nd Team, 2006 SA MVP.

#7 Pick - Chivas USA: John Cunliffe - F - Fort Lewis College: Coming from a small school raised questions but he showed well at the combine. Grew up in English football academy. England U-18, 2006 PDL POTW, 2006 PDL TOTW (4), 2006 All PDL Team.

#8 Pick - Chicago: Jerson Monteiro - F - UAB: Angolan National Team. That is all I know about him.

#9 Pick - FCD: Anthony Wallace - D/M - South Florida: Great prospect. Lots of upside. On his way to Panama for the U-20 tourney. 2004 - 2006 US U-17 Residency, 2005 ESP, 2005 NSCAA/adidas Boys Youth All-America Team, 2006 CSN 100 Freshman to Watch, 2006 US U-20 Camp.

#10 Pick - Toronto traded up with LA: Andrew Boyens - D - New Mexico: Solid Kiwi defender. Was considering signing with the Aussi League but MLS got him. Since he is from the English Commonwealth he can get a Canadian green card quickly, making him less of a roster impact. Nice selection by TFC. 2005 3rd Team All-American, 2006 CSN 1st Team Pre-Season All American, 2006 pre-season Herman Watch, 2006 Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, 2006 CSN 1st Team All-American, 2006 NSCAA/adidas All-America Team 1st Team.

#11 Pick - DC United: Bryan Arguez - D/M - U-17 Residency/High School: Another one for the future. Good pick. 2005 ESP, 2005 NSCAA/adidas Boys Youth All-America Team, 2006 U-20 Busan International Tournament.

#12 Pick - New England: Amaechi Igwe - D/M - Santa Clara: Given the fact the Rapids need help on the left side I was sad when they passed on Igwe. The GA player has a lot of upside. 2004 ESP, 2005 FIFA U-17 WC Team, 2005 NSCAA/adidas Boys Youth All-America Team, 2006 US U-20, 2006 U-20 Milk Cup, 2006 CSN 100 Freshman to Watch, 2006 US U-20 Camp, 2006 CSN 2nd All-Freshman Team.

#13 Pick - Houston: John Michael Hayden - M - Indiana: Kind of a head scratcher in the first round. Houston must see something a lot of others don't. Is coming from a top college program. 2000 - 2001 PARADE All-American, 2006 Big Ten All-Conference.

So that is the first round. GA players stayed on the board longer then I expected. The first round shocker was New England trading up to pick Wells Thompson. Consensus was he'd be there in the second round. Other surprises were Jerson Monteiro at #8 and John Michael Hayden at #13. Abdus Ibrahim was the lowest GA player to go, barely slipping into the second round at #14.

Greg Dalby had a great combine and would have gone sooner but he has gotten into a contract dispute with MLS already. So he slipped to the Rapids at #17. Hopefully the pick won't be wasted and he'll sign.

MLS Draft Day 2007!!!

The day is finally here. Aside from any birthdays, holidays and anniversaries...I think this is my favorite day of the year. I guess that helps explain why I stated this blog.

My first MLS draft where I was really hooked was during graduate school, so it must have been the 2004 draft. I didn't have class so all I had to do was watch and wait for my beloved Rapids to select. It is a total cliche, but I remember it like it was yesterday. 2004 was the year of Freddy Adu. I suppose that is what made me want to watch. The fact the draft was being broadcast on-line for free helped a lot as well. My Rapids' first pick was in the second round and they took Adolfo Gregorio.

Adolfo Gregorio, that is right. Can he be found in the league today? No. Did he ever play for the Rapids? No. The UCLA product went abroad trying to find a club. He played in the lower English divisions then came home to play for former coach, John Ellinger, at rival Real Salt Lake. That was my first, cruel experience with the draft and how players can get you excited and then become total let downs.

With that in mind my friends, get excited for today's festivities. They all kick off in under two hours! (12 noon est, 10 am here in Denver) This time around the first hour of the draft is being broadcast by ESPN2, live. The league will shift coverage to the website after the first hour. A harsh byproduct of the great new league TV deals is that not everything can be free anymore. So I'll have to survive on the slow to update draft tracker for my fix this am.

Here is the official MLS SuperDraft page. You can use it as a good resource to see who goes where. Throughout the day I will try to update the blog with my thoughts.

Pop some popcorn, this is going to be fun. Remember that your team is doing the best they can. Some will no doubt have an Adolfo Gregorio, but that is part of the fun. Enjoy!!!

Hello, nice to meet you US U-20 players in the Draft...

US Soccer posted a nice bio page on the four US U-20 players in tomorrow's MLS Draft. Click on over to get to know them.

David Beckham to MLS...

AS you no doubt have read or heard through any number of media outlets, David Beckham is coming to MLS and the Los Angeles Galaxy. I'm not going to go into the effect of the signing on the league and the finances of the deal, there are plenty of places to read opinions on that. As you can imagine I'm thinking of the effect of the signing on the young players in the league and coming into the league in the future.

LA Galaxy players will obviously feel the biggest impact from the signing. David Beckham has been the captain of England so he no doubt has leadership skills. Beckham's professionalism on and off the field will help mold young players into true professionals.

When other teams play LA they are all going to be gunning to beat David Beckham. They are going to elevate their game when marking him. They are going to tackle him that much harder...because he's David Beckham.

Beckham is one of the biggest names in worldwide sports and his entry into MLS brings instant credibility that will be felt by the younger generations. The increased media attention will hit all MLS players, not just Beckham. Hopefully the increased revenue will mean more cash flowing downhill to the younger players. I've said many times that I think MLS needs to be raising the league minimum salary to keep talented youth in the league. Hopefully Beckham's arrival will help spur additional investment in the youth of MLS. An example of what I mean: International television networks are now interested in purchasing the broadcast rights for MLS internationally. That contract will no doubt have a lot of zeros on the end of it and some of that money needs to be reinvested in the league and the youth of the league.

Eighteen months ago American sports fans laughed at the idea of a soccer icon like Beckham signing with MLS. Hell, six months ago they still did. Hopefully this will help bring some American sports fans into the soccer fold so that the worldwide game takes hold in the final soccer frontier.

2007 Generation Adidas Class Offically Announced...

Thanks to Buzz at 3rd Degree, we have known the 2007 MLS Generation Adidas class for some time now. Official confirmation is always a good thing and MLS gave us that today.

One wrinkle that I was clued into yesterday somewhere on the Internet, Luis Faz is available in the draft but is not on a GA player. He has been an enigma of sorts as there isn't a lot of information available on him. He first showed up on my radar screen as a participant and All*Star at the 2004 adidas ESP camp. After that I lost his trail. Evidentially he had some college playing time but is not enrolled now. Someone got him into the MLS combine. From the accounts I've read he didn't play too well at the combine, so if someone takes him it will be with a low selection...probably in the Supplemental Draft.

Drum roll please! Ok, who am I kidding, we know the eight member 2007 GA class:
Chris Seitz (GK) - Maryland
Bryan Arguez (D/M) - High School (Former U-17 Residency)
Anthony Wallace (D/M) - South Florida
Amaechi Igwe (D) - Santa Clara
Maurice Edu (DM) - Maryland
Nico Colacula (M/F) - Virginia
Bakary Soumare (D) - Virginia
Abdus Ibrahim (F) - U-17 Residency

So there it is, we have an officially small Generation Adidas class. A few people have given their opinion on why the class is smaller then in the past where 12 kids was more the norm. Some feel it is due to the U-17 WC this summer and players wanting maximum exposure to raise their value abroad and in MLS. Others feel players have seen what happens to young kids in MLS who don't make an immediate impact and languish on the bench and in the reserve division.

I'm sure each player has a different reason, but whatever the reason, MLS has to be disappointed they didn't snare more of the top, young American talent. Hopefully this is not a trend that will lead to the demise of Generation Adidas. Overall I think it is a great program and it would be a major step backwards if we lose it. I wonder if it needs to be tweaked a little to address some of the players' issues.

Two days until the draft people...let's get excited!

2007 Mock MLS SuperDraft...

Well folks, the 2007 MLS Combine is officially over. There are plenty of places to read about how players performed, who made a name for themselves and who earned a career in USL-2.

Now is the real fun. This Friday brings the SuperDraft. For the first time the draft will be covered on a major network, ESPN2.

In my opinion, one of the most interesting stories about this year's combine is the fact that Chris Seitz, often thrown around as the best possible #1 pick, wasn't even at the combine because he was training with the US U-20 team in preparation for next week's U-20 World Cup qualifying tournament. Given the popularity of Generation Adidas players in past drafts, four of the potential first round picks were not playing at the combine for MLS coaches to evaluate. Some of the coaches went to Bradenton to catch a U-20 vs. U-17 match, but this environment isn't the same as the combine and a good evaluation may not have been possible. The teams interested in the Generation Adidas crop may be taking a gamble on a player who looks great against 16 year olds, but not 21 year olds. Just an interesting wrinkle I thought I'd point out.

Now that the Combine is over I want to put my mock draft out there. I've been thinking about this one for a couple weeks now and I don't think some of my opinions changed too much over the Combine weekend. My basic thought is that GA players will dominate the first round, pushing some of the better seniors into the second. This is what we've seen in the past and I think it will continue this year. The GA class is a little smaller then previous years, and a couple of the young guys didn't show too well at the combine, so the select seniors will creep up top...so let's see how I think it will shake out.

First off, I'm not going past the first round. Primarily because I don't have the time, but this draft is so wide open right now there is no way to tell what happens after the first thirteen picks.

Pick #1 - Toronto: Chris Seitz - GK - Maryland: Seitz has a lot of BigSoccer posters drooling but that is not the reason I'm putting him first. The main reason I have him going to Toronto is their goal keeper situation, Greg Sutton is quality and should be able to teach the young star a thing or two about professional goal keeping. Next, if the foreign player rules start to get in the way, Toronto can deal him for some good talent. Who do they covet? Houston's Canadian, Dwayne De Rosario. Houston has an aging keeper in Pat Onstad. If Seitz somehow ends up in Houston, they will have a great understudy for Onstad and Seitz will know he won't sit on the bench for ever as soon to be 39 year old Onstad can't have too much left in the tank.

If Toronto gets solid offers for the #1 pick, I can see them giving it up. The foreign player rules are no doubt going to be tricky for them. I do not see Toronto picking one of the Canadian players available in the draft with the first overall pick. While they are skilled, they are not MLS shoe-ins and Toronto would be wasting their top pick. Their second pick isn't until #27 so they need to choose wisely.

Pick #2 - Columbus: Bakari Soumare - D - UVA: If Columbus has one positive it is that they are deep with young, talented players who are trying to reach their potential. I guess that is kind of a back handed compliment. In Soumare Columbus gets a defender with great ability who needs good coaching. Sigi Schmid is a great coach for teaching the game and he should be able to mold Soumare into a good MLS player. In my opinion Soumare's talent and GA status will convince Schmid to take him with the second pick.

Pick #3 - Kansas City: Nico Colaluca - M/F - UVA: I'm not sure Colaluca is an exact Chris Henderson replica, but I think he could be a player Chris Henderson sees himself in. Colaluca is a hard working outside midfielder with the magic GA tag. Kansas City has some big salary players in Eddie Johnson, Kerry Zavagnin, Nick Garcia, Kevin Hartman and others so they should be interested in a GA player.

Pick #4 - Real Salt Lake: Amaechi Igwe - D - Santa Clara: RSL needs defensive help, who better then Igwe who Ellinger coached at Bradenton before leaving for Salt Lake City? RSL is another club in salary cap trouble due to the big Freddy Adu signing, so they need someone who doesn't add to the cap. Igwe has good size and defensive knowledge and should be able to fit into the back line quickly.

Pick #5 - Los Angeles: Greg Dalby - D/M - Notre Dame: LA created a big hold in the center of their defense by trading away Ugo Ihemelu. The Rapids proved in 2006 that even Super Joe Cannon needs a solid defense in front of him so look for the Galaxy to pick the top rated senior in the draft pool, Greg Dalby. Dalby is a smart player who will be able to mark in midfield or on defense. He's like a Michael Parkhurst who isn't the biggest, but knows how to play the game.

Pick #6 - Colorado: Maurice Edu - DM - Maryland: Edu is very skillful with the ball and would be a great replacement for Pablo Mastroeni should he leave as rumored. Edu probably won't slip to the sixth slot, but a Rapids fan can dream, right?

Pick #7 - Chivas USA: Robbie Findley - F - Oregon State: Chivas USA is losing Juan Francisco Palencia if I am remembering correctly, so they'll have a huge hole to fill in the attack. While Findley may not be ready to start day 1, he showed at the combine that he is skilled and dangerous and should be able to help fill the hole left by Palencia's departure (which will be very hard to do for Chivas.)

Pick #8 - Chicago: Anthony Wallace - D - University of South Florida: Not much is known about Wallace since he missed the combine attending the U-20 camp. He made the U-20 roster for U-20 WC Qualifying so you know he is doing something right. Chicago will go for the roster protection of GA and the prospect of another young, talented defender.

Pick #9 - Dallas: Abdus Ibrahim - F - US U-17 Residency: Ibrahim only played one day at the combine and he was impressive. FCD is deep in attacking talent so there won't be a rush to develop this 15 year old. He has shown a great amount of potential but needs some good coaching to bring it along.

Pick #10 - Los Angeles: Michael Harrington - D - UNC: Harrington is the top rated pure left back in the draft but he has been offered a contract in Germany as previously discussed here, making him slightly damaged goods in the draft. LA has a lot of picks and can afford to gamble on a solid prospect.

Pick #11 - DC United: Bryan Arguez - M - US U-17 Residency: Thomas Rongen believes Arguez could develop into a good box to box midfielder and is taking him to Panama next week for the U-20 Qualifiers. DC United have lost Freddy Adu, opening a spot for a young, hard working midfielder to learn from one of the best in MLS, Christian Gomez.

Pick #12 - New England: Mike Sambursky - F - South Carolina: Due to the lack of depth in the defensive positions at the combine Mike was asked to play right back, and did very well by all accounts. In college he played forward. Sounds like someone coach Nicol will be able to mold into whatever he wants. With Dempsey leaving a smart, attacking minded player who can cover a lot of the field sounds like a nice solution for the Revs.

Pick #13 - Houston: John Cunliffe - F - Ft. Lewis: Houston are the reigning champs and typically the champs don't have a lot of holes to fill. That being said, Cunliffe is the type of player who can play a few attacking positions bringing depth to the side. He's English and there is that chance he could opt for a European offer but hopefully Houston can convince him to stick around.

There it is. I'm sure many of you will disagree with my picks. Please do. I can't wait until draft day to see how it all shakes out.

US U-20 Roster Expected...Announced...

Yank Abroad is reporting that US U-20 Head Coach Thomas Rongen is expected to release his roster for the upcoming CONCACAF World Youth Championship Qualifying Tournament in Panama today, 1-08-07.

YA had a nice interview with Rongen where he solidifies my feeling that Generation Adidas signing, former U-17 Residency midfielder Bryan Arguez, will be a top five selection in Friday's MLS draft. I know a lot of MLS teams are always looking for a creative midfield leader.

Interestingly enough, while I was typing this US Soccer did release the roster on their website. So I guess the flavor of this post can morph a little.

Some notes about the roster:

- Arguez did make the roster and will be celebrating his 18th birthday the day after the MLS draft. Happy Birthday Bryan!

- 50% of the team are college players. 45% of the team professionals and 5% other. However, as of the time of the qualification tournament kicks off, 65% of the team will be professional and 45% college since three of the roster spots are filled with Generation Adidas contract signers (Arguez, Igwe, Seitz & Wallace.)

- At one point Julian Valentin was rumored to be heading to MLS but that has died down. Once we have the official list of GA players we'll see if the above numbers change more.

- Michael Bradley is not on the list. According the the YA article linked above the team was trying to get him released from his Dutch club, SC Heerenveen. However he must not have been since he is not on the roster. But teammate, Robbie Rogers, was released. Bradley has worked his way into the first team at Heernenveen while Rogers is still playing with the reserves. So unfortunately, Bradley has to miss the tournament.

- Three UCLA players make the team. Guess they're doing something right with their young players.

- Freddy Adu is by far the most experienced player on this roster. They're going to depend on his leadership a lot. It will be a good learning experience for him, he's no longer the young guy looking up.

- Altidore's broken wrist/arm must be healing well. No matter how good he is, I don't know why Rongen would bring along a broken player to sit on the bench.

The tournament kicks off next week for the Americans. Their first match is against Haiti on Wednesday the 17th. They play Guatemala next on Friday and finish up with hosts Panama on the 21st. The top two teams from the group move onto the U-20 World Cup. Go USA!

2007 MLS Draft Candidate, Michael Harrington, Courted By Kaiserslautern...

I just read over on Yanks Abroad that UNC Senior, Michael Harrington has been offered a contract by German side Kaiserslautern. The deal is structured so that Harrington will start with the reserves and when he earns a spot in the first team, his salary will go up. Kaiserslautern is currently fighting for promotion to the Bundesliga so Harrington would be passing on MLS for a second division reserve team with the potential for a move to the first team and the potential for a move to the top league.

Harrington's agent reveals that the deal is monetarily similar to what MLS will be able to offer. I'm not sure how the agent knows that without having preliminary talks with MLS. With Harrington being a consensus first round pick, many MLS teams being interested in his left back services, MLS should do everything in their power to make sure Harrington stays in the States for a few years. However, if his contract gets too big, and he isn't protected by GA status, how will he fit in at the clubs already tight in salary cap and needing his services? After all, rookies are expected to make very little when adidas isn't paying them. If Harrington slips down the draft board, will MLS be able to pay him the sum he wants, forcing him abroad? A team like Real Salt Lake would greatly benefit from his services, plus coach Ellinger is no doubt interested in many of his former players, however the addition of Adu has no doubt strained their salary budget and adding a high priced, untested rookie is a risk. Seems like a tough catch-22 could develop if Harrington isn't picked by the right team.

Some Thoughts Going Into The 2007 MLS Draft...

Over the weekend you saw me rely on Top Drawer Soccer's draft coverage for my analysis because 3rd Degree was having some technical difficulties. I believe everything is back up and running at 3rd Degree. Here is their Day 1 coverage and their Day 2. *Note. As I typed this and tried to link to Day 2, 3rd Degree crashed. I'll try to get back here and add the link once it is back up and running.*

Reviews of the 2007 MLS Combine have been less than glowing. Most things I've read have said Day 1 was a poor display of soccer. While Day 2 was an improvement, MLS is blaming the Florida heat for players' poor performances. No players have really grabbed the imagination of Combine attendees and only a handfull have gotten consistently high marks.

MLS' human quote machine, Alexi Lalas, confirms what many have said in a MLSnet.com article today.

"The prevailing wisdom is that the 2007 class is a weak class and there has not been a whole lot done in the past few days to change that wisdom," Lalas said. "Inevitably this will be the generation that becomes the one to take us to heights we've never seen."

While I doubt the 2007 MLS class will "take us to heights we've never seen," I don't doubt that someone will be able to pull one or two gems out of the lot.

Who are the potential gems? As pointed out in a previous post, Jonathan Bornstein's versatility really helped him earn a place in the 2006 Chivas USA side. He started playing at left back and eventually ran the entire left side of the field in three different positions depending on Bob Bradley's formation. While I don't know if Robbie Findley and Corey Ashe will be able to play left back, they seem to be able to cause defenders fits in the wing midfield role, and get into scoring positions as forwards. Josh Tudela and Greg Dalby have both shown that they can play on the back line or in the defensive midfield role.

As the new week kicks off we've got one final day of the combine to evaluate. There weren't any games on Sunday, giving the participants a well earned break from the heat. Tomorrow the real fun will start with all sorts of mock drafts posted around the Internet. You know FCTP will be throwing one out there, stay tuned.

2007 MLS Combine...Day 2...

Saturday, January 6th saw the sun rise and set on the second day of the 2007 MLS Combine. Once again we're going to rely on Top Drawer Soccer's (TDS) report of the day.

Let's start off with Generation Adidas. On BigSoccer I'm seeing a new list of "definite" signings. I suppose nothing will be definite until the league releases the list available in Friday's draft, but here is the scuttlebutt:
Bakari Soumare, Nico Colaluca, Abdus Ibrahim, Luis Faz, Chris Seitz, Maurice Edu, Amaechi Igwe, Anthony Wallace and Bryan Arguez. Edu is back on the list and Jules Valentin has fallen off. TDS reports that some of the MLS coaches skipped Day 2 of the combine to travel to Bradenton and the US U-20 camp to see some of the GA players. Arguez, Igwe, Seitz and Wallace are the four U-20 players in camp and not at the combine. This could be why we haven't seen info on them signing with the league and is certainly why they're not at the combine.

Now onto the players who are moving up the ladder and those who are not impressing the coaches.

Rising Stock:

- Ty Harden - D - Washington: Harden performed well and showed his ability to see the entire game from the back. Players with great awareness of the game will be able to adapt to the pro game quicker, making them more desirable in the draft. Had a strong career in Washington.

- Zach Kirby - D - Boston University: Paired with Harden and showed his ability to read the game and position himself in the right spot at the right time. Similar to Harden, this kind of ability will help him fit into the pro-game and must have made some coaches take notice.

- Robbie Findley - F - Oregon State: Findley spent college scoring goals but in Day 2 he was assigned to a midfield role. His speed and off the ball movement put him in behind defenses well and allowed him to break down the defense. Findley sounds like he could be come into the league and show adaptability, similar to Jacob Peterson in 2006, making him a highly sought after player. Buzz at 3rd Degree continues to make me eat crow on this one.

- Frederico Moojen - F - Clemson: Moojen came to the US from Brazil and showed yesterday he loves to play the game. He scored a goal and worked hard, no doubt making some coaches take notice.

- Michael Harrington - D - UNC: In Day 2 Harrington showed he can hit a powerful left footed shot. Should the comparisons to Roberto Carlos start today?

- Andrew Daniels - D - Brown: The Ivy League isn't the soccer American College hot bed, but Daniels showed he can hold his own on the back line. At 6' 2" coaches may take his size and teach him the things he didn't learn playing against top competition. He was named the 2002 NSCAA Wisconsin State Player of the Year.

- Josh Tudela - D/M - Indiana: Played in both the defense and midfield, showing his versatility. TDS lists his performance as impressive and I'm sure MLS coaches did too.

- Greg Dalby - D/M - Notre Dame: After playing in defense on Day 1, he switched to his more natural position of midfield for Day 2. Showed his awareness of the game. Dalby seems to be emerging as one of the top senior prospects.

- Nico Colaluca - M - UVA: Colaluca showed he can play as part of a team and showed good vision of the field and awareness of where his team was on the field. As a GA player he naturally moves into the first or second round, however a strong combine performance may guarantee a top draft selection.

- Phil Marfuggi - GK - Clemson: Showed he can direct the defense in front of him. Communication for goal keepers is an important skill.

- Bakary Soumare - D - UVA: Showed defending is his strong suit but he needs to work on his passing. I think his potential and GA status will make him a top 6 pick.

- Adam Cristman - F - UVA: Adam showed his size helps him be aggressive up top which will frustrate defenses. In such a physical league it is certainly necessary to be a physical presence.

- Randi Patterson - F - UNCG: Patterson continues to show he is a scoring threat and knows how to move the ball and himself quickly.

Ok, now the falling stock:

- John Michael Hayden - M - Indiana: Earned some Big Ten awards in 2006 but is failing to impress when playing in the pool with the best college players in the country.

- Nick Noble - GK - West Virginia: As a keeper you have to be in control of everything. Noble showed a weakness by being uncertain during some of his play.

- Aaron Chandler - F - San Francisco: You can see that the coaches at the combine are looking for players who can play other places on the field aside from their natural position. Chandler was moved from his typical forward role to defense and he didn't make the grade. Showing you're a one trick pony is a quick ticket to the Supplemental Draft.

- Chris Loftus - M - Duke: Once again had a bad game. His size surely won't make up for poor performances. Another likely Supplemental Pick...if at all.

Well, the college kids have one more day of Combine play to impress the MLS coaches. If not, they're USL bound. So far no one is calling out a sleeper or under the radar star. Hopefully the coaches are seeing one.

2007 MLS Combine...Day 1.

Day 1 combine reports are trickling in. As expected some of the big names are confirming their status and some of the unknowns are making a name for themselves. Additionally, Generation Adidas is filling up as Top Drawer Soccer is confirming some more names have signed with the league. So let's review.

First off, I encourage you to check out Top Drawer Soccer's free posts on the combine. Typically they are a pay service, but it seems there is a free weekend preview going on.

If you remember I created a FTCP Pro-Prospects section in the right margin awhile back. Let's look at who's stock is rising and falling based on what Top Drawer tells us.

Stock Rising:

- Jay Needham - D - SMU: In an uninspired match his defensive work helped him stand out. His good size and awareness of the game will help him survive in physical MLS.

- Scott Jones - M - UNC Greensboro: Sounds like Jones has a nose for where the ball needs to go. That is an important instinct in soccer and something that can't be taught. There are a lot of MLS teams that need that kind of instinct and creativity.

- Greg Dalby - D/M - Notre Dame: Dalby was one of the keys to Notre Dame's success in 2006. He has a great awards cabinet and a ton of experience with the US Youth National Teams. day 1 of the combine seems to have cemented him as one of the top defensive prospects.

- John DiRaimondo - M/F - St. Louis: Another kid with a great pedigree and history of awards, DiRaimondo showed he knows how to pass the ball and lead his team into the attack. While he may not be able to impact his MLS squad in his rookie year, his base skills will grow under good coaching and should become a solid MLS player in the future.

- Robbie Findley - F - Oregon State: Looks like Buzz at 3rd Degree knew something I didn't. Robbie scored a goal that sounds terrific and made MLS coaches take notice.

- Michael Harrington - D - UNC: While it sounds like Harrington didn't play perfectly, good left backs are hard to find in the American system. Another player with great experience in the US National team system. His stock could go up simply because he plays in a hard to fill position.

- Dane Richards - M/F - Clemson: This Jamaican international showed he knows how to create on the offensive side of the field. His international status could let him slip into the later rounds of Friday's draft, making him a steal to whoever takes a chance on him.

- Mike Sambursky - D/M/F - South Carolina: Could this be the next Jonathan Bornstein? In college Sambursky led his team in scoring but in the combine he played as a right back. If he is as versatile as he sounds, he may become highly coveted by MLS coaches looking for the utility winger who can defend and get into the attack.

Stock Falling:

- Justin Hughes - GK - UNC: A good college career at a good soccer program made him a MlS prospect. Maybe it was nerves, but dropping balls and missing crosses does not make a pro-keeper.

- Chris Loftus - M/F - Duke: A huge frame on an attacking player makes some drool. However Chris didn't show well on day one and at his position he has to be able to control the ball and help build the attack. Off the ball runs are key and it doesn't sound like he moved too much.

- Jarrod Smith - F - West Virginia: Another foreigner who international experience often inspires thoughts of great quality. However, on day one he failed to show well in his match.

In addition to the first day on combine play, more news is coming out about Generation Adidas signings. A couple days ago I let it be known that I thought a GA class of four or five should be considered a failure by the league. It sounds like those of us who saw the combine list as the full extent of GA players were mistaken. Top Drawer Soccer is reporting that Julian Valentin, Amaechi Igwe, Anthony Wallace and Bryan Arguez are also joining the league, bringing the 2007 GA class up to nine. Hopefully MLS can make a few more signings before next Friday's draft.

2007 MLS Combine Underway...Player Rankings...

The 2007 MLS combine kicked off yesterday. I'm eagerly awaiting any and all information MLS puts out on the players in attendance, the GA players there, etc. Until the combine concludes and we can get some sense of who performed well and who fell on their face, 3rd Degree's player rankings are top of the pops.

Check out Buzz's take on the Keepers, Defenders, Midfielders and Forwards.

It is always fun to get another person's perspective. I can't say that I think Robbie Findley is the top forward prospect but Buzz does have some compelling points. Props to Buzz because he really puts together a great draft preview.

MLS Tried But Couldn't Keep Charlie Davies in The States...

Frank Dell'Apa posted a good article today on the number of kids going abroad to earn their keep as professional footballers. In the article, Dell'Apa reports that Boston College standout, and consensus first round MLS draft pick, spurned a six year, $1 Million contract from MLS to try his luck abroad.

The MLS offered Davies a contract worth more than $1 million over six years, plus bonuses and a sponsorship deal. Besides making Davies among the MLS' highest-paid players, this indicated the league also was going to promote him.

Davies has put a lot on the line to prove himself in Europe. The article continues to say that the Hammarby signed by Davies is similar to the one offered by MLS. So what is driving Davies to sign abroad as opposed to at home?

I'm sure this was one of the toughest choices young Davies has made in his life and I'm sure there were many criteria considered. However, I've got to assume that Dell'Apa is correct when he says that other young stars' experiences influenced his choice. Dell'Apa points out Chad Barrett, who was in a similar position two years ago and signed with MLS, and is now struggling to find his place in MLS and who doesn't have the same buzz surrounding him as two years ago. If Davies had joined MLS, and had a slow starting career due to injury, poor coaching or poor form...that's it...end of career. If Barrett has a sterling year he'll be in the boat with Clint Dempsey who MLS wouldn't sell until it was painfully obvious that was the only choice.

If Davies goes to Europe and has a slow start, he probably will suffer the same fate as Barrett...needing to create some excitement by climbing back from the bench. However, if he does well Hammarby will cash in on their investment and start looking for the next young commodity. Hammarby won't be afraid to sell their young star like MLS is. MLS is banking on these young players exciting the American sports fans and bringing more fans to the gate. Hammarby is just looking for a player who can help win some games and make some money. The sport isn't being cultivated by the young import the way it is here.

MLS needs to get away from this. The league needs to embrace the world feel of the game and accept the fact that they are a feeder league to Europe. I would think that if Davies felt he was going to have a good shot at making a name for himself in MLS and then being sold to a more prestigious club, he would have signed with MLS. However, MLS is sending the message to these young kids that they need to stay in the league and help it grow. MLS wants all the young stars to be like Landon and not want to move abroad.

Unfortunately for MLS, not every young soccer player is like Landon and many are going to want to move abroad and prove themselves on the world stage. In my opinion those aspirations are great for American soccer because our players are getting the best training available. In the long run the more Americans playing the sport anywhere in the world, the better for the sport in America. That is my view.

With this year's Generation Adidas class of four or five players (depending on what is happening with Edu and Seitz it could go to six) MLS needs to realize they have failed. They have failed to capture the top American talent. As a league they may be content knowing they're not going to sign them all. But as a league they need to try and they need to have a system that is attractive to the young players being recruited. If Davies in fact decided not to sign with MLS because of the experience of young Americans ahead of him, then MLS is giving themselves a black eye and working against themselves.

I don't want to see MLS as a feeder league to the rest of the world, but I do want to see the best and brightest young American players in MLS. If the best players coming through the ranks are being scared off by league rules and practices, we have a problem. I'd rather have the opportunity to see Davies flourish in MLS for one year, and then be sold to Europe for a few million dollars in stead of never seeing him in MLS. While MLS is trying to protect their investment and keep top American talent in the US, they are scaring off the next round before they even enter the league.

MLS needs to realize that some players signed will be here for the long haul and some will be here for a short amount of time. No one player is going to turn the sport into an American hit, a combination of all of the best will. MLS must stop being overly protective of top young talent once they've signed on the dotted line. Allow the kids to flourish and move to bigger and better things, that was more kids will be interested in the league.

2007 MLS Combine Teams Announced...

I'm not going to say that FCTP forced MLS' hand in announcing the list of 2007 Combine teams, but doesn't it seem interesting that my post hit at 10:04 AM and then the MLS press release was posted to their site at 3:52 PM, 1:52 Denver time? :) Ok, enough about me.

Here it is folks, the first time you can see who which under class-men are playing at the combine this weekend. Here is the MLS release. Here is 3rd Degree boiling it down for you. On 3rd Degree's list the orange colored names are GA players on the combine roster.

Interesting name not in orange...Maurice Edu. The Washington Post said the league had signed him. Maybe he'll be a late addition pre-combine kick off.

Interesting name on the list...Luis Faz. I've had him on my spreadsheet because he was an adidas ESP All-Star in 2004. However, I've never been able to find a club for the kid. No college either. Nothing! Now all of a sudden he is going to the MLS Combine. Interesting. He's from Houston, so I'm banking on the fact that The Dynamo have been watching him and they requested his inclusion.

New tidbit on the combine I learned on BigSoccer today. If a player is nominated for a GA contract, and is not selected in the SuperDraft, the club which nominated him must take him. However, I don't expect any of these GA players to slip past the second round. Typically GA players are the first to go because of their roster exempt status. Luis Faz may be one of the few to slip past the first round given his unknown status.

It seems that MLS is still trying to convince Sal Zizzo to come out of school and according to 3rd Degree he told people he was leaving school. However, he isn't on the combine roster. So look for him to be a late addition or scratch.

Personally I'm surprised at the number of GA players...at the time of this article four. Previous years have seen much larger classes. MLS missed out on highly ranked Charlie Davies, Yannick Reyering, Jonathan Villanueva and goal king Joe Lapira. However that shouldn't make the league gun shy. Kids like Nakazawa, Hidalgo, Grella, Igwe, etc. could add a lot of excitement to MLS.

To only sign four GA players is a huge disappointment in my opinion. With only five of the salary cap exempt young guns in the draft (by comparison there were 11 in 2006), the first round is wide open to the seniors playing in the combine.

Here's hoping MLS is still working on some more GA players because this class is on the sad side.

What happened to Edu and Seitz who the Washington Post said were signing? I assume they are still negotiating contracts and will be added to the combine teams once deals are done. Let's hope there are a few more with that status.

2007 MLS Generation Adidas Class Coming Into Focus...

The MLS Combine starts this Friday, January 5th, however we have yet to see all of the players who will attend. I am getting to the point where I don't expect a MLS press release on the class until after the final combine roster is announced based on who shows up. I'm sure MLS has a lot of deals on the table right now, but please give us a clue as to who the young studs in the 2007 draft will be.

Thanks to the Washington Post we do have a better idea of who will be part of the 2007 GA class. The following blurb clues us in:

Virginia freshman defender Bakary Soumare said he has signed with MLS, while Maryland sophomore Chris Seitz, the nation's top goalkeeper, has decided to join MLS after weighing European offers, a source close to the player said.

MLS is expected to announce several signings this week, including Virginia's Nico Colaluca, Maryland's Maurice Edu and 15-year-old forward Abdus Ibrahim, a native of Ethiopia who lives in Minnesota. The draft is Jan. 12. . . .

So here is a little profile of each player I put together.

Nico Colaluca - Junior midfielder from the University of Virginia. Participated in the adidas ESP camp in 2002 & 2003. Awarded 2004 NSCAA/adidas National High School Player of the Year, 2004 1st All-Freshman Team, 2005 2nd Team All-Conference, 2006 College Soccer News (CSN) 2nd Team Pre-Season All American, 2006 ACC All-Conference, 2006 CSN 1st Team All-American, 2006 NSCAA/adidas All-America Team 2nd Team, 2006 Soccer America (SA) MVP. A skilled midfielder who likes to get into the attack on the flanks.

Maurice Edu - Junior defensive midfielder from the University of Maryland. Named an All-Star at the 2003 adidas ESP camp. Awarded 2004 NSCAA All-American, 2005 2nd Team All-Conference, 2006 Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, 2006 ACC All-Conference, 2006 CSN 3rd Team All-American and 2006 NSCAA/adidas All-America Team 1st Team. Very skillful midfielder who can control the pace of the game with good dribbling and passing. Many compare him to Shalrie Joseph of the Revolution.

Abdus Ibrahim - Fifteen years old forward. Joined the US U-17 Residency program in the Spring of 2006. Participated in the 2006 U-17 Toyota International Championship. Not much known on this young attacker. He was born in Ethiopia and now lives in Minnesota while not in Florida.

Chris Seitz - Sophomore goal keeper at the University of Maryland considered to be the top college keeper in the country. Named an All-Star at the 2004 adidas ESP camp. Awarded 2005 1st All-Freshman Team, 2006 ACC All-Conference, 2006 Defensive Player Of The Year, 2006 College Soccer News (CSN), 1st Team All-American, 2006 NSCAA/adidas All-America Team 3rd Team and 2006 Soccer America (SA) MVP. Participated in the 2006 U-20 Milk Cup. A beast in goal at 6' 4", 205 lbs he will give Matt Reis a run for his money as league punisher if any forwards happen to get too close.

Bakary Soumare - Freshman defender at the University of Virginia. Awarded 2002 MVP of Super Y League National Final, 2005 StudentSportsSoccer.com #10 top prospect and 2006 College Soccer News (CSN) 1st All-Freshman Team. Won the 2002 Super Y League National Championships. At 6' 4" Soumare has great size and athleticism.

An American Success Story...Clint Dempsey to Fulham...

Subject to the British work permit process American midfielder Clint Dempsey will achieve one of his dreams and move to the English Premier League. In recent years the number of Americans playing in the Premier League has blossomed thanks to trail blazers like Claudio Reyna and Brian McBride. Dempsey has risen through the ranks many other American soccer players dream of. While English teams are learning about all the quality in America, there is still stiff competition from the rest of the world for the limited slots in the top English league.

Ten years ago odds are that American soccer fans wouldn't know about Dempsey and he wouldn't be playing professional soccer without a foreign club taking a huge chance on him. However, Dempsey entered MLS after a successful college career and was able to work hard, earn a starting role, impress his national team manager and book a ticket to the 2006 World Cup.

So let's see how he did it:
- Graduated from Nacogdoches High School in Nacogdoches, Texas in 2001. Had a standout career for his school. Earned multiple MVP awards in high school. Also captained the Dallas Texans and led his team in scoring. Nominated as an All American as a senior
- Enrolled at Furman University in 2001. In his freshman season he started nearly every game and scored four goals while creating eight. His sophomore season was another strong one with six goals and six assists while starting every game. 2003 was his last season in college and he contributed seven goals and five assists making him Furman's second leading scorer...from midfield.
- In 2002 Dempsey made his first appearance with the US U-20's. He made the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship roster, but only played in one game.
- Drafted with the 8th overall pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. Freddy Adu was the star of the show that year, making most people overlook the rest of the field. Of the rest of the players taken in the first round before and after that 8th selection, Clint is arguably the most successful to date (trailed closely by Chad Marshall and Pat Noonan).
- Earned his first senior national team cap in 2004 as a sub for Ramiro Corrales against Jamaica. Cemented his spot with the MNT in 2005 during the final round of World Cup qualifying. Picked for the 2006 World Cup team coming away as one of the only American players to play well.

Many of us American soccer pundits (if I may call myself one) feel the US Youth set up is a direct feeder to the professional ranks. We comb the results of the latests U-15 tilt to see who is going to be next. Clint Dempsey is a prime example of the "there is another way" school. Clint has worked hard through the trenches. He didn't go to Bradenton and he didn't go to a big name Division I soccer school (Not to take anything away from Furman which has traditionally been strong in soccer).

Clint Dempsey has worked hard at every level and proven he has what it takes to succeed. Since the ink isn't even dry on his contract, and the Home Office hasn't yet approved a work permit, it is hard to tell what his future holds. However, I feel good in saying that Clint Dempsey is an American soccer success story, no matter what the result of his tenure in England.