So the last few years we've seen MLS grab several players from various countries and put them into the combine and made them available in the Superdraft. So far we haven't heard much outside of Ives saying he is hearing that MLS has grabbed several African players for this years event (no names though). An article on TFC's website may have confirmed the first player though. Alex Lopez was rumored to be heading to Houston (though that was mainly because Boniek Garcia has talked to him about joining the league) and with the financial crisis in Honduran soccer right now you could possibly see MLS grab several of these younger players and make them available to teams in the draft.
Why in the world would Lopez--- a regular for a CONCACAF Champions League team with multiple international caps--- be in the draft? If a team wants him, they should be able to do a discovery signing for him with a transfer fee. Related, the internationals have been pretty poor. 2011 Estupian (#14, Chivas): 9 games, 1 goal, released Cardozo (#16, Galaxy); 18 games, 0 goals; traded to Chivas where he scored once in 9 games Rooney (#25, NY): 5 games, released; played nine games for Orlando (D3) last year Plata (#49, Toronto): fairly decent at times, apparently Toronto didn't know a fee was involved, seems to want to be back in Ecuador Martin Rivas, Faider Burbano, and Marlon Ganchozo weren't even drafted. 2012 Garcia (#40, Vancouver): immediately traded for an NASL player, released with 0 appearances by June Bonfigli (#55, Salt Lake): 10 games, 1 goal, released Blanton (#72, Seattle): cut during training camp Yamada: (#80, Colorado): zero appearances before June release Ubierna (#93, Salt Lake): didn't make it out of camp Gortenzvaig (#95, Galaxy): didn't make it out of camp Aldo Paniagua wasn't even drafted... So, of the 14 internationals at the combine the last two years, only Plata contributed at any sort of notable level. Cardozo has received some minutes, but that was actually pretty lackluster production from a #16 pick (in recent years, the Galaxy have picked Tommy Meyer, AJ DeLaGazra, and Michael Stephens in the 16-20 range). I'd rather MLS invited more local kids to get a shot to play in their own professional league rather than reserving 1/10 of the combine field for guys who played for a decent name academy. Plus, it's so inconsistent--- many of the draft guys trialed with MLS teams first. Half surprised MLS didn't make Yann Songo'o or Oriol Rossell go through the draft...
Only player I have been able to find on MLS' website is Stefano Souza Pinho. Normally they have all the players up on their website in some form or another before the combine (usually somewhere in the player section), but the GA players aren't even up there right now.
The youth internationals are: Franco Donado (Colombia), Junior Padilla (Honduras), Stefano Pinho (Brazil) and Kevin Mercado (Ecuador). http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/01/10/team-rosters-are-unveiled-2013-mls-player-combine
Franco Donado was a player rumored to be coming to MLS last year but never did. Padilla is a 20 year old who saw limited minutes this year for Motagua. Mercado turns 18 this month and is from LDU Quito's youth ranks and played in the 2011 U-17 World Cup.
I can only assume TFC tried this because the Dynamo placed a discovery claim on him. I have no clue how a kid who is probably going to be a DP could be in the Draft, though.
Could just have been confusion on the writers part since one of the players in the draft is a young Honduran and Lopez was a young Honduran whose name was floating around the office.
True and if it were any other club i'd just assume that. It being TFC though, it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't quite understand the rules. After 6 years now I still don't think they realize that qualifying for the playoffs is supposed to be your goal, not win the Canadian Championship.
Junior Padilla was a promising youth player at Motagua. He actually saw a lot of time off the bench and occasionally even started matches. He even scored a goal against Vida. The latest on his adventures at the MLS combine: http://www.motagua.com/2013/01/buena-impresion-de-junior-padilla/
Midfielder Yazim Atouba (Canon Yaounde - Cameroon) added to Adipower (red) team roster - played in today's game. http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/yazid-atouba/portrait/spieler_184924.html
Yazim Atouba (#30 to Chicago) and Stefano Pinho (#75 to Colorado) were the only guys taken. The internationals at the combine/draft continue to be a bit of a bust--- maybe one of these guys will stick.
One of the problems with the youth international players is that they have had to (at least in the past) go on one of your 20 on-budget players. A player like Atouba may be a good MLS player in a few years (he has potential from that little I have found) but he may not be worth a budgeted roster spot this year or next.
No. MLS has probably already worked out loan deals for both players though. However, they can be released if they don't work out. (Atouba should be under contract with Rainbows FC in Cameroon and Pinho with Fluminese)
I had never heard this, I thought it was based on their compensation and age. I think the bigger issue is (1) international spot they take up and (2) any loan or transfer fee makes them expensive relative to other draft picks EDIT: I see above that this was pointed out already.