Hack seems to love Okai according to Zeitlin. "In our humble opinion, he’s probably one of players most ready to have an immediate impact in MLS." "It’s rare you get a player out of NAIA but I think some people will argue he's probably the best player in college soccer."
Strengths are speed,quickness, ball skills, vision, passing and free kicks. Weaknesses are size and somewhat injury-prone. Also at times, and this might have just been because of the players around him and the level of play, he would try to do too much. His potential is high, but he could fall to the bane of the physicality of league play. He's done well and I know the club is familiar with him due to his time with Reading.
Unless they're goalkeepers, don't assume the positions guys play in college are the positions they'll play in the pros. And not always then.
Only time will tell on the Anding pick. I think most fans felt a little blind-sided by it, but hard to tell until he sees the field (and at what position). Also hard to tell what they passed up until those other players pan out. You can surely say they picked Anding at F/LW/LB over almost the entire crop of LBs (save Kindle) and all but two other LW and that in itself will make for many comparisons in the next 2 years. If he plays and pans out as a forward, he may be credited as a sleeper pick because of the number taken ahead of him. Who knows. The team scored taking a Reading player with Gaddis - I think the team may do very well taking Okai here. He will start camp on the depth chart behind Lahoud and Okugo, but I think this only reinforces what Hack sees as a two-way midfield role next to Brian Carroll. I think the move to drop from #29 to #31 is the move of our draft. RSL gave us two picks in the first round of the supplemental to try to find gems and we are a team with great scouting of the college game. I think with 3 picks in the supplemental, we find another player that pans out. Reading alums Eric Schoenle (CB, West Virginia), Paul Wyatt (M/F, James Madison), Jose Gomez (AM, Creighton), and Will Bates (F, Virginia) still on the board.
can't figure how to embed the vid but I'm only posting this to point out the insane throw in at the 24 sec mark of his highlight reel. Huba wha? http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/don-anding
sounds like Anding is converting to left........something, and I'd be ok with Bates, Gomez and Schoenle going forward.
I guess the "armchair analysts" at MLSSoccer.com aren't impressed with the draft either: (Our draft grade was rated as a "Wait... what?" along with Dallas.) Philadelphia Union – They need help at left back and central defense, and got neither. John Hackworth says there’s help on the way, but why pass on tailor-made reinforcements for two guys (Stephen Okai, Don Anding) who don’t answer any of the questions currently posed by the roster? Apparently they aren't fooled into thinking that Anding can play LB. Surprised (not really) that there's no mention of the trade with RSL. Could pay serious dividends if we hit with even one player with those two picks. If we get a guy who can consistently make the bench, I'm happy. If we get another Hoppenot, that's GREAT.
My hope for the Supplemental Draft would be to trade those 2 picks (#12 and 17) to move up a little bit (maybe to #8 or 9) and take the best defensive player left on the board. Perhaps one of these 3: Eric Schoenle, CD - WVU John Gallagher, LB - PSU James Belshaw, GK - Duke Best players left on the board (according to mlssoccer.com): FW: Ashton Bennett - Coastal Carolina Will Bates - Virginia LM: Uwem Etuk - West Virginia AM: Leonardo Fernandes - Stony Brook Michael Bustamante - Boston Univ. Jose Gomez - Creighton HM: Jossimar Sanchez - UConn Alex Isern - Winthrop Machael David - UCSB LB: Ryan Clark - Monmouth Nico Clavijo - unattached Jack Bennett - St. John's John Gallagher - Penn State CD: Eric Schoenle - West Virginia Jose Diaz - UC Riverside GK: James Belshaw - Duke
It won't happen. This organization could fcuk up a cup of coffee. After more than a year and a half of players being played badly out of position, I've become convinced that lack of defensive depth is a feature, rather than an anomaly. Therefore, expect Hack to draft zero defenders, and instead a few more "versatile" midfielders that might be converted to defenders at some point, rather than directly address the problem. In reality, they will just ride the bench, just as our Superdraft acquisitions will.
*Trying really hard not to be pessimistic* *Trying really hard not to be pessimistic* *Trying really hard not to be pessimistic* etc. etc.
Here is Topdrawersoccer review and Grade for Union draft: Philadelphia Union – C- Picks: F Don Anding (Round 2, Pick 26), MF Stephen Okai (Round 2, Pick 31) Philadelphia, who traded away its first pick for top spot in the MLS allocation order to bring Bakary Soumare to the city of Brotherly Love can’t get much criticism for that move. However, selecting Anding with other more natural left sided options on the board is perplexing, as local kid Greg Cochrane would have been a better pickup. Stephen Okai is talented and a known quantity to the coaching staff after playing with Reading United last summer.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/video/2013/01/04/mls-superdraft-don-anding Well, he can score goals, but I kind of want the guy who can do a flip. Edit: Looking at some other videos, Anding scored the game winning goal in overtime in the CAA Championship. You can never have enough fast players who will score big time goals in important matches.
At first glance, I thought you wrote you're looking forward to the Union paying them $37...which, probably isn't that far off.