It's that time of year again. Today is the MLS Super Draft, or not so Super Draft if you will. I digress. Discus all things MLS Draft related here. It'll be interesting to see how FCC approaches the draft. We already know that some teams, here's looking at you Philadelphia Union, don't value this years draft.
We love our draft picks, we do. We love our draft picks, we do. We love our draft picks, we do. Oh, draft picks where are you? To be fair, we typically trade our players after a year or two anyway. Plus FCC have former two former Union players already. So trading our picks to them just cuts out the middle man, so to speak.
Two years ago Atlanta got Gressel at #7. Crew got Abubakar at #5. Last year was a wasteland, but I refuse to believe college soccer cannot produce at least a couple serviceable players. Or guys who turn into players in a year or two.
Two years ago there was tons of buzz about various players. Last year and this have been dead air. Really goes with the whole draft-is-fading thing, but if this class had featured 2016-level talents, I don't think that would be the press's tone going in at all.
That is fair. I do not know whether this is the end of the draft, but it should be the end of it as an event/spectacle thing. Or close to it.
I guess it depends on what they do with that GAM. Or if some guys they have been developing at Bethlehem Steel produce?
Just picking up that much cash already seems like a win for the Union versus a bunch of trialists who will get cut anyways.
The Chicago Fire are officially ready to "Shake up the f*cking soccer world, boys!" once again. See 4:11 for details.
Cincy has no Academy pipeline, so they are clearly mining their existing USL squad and the draft for nuggets. They had a pretty solid expansion draft/trade & signing phase.
The only pick that really had a chance to make the roster was the 13th pick. The rest of them might end up in the USL system, but considering they are filling them up with former academy players, young academy players, and young signings (they have 3 international teens signed so far) I doubt that they make the squad. So the 13th pick and a bunch of garbage picks for twice what the 10th pick went for last year? Think that is good business regardless.
OCSC doing what Philly did the other year and taking a player that their homegrown claim on was denied for at the 3rd spot.
Unless Dallas takes Shinyashiki here I expect we'll hear that Chicago has traded their pick to Colorado and Colorado will select him.
The real question here is the same as with the All Star Game. There are few events to really touch base with advertisers and sponsors and everything.
FCD grabs the most pro-ready CB in the draft in Callum Montgomery. Figure he'll get a bunch of minutes in USL1 this year though.