So far I've only heard one name being mentioned. Michael Bradley - yes, Bob Bradley's son. He's played traditionally as a forward - but in recent TopDrawerSoccer.com articles has been listed as a midfielder. Anyone have the scoop on others who have signed/will sign? The Combine is fast approaching - and MLSnet.com says that P40s will be announced later. Please spill beans if you've got'em.
Jamie Watson, UNC Forward, ACC Freshman of the Year, was apparently having a chat at the ACC tourney with some MLS vice-president.
Re: Grabavoy Not that i doubt this particular report, but please consider the fact that the front page of that site states that DaMarcus is headed for the Premiership this offseason and Chris is being traded to MetroStars. peter
Re: Re: Grabavoy If they keep trying they have to get one right!! And trade Chris to DC. We will give you Quintanilla and Ivanov.
Re: Re: Re: Grabavoy How great and un PC would it be if Peter Wilt came back with, "We don't want those crap players!"
So far the list consists of 4 kids in 3 categories: CONFIRMED P40's Freddie Adu (U17) RUMORED P40's Micahel Bradley (U17) Ned Grabavoy (JR) IU SPECULATIVE P40's Jamie Watson (F) UNC
I'll throw some names out. From Maryland, F Abe Thompson and D Clarence Goodson - both are juniors who missed a year of soccer so they are the same age as seniors. Goodson is a late bloomer in the Jim Curtin mold (even has red hair) and Thompson is a very talented player who has been beset with injuries. The Terps loses a lot of seniors anyway and after two straight trips to the Final Four, I can't see them wanting to come back for a rebuilding year. From the U20 team, I expect most of the college kids to turn pro. The coach of Santa Clara is on record saying D Ryan Cochrane and GK Steve Cronin should leave after their junior years because they'll get a better deal from MLS as P40s than as seniors. The only quibble could be if they go to Europe. That's unlikely for Cochrane (though you never know) but Cronin is an American GK and you know how en vogue that is in Europe right now. He didn't have the best start at the World Championship but he's gotten progressively better and had a strong game Monday so some Euro teams may want to take a look. As has been discussed, D Chad Marshall of Stanford has said he won't walk away from his free ride for MLS money. He hasn't been outstanding in the WYC but he has played well to likely get invited into a training camp. Drew Moor transfered from Furman to Indiana to get more exposure to MLS and help his chances of making the U20 team. I expect him to sign with MLS when he gets home. Even though he hasn't played much in the WYC, I expect Clint Dempsey to turn pro. Furman's program is in shambles and has lost a lot of talent the past two years for various reasons and I can't see him going back there for his senior year. CJ Klaas, I would have thought was a strong bet to turn pro but that was before he lost his starting job at RB to Moor. Despite that, he's a good little player and I'm sure he knows the same thing the Santa Clara players know about the better deal if you leave early. The big - and I mean big - question mark is Knox Cameron. I've heard conflicting reports and he reportedly has a lot of loyalty to the Michigan program. If he comes out, he'll go very high in the draft. The other college kids, Jordan Harvey and Ford Williams, I don't see coming out. One non-youth national teamer to keep an eye on is Saint Louis' Vedad Ibisevic. Kid has great skill and size - he led all freshmen in scoring this year - but has some maturity issues. Physically, he's ready. Mentally is another question but that also means he might think he's ready and opt to sign. I'll throw out more names as I think of them. Right now, I'm gonna take a box of kleenex, lock myself in the bathroom, turn off the lights and think of that Carolina chick for a few minutes.
Now that the spank-a-thon is over we can add Cochrane and Marshall to this list, and may as well add Dempsey. Good start, but as yet a far cry from last year's crop in terms of depth (though with Adu and Marshall at the top this group might have more impact on the state of the league than any other).
Re: Re: Grabavoy But the reporter in question was someone who I believe coached Grabavoy as a youth, and was the only American reporter who went to the United Arab Emirates...
what about Marshall to Europe? I heard he was checking it out and could be heading over for some trials.
Well he's not going to Europe. In fact, he signed with MLS before the WYC, but it's just now been revealed. http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/NextStep/20031216182833/view
It looks like Cronin, Dempsey and Grabavoy are going to be signing with MLS also. Towards the bottom: Rongen expressed satisfaction that five players from the team, Chad Marshall, Ryan Cochrane, Steve Cronin, Ned Grabavoy and Clint Dempsey (along with the previously-signed Freddy Adu) will be using the event as a springboard to professional careers (with all having signed or about to sign with Major League Soccer). http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/NationalTeams/20031219141846/view So the P-40's, for sure, are Adu, Cochrane and Marshall. And soon to be P-40s are Cronin, Dempsey and Grabavoy. And of course there can always be more possibilities after them.
Last week, the Washington Post reported that the Terps Clarence Goodson, signed a P40 deal. I don't have a link to the article but you'll just have to trust me. Goodson is a Jim Curtin clone, down to the red hair. http://umterps.ocsn.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/goodson_clarence00.html Also, last night on his radio show in Houston, Glenn Davis reported that Cincinnati's Josh Gardner has signed a P40 deal. Gardner is a Houston-area product and Davis is way plugged into the Houston-area soccer scene so I'm going to trust this one. I don't know much about Gardner other than he's a left mid and that he had a strong showing at the USASA's Soccer Festival this summer in Houston and got a game or two, playing down as an overage player, witht he U20 team when it was at SoccerFestival. Here's a link to his bio. http://www.ucbearcats.com/sports/msoccer/bio.asp?PLAYER_ID=714 Neither of these players is a youth national team product so it's good to see MLS looking outside of the box a little.
I wonder how many of the P-40's these days are of the 'kids got MLS level talent - let's sign him' vs the 'Coach X is requesting we sign him so he can draft him'. It seems like the P-40 program started out as requiring national team experience on the resume before they signed. Now there starting to get some non-national teamers as Sandon pointed out. Is MLS at the league level scouting more/better, or are the teams themselves?
not red Goodson has blonde hair not red, is better on the ball than Curtin, both are 6'4" but Curtin is probably 40 pounds heavier. Otherwise they are clones. My understanding is Goodson recently signed a P-40 deal as reported in the Washington Post.
Goodson reminds me more of Alexi Lalas than anyone else. What's the word on Drew Moore, or any other young guns from the previous U-17 WC like Jamie Watson or Corey Ashe? A year of college ball before going pro? Anyone hear anything about Ramon Nunez?