Thanks dsocc - I had forgotten that this was happening so soon. Really weird and fascinating picks. Of course, the A-League draft doesn't really mean much - but I wonder if getting picked here will enhance any of these players' chances of getting some run from MLS.
Kind of an upside-down draft. As you'd expect, they started out with the guys who are unlikely to make it in MLS right away. Then they mixed in a few players with legitimate MLS prospects, guys like Warren, Cole, and Levesque, working their way up to Noonan. It's interesting that they didn't even bother with Diego Walsh and Todd Dunivant, two can't-miss MLSers. I wonder what other seniors fit that description...
Yea, the A-League draft is a wierd animal. Teams are trying to get the best players they can, but on if a team thinks a player is a near lock to make an MLS team roster, than picking him might end up being a wasted pick. So, as you'd expect, some top Div. I college players are by-passed. Here's a breakdown of which diviision the players come from: A-League Draft NCAA Div. I - 27 NCAA Div. II - 2 NCAA Div. III - 2 NAIA - 4 CIS - 1 High School - 2 CIS - Canadian Interuniversity Sport It's interesting to see two of the top D-III players drafted. Hayden Woodworth (Messiah College) was the midfield cog of the 2000 and 2002 D-III National Champions. Alex Blake (Williams College) is the 2001 D-III Player of the Year. Both remain cadidates for this year's Player of the Year honor.
What I'd like to know, is how much communicating goes on between the A-League and MLS when it comes to the draft.
Why would Charleston waste a pick on Doug Warren? Is there that much of a glut in the keeper market in MLS?
Stranger still is that 17 of the picks were forwards and only 6 were midfielders (5 if you consider that Higginbotham is actually a defender).
OK, allow me to explain something: NONE OF THIS MATTERS!!! This is just for show, a PR gimmick, a chance to act like an American league. But, lost in the fine print of all this is that A-League teams hold the rights of these players for like 3 weeks or something like that. There is absolutely nothing binding about this draft. If, say, Doug Warren (and yes, there is a glut of keepers in MLS) wants to play in the A-League but doesn't want to do it at Charleston, in 3 weeks or when ever the date is that the rights to the draftees expires, he can negotiate with whatever team he wants. It's interesting to a point, and fun to talk about and analyze, but it really doesn't mean that much.