Here is a quick draft primer of some players to watch. http://www.3rddegree.net/season/pool.htm Nunez and Marshall we have talked to death. Freddy of course. in no real order Reported P-40's ----------- Ned Grabavoy - Indiana. JR, Herman Semi-finalist, US U-20 starter, center mid, not in pool, but reported to be interested in P-40. Leads Indiana with 29 points (10 goals, 9 assists). Team co-captain. Three-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. Offensive MVP at the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic. All-tournament selection at the UConn Classic and Notre Dame’s Berticelli Tournament. 2003 NSCAA First Team. 2003 Big Ten 1st Team and Big Ten Tourney MVP. --------------- Clint Dempsey - Furman MF, Jr. US U-20, left mid. Top Drawer Soccer says he is coming P-40. 2003 Southern COnf 1st Team, All South 2nd Team. ------------------------ Chad Marshall - Stanford Soph. Herman Semi-finalist. US U-17 World Cup Team, U-20 co-captain, not in pool, center back. Named to the All-Tournament teams at the Cal-Adidas Legacy Classic and the Microtel Inn & Suites/Hurricane Classic. Top Drawer Soccer says he is coming P-40, may skip combine. As a freshman was named to the All-Tournament team at the NCAA College Cup. Soccer America Freshman of the Year. A NCSAA All-American as a high school senior … Voted Soccer America’s #1 college recruit … A Parade Magazine All-American in 2001 and ‘02 … Voted Parade Magazine’s Best Defender for 2002. Won the Golden Boot Award in 2000 for most goals scored at the ODP National Championships. --------------------------------------- Ryan Cochrane - Santa Clara JR, US U-20 starter, not in pool, center back. Herman Semi-finalist. Guided the Bronco defense to 10 shutouts on the season and a 0.53 goals-against average. Earned LMU Fall Classic MVP Honors... named the Santa Clara Adidas Classic Defensive MVP. Top Drawer Soccer says he is coming P-40 and will be in combine. ----------------------------------- Clarence Goodson - Maryland, Jr. center back had breakout performance at 2003 NCAA Final Four at SMU. '00 Terps second leading scorer starting 11 of 19 games in the back. played for Braddock Road Warhawks, which captured the Virginia State club title three consecutive years (1997, ‘98, ‘99) as well as the 1999 U-17 national championship --------------------- Steve Cronin - Santa Clara US U-20 starting GK, Top Drawer Soccer says he is leaving school for either P-40 or overseas. 2003 WCC 1st team ------------------------ Josh Gardner -- Cinci , MF, Jr, 3 year starter, '02 CUSA 2nd team. Played on the club level for Houston Hurricanes, leading team to the 2000 State Championships. Gleen Davis (HDnet) reports Gardner has signed P-40 -------------------------- Freddy Adu - Duh
Seniors --------------------------- Joseph Ngwenya - F Coastal Carolina Herman Finalist. Adidas F50 (MLS combine) Sr, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Netted seven game-winning goals, including all four game-winners in both the Bradley Classic and Nike/Clemson Invitational, earning both tourneys’ MVP. Broken CCU’s career shot, goal and points records this season with 271 shots, 59 goals, and 148 career points. Leads the Big South in points, points per game, and game-winning goals, and is tied for first in goals and assists. Leads the nation in points per game with 2.50. Tied for fifth in the nation in goals per game with 0.88 and is tied for fourth in assists with 0.75. Led the nation in scoring in 2002 with 27 goals and 63 points. 2002 NSCAA/adidas Scholar Athlete of the Year, the first junior to earn the award. 2002 Big South Male Athlete of the Year. ex-Cape Cod Crusaders (PDL) ---------------------------------- Jeremiah White - F Wake Forest Adidas Predator Pulse (MLS combine) Herman Semi-finalist. Sr. Wake Forest adidas Classic All-Tournament Team. Played with a broken cheekbone since Sept. 14. Scored 89 points in his career (36 goals, 17 assists) and have 10 career game-winning goals. NSCAA/adidas third-team All-America in 2001. First-team All-ACC and a sophomore and junior. 2003 NSCAA Second Team -------------------------- Sumed Ibrahim -- MF Maryland 2003 Herman Finalist, Two time Herman Semi-finalist, Adidas Predator Pulse (MLS combine) Tamale, Ghana. 26 career assists, third all-time at Maryland...seventh all-time for career points (76), including 19 points (7 goals, 5 assists) this year. 2003 NSCAA First Team and ACC 1st Team -------------------------- Adolfo Gregorio -- MF UCLA Herman Semi-finalist. Adidas Supernova (MLS combine). Two-time first-team All-Pac-10 selection and a third-team NSCAA All-Far West honoree in 2002. 2002 College Cup All-Tournament honors Scored nine goals, including four game-winners, and six assists for 24 points in 2002. U.S. Under-23 National Team, pre-season All-American by Soccer America. ex-Orange Co. Blue Star (PDL) 2003: Pac-10 1st Team, Far West 1st Team, CSN 1st Team ---------------------------- Chris Wingert - D St. John’s SR. 2003 Herman Finalist, Two time Herman Semi-finalist. U-23 National Team, St. John captain. First-team College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District I. 2003 NSCAA/adidas Scholar-Athlete Award and the NCAA Honor Award. 2002 and 2003 Big East Defensive Player of the Year. A First-team NSCAA/adidas All-American . 2003 NSCAA First Team. ------------------------------ David Wagenfuhr - D Creighton Adidas Predator Pulse (MLS combine) Sr. Herman Semi-finalist. Twice earn first-team all-region honors, two-time first-team all-MVC and MVC all-tournament team, seventh in school history with 25 career assists, Ameritas Classic All-Tournament Team, Bluejay tri-captain. ex-Boulder Rapids Reserves (PDL) ------------------------------ William Hesmer -- GK Wake Forest Sr. Herman Semi-finalist. Captain of the Demon Deacons the last two years. Pre-season Soccer America All-American. Wake Forest adidas Classic All-Tournament Team. Recorded seven shutouts Wake’s all-time shutout leader (20). Second-team NSCAA/adidas All-America in 2002, when he earned first-team All-ACC honors after being ranked second in the nation in goals against average (0.65). 2003 NSCAA First Team, ACC 1st team, South 1st team.
Maybe P-40's.. we hope they come out.... one to watch... can really impact depth of draft. ----------------------------------- Abe Thompson -- F, Maryland Jr. Herman Semi-finalist. One of the best offensive players in Maryland history, closing in on career records for goals (31) and points (79) Maryland/adidas Soccer Challenge Offensive MVP ----------------------- Knox Cameron - F, Michigan US U-20, 2003 Big Tem player of year, 2003 NSCAA Third team. ---------------------------- Watson, Jamie - F, Dallas Comets US U-17, Sometime Burn training invite. ------------------------------ Daniel Szetela - MF World Class Olympic US U-17, OH MY GOD! what a player --------------------------- Ramon Nunez - MF SMU US U-18 pool player, central midfield, Freshman entered college a year early, two time Parade All-American top midfielder. Led SMU in scoring as freshman from midfield. ------------------------------ Corey Ashe - FC Impact US U-17 LMF, or LB, sick Pace ----------------------------------- CJ Klaas - RM, RB, Washington JR. Herman Semi-finalist. US U-20, not in pool, right back or mid. Selected a preseason all-American by Soccer America. Named Offensive MVP at the Portland Nike Invitational. Sometime Burn training invite. 2003 NSCAA First Team as midfielder. 2003 Pac-10 1st team ----------------------------------- Guy Melamed - D, Boston College Jr, from Nofit, Israel. Herman Semi-finalist. Preseason All-BIG EAST selection. Soccer America pre-season All-America honors. Third-team NSCAA/adidas All-America in 2002. Verizon Academic All-District I first-team honors in 2003. All-Big East in 2002. 2003: SA pre-season 1st team, Big East 1st team, New England 1st Team. ------------------------------ Drew Moor - Indiana US U-20, played center back in Burn camp, right back for U-20
You can go to the above link for tons of players beyond these. I am sure other observers might have opinions on these players. Sandon you out there? 1st round.... 1. Freddy Adu - DC United (from Dallas Allocation) 2. Columbus Crew 3. Los Angeles 4. Dallas Burn (from DC, Cerritos trade) 5. San Jose (from Col, Cannon trade) 6. Dallas Burn (via LA, Suarez etc. trade...LA from MET, Gavin trade) 7. Kansas City 8. New England 9. New England (from Chicago Nowak) 10. San Jose here is complete draft order... http://www.matchnight.com/scouting/draft_display.cfm
Not to knock 3rddegree's preiview, but Mike Marshall at Revsnett also does a good one: MLS Draft Preview: Goalkeepers For those that care about those things, I think these guys are all 'Texans': Jamie Watson Drew Moor Ramon Nunez Clint Dempsey Josh Gardner Not saying that should influence draft strategy, but if the Burn have a late pick left and one of these guys is still on the board, why not take a chance on a local kid? (something that this franchise has historically done). Also, because so much talent may be coming out of Texas, don't expect the other teams to honor the unofficial 'backyard' rule. 3rd, isn't the knock on Joseph Ngwenya that he'd count as an SI?
Ngwenya was born in 1981, meaning he would be a Transitional International for the 2004 and 2005 seasons and as such, would count towards the three-international limit but would count towards the 18-man roster and salary cap.
Oh yes, the Revs net one is good. I outright stole a bunch of info from him. As for Joseph Ngwenya, read what Sandon said.
Do you mean --- "would NOT count towards the three-international limit, but would count towards the 18-man roster and salary cap" or do you get three Int'ls - SI and TI combined?
Quick question. Is David Testo of the A-League Richmond Kickers eligible for the MLS draft? I do not know how good he is, but I've heard things.
I went to High School with this guy, he made Varsity as a Freshman and was like the top freshman in the Metroplex. It's so weird to see him on TV playing next to Adu for the U-17s, I'm so GD jealous.
Yes that is what he means. 3 SI Open on T-I, they are part of 18 man roster There is a League wide cap of 20 T-I, but it is not 2 per team. Just 20 total.
my gut says LA takes Graby at #3. I don't think he will last to 4. here is my thinking.... 1. Adu - DC 2. Marshall - Clb (or someone else??) 3. Grabavoy - LA 4. DALLAS??? 5. San Jose - 6. Dallas ??? best bet I bevlieve is to pick from the rest. But if LA take Ngwenya? Grabby is a bit small, but dang it would be tempting. I might be tempted to take Cochrane figuring either Nunez or Grabovy will still be there at 6.
Huh. I think the Burn's biggest needs are in central midfield. But I don't think Grabavoy is the answer. I
Has Grabavoy sign a P-40 deal? I think you are greatly overestimating his ability in the eye's of most MLS people. I heard that the league had a hard time getting 2-3 coaches to guarantee his selection in the first two rounds to warrant a P-40 offer. On the plus side he has good vision and skill but the down side is that he is small and very slow for the physical MLS. I guess we will know soon enough.
signed? no. but probably will. http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/NextStep/20031216142920/view I said he was intriguing. He is a bit slow. I like Nunez much better persoanlly.
Elliot's to do list Trade DJ for a solid defensive back or big time domestic Def Mid., and use pick #4 to get Cronnin to gradually replace Garlick Trade EJ to SJ for De Rossario Pick Nunez w/ pick #6, (will he still be available?) pick up the phone and sweet talk Suarez and Broome spend the big $$'s for a foreign forward and central defender or defensive mid (whichever the DJ trade does not provide)
The Burn should make the steal of the draft and pick up Paul Souders from Clemson. He isn't on anyone's radar because the Tigers haven't been very successfull as of late, but Paul would fit in very nicely as a defensive midfielder.
IMHO, Dallas should choose between Cochrane (underrated IMHO) and Nunez (most potential), and I think they can get Nunez at #6. I suspect that Cochrane may go #3, and there's a chance that Nunez may go #5, but it's not likely. The real question is what will LA do with it's top pick, #3 (trade???)? I wouldn't be surprised to see either LA or SJ go for CJ Klaas in the latter half of the first or even the second round. While I do not advise Dallas selecting him, because he'll require a couple of years to adjust to MLS, I think Goodson may become a Jim Curtin type player for a team capable of waiting for him to develop. There are some talented kids in this draft, but it's not close to last season's in terms of depth of talent, so Dallas needs to make quality selections with their first rounders. I also agree that Dallas should look to re-acquire Suarez and Broome if the price is right. -Digital
don't think so.. CJ Klaas is a junior and has not been offered a P-40 deal so he won't be in the draft. I also think Goodson may be closer to playing immediately in the league than some people think. I agree that Dallas needs some immediate help so don't be surprised to see them use a first or second round pick to get a veteran or two with all that available cap room while other teams struggle to retain players.
I would be happy with this backline: Broome-Jolley-Suarez-Salyer with Gbandi, Thomas, and Behnke for depth. Still a lot of rebuilding to do in the center of midfield, and the question of who plays up top with Toni if Kreis isn't resigned.
Chivas Is there any hope of Martinez re-signing with the Galaxy (or us actually keeping pick #11)? I know he was trying out with a MFL side, but never heard if he had signed. Also, there was talk about a month ago of the Burn picking up a US int'l with one of the allocations. At the time, I proposed Gibbs or Kirovski. As an update it sounds as if Gibbs is being transferred to B1 Frankfurt, so that seems out. Kirovski has been in Bir City's lineup a couple of times of late (they've been injury plagued), but the last I heard he is still out of contract and has not resigned.