Probably SLC(RSL)/Chivas pick 1-2 per coin flip. For 05 I have Chicago owing a conditional pick to Dallas for Countess. Getting a 3rd round pick from LA (their lowest) for the Buete second round pick. Get Metrostars 2nd rnd pick for 04 second round pick (Stammler). Get KC's 3rd rndr for Stephenson. Get conditional pick from Colorado for Martinez. Lost 3rd rndr to DAL for Herron discovery. So think Chicago's first round pick hasn't been traded.
Like always, the P40s will greatly alter the draft. There is no clear-cut senior who is head and shoulders above the others, right now (and there may not be in eight weeks, either) so a lot will be based on need and the eye of the beholder. I have no idea which, if any, current Bradenton players will be in the MLS draft, though presumably they'll be a couple (and John Ellinger will be hot for them). As for college underclassmen, they'll basically be in two groups. Those who were born in 84 or before who have no more youth national team eligibility and those who were born in 85 or after and will be eligible for the current U20 team and the next U23 team. From the first group, you've got players like IU defender Drew Moor and South Carolina GK Brad Guzan, both of whom played PDL ball for the Fire Reserves this summer. Both are likely first round draft picks if they come out, though I don't see them filling any of the Fire's holes. (Unless Dave and Peter want to continue to corner the market on GKs.) Others you could see are Maryland Jr. Jason Garey, who lead the nation in scoring through last week, amd Tulsa Jr. Ryan Pore, who has 12 goals in as many games, could also be signed. I don't know how many of the first group will be signed as traditionally, MLS has tried to sign guys who still have YNT eligibility to P40 deals. There have been plenty of exceptions, so I expect there to be some of these type, but not that many. I guess it depends on how big the P40 budget - and with the new teams and roster expansion, I expect it will be pretty big - is this year and how many from the second group sign. From that second group, a likely signee and top pick is Jamie Watson, an 18-year old sophomore forward at North Carolina who was Freddy Adu's strike partner on the U17 team and starts alongside him on the U20 team. He's got great talent but is a bit of a headcase and is currently clashing with his coach at UNC. I would expect him to go to RSL with one of the top two picks if he signs but if he's still there, he could definitely help the Fire with their scoring woes. Maybe not in year one, but in time. Will John, a diminutive but skilled forward at SLU who is in the U20 the pool and Boston College freshman F Charlie Davies, who is a stud of an athlete, will likely go high if they sign. Virginia MF/D Hunter Freeman, a 19-year old junior who currently leads the nation in assists, and sophomore team mate Will Hall, a D-mid, could also go pretty high if they sign. UCLA Soph. Chad Barrett is highly regarded but he is having a sub-par year so far - 1 goal, 4 assists thru 11 games after 10/8 last year - and is part of the U20 pool and teammate Brandon Owens is an 18-year old So. who starts on the U20 team. Will they go pro? Dunno. I do know that after the qualifying debacle in Mexico, Glenn Myernick made a point of saying we needed more players in a pro environment at a younger age and I do know that MLS and US Soccer were both embarrased and chagrined at not making the Olympics and they damn sure don't want it to happen twice in a row. To that end, they need to sign more defenders at a younger age and with reserve teams coming, it's a lot easier to quell their concerns about not getting any games, which is one of college soccer's major selling points. And, with expansion, it will be easier for rookies to get some playing time with the first team as rosters will be a little diluted next season. So, I expect a lot of kids to sign. Which of them should the Fire take? Dunno, that's what Sarachan and his assistants get paid to know and, hey, this year they have plenty of time to scout! The trick is to hope they have a 2003 type draft that yielded a trio of legit MLS starters in Ralph, Jaqua and Pause and not an 04 type draft when they took Buete, Griffin (both of whom I still think will still be good MLS players) and Sumed over players who were more ready to contribute immediately.
Awesome wrap-up and analysis - cheers! But - many here believe the Fire's greatest need is defenders. I never saw Drew Moor - can a kid this green, even coming out of a power program at IU, be a viable starting option for the Fire? How would you compare him to Nick Garcia coming from the same IU program? It took Nick a couple of years but I was damn impressed with his performance this season. Do you think there is a viable defensive option in the draft, or should we focus on trade for that gap?
I saw Moor several times with the CFR, and I thought he was class. It's kind of hard to tell though since they were by far the better team in every game I watched them. I think he'd be more ready to contribute than any of our picks from last year, but I've only seen him in a half dozen games so I'd go with another analysis if one is offered.
I'd actually go for a trade to fill that gap. Leo Griffin didn't do much this year. But here's a senior defender that probably would enter the draft. Senior defender, James Twellman. (Yes, as in Taylor). I haven't seen him play yet in person, but I remember watching him last year on TV for some game. He was actually pretty decent. From his bio: "Extremely dangerous on set pieces." http://gostanford.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/twellman_james00.html
Well, since the Fire don't have anymore games to play, Dave, Dennis and the rest of the coaching staff ought to be hitting the road. They need to be looking at as many potential draft prospects as possible. We need help in the upcoming draft, so we better be getting quality with our top picks. And the best way to do that is to see some potential picks several times so you really have them pegged. And being out there, they might just find some good late round steals also.
From IU two defensive players will most likely be available.Drew Moor(as mentioned above) is a Junior but may come out and Danny O'Rourke is a Senior. Moor is 6'0 170 a youth National teamer.Good in the air and a strong man-marker.O'Rourke is about the same size,but is a classic DMid/Destroyer.Great ball-winner,tenacious(non-IU fans have called him a goon)and a great leader by all accounts on the field and in the locker room. Both of these guys played for CFR this past season so many of you may have gotten a first hand look.IU's Senior keeper Jay Nolly will also be available,but the Fire has a glut at that spot.
Any chance a Jed Zaynor comes out from IU? Saw him last year against UConn and he looked very good. Also Feyenoord was keeping tabs on him as well.
He has been up to train informaly with the team too. Or so I hear. From a guy. Who is tall. With red hair.
"a bit of a headcase"?!? And your definition of a headcase is what? I'm disappointed in you. You mostly say good things about Watson, however, you apparently are now starting to believe some of the BS posted on BS by jealous wannabees and are ignoring what Watson's team mates and other coaches say about him. Also, you obviously haven't read 3rd Degree's evaluation of Watson. (He's a writer that covers the Burn). https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=139375&page=3&pp=15 BTW, the Burn want Watson too.
I think O'Rourke would definetly fit in well with the Fire. I think he would be a great replacement for Armas and would fill that spot much better than Pause (who I have never been a fan of). My only qualm with him might be his tendency to be a bit Kovalenkoesque. He will occasionally make bad judegments on tackles or get a little overexcited. However, under the teaching of Armas, I think he could grow into a great player.
I think the conventional wisdom, regardless of how it's worked out, was the other way around. As for Pause-bashing, remember last year when he was a ROTY candidate? If he's not as good as his first season indicated, he's not as bad as some of you think his last season indicated, either. Which is my POV on Sarachan, too, for that matter. Later, COZ
If you're talking about the final three ROTY candidates, Pause wasn't one of them. That went to Damani, Pat Noonan, and Ricardo Clark. Regardless, Pause could be better, but he could be a lot worse.
I'm not talking specifically about the end-of-year voting -- Pause was definitely turning some heads, ROTY-wise, through the first half of the season. Then Ralph and Noonan, in particular, got really hot and he got left behind. Later, COZ