Underway as we speak. Results to be communicated at 3pm Central Time. Zman Gunner did a mock that has us taking Fire PDL alumni in each of the first three rounds, and then someone else had us taking a Polish guy elsewhere in the thread. Later, COZ
I guess we should be thrilled that the "Superdraft" is on TV and the 'net. But rounds 5-8 (today's Supplemental Draft) get no love at all. Most of these guys won't pan out, but some-like Telesford do stick around. MLS doesn't even bother to let us know this draft is even taking place today, let alone track it or provide updates. A little strange when web updates would be easy enough. I hope the Fire grab Balc from OSU or Zambrano from UIC or a sleeper Vangel Nacovski form IUPUI by way of Crown Point, IN. He is a striker/attacking mid with a nose for goal.
Exactly, which shows why teams should not take these picks lightly and makes it even more annoying for interested fans not to be able to follow the picks. Believe me, I don't need live coverage, but a tracker I can check periodically or a post draft list would be nice.The thing is over by now. "MLS: We make our fans earn it-the hard way"
many teams are publishing their picks, no word from Chicago yet.. so far Zambrano is not on any list.
Crapids picked Zambrano before we could get to him, we picked up Kai Kasiguran? as our first, no word on any other of our picks.
Complete list according to Goff Chicago Fire : MF Kai Kasiguran (Messiah), F Adrian Bumbut (Liberty), MF Zach Pope (Duke), D Steve Bode (Wisconsin-Milwaukee), MF Timothy Conway (Nyack), GK Melford James Jr. (Montevallo).
Kai is from Messiah university in PA. Adrian Brambut is the second pick. Hes from Liberty Univ. in Lynchburg, VA. Seems like we have a scout in the Christian Conference. Floyd Franks came from the sup draft, right? Any others? Telesford maybe?
Bumbut: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fEsZbPqj28 http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/...le&c=MGArticle&cid=1173353088127&path=!sports James: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=26303325 http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=24033511
Hey, folks, my daughter just got a text message from your new draftee, Zach Pope! He's real excited. He's a friend of ours. He's a great kid, very dedicated, speedy and aggressive; very attack-oriented from right back and right mid. [Kind of reminds me of L.A.'s Mike Randolph.] Treat him well! Hope he makes the team.
I guess you have to consider the source, but Bumbut's coach had some great things to say: "He's got a passion for scoring goals," Liberty coach Jeff Alder said. "That's something you can't teach or coach." "I really think at the pro level, he's going to be a wide midfielder," Alder said. "He's so good one-on-one, and he's so good in tight spaces, and he's got a great motor. He can be a two-way player going up and down the flank." But...is he right-footed???
He's nuts.. watching that vid this kid apears to be a playmaker, it apears he has a nice first touch and excellent composure on the ball.man on top of that a nose for the goal and he apears to understand how to thread a pass. Man that may be lower division college ball but that kid has talent, the question is whether he can handle the rigors and speed of Pro ball. it appears we've got someone for Blanco to mentor!
That Bambut seems to have a lot of creativity and ideas on the pitch, something sorely lacking in US players. Might not have the accurracy to complete them at MLS level. But his soccer brain is pretty advanced id say further along than Barrett. If James doesnt make the Fire looks like hed be a good NFL punter.
Once again the Fire taps the B'ham area by picking Melford James(started at UAB and finished at Montevallo which is about 30 minutes outside the city). I am sure this has to do with Daryl Shore having played at B'ham Southern and still having connections. Jerson Monteiro(ex-Fire) and Floyd Franks both either played collegiately in B'ham or are originally from B'ham.
I think Kai Kasiguran was a good pick up. Will he be a major contributor to the team, no. But I think he could be a solid role player and you always need some good players to come off the bench. I've seen him play several times over the last couple of years. He's a skillful player, but lacks some pace.
And we got a Dukie with the third pick, and considering how we just hired a coach from Duke (Jeffries), that might be another sleeper. Later, COZ
Just why would you think this? in that video he completed some pretty good crosses, passes through defenders and had some good shots on goal (a few on the run and a few off one touch). The thing I would be worried about is the jump to the next level when it comes to the rigors and speed of MLS. Right now the best thing for his Fire Career is to see if he can compete and then transition into a backup for Blanco.Right now we have about two years before we will need new play maker and that should be time to see if he can handle the pro game.