With the MLS draft only a few weeks any i think it's time we started a Draft thread. I don't know the roster from top to bottom but i do know there is dose not really any holes in the starting lineup. But with Califf leaving there maybe a hole in CD, also a fast forward maybe in order too. Medhi Ballouchy, has trained with the team when they where in SJ and is highly rated on Buzz's list, looks like he would proved cover when De Ro goes to Canada, if he does. Here are Buzz's (3rd degree) rankings for the draft by position: Defenders http://www.3rddegree.net/ Midfielders http://www.3rddegree.net/thirdindex...ticle&show=1071 Forwards http://www.3rddegree.net/thirdindex...ticle&show=1072 Keepers http://www.3rddegree.net/ Discuss.
I only saw Ballouchy (pronounced like Belushi) only once this year. He reminded me of Vallderama. Very calm on the ball, good positioning and vision. However, his work rate was similar for a 21 year old, not too impressive. If you have a DM and other MF that will do the running for him, fine.
since some of those links are badfor some reason... Forwards http://www.3rddegree.net/thirdindex.cfm?page=article&show=1072 mids http://www.3rddegree.net/thirdindex.cfm?page=article&show=1071 Defenders http://www.3rddegree.net/thirdindex.cfm?page=article&show=1070 Gkers http://www.3rddegree.net/thirdindex.cfm?page=article&show=1069 Generation adidas tracking http://www.3rddegree.net/thirdindex.cfm?page=article&show=1068 SuperDraft order http://www.3rddegree.net/thirdindex.cfm?page=article&keyword=SUPERDRAFT
Yes, I love drafts.. now I have another one to study and ponder over. For those who are in the know... how important is the draft to MLS? I've watched many games over the last two years, but I have not paid attention to how many rookies play or any of that. How does this draft compare to the NBA, NFL, and MLB drafts. In football you get many key contributors in the draft every year, but they have huge rosters. Basketball is only two rounds and few players make a big impact right away. Baseball.. well there you are just building for the future. Thanks for your time, bford
ok, so it's not a long draft and players have to really impress and work hard to make the squad. Sounds good. rock bford
I would say it would compare it the NBA with a little bit a baseball in there too. There will be some impact players and some future drafting. Since the primary talent base in MLS is domestic players drafting well is key to the success of most teams. Example of an impact player would be last years ROY Parkhurts for the Revs. He was the anchor of defense that went for one of the worst in MLS to one of the best and the Revs would have never made it to the Cup if it was not for him. I would say Houston’s own Clark is a player who took a few years to develop but is now becoming a star. A few of things to in mined; unlike the NBA the impact players are harder to pick before hand. The top 5 pick may not pain out at all and later middle round picks maybe be impact players in the first year. Also, a lot is placed on players who do well at the combine since it is the first time many of the teams have a first had look at players. Generation Adidas players tend to skew the draft a bit since Adidas pays the salary so they don't count agents the cap and though to have great potential. They are normal taken early.
It's 4 rounds and then a 4 round supplemental draft a few weeks later. Here is the order: 1st ROUND: 1. Chivas USA 2. Real Salt Lake 3. Columbus Crew 4. Kansas City Wizards 5. MetroStars 6. FC Dallas 7. D.C. United 8. Houston 9. Columbus Crew (from Colorado Rapids) – A 10. Chicago Fire 11. New England Revolution 12. Los Angeles Galaxy 2nd ROUND: 1. New England Revolution (from CHV) – B 2. Chicago Fire (from RSL) & - C 3. FC Dallas (from CLB) – D 4. Kansas City Wizards 5. MetroStars (from RSL, MET) @ - E 6. FC Dallas 7. Chicago Fire (from DC) & - F 8. Chicago Fire (from SJ) & - G 9. Colorado Rapids 10. Chicago Fire & 11. New England Revolution 12. Los Angeles Galaxy 3rd ROUND: 1. Los Angeles Galaxy (from CHV) – H 2. Real Salt Lake ^ 3. Columbus Crew 4. Kansas City Wizards 5. Kansas City Wizards (from MET) – I 6. FC Dallas 7. D.C. United 8. Houston 9. Colorado Rapids 10. Chicago Fire 11. New England Revolution 12. Los Angeles Galaxy 4th ROUND: 1. Chivas USA 2. FC Dallas (from RSL) – J 3. D.C. United (from CLB) – K 4. Kansas City Wizards 5. Houston (from MET) – N 6. FC Dallas 7. FC Dallas (from DC) – L 8. Houston 9. Colorado Rapids 10. Chicago Fire 11. D.C. United (from NE) – M 12. Los Angeles Galaxy
Does anyone show it on TV? I'm a sucker for drafts. I would be interested to see how it works. rock bford
Last year i think ESPNnews showed like a hour of the draft, but mlsnet has a had the whole thing live streaming, So i think they will do that agian.
IIRC Fox Soccer Ch and MLSnet. you can also join 3rd Degree's draft day chat room if you wan't get out of work.
Come on its Allen Hopkins, that guy gets excited about everything. Especially if your name is Landon Donovan. But seriously, Houston needs to pick up some quality backups for their stellar team. With Calliff and Chung gone, they'll need greater depth at the defender and midfield positions. Any guesses who they'll go for with their #8, 20, 43 & 46 picks? Some BS Mock Draft "expert" ZMAN says: 8. HOU – Jed Zayner* – D – IND: Califf gone, 1836/Apollos/Eagles need some depth at center-back. 20. HOU – Calen Carr – F – CAL: Adds some forward speed to compliment Ching, Cerritos, and Moreno. 43. HOU – David Kramer – M – DUK: Injury to Davis and age of Chung creates need for left-sided help 46. HOU – John Queeley – D – NCS: Versatile defender with size, provides cover for Gray at RB.
NOOOOOOO! We can't take Zayner...he simply won't fit with our team!!!! Looks like I'm going to have to start following College Soccer more closely.. my wife will be thrilled that I now have more sports/leagues/teams to keep up with. rock bford
"The 2006 MLS SuperDraft will be January 20. Possible draftees include: - Willis Forko from Cypress Springs HS/UConn - Lance Watson from Nederland HS/Houston Texans. - Oliver Luck, CEO of the Harris County/Houston Sports Authority, will be the team's president. Luck was a quarterback for the Oilers in the 80s and president of NFL Europe in the 90s." http://www.hfasoccer.com/ Anybody have some more insight on these guys?
Found them....... Lance Watson: University of New Mexico http://golobos.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/watson_lance00.html "Second leading returning scorer from last year's team...Three-time All-MPSF and two time all-region player...Ranks eighth in points (51), seventh in goals (19), ninth in assists (13) and sixth in shots (134) on UNM's all-time list...Two-time academic all-district and two-time Academic All-MPSF honoree...Spent the summer playing for the Chicago Fire Premier team in the Premier Developmental League with teammates Jeff Rowland and Brandon Moss...Also trained with the Kansas City Wizards during the offseason. " And Willis Forko: University of Connecticut http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/MSoccer/2005/Forko.html "At Connecticut: Finished career at UConn as a two-time All-BIG EAST selection ... Will participate in Major League Soccer combine in January." and of course I know whom Mr. Luck is.....
Those are just two players in the draft pool that have a Houston connection. I would not read any more into it than that.
Here is an article from ESPN soccer net that discuss who the top pick are http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=354438&root=mls&cc=5901
After reading about the top ten in that article, I think we should take Brian Plotkin, because he sounds pretty good and versatile, and my name is Bryan. Now there's some in depth analysis for you.. I'm going to get better though.. rock bford
FYI: The SuperDraft page is now up at MLSnet.com. Looks like FSC will carry the first round live at 11:00 am.
MLS announced today this year's Generation Adidas class: Josmer Altidore F 16 Boca Raton, FL -- U.S. U-17 -- Patrick Ianni D/M 20 Lodi, CA UCLA U.S. U-20 Second Team Kei Kamara F 21 Lawndale, CA Cal State Dom. Hills -- Third Team (Div II) Sacha Kljestan M 20 Huntington Beach, CA Seton Hall U.S. U-20 Third Team Dax McCarty M 18 Winter Park, FL North Carolina U.S. U-18 Second Team Jacob Peterson F 19 Portage, MI Indiana U.S. U-20 Third Team Willie Simms F 21 Los Angeles, CA Cal State Northridge -- First Team Nathan Sturgis D/M 18 St. Augustine, FL Clemson U.S. U-20 Third Team Blake Wagner D 17 Tampa, FL -- U.S. U-17 -- Marvell Wynne D 19 Poway, CA UCLA U.S. U-20 First Team Jed Zayner D 21 Orland Park, IL Indiana Link: http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20060111&content_id=50310&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp
Keep in mind that Dominic Kinnear will be making the picks and he spent the year scouting from Northern California. He usually liked to pick local guys, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the Republic take some players from Cal or Santa Clara - or other Pac-10 or WCC schools.
Peterson is the ideal pick, a speedy striker who could start right away. He's the automatic pick if he falls to 8 IMO and would even be worth trading up for if the price is right.