It's possible Soehn, a defender himslef saw great righ back/left back potential in this kid. So, he's the next stokes.
Here's our new guy filling the role he's likely to see with '07 United... Just playing around. I don't mind this pick at all. Drafting for need is a failing strategy in a draft this shallow. He costs us nothing against the cap and we can develop what most people agree is a fine young talent ourselves. If we draft a 22 year old and they don't fit, they're far beyond help.
I suppose one way to look at it is, during the off-season we let go one 17-year old and picked up another one. Net effect? Well, we certainly improved our cap position quite a bit.
This sounds about right to me. While CDM is where we're deepest, this seems like a great best available selection. We're getting a guy because we're more sure of converting him into a good player than trying to fill a potential hole and reaching for that position. I'm not sure it was the best pick, but it seems like a decent and, for the draft at least, safe pick.
Yep... he'll be 18 tomorrow though, so we just got him in under the wire... also, we still get a % of the other 17yo's transfer fee in addition to the cap relief.
Taking into consideration the info on the kid, I'm just fine with the pick. Players that young, particularly midfielders who already have instincts for defense, are fairly trainable into other positions if needed. At this point in the development you take his inherent and learned qualities and you build on them. And other than nose around the goal, I think it's easier to teach offense later in development than defense. So I'm satisfied. Also wouldn't mind if they took him only to offer him to someone else to get something of more pressing need in return. I'm happier with this pick than last year's 1st rounder, at first glance.
I don't know. I'm not convinced that this was the best thing for us. We need depth badly at several positions at we end up picking a 18 year old who's likely to be a project.
Seems like a good pick. Sure he isn't going to be starting in April or May, but he has a lot of promise. I really don't see many of those who were available this year being immediate impact players, regardless of how much we wanted such a player. He costs us nothing and can be groomed to take over for Ben or Brian in a few years. Doze