Official :: Potential Players, Expansion Draft (11.25.09) and SuperDraft (1.14.10) Discussion Thread

Re: Official :: Expansion Draft Candidates

With all due respect, you've done an excellent job with that draft... but I can't accept the concept of a double expansion draft, given that MLS is clearly only announcing 1 team per year... so it's either Philly, or not Philly... Either team will get their pick of the litter, the same way that Toronto <cringes> FC had this year...

Given the list, I think there are 3 groups of players you're drawing from... Experienced Veterans, Underated Talent, Young Prospects. Now, you can argue 2 things, which player they should pick, and which type of player they should go after. That appoach might change given a competitive draft. I think in a competitive draft there are certain guys you want to get off the board before the opposition does that you can pass on in early rounds.

I also think there is a problem with this "predicted expansion players" concept. You have no idea which players they will or won't prevent from going to that expansion draft, given that there is still this season before they get there. A guy like Pat Onstad, who is a starting keeper, that just won the championship for them, I see easily making the 11 man protected player list (which doesn't include generation adidas players, and senior internationals who need not be protected), and not being eligible for the draft. I think you should only be able to use the players who are not regular starters to make this draft.

I also see a number of players on that list that are very high potential retirees. That would make them automatically protected, and ineligible for the draft.


Given those considerations, you can use this draft to piece a team together positionally as well (obviously, the coach and co. would want a different position specific line-up if they wanted a certain line-up/formation... but you can easily group everyone into Forwards, Midfielders, Defenders, and Keepers)

You've got 10 selections, no more than 1 from each team, and the normal senior international rules applying.


I think the first pick needs to be a big named, experienced player, one that will get some name recognition when announced as the first pick of the team (the way McBride and Ramos were in the innaugural draft).

You'll want to group them with another 2 experienced veterans, but you want to chose the right ones, ones you still think can contbute, and one's you think will be able to affect the younger guys. You also will want to avoid those guys you think might get dropped as is, and could be picked up through other means. I think the majority of the picks need to be on the underated talent side. These are players youve seen perform in the league, and you know won't be complete busts, and might only be sitting because a certain club has picked up a worldwide superstar in that spot. Then I think you'll want to take a chance on stealing a young up and comer from another team which you think won't part ways with them otherwise, but given the fact that they're not a proven talent, you're already taking a chance, nevermind the fact that they're not exactly a high value hard to get pick-up through other means.

There are also other players who have already been released from their clubs which you may want to pick up, outsde of th draft to compliment the team before or after the draft.

Two such players I would go right after would be Tony Meola and Brian Dunseth. Meola has a huge name, still can perform, and will be a 1st choice option who will help school his eventual replacement. Brian Dunseth has size, can score off the head, and has been a decent defender, but not a league stand-out, who has had a tough time keeping a spot with the bad overall defenses he has been with. If you lower your expectations on the guy, I'll bet he could hold his own. Plus, both players are huge hits with the ladies (those 11-15 yr old youth soccer girls who will be the one's filling he stadiums).

Out of the list of players, I am looking at this...

Experienced Veteran
Jesse Marsch (CHV), Ezra Hendrickson (CLB), Diego Guitierez (CHI), Clint Mathis(COL) (Who you might not need to pick up through the draft, but if you must certainly pick him)

Underated Talent
Jamil Walker (DC), Chris Brown (RSL), Santino Quaranta (LA), James Riley (NE), Dema Kovalenko (NY, unless he's straight out cut)


Young Prospect
Alex Yi (DAL)


Others I might go for, if some are available through other means, or someone here isn't available, are; Bobby Rhine (DAL), Eddie Pope (RSL), Khano Smith (NE), etc.

There are also other players who have already been released from their clubs which you may want to pick up, outsde of th draft to compliment the team before or after the draft.

Two such players I would go right after would be Tony Meola and Brian Dunseth. Meola has a huge name, still can perform, and will be a 1st choice option who will help school his eventual replacement. Brian Dunseth has size, can score off the head, and has been a decent defender, but not a league stand-out, who has had a tough time keeping a spot with the bad overall defenses he has been with. If you lower your expectations on the guy, I'll bet he could hold his own. Plus, both players are huge hits with the ladies (those 11-15 yr old youth soccer girls who will be the one's filling he stadiums).

Additionally, there are the USL and MISL to steal players from. I'm sure are a million players you could say could make it in the league from those leagues... and I would certainly go after Jamar Beasley as one of them who has played in MLS. The knock on him was that he lacked the finishing touch. However, he has now gone to the MISL, and been a league leader in scoring. If he can finish on the small nets, I'm more than happy to give him another shot at the big ones. His speed and illusiveness make him a major trouble for opposing defenses.

So my team would be...

Forwards
Jamil Walker, Chris Brown (M-F), Jamar Beasley (M-F)

Midfielders
Clint Mathis (M-F), Jesse Marsch, Dema Kovalenko, Santino Quaranta, James Riley (M-D)

Defenders
Alex Yi, Brian Dunseth, Diego Guitierez, Ezra Hendrickson (F-D)

Keepers
Tony Meola

and that's before the draft... and raping the USL...

Obviously it's a little old, and lacking Philly specific players... but you get young by drafting those players to play alongside these veterans... who even if they don't make the team, would make great bench guys.

 

IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

If we were to get the team (*knock on wood*) what player would you guys bring in. The player must be reasonably priced.

I would think that someone such as Nakamura or Ji Sung Park would be an excellant choice. They would be on the higher end, Naka: about £5mill and Park: £9-10. Park would be on the higher end, but would instantly bring in a huge Asian-American market and would prove to be probably the best player in the league. The one problem with Park would be getting UNited to part with him, seeing as he is the link to their Asian market. That's why I think Naka would be more viable at $10 millon, although he would be 32-33 years old.

I also think Bobby Convey would be a good buy. SO what do you guys think. What players would be a good buy in the year 2010?

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

i think we need to lower our standards

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

I dont mean to shoot you down..but even if it does have "huge" asian-american market..i don't think we should bring in an asian star...they are excellent players dont get me wrong but i am focusing on the fan aspect of this...the reason the MLS panders to the Latin Americans in the States is because MOSTLY they are instilled with love for the game at an early age...i dont know if the same can be said for asian americans...Latin Americans have also shown that they will come out and support a former/current player from their nation in droves...the most ive ever seen of asian-americans coming out to a game solely to see a player of their nation is about 10-20 for Chien Ming Wang,Kaz and Hideki Matsui,Hideki Irabu,Tsuyoshi Shinjo..yadda yadda yadda....they would definitely be great players in the league but for the sole reason of bringing out the asian american population, i dont think so


ANYWAY...i would bring in either a young and talented brazilian or argentinian(they are cheaper than european stars)....but my ideal signing would be Kluivert...been a fave of mine for years

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

I'm not really worried too much who we bring in as long as they are scouted properly. I hope that within a few months of getting awarded a team (if we get a team) we have started identifying players and a coaching staff. I don't want us to be like SJ that seemingly took forever to start getting a squad together. We should have a good idea going into the expansion draft and superdraft with an idea of how the team will look. Of course the thing I'm hoping they start right away is establish a youth system. It would be great if in our first year we had a local kid on the team.

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

Edson Buddle.

And Mo Johnston as coach.

Actually, a lot can happen in 2 years so I havent' even begun to think about it. Though Bobby Convey would be cool since he's a local boy.

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

Julian.

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

Corey Furlan, brings passion and cannon-like arms from touch...

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

im in

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

Bring in Paul Mariner as coach for the draft scouting (assuming he's half as good ad Nicol), and spend some $$$ to give Kevin Payne a nice raise to get him away from DC for foreign scouting and GM duties...

(so basically one realistic scenario, one not)

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

I would definitly like to see some young talent from South America or Africa. A forward looking manager with deep pockets would sign one or two players right now. The players could then be loaned to a major club for a few years. Then, we could start our team with some leaders with major league playing time. I am sure there are many reasons why this could not work, but with the right imagination and deal making, it could start Philly off with a great team.

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

Now is the time for pipe dreams so I won't be too judgmental of the hopes for now but reality will have to focus its lens before long.

It must be more proper to hire a manager before worrying about who to bring in- attacking football needs to be a goal early in this development.

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

Those dudes from Shaolin soccer. As long as we are answering stupid questions...

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

I'd love to see our front office find young, inexpensive players from Africa and South/Central America while drafting the odd American. What I'd love to see more for the future though is an academy set up so that the best players from the area could be legitimate prospects for our club. Pick say the best 20 area high school freshmen each year and board them for the next 3 years in the style of all of the big clubs in the world or domestically like Bradenton and Brad Friedel's academy.

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

Can they start the academy before the team? Have the academy start in the fall of this year or 2009.

 

Re: IF we get a team, who do you bring in?

Wayne Rooney