Are these former MLS players whose contract ended this off-season and players whose option was not exercised?
Re: Re: supplemental draft date set You have to subscribe to Soccer America magazine and then you are able to sign up for the bi-weekly newsletter.
You can also subscribe to only the e-letter and forego the magazine, if you choose. I think the draft will include any players the league has under contract at the time that are not on a team roster. Additional foreign players and out of contract USL players should be the balance.
feb. 28 seems like a pretty late date to me; you'd think they could push it forward to the 18th or 20th or around there, just to the give the teams AND players time to adjust and earn their keep once they're drafted. of course, this gives teams time to bring in players and test them beforehand, practice with them, but still, how much time do you need?
I realize this is a supplemental draft, and I've heard that guys like Phillip Salyer and Ian Joy may be available this way, but I've also heard there will be another wieghted draft/lottery after that for players like Digimarino. Any word or thoughts? Also, any idea on the nebulous floating out of contract players? In particular I'm thinking of Columbus who were juggling their roster and hedging their bets until the McBride and Hejduk situations sorted themselves out. Now that McBride is definitely not being sold or having his loan extended, they're going to be over the cap. How do they get Frankie Hejduk? Does that happen before this draft or during it? What happens to Dante Washington and John Harkes? Do they become part of this supplemental draft, the second draft or even another separate waiver draft? So many questions. -Tron