MLSDraft.net: 5 Guys not named O'Brian White

[SeanKeay]

http://www.mlsdraft.net/?q=node/95

quote:After spending hours a day on Toronto FC message boards, there is one thing that is clear: everyone has fallen in love with O’Brian White. They think he is a shoe in for that 2nd or 4th pick. I for one disagree with that, but I do think that using our picks to grab Canadian talent is a very smart idea. It’s just that it might not be the case in the first round.

In the first round you want to pick the best player available, one who can help your team. In this case, I’m not sold that Toronto should have a striker high on their list of needs. In particular, if you want to pick up a striker with Canadian ties and a decent pedigree have a look at these two players who could be available at a later time...

[Gian-Luca]

I was going to add that if we don't use our later Superdraft picks on some of the Canucks mentioned, we could also use our supplemental draft picks later on - but I'm thinking we've traded all or most of those away, haven't we?

[SeanKeay]

We traded away all of our supplemental picks but still have 2 Supplemental Draft picks (DC's 1st round pick) and (Chicagos 4th Round)

[squid2]

Is 1 of TFC's 3 1st rounders going to Chivas; part of the Guevera deal, or has that already been settled?

I'm not hearing that any of the five are even being considered for the combine event. White yes. Maybe Ricketts and/or Jonke get late invites.

But more to my point, Kyle Hall, Jonke, Oppong, Revivo and Ricketts should all be available in the Supp draft, or as free agents. The only MLS club dumb enough to draft any of these players in the SuperDraft portion would be Colorado. None of these boys are MLS ready, and none of them are stronger than Gala, Gaudet or Rosenlund. These boys are development roster at best and I would rate Revivo as being the closest to being MLS ready of the five.

TFC picks 2 & 4 have to be Gen A selections.

Younger players with loads of potential, teenagers, not 23 year old "rookies" still needing help to polish their game. An example is Zac MacMath (born in '91), Maryland's freshman keeper. If he hits the Gen A list, he just might command the 1st pick overall. He's that good. Maryland won the ACC and are ranked 4th or 5th nationally - MacMath played in 15 games. BTW, I've heard nothing to indicate that MacMath is Gen A possible, I've arbitrailly picked him because of his freshman performance alone.

Wake Forrest, ranked #1, has two Sophmores that are already gamebreakers in the NCAA so I suspect that both will be offered Gen A contracts: Corbone Bone (born in '88), a midfielder; and Ike Opara (born in '89) a defender. Both are very solid players, both will eventually end up following the Edu path. I've seen Bone in the Dallas Cup and Opara in the Super Y before they went NCAA. They are the top 1% of their age groups. Get them into a pro environment and watch them develop.

There are certainly other players to be considered, especially for Gen A, players who have yet to be speculated on, but another intangible is coaching and coachability. And NCAA coaches Jay Vidovich (Wake) and Sasho Cirovski (MD) have a history of preparing players to go MLS or higher.

And Look no further than Ray Reid for a stark contrast, his star player from last year was O'Brien White. OW's stock has plummeted from last year - he stayed at UConn because Reid convinced him to stay, rejecting a Gen A offer - and it will have cost him at least two hundred thousand over his first 2 years!

[VPjr]

quote:Originally posted by squid2

And Look no further than Ray Reid for a stark contrast, his star player from last year was O'Brien White. OW's stock has plummeted from last year - he stayed at UConn because Reid convinced him to stay, rejecting a Gen A offer - and it will have cost him at least two hundred thousand over his first 2 years!

That sucks for White. Where do you see him going in the Superdraft?

Squid, what do you think about the UConn program? Its been said that their players are struggle outside the system their coach has created and and the last UConn stud to go in the MLS SuperDraft (Julius James) was wholly unimpressive last season for TFC, which might lend some credence to that argument.

[squid2]

quote:Originally posted by VPjr

That sucks for White. Where do you see him going in the Superdraft?

Indeed it does.

Last year he could have had a guaranteed 4 year deal, in six figures with Gen A. If he gets drafted, and if he's lucky he'll grind it out for $45-50,000 a year, for a standard 2+2 MLS contract. Last year's Hermann might still attract a few more $$$. But his performance and stats from this season won't help much, AND, the round and selection number that secures his rights will also influence his contract negotiations.

Gen A players will dominate the 1st round. From what I'm hearing, this year's list is shaping up to be loaded with talent. Allegedly, player's are expressing lots of interest in Gen A - i.e. the Edu path!

It also doesn't hurt that the Gen A/MLS recruiters are using OW's situation as a major selling feature to follow Edu's success, namely "striking while the iron is hot!" Another fact is No 1st round selection makes Gen A money as a MLS rookie.

Someone will risk a 1st rounder on him, he'll go late in the 1st round, early 2nd.

quote:

Squid, what do you think about the UConn program? Its been said that their players are struggle outside the system their coach has created and and the last UConn stud to go in the MLS SuperDraft (Julius James) was wholly unimpressive last season for TFC, which might lend some credence to that argument.

With regard to UConn and Ray Reid.

Reid's a very good recruiter, perhaps one of the best. He's also a very knowledagable soccer guy but a pretty average coach, technically and tactically. His program has money so he's hired some very talented people. Player's are recruited to support and contribute to what is in place now and the next two seasons - the recruit's skill set has to match up. This limits the team's ability to alter or drastically change how they play. I know that they have passed up on some top "stud-like" recruits because the player wouldn't fit in. So I give a lot of credit to the UConn program. Another thing, they don't book soft games, they look for a very competitive schedule outside of their conference obligations, so again credit to the UConn program.

With regard to Reid, a very selfish man. IMHO, he burned OW. OW should have been encouraged to go Gen A last year. That would have been in the best interest of OW - financially and soccer development wise. From an academic point of view, OW's costs to complete his degree would have been included in the Gen A deal. OW could have transferred to any school and completed his degreee p/t while developing his football skills with whatever MLS club that would have drafted him. But Reid saw an NCAA title, which would only enhance Reid's status with his employer, but it means little to OW. Reid put his interests ahead of OW's by "encouraging" him to stick around for another year and build up his NCAA reputation. Hindsight is 20-20, but OW hasn't really developed any further playing another NCAA season - keep in mind the calibre of play or pace of the NCAA is nowhere near MLS level, so why stay??? And I'll add this, remaining in the NCAA might also be a reason why OW is not in the current Jamaica WC picture.

Lessons to be learned here.

Finally with JJ.

I've been a fan of JJ since his freshman season. 2008 is a season for him to forget, he really is a talented player although that didn't show. He was one of UConn's best players in his freshman season, and every year he got better. He has the individual skills, the athleticism, the maturity. Perhaps he's didn't make the mental adjustment to playing pro - I dunno. Reid's a recruiting coach, not a development coach - players get better in spite of Reid, which is a credit to the natural development of certain players. I hold the opinion that Carver is probably the type of coach looking for ready made players, development is not his gig anymore. Regardless, TFC's record with young players is brutal - development remains a concept or a statement but not yet a tangible application.

I'll be catching up with my son this weekend in Tampa. He and his cast of mis-fits (NCAA/MLS assistant coaches), or the "Dirty-Dozen" as I like to refer to them, will no doubt share some insight on the combine & GA lists, potential draft strategies, etc., so maybe I'll have some more info next week.

Cheers

[VPjr]

quote:Originally posted by squid2

I'll be catching up with my son this weekend in Tampa. He and his cast of mis-fits (NCAA/MLS assistant coaches), or the "Dirty-Dozen" as I like to refer to them, will no doubt share some insight on the combine & GA lists, potential draft strategies, etc., so maybe I'll have some more info next week.

Cheers

Thanks Squid. As always, your NCAA insight is appreciated. Feel free to cc me if you are firing off any informative emails about the upcoming draft class.