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Mwanga and Tchani among five more Generation adidas signings

Tony Tchani (ISIPhotos.com)

Photo by ISIphotos.com

Oregon State striker Danny Mwanga and Virginia midfielder Tony Tchani are two of five new players to have agreed to terms on Generation adidas contracts ahead of the 2010 MLS Draft, sources told SBI on Wednesday.

UCLA freshman standout Amobi Okugo, U.S. Under-17 defender Zachary Herold and California striker Andrew Wiedeman have also agreed to Generation adidas deals with MLS and will be available in the MLS Draft. All five players are represented by Wasserman Media Group.

Mwanga is considered a front-runner to be the first player chosen in the 2010 MLS Draft, with the Philadelphia Union believed to be interested in selecting the Congolese-born striker. Tchani is also expected to go early in the draft, and is projected as a Top Five selection.

The five players join Teal Bunbury, Blair Gavin, Dilly Duka and Jack McInerney as players who have signed Generation adidas contracts. Central Florida goalkeeper Sean Johnson has also signed a deal, according to SBI sources.

The 2010 MLS Draft is set for January 14 in Philadelphia.

Comments

  1. Generation Adidas is program that has everything to do with a player’s POTENTIAL of being sold in the future. The MLS is paying/gambling peanuts for a stable of players each year with the hope that 1 or 2 of each class can get sold to Europe for Millions. Making it self funding and hopefully making the MLS $$. So it turns out to be a lotto type contract. If you fail you the player make coin (lottery winner) if you tear it up the investor MLS makes coin and the player moves on. Business

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  2. I watched him in 4 other games that day at tualatin. The match you reference (the one he scored the PK shootout goal) was–in reality his club team’s intersquad game. BTW–another factor more so for Nimo was he played in a Beaverton Indoor Tourney in 5 full indoor matches as well during that same day. Fatigue was probably a factor. Maybe you missed the other 4 games Mwanga shined vs. some quality teams. If you need to be impressed just watch the ESPN highlights on MLS Draft Day.

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  3. Anyone else,

    Agree with the general idea that most of these guys won’t pan out. But keep in mind the current players (holden for example again) CAN leave MLS if they want. The problem is they can’t get a contract in Europe due to restrictive nationality requirements or lack of interest in European clubs.

    Like most clubs, European scouts are trying to find elite players. A guy that was performing well but not spectacularly in MLS isn’t like to turn out to be a world-beater in the Premier League.

    But they will take a bit of a gamble on some 20 year old kid on the off chance he’ll turn out to be something special.

    I understand any resentment from current players but can only shrug shoulders. If Phili doesn’t want to spend $175 K, there are plenty of other players signed by MLS they can grab in his place.

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  4. Gary,

    I don’t really believe in the “American-Style” or “bad habits” thearies. Really, I think the issue is that American college players have to spend 30-50 hours a week studying non-soccer related material and can only play soccer in the off hours.

    European kids effectively go pro at 15 (though some talk about being “school-boys” in ridiculously named club schools where they don’t actually go to class or study anything). The European kids basically play soccer six hours a day year round. That is where their technical skill developes.

    Basically to countermand this, hundreds to thousands of american kids have to drop out at 15 and do the same, fully knowing most won’t have a lucrative career waiting. The US college system at least offers them more of a guarantee that they won’t be stacking boxes at age 24 for a living.

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  5. If you’re going to make the leap to Europe, you should do it before you get to college.

    By the time a player hits college, he is likely too engrained in the American style and will not be able to adjust. Even worse, if you’ve spent time playing college soccer, your “bad habits” as a soccer player have almost surely ruined a real chance in Europe.

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  6. You guys need to get with the program!

    Opara is incredibly overrated!

    Technical Quality: 6

    Soccer IQ: 6

    Physical Attributes: 9

    So what if he’s big and strong … this is not a quality player.

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  7. 175k for a generation adidas signing? This is an example of what is wrong in MLS. A kid who threatens to go to Europe (i.e. he has options) gets a lucrative contract from MLS. But MLS current players (i.e. no options due to MLS restrictive labor rules) gets stuck with low pay for a long period of time- insert name of any one of several MLS players (Holden for example)

    If MLS spent more money on keeping/paying current stars or ones that have proven themselves on the MLS field vs splashing cash on unproven rookies, the MLS would be a better league and the players would not be threatening a strike or jumping to other leagues.

    There is money out there in MLS-land to pay current players, its just being spent on these rookies who haven’t proven anything yet in the league.

    Hey MLS, don’t pay for potential, pay for performance.

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  8. I am a little surprised there is so much desire for Herrold- Gil, Herrold and Jack Mc worry me because of the lack of roster spots in MLS and if they will actually be ready. If you look three years ago when the previous world cup cycle of U20 and U17 came around too many of the young stars signed and didnt pan out- the world cups def. give a little too much hype for some of these guys.

    Very excited about the 19 and 20 yr old guys coming out of college- Tchani and Danny are huge signings- Im excited to be a UNion Fan

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  9. The best US talent getting experience in MLS is CLEARLY the way to go. Adu, Zizzo, and Szetela all hit a brick wall in Europe (the second really makes me sad, because we lack great pure wingers). I think young players would be wise to try and follow Dempsey’s example, making it a gradual transition. It’s better to get playing time in MLS than to spend two years riding the pine.

    I think Freddy’s class has taught us all a lot. Jozy, and soon probably Holden will teach us even more. Meanwhile, the MLS will hopefully benefit from the infusion of top college and youth team prospects.

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  10. i was at the same tourney and watched the knockout game. he slowed the game up with his desire to try and dribble rather than pass. he never had a clear shot as everything was blocked by his defender. with him and alex nemo on the roster i expected more from both of them

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  11. Amazingly, I am actually excited about the upcoming crop of MLS rookies. Could we finally start keeping some of our top prospects? Greg Seltzer reported that Zach Herrold spurned Cologne to sign with MLS. Great news for Socialist Soccer.

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  12. he has two choices right? Either play for Congo or the US. If he is the real deal I can’t see why he sould not play for the US

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  13. The more good signings I hear about, the more confident I am that there will be quality on the board for Philadelphia at 1 AND 17. Niice.

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  14. I’m sorry, blossom later in their careers? Bradley spent VERY little time in MLS, and Jozy was scoring goals at 17. In his second year, he tore it up. What are you talking about?

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  15. The doubters about Mwanga and other top college prospects are probably the same guys who called Robbie Findley nothing but “a track star” a couple years ago.

    No, not everyone will succeed, but the knee-jerk negativity about these guys is hilarious.

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  16. Abreu is in talks with Santos and a Uruguay side in Montevideo….he is gone from Aris,

    you got everything right in your report yesterday Ives

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  17. Ive played against Herold and i personally beat him with a couple scissors(he lived in Port St. Lucie Florida, i live in Stuart)….he is better on the attack than defending surprisingly and it even showed in the U-17 world cup

    im not doggin him, but the defending might have been an issue for whatever German side was looking at him

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  18. Hey Ives, or anyone else for that matter, could we get a national team status for some of these foreign born players. I was just wondering if any of these players are US citizens or have expressed the desire to play for the US? Thanks for the responses!!

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  19. Hey Ives,

    Last year, there were several players whom skipped MLS and went strait to Europe (Tracy, Grella, Bedoya). Are there any NCAA kids bound for Europe this year? I heard a couple of the under-18’s signed or would sign in Germany or elsewhere.

    Its a small sample size to draw a conclusion but I was wondering if there was a general cooling on signing American collegians?

    (SBI-Dartmouth’s Craig Henderson, U-20 forward Tony Taylor and U-20 defender Gale Agbossoumonde are three who are headed to Europe. If anything, I’d say it’s probably college kids realizing that Europe isn’t necessarily the best option b ecause there are a ton of kids in recent years who have made that move only to see their careers stagnate.)

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  20. What’s the deal with Opara, has he signed yet?

    Ives, where does this class rank with last year’s class? It has to come close to the overall talent. I’m sure there won’t be as many MLS-ready players, but certainly more players in tune with a Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley, who blossom later in their careers.

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  21. RBNY need to take Opara at #2. Anyone else will show a total lack of understanding the team needs (defense).

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  22. Well it looks like he moved here in 2006, but one of his parents moved here in 2001……… and this is where the eligibilty statrs tio get tricky/interesting.

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  23. Well lets hope Mwanga can play for the US at least…if MLS is gonna dish out hat type of money to keep form trialing in France. lol.

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  24. I’m a club coach in southern california and have played against Mwanga the past 2 years at U-17 & U18 regionals along with other tournaments.

    He is complete class. His Technical Quality and physical attributes are well known. But what most don’t realize is he is among the elite when it comes to Soccer IQ. His decision making, unlike American players, gives him world-class potential.

    He is by far the best player in the Draft. And yes, I have seen all the others and it’s not even close.

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  25. I watched Mwanga play in Tualatin at their annual Indoor Holiday Tournament. Saw him play in person and was very impressed. Actually never saw him shut down in any match. His youth club team the WSM internationals, the Region IV champs at U18 and National finalists from this summer were split into 2 teams that meet in the knockout stage of the tourney where they tied and Danny scored in his effort on the PK (NASL style) shootout. Don’t know what tourney you were watching.

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  26. is Herold leaning MLS or Cologne? And MLS must’ve offered Mwanga a lot to deter him from his French trials.

    (SBI-Herold has signed with MLS. Mwanga’s contract is supposed to be pretty big. Could be close to the 175-200K range.)

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  27. This is good news for MLS, and everyone with a first round draft pick. Of course, you never know who’s going to succeed in the league, but this a class boasting some good talent, mostly on the offensive end. Hope to be pleasantly surprised when our new coach makes his first real decision.

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