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Cooper, Convey, Alston among players to opt-out of MLS Re-Entry Draft

KennyCooperFCDallas1-HoustonDynamo (USATodaySports)

By DAN KARELL

The number of players available in the first stage of the MLS Re-Entry Draft has dropped by 11 from the original 68 players announced Monday.

The draft will be held Thursday at 3 p.m., via teleconference.

Of the 11 players to opt-out of the Re-Entry Draft, Kenny Cooper, Bobby Convey, and Kevin Alston are the most noteworthy. Opting out means that they’re likely in trade discussions or have been traded. Mauro Rosales, traded on Wednesday to Chivas USA, is now ineligible for the Re-Entry Draft as well. Former FC Dallas midfielder David Ferreira, LA Galaxy defender Sean Franklin, and New York Red Bulls defender Heath Pearce remain eligible.

In addition to those above, Brad Knighton (traded to New England), Daniel Paladini, Andre Akpan, Yordany Alvarez, and Mike Chabala have all removed themselves from Re-Entry draft eligibility.

Teams who select players in the first stage of the draft must pick up the player’s option or agree a new contract at the player’s current salary figures. As such, not much action is expected Thursday. In 2012, only Maicon Santos was selected by the Chicago Fire.

Here’s the updated list of players available today’s MLS Re-Entry Draft:

MLS RE-ENTRY DRAFT ELIGIBLE LIST

Chicago Fire (8): MF Corben Bone, DF Shaun Francis, MF Joel Lindpere, MF Logan Pause, MF Chris Rolfe, FW Maicon Santos, MF Wells Thompson (out of contract), MF Michael Videira

Chivas USA (3): DF Ante Jazic (out of contract), DF Steve Purdy, MF Josue Soto

Columbus Crew (2): MF Danny O’Rourke, MF Konrad Warzycha

Colorado Rapids (3): GK Steward Ceus, DF Brian Mullan, MF Jamie Smith

D.C. United (6): MF Dwayne De Rosario, DF James Riley, FW Carlos Ruiz, MF Marcelo Saragosa, MF John Thorrington, DF Daniel Woolard

FC Dallas (2): MF David Ferreira, DF Ugo Ihemelu

Houston Dynamo (4): DF Bobby Boswell (out of contract), FW Calen Carr (out of contract), MF Alex Dixon, FW Cam Weaver

Los Angeles Galaxy (4): MF Colin Clark, MF Laurent Courtois, DF Sean Franklin, MF Pablo Mastroeni (out of contract)

Montreal Impact (1): MF Sinisa Ubiparipovic

New England Revolution (4): FW Chad Barrett, FW Ryan Guy, MF Clyde Simms, MF Juan Toja

New York Red Bulls (4): DF Brandon Barklage, FW Fabian Espindola, GK Kevin Hartman, DF Heath Pearce (out of contract)

Philadelphia Union (1): DF Chris Albright (out of contract/retired)

Portland Timbers (2): DF David Horst, DF Ryan Miller

Real Salt Lake (3): DF Brandon McDonald, GK Josh Saunders, MF Khari Stephenson

Seattle Sounders (3): DF Marc Burch, MF Blair Gavin, FW Steve Zakuani (out of contract)

San Jose Earthquakes (4): DF Nana Attakora, MF Mehdi Ballouchy (out of contract), DF Dan Gargan, GK Evan Newton

Toronto FC (2): FW Justin Braun (out of contract)

Vancouver Whitecaps (4): GK Joe Cannon, FW Corey Hertzog

(All players had contracts declined unless stated otherwise)

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What do you think of this news? Where do you see Cooper, Convey, or Alston headed? Expect anyone to be selected today?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. You could make a pretty good team out of those guys.

    If LA lets Franklin go after trading Magee I’ll have some serious doubts about the front office. He’s versatile and very solid, plus Gonzo will be gone this summer and they will NEED him on the backline.

    Reply
    • Don’t sell Arena short. If he let Franklin go, it was because he didn’t fit under the Salary Cap and there was already someone who fit his spot. Franklin was valuable as he player as he played midfield as well as the back line and corners. But I have a feeling De La Garza may take his position. With the return of Leonardo and having Kofi Opare a rookie revelation as well as last years find Tommy Meyer, the Galaxy are deep at center back, They brought in a lot of center backs when it appeared they might lose Gonzales permanently, so having the experienced De la Garza move to the corner makes sense. Cochrane also had some success, but it was asking a lot for an out of position rookie player. Oscar Soto seemed a bit overwhelmed some times, especially in the CCL, but he’s young, an academy star, and a fast learner.

      As a former college coach, Arena has good acumen when picking from the college ranks, so look for the Galaxy to go after a corner back, or a good soccer athlete that may have a talent for the position in the Galaxy’s early picks.

      Reply
  2. The Dynamo can ditch them all. Dixon I thought we waived already. Weaver has 12 regular season goals in 5 years. Carr has 4 regular season goals in 2 years and spends most of his time hurt. Boswell gets some offensive production and is a decent defender if he doesn’t have to move; but soccer doesn’t always work that way. We need better strikers and we need a more mobile defense. I hope these guys stay cut and that this is not some Ching situation where we drag out what needs to happen for further years. Team needs upgrades to reach its old superiority, not the insular belief that retaining the same bunch every year will achieve different results. None of these guys were part of the championship teams. I’m not saying we need drastic turnover, the middie core is fine. But this year it was obvious how much we struggled for striking, and some of the bad defensive days we had. Kinnear I think forgets how strong his roster used to be…..used to be internationals at almost every spot.

    Reply
    • Boswell has declined significantly from the 2 MLS Cup season, but we’re so thin at CB. I hope Dom has a plan, because we don’t have much after Taylor & Brunner. Maybe Ibeagha as an HGP, but if he wasn’t willing to leave college early, who knows if he’s committed.

      Agree regarding all other listed players, but it’s a shame Chewie played the game of his life against NY in the playoffs and is now being let go.

      Reply
      • People forget Boswell was acquired by trade at the end of the 2007 season. He is not a core championship player. Nor am I a big fan of the Ching-esque nostalgia that makes it so hard for us to move forward on players of that era. It’s now been 6 years.

        Boswell’s key flaw is lack of mobility and good teams exploit it. I understand we have a depth issue but this starts to sound like Schaub excuses. If you have a problem area you have to address it. if options 2, 3, and 4 also stink, well, that’s how thorough the makeover needs to be.

        I used to like Taylor but have noticed his own mobility issues and lost confidence in him. He doesn’t play as well. Neither Bruner nor Arena impress. I understand your argument but I think we need to churn and he’s the expensive one, least justifiable.

        Chabala is OK and can be replaced.

        Ibeagha is like this myth. We slapped a label on him. He has avoided the implications for 3 years and not signed. I gather he is gunning for international youth play and a catapult into a better deal. Duke has not been that springboard and bluntly his lack of success makes me question his value. I think the Dynamo would have been a better springboard to international play in this professionalized era, but his consistent avoidance of us makes me wonder if he has any interest……though his options may be dwindling if he has not impressed elsewhere…..though that may also affect our interest as well….maybe we just let him get drafted.

      • You seem to have misunderstood me. I think dumping Boswell’s a good thing, I just am also scared about our defense due to its glaring deficiencies and lack of depth.

        As for Ibeagha, it’s been a bad sign he wouldn’t join Houston early especially since teams & schools often make accommodations for players to finish their degree in the offseason.

        Just saying, we now have no depth at either fullback position without moving one of our starting midfielders there. And Anthony Arena as the only depth CB is not exactly reassuring, especially when a hot-and-cold Jermaine Taylor and so-so Eric Brunner are the two starters.

      • And I was saying he wasn’t some nostalgia years guy to keep — and I get scared that argument now applies to people holding dear to runnerup players who couldn’t even get it done — nor is he that great to cling to in a rough CB period. He’s an expensive player ($220K) who increasingly seemed to have lost it. Like Ching 2-3 years ago I thought this was the easiest decision in the world.

        So now we can take $220K and go shopping for CBs. Veterans, draftees, etc.

        I think Taylor might have trade value. People tend to get all cap-on-the-brain which trends to passivity but he has played well enough where like Boswell, if you want him and his salary moved, someone will take it.

        I’m not a Brunner or Arena fan but they are so cheap and expendable they can be displaced by picks or trialists.

        The key thing is that there is in fact effort to alter the mix. It’s like Texans QB, first thing that happens is stop treating the expensive former all star like a sacred cow. Then you can assess the current roster. Then you can eject the rejects (Yates, Schaub), and start working on the future. it may take two years to get CB back good but you have to jettison the most expensive starting non-performers just to get the ball rolling. If you leave the most expensive cog in place — like Ching at forward as he continued to decline — you risk the position becoming a complete blackhole.

      • Ibeagha is not on the combine list. I don’t know if that reflects our HGP intent or is instead a scouting assessment.

      • I’m not 100% on the rules for HGPs, etc., but if Ibeagha wants to play in MLS but not for Houston, someone needs to trade for his rights.

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