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MLS Ticker: Real Salt Lake sign Rowdies standout Mulholland, Whitecaps make deal with Crew, and more

LukeMulhollandTampaBayRowdies1-FortLauderdaleStrikers (TampaBayRowdies)

By FRANCO PANIZO

One of NASL’s standout players is making the move up to MLS.

Real Salt Lake announced on Tuesday morning that they have signed former Tampa Bay Rowdies midfielder Luke Mulholland. The 25-year-old Mulholland joins RSL after spending two successful seasons with the Rowdies, where he scored 17 goals and registered 13 assists in 51 league appearances while also helping Tampa Bay win the 2012 NASL Soccer Bowl.

Mulholland, a native of Preston, England, has an impressive resume in the lower levels of American soccer. He helped the then-Minnesota Stars win the 2011 NASL title after beginning his career earlier that year with USL Pro’s Wilmington Hammerheads, where he was named USL Pro Rookie of the Year and selected to the USL Pro Team of the Year.

Here are more notes from around the league:

WHITECAPS ACQUIRE INTERNATIONAL ROSTER SPOT FROM CREW

The Vancouver Whitecaps will have an additional international roster spot to use this season.

The Whitecaps and Columbus Crew have announced a deal that gives Vancouver an international roster spot in exchange for a third-round pick (45th overall) in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft. The Whitecaps now have 11 international roster spots, 10 of which are currently being used, and the Crew now have two selections in the third round of the draft.

The third and fourth rounds of the MLS SuperDraft take place on Tuesday afternoon.

RAPIDS SIGN CAMEROON WINGER ELOUNDOU

If at first you don’t succeed, try again.

That was the Colorado Rapids’ approach with Charles Eloundou and it has paid off, as the 19-year-old winger signed with the club on Tuesday. Eloundou, who has experience with Cameroon’s national team, was originally acquired on loan at the start of 2013 but did not play last season due to paperwork issues.

“Charles is a great young player with a lot of potential, and we got to see his skill in person at the very end of 2013,” said Rapids technical director Paul Bravo. “This permanent transfer gives us another exciting, attacking player on our roster who can help both right away and in the future. After a strong SuperDraft, Charles is another addition that fits our model and we look forward to welcoming him at the start of our preseason.”

Eloundou will occupy an International Spot on Colorado’s roster, and will be eligible pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate, a medical, and a P-1 work visa.

PAPPA ANNOUNCES MLS RETURN

Marco Pappa is heading back to MLS, but just where is not yet known.

Pappa announced on his Twitter account on Monday night that he is returning to MLS, where he was a standout with the Chicago Fire before leaving for Dutch club Heerenveen in 2012. Pappa has been linked with a move to the Seattle Sounders in recent weeks, but there has been no official word on his destination.

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What do you think of Real Salt Lake picking up Mulholland? Who won the trade between the Whitecaps and Crew? Which club would you like to see Pappa on?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Why would a team trade an international slot for a 3rd and 4th round pick? The draft is composed of a small list of players while the international spot allows for much larger range of possibilities of cheap foreign players.

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    • I was thinking the same thing @Neruda … I could only assume that there must have been some promise or favor that was due via a past agreement… Or under the table cash payout

      Reply
  2. Will Mulholland be an impact player for RSL. RSL needs coverage for Beckerman in case he’s in the WC and Morales because he’s getting older and more injury prone, and increased depth in midfield.

    I wish RSL would be on the hunt to fill their final DP slot with an impact signing. Hansen should go crazy and put in an offer on someone. I was thinking Jermaine Jones but quickly realized that he would just make RSL have to rethink their style of play because he just roams around like a madman.

    Reply
  3. They signed Mulholland?! While I agree it’s a fantastic move for him, it will make those Tampa games a lot less exciting. The guy really knows how to light up a midfield.

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    • Yes, he will be missed in Tampa Bay. Luke brings a ton of energy to the game to match pretty good skills. He’s not just a runner. I wouldn’t see him as a back up for Beckerman. I think Luke will be more of an attacking player in MLS…maybe a wide midfielder. Along with back up keeper Atinella, there’s now two former Rowdies on RLS’s roster.

      Stick in Luke.

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      • There are technically 3 former Rowdies currently on the roster for Real Salt Lake. Kwame Watson-Siriboe was under contract to the Chicago Fire in 2011. He was loaned out and played 10 games with the Rowdies (then called FC Tampa Bay). He and Mulholland never played together though.

  4. Part of the reason I went off on the Jamaican draft pick Lewis is Mulholland’s scenario of working his way up to MLS over a few years is probably one of Lewis’ rosier scenarios, which he could have avoided by simply signing a MLS contract and starting there in the first place.

    The one CBA caveat to any new player signing should be that I don’t think their contracts are guaranteed until the 3rd year of MLS tenure. So they are expendable.

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    • I remember seeing a couple of profiles on the guy when he was at this tiny school — and it seemed he was on a path to MLS then. Surprised it took another 2 years for MLS to give him a shot.

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  5. Interesting to see MLS grab some top NASL talent. Conversely, I am also happy that the Comos are flexing their muscle in the Lewis situation. Thank goodness! Soccer in the US needs this kind of competition. It is important for the MLS to be strong but not arrogant.

    MLS is still my favorite league. That has not stopped me from noticing it has a single entity evil empire thing going. A control freak thing if you will. Trying to copyright supporters trophies, etc. Too much control is bad. Within MLS there are bad feelings of unfair pay differentials. See Camilo and EJ. Maybe those guys were jerks about it but it wouldn’t have happened if the MLS pay scale was more functional.

    Reply
    • Hempstead Cosmos are a branding exercise with a minor league team playing in a college stadium on Long Island. A cute little brother team desperately jumping up and down, looking for attention from the big boys. “oh, notice me please! I’m a big club too! Pele played for us!!”

      Reply
      • If they bother you so much, just stick to MLS teams like RBNY and NYCFC. Your whining at every mention of the Cosmos makes even neutrals like me roll their eyes. Get over it. If they’re as insignificant as you say, just ignore them and their fans and save yourself the aneurism.

      • It’s the Cosmos fanboys who act like they chose to stay out of MLS because they’re going to challenge it from the outside that I’m responding to. If it others you so much, you can just ignore my comments instead of lecturing me. Thanks.

      • I wish I could ignore your posts. If only you weren’t the most frequent and prolific commentator on the NASL-centric posts to begin with…

      • @ slowleftarm – newsflash…it is a great thing the Cosmos came back. It is a connection to a soccer past that many people care about. Some people wern’t born yesterday and soccer in this country existed for a lifetime before Becks was signed.

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