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You may not have realized it in your post New Year's Day haze but the 2009 MLS Draft is less than two weeks away.
That's right, in less than two weeks MLS teams will dig into what is being regarded as one of the stronger drafts in recent memory. SBI will continue providing you folks with pre-draft coverage throughout the next two weeks, including full coverage of the MLS Combine, as well as coverage from the MLS Draft in St. Louis.
While I put the finishing touches on the SBI MLS Mock Draft (v3.0), I want to hear from you, the SBI readers, on who you would like to see your team take. This isn't just for fans whose teams own first-round picks. No matter which of the 15 MLS teams you root for I want to hear what you would like to see your team select. Are you praying for a new goalkeeper? Hopeing your team can find a way to land Marcus Tracy? Wishing for a new central defender like Omar Gonzalez?
Share your 2009 MLS Draft suggestions in the comments section below (and stay tuned for the newest mock draft later this afternoon).
I’d like Seattle to trade first pick to Toronto for player, money, allocation, etc. then pick either Zakauni or Tracy with second pick.
The Galaxy need defenders BADLY. Jared Karkas a senior at Azusa Pacific University is a speedy left footed defender. He was named one of only 14 NAIA soccer players to make All-American, first team. He also made All Golden State Athletic Conference team, and was Most Valuable Defender this year at Azusa Pacific.
As a Seattle fan, the players that I’d like to see us take (and that I think we have a good chance at) are Steve Zakauni (As highly regarded as Marcus Tracy but 2 years younger and GA), Brad Ring (Solid holding mid), Lyle Adams (speedy outside back who can get forward, just the way Sigi likes them), and Brian Shriver (Take a flyer on an intriguing prospect).
Also, don’t look for the team to take instant impact players. The Front Office will so what is best for the franchise overall, both now and in a couple years, which means taking the best available talent. If the can get be good right away, great. If not, we’ll sign a foreign transfer.
Theres talks of TFC making moves for Serioux, should be interesting to see how that works out…
also i dont see TFC trading anything with Seattle unless they somehow happen to acquire a bunch of defenders of high repute that they all of a sudden want to trade off…
I more or less agree with Aljarov with exception to the Obrien White (who would prob be great to have but not worth throwing away alot to get considering his injury and his last season). Dont think Gonzalez would have the assured defensive impact that we need at this moment as a result (coupled with the rumors) i see us trading off our first round picks for someone or several someones of great use. Looking forward to seeing what will happen all the same!
Some interesting comments here. For NY, I think they should and will go for defense.
To trade for Brunner’s rights, Columbus should offer more than a low 2nd round pick and some other low picks. A lot more actually, or it would make sense to just bring Brunner to NY, give him senior roster money and train him further as a centerback to fill in the left CB spot.
Regarding Taylor Graham… the guy is not MLS quality and can’t cut it on that level. Seattle fans will be disappointed if they bring him up. Much better to get a quality foreign CB than try to make something out of Graham. He’s just tall, there isn’t anything else there
For DC, any two of Alston, Hall, or Wallace (preferably the first two). After that, try to pick up a GA forward with the next pick or whatever top GA player is still available. With four out of the first twenty-six picks, they should fill more than a few holes in the roster.
For the Sounders, any word on the status of Jeff Parke’s contract? I think that will have a mjor impact on what they do with the first pick. If they sign Taylor Graham from the A-League Sounders and already have Parke and Wahl, I don’t see Gonzalez being necessary. I think Zakuani or Tracy should be the pick.
Taking a striker of this quality at #1 makes the most sense, although it makes the drafting of Jarrod Smith even more perplexing, with both Jacqua and Sebastian Le Toux already in the fold. Should a team waste an expansion pick on what could be the 4th striker in the rotation?
By the way, look for Le Toux to have as big an impact as Maykel Galindo. Saw them both in Seattle, and Le Toux is the better player. His work rate is ridiculous, and has great composure in front of goal.
For FCD
Defense…Defense
For LA…where do I start?
They have so many needs including a defensive/holding midfielder, a centerback, a leftback, and a young goalkeeper, that they should trade down and get some more picks (this is supposed to be a deep draft). They could trade down and still get one of the holding mids (Zusi, Cronin, etc.) and pick up a guy like Kevin Alston later on.
However if Tracy is still there at #3, it would be really hard to pass him up, especially since I think Donovan will stay in Europe this time.
I like GA picks for the Sounders, but who wouldn’t in this league, but considering the time it takes for Defenders to peak I would go with a Forward.
Ideally a team like TFC would deal two first round pick to the Sounders for the #1 so that Seattle could get two rotational or starting players.
As an expansion team they need impact now, not in three years.
I hope the sounders take Gonzalez with Opara out he is the best centerback back available. Tracy would be nice but getting an anchor for your back line is a better way to build.
Adding to my original comment I would like to see DC take Loyola goalkeeper Milos Kocic as Loyola has produced keepers like Zach Thornton. He is also in my opinion a very talented goalkeeper.
The Crew to trade its picks for the rights to Eric Brunner.
For DC, I would like to see with its first two picks a quality center and full back. I would say Marshall if he is available and Alston would both be excellent picks. Since the goalkeeper talent is deep in this draft I would prefer United use one of its final two picks on a goakeeper.
Echoing Eric K’s comments, I’d like to see the Revs pick up a center foward, attacking central mid, centerback, and keeper. I’d like them all to be non-internationals so as to not complicate our roster situation, and allow us an foreign signing. If I had my pick I’d take, the following:
GK: Zach Simmons (local UMASS product)
D: A.J. Delagarza (Parkhurst type player)
M: Richard Jata
F: No clue, we don’t have a shot at Tracy
RSL has two big needs and that is a first rate striker and a speedy right winger.
I would like to see RSL trade Rimando and our first round pick to try and get Tracy at the top of the draft. There are a number of teams that need keepers and Rimando is a good one. However, it is time for Seitz to be the guy in Salt Lake. He has much more upside and RSL is likely to lose him to Europe or somewhere else if we don’t play him. I would rather get something good for Rimando now.
If we can’t trade up I would like to take a speedy option at right wing, perhaps Pontius.
What is the Crew’s first pick? Who do you think they will take? They probably need a little more depth at the outside back spot because of the age issue w/ Hejduk and Padula but idk other than that.
FCD needs Central Defenders and outside midfielders. My hope is that they draft a defender and trade picks for some midfield help. I would say they need another striker and central mid but I do not think either of those will be addressed through the draft.
For DC, I want (since we have five of the the first forty picks in the draft), a) a quality, speedy outside mid b) speedy outside back who can get forward and play some good defense c) goalkeeper for the future d) a future US national teamer forward most likely of the Gen Ad variety. This is probably the deepest draft in the history of MLS and DC should take full advantage of this opportunity.
for the Red Bulls:
draft DEFENDERS, yet again we need depth at defense. But if Matt Kassel is around, take him
I would not be suprised if KC focused on drafting defense again while refusing to draft non GAs with the first pick. KC needs one or two new CBs as the two CB selections from last year did not pan out. They need to replace Wahl, and Conrad has a glass jaw. If either JC or Holbein go down, KCs central defense options are not good.
I don’t think KC drafts the a mid you mention as KC will pick a GA and no draftee at the 8 spot will be a significant upgrade over Arnaud/Jewsberry/Morsink in the middle or Souter/Espinoza/Gomez on the flank.
Finally, I don’t see KC making trades, as we have don’t have experienced players that might be bench players (like Sasha) or capable back ups (like with Nick Garcia). KC wont trade away picks for players as that would go against the teams idea of drafting serviceable players to keep the slaray cap number down.
With Columbus having a lot of pieces already in place, it’d be nice for them to pick up an outside defender or two, since Hejduk and Padula aren’t getting any younger. You likely won’t need them this year, but carry them for a year or two and let them learn under the pros, so they’re ready when the time comes.
What RBNY needs this draft:
Not saying in this order but this what they need to come away with and why:
Rodney Wallace- Maryland to play right back. Athletic and can get forward. Again need more attack out of the wing backs.
Ancil Farrier- Left back from Southern Connecticut- attacking left back who has seen time with the full T&T National Team- joins Petke and Osorio from Southern/ left backs that can get forward are rare.
Stefan Frei – Conway and Cepero are not good GK’s- am I the only one who thinks this???
Ives – toss me a bone, man. Give me a Quakes pick. We do have a second rounder, right?
I think the Revs could use: an attacking center mid, a big target forward to complement Mansally and Dube’s speed, a center defender to compete with Valentino for the job, and a keeper for the future. There are a lot of interesting defensive mids but we already have Shalrie, Larentowicz, and Phelan. I think Vidiera is an attacking mid. I think Nicol will draft for talent rather than need however. So guess which ACC players he might like. You have to figure the Revs have a good idea of which guys in the Big East and ACC are worthwhile. I didn’t like the Cristman trade because he balanced out the attack, so they need to address that. Now that Parkhurst is gone, who takes over in the middle? – Larentowicz or Phelan, or Badilla, or is Valentino ready? With Khano gone, that probably means Castro will play on the left side and Wells or Nyassi on the right. Nicol always likes guys who can read the game well, and based on the scouting reports there are a couple guys on Wake and Maryland like that (Zusi and Cronin).
Who’s left at the 41st pick for Houston? Yeah, I want them to get that guy.
Maybe he’ll be Geoff Cameron 2.0, though. You never know. I just hope he’s a forward.
For DC, i’d like them to pick up a central defender, Marshall if he’s still there seems good, and i really want them to grab peri marosevich. That guy is dynamite, i’ve seen him play and he had oodles of talent, and we would be able to pick him up on a generation addidas contract as well.
im going to have to agree with mikeK ditch sassano and sinisia and sign kassel and if not lyle adams
seeing as the fire dont have a 1st round either, im not looking to receiving any of the big options…
personally i would like to see a true right mid…. i would like to get rolfe back up top….
so our mids could be: Mapp or Pappa out left and Thorington and D.Pick out right….
as a SSFC fan, i’m all for Nuvinho’s suggestion… we’ll take Tracy at #2 and another value pick at Toronto’s #13…
Will I get in trouble for saying Matt Kassel? (To RBNY naturally)
Otherwise… Well, the problem is we don’t have a top draft pick, so we can’t have fun imagining the top prospect we can get. I don’t think trading up is the thing to do.
Personally, I think if there are any hidden gems in this draft group, JCO could find them.
As a DCU fan the picks you had in the last mock draft were pretty good. A dynamic forward and a good right back. We are covered in the midfield front with Simms, Fred, Quaranta, Gallardo, and Olson as long as everyone is fit. We definately need a good striker. Doe is sporatic at best, Moreno is injury-prone and old, and Emilio is an enigma. Another midfielder to add depth would be nice because of the extra games we will play would be welcomed although it would make more sense for that pick to be done in the later rounds.
If Toronto got Tracey at #2 (even if Seattle picked Gonzalez) they could immediately trade him for pretty much any of the top defenders in the league, which would make much more sense than wasting picks to move up.
TFC’s cap situation will likely make them move for GA players. They’re also pretty short on international slots, as they’ll lose 2 for this next season.
With not many Canadians in the draft, they SURELY should forcus on the domestic (eligible) Obrian White? They need domestic talent
I want DC to stay the hell away from Tracy with their first round picks. He’ll probably be a decent third forward in MLS but with the defending and midfield talent on the board, we could pick up some really strong starters (not necessarily out of the gate, but the potential is there).
Will Toronto FC trade the first round picks?
Curious to see what Toronto FC will do with this MLS Draft.
TFC I think would love to get Gonzalez. So much so, that Mo may even swing a deal to trade the 2nd overall and 13th overall to get this kid (that’s if Seattle would take him at #1)
White would be great, but I think due to his injury, teams may stay away from him til around the 2nd round, that is where TFC can take him.