The 2010 MLS Draft is in the books and while it is easy to see which teams made out on draft day, I'm sure SBI readers have plenty of questions about the selections made on Thursday.
We will provide some in-depth analysis on the draft on Monday, but if you want some breakdowns on how teams did, you can check out my MLS Draft Grades piece on ESPN.com.
In the meantime, it feels like a good time for a draft-themed Q&A. Please submit your draft-related questions in the comments section below and I will post answers next week starting on Monday (though I might post some tonight). If you're wondering when the next regular Q&A will be, I will post one next week.
Wondering about your team's top pick? Still trying to figure out how a certain player didn't even get drafted? Think somebody made a big mistake? Send your draft questions our way.
What do you think of McInerney’s time table to see the field? When could he make an impact?
Being from Birmingham, I was able to watch Two-Boys throughout his college career. He was a phenomenal player who I thought was a certainty to get drafted at least in the later rounds. Was it his status as a foreign player that caused him to drop so far?
Which players had the best and worst suit at the draft?
Is Jack McInerney strictly a long term project, or could he contribute this year?
What happened to Holden?…I am worried he will leave Houston!
What happened to Two-boys? He looked pretty good at UAB.
And I thought I was too old for the boards 🙂
this draft, and allocation order trades gave me this question.
Next year; with two expansion franchises, both coming from an existing league, and the allocation order changing every year; will the lower finishing team in the USSF 2nd division league receive preferential allocation order. Or will it be decided as expansion and super draft order has been in the past…with a coin toss?
Look guy,
If Ives doesn’t answer your particular question, you can refer back here to the opinion of someone who played against the guy for 7 years.
Cheers.
Who, if anyone, has a chance of making the US WC Roster for 2010?
as a red bull fan, tell me why not getting dilly duka in this draft is for the better…
Why didn’t nelson becerra get drafted?
who are your yop ten undrafted players? Do you believe that the mls draft limits and destroys talented players who often go undrafted due to the school they attend or lack of attention?
With players signing contracts before the draft, is there any REAL incentive to play well in the combine so as to ensure being a top pick. Are there incentives?
Ives what do you think about the recent African influx into the college ranks(and eventual MLS Draft). Could the USMNT be the next France b/c of this?(many Afrian born players have gone through to the full NT)
Ives…
Any chance players not selected still get invited to preseason….
Some players who I believe deserved a shot with some teams over others…
Mark Blades
Barry Rice
Jovan Bubonja ( so high on alot of draft boards)
Pascal Millien
Do you think it was mean or uncalled for for Alexi Lalas to comment when McInerney was drafted and say lets see if this kid turns out to be an Landon Donovan ,or an Freddy Adu.
Is David Beckham retiring after the World Cup?
What happens to the players that were not chosen? Are they able to work out a deal with any team they want? What’s Sheanon Williams going to do?
how come only 2 keepers were drafted this year?
I’ve seen Michael Stephens play a few times and love his vision and ball skills. He’s also pretty feisty in defense, but do you think he can step in and play good minutes as a rookie or does his body need to develop a little more first?
The MLS Draft tracker stated that Chicago acquired the 51st pick from San Jose, but I can’t find out in exchange for what. Could you fill us in on the circumstances please?
Look it is a legitimate question, go read the ESPN piece, he overlooked a second round pick. Just want to know if it was an accident, or simply he didn’t feel comfortable commenting on somebody he has never seen, or if their is combine bias or good old fashioned east coast bias…
Just wondering with the great additions the Red Bulls made in the draft and the other signings they’ve made what do you see as the projected starting line up for the Red Bulls in the upcoming season? Hopefully Thierry Henry arrives in the Summer and Dave van den Bergh returns. I could definitely see a Barcelona style trident with Mac Kandji on the right, Juan Pablo Angel as the central striker, and Henry on the left with Van den Berg pulling the strings in the midfield Xavi style. Just a thought.
hey ives, love the site. my question is:
I was wondering which players taken in the MLS Superdraft are most likely to become players on the full US national team. Also, are Mwanga and Tchani American citizens? Or will they be in the near future?
Hey Ives,
Who are some of the players you anticipated being drafted that ultimately were not picked?
I was personally a little surprised to see solid defenders like Barry Rice and Mark Blades being overlooked. Any chance for these players and others like them to get signed by an MLS squad?
Do you think New York passed up on trading up to get Dilly Duka, because they will most likely get Vincenzo Bernardo from the Allocation Order?
What a relief! I only started coming to this website because the popular “soccerbysouth.net” was blocked by my employer’s network. I’m getting the best of both worlds here!
Chris Seitz.
1) How is this year’s draft different than last year’s regarding talent? Is the talent getting better each year?
2) How many goals do you see Danny Mwanga scoring this year for the Union?
The answer No, because there are more college teams than pro teams, so guys that don’t grow up in an MLS market or guys who are late bloomers can still go through the draft, or what if you went through the KC youth program but you want to play for LA, you shouldn’t be forced to stay with your acadamey team if you don’t think you’ll have a future there, so the draft will always be around for these other players.
This is what Frank Dell’apa had to say on Zak Boggs, who you and others slammed for going to 3 colleges. He doesn’t sound all that bad:
Six picks later (No. 31) came Boggs, who topped Schilawski by graduating in three years and compiling a 4.0 grade point average in biomedical sciences. And he’s a black belt. And an Eagle scout. Boggs is also a finalist for the Wooden Cup, awarded to an athlete with the greatest influence on people’s lives.
They did that way before WCW, my friend.
What do you think of Chicago’s draft?
Well Da Luz was no longer an option. He got picked up before L.A.’s first pick.
Diego doesn’t deserve a response.
Clint and Becks could do the Road Warriors thing from oldschool WCW wrestling. A mohawk and a reverse mohawk.
Ives, What is the order of allocation spots?
1) of the guys in this year’s draft class, which do you think have a legitimate shot at playing on the national team level one day, and which country would you guys they’d be most likely to play for, if you had to GUESS? (i realize that some of these guys play college ball in our country but might prefer to play for their home country. a kid like Tchani who grew up in Cameroon comes to mind..)
Does Chivas USA have an clue about picking players? It seems since Bradley left, their drafts haven’t really met their holes. Do they just not value the draft? Also, where did the thought that SJ doesn’t value the draft come from? I don’t follow them, but I saw it stated over and over…I find it interesting that a club that has been a joke since they came back would scoff at bringing in new talent. Is it that Doyle and Yallop aren’t as good of talent evaluators as they think they are? Sorry for the multi questions, but I think the answer could be provided in one.
Galaxy has a stud in waiting in the wings named Joe Saunders. Very good goalie…
When all MLS teams finally use their academies, what is going to end happening to college soccer and the draft? Will it become obsolete?
Do you think that trading the number 15 pick for clint mathis was benificial for LA? I know that bruce loves to have experience but was his skill and experience that much better than someone like say da luz?
I would guess Ike Opara. The only defender taken in the 1st round.
… and Jack M as a real loooong shot
Building off this question:
How close do you see DC to getting back to its traditional position?
Yes, DC had no real picks in this draft but people seem to forget DC roster boast a young squad including Wallace, Pontious, Quaranta, Simms, Szetela, Jakovic, (plus a healing Namoff) and now Perkins. DC has to address a few areas but I see DC being a top striker and maybe a center back that suites Jakovic’s technical style, away from being back to the class of the league. Your thoughts?
The Rapids pick of Akpan was kind of shocking to me. Just because I thought the Rapids would try to beef up their defense first, and their midfield second, and their forwards as an afterthought. There’s got to be more at play here than just trying to get the best of what’s left in the second round, right? Is this an attempt to groom another target man up front, or is this just a case of a hasty snatch and grab?
Ives,
Did the revs reach with their pick of Schilawski? I feel like Corben Bone would’ve been better value there and you could either hang onto him or swap him to a team like Chicago for their pick (where you take Schilawski) and an extra asset. Were other teams waiting to pounce on Schilawski if he slid by the Revs in their spot?
Nevermind, I’m a moron. That story is a year old. I saw the date January 15 and immediately assumed it was 2010.
Mathis is nowhere near a suitable replacement for Donovan. Maybe during the lead up to the World Cup when him and Beckham are at their respective pre-Cup camps.
Great piece Ives!