Photo by Nick Turchiaro/USA Today Sports
By DAN KARELL
Nigel Reo-Coker has a new team for the third time in a year.
Reo-Coker was selected with the first overall selection of the 2014 MLS Waiver Draft, moving to the Montreal Impact. Reo-Coker was one of three former Chivas USA players selected in the waiver draft, as 17 of the 20 clubs passed in the draft.
“He fits the profile we were looking for in a midfielder,” Impact head coach Frank Klopas said in a statement. “He has strong leadership qualities and his addition will be positive for the group.”
The 30-year-old Reo-Coker began the 2014 season with the Vancouver Whitecaps after a strong 2013 in the Pacific Northwest, but he lost his place to Gershon Koffie and Matias Laba this season and the Englishman was eventually traded to Chivas USA in August. Reo-Coker played 21 times over the course of the 2014 season, dishing out two assists.
Also taken in the Waiver Draft was centerback Bobby Burling, moving to the Colorado Rapids, and the San Jose Earthquakes selected winger Leandro Barrera. Burling played
Burling played 22 times last season for Chivas USA, scoring once, while Barrera, a loan signing from Argentinos Juniors in Argentina, and played 32 times, scoring once and assisted on two goals.
A total of 58 players were made available for the waiver draft. Those not chosen are “available to any team on a first-come, first-serve basis,” per MLS.
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What do you think of these selections? Think that Reo-Coker can add something to the Impact? Like the other draft selections?
Share your thoughts below.
Lame, MLSsoccer.com changed the link in this article to a summary article, the total 58 player list is nowhere to be found. There had to be more than 3 decent/good players on the list, why did so many teams decide to pass?
waiver draft? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Surprised no team picked up Felix Borja. He was in great form when Chivas went on their end of season run.
Yeah I think with the dispersal draft, you had to take their contract. With the re-entry draft, you can sign them to whatever you can work out, all the way down to the league minimums.
Dumb question Dan, why didn’t Montreal, San Jose and Colorado just pick these guys when they had the Chivas USA draft a few weeks ago?
probably were able to renegotiate their contracts. Purely assuming here, but I’d wager the CUSA draft were to keep them on their same contracts…
They all lost players in the expansion draft, perhaps they were holding to be sure some guys left in order to get new ones; the situation wasn’t the same back in the dispersal.