So after a few weeks of doing this mock draft it is time for the fifth and final one. Weeks of
speculation have come to this as tomorrow the league will hold its annual draft. I've gone back and
forth for weeks over how teams will pick tomorrow and there is a chance I may be right about a few
of them.
First off, sorry for the lack of updates today. I've had quite a busy day around these parts but
I wanted to pass along what just dropped into my inbox not to long ago, the final rosters for this
year's MLS Combine.
Major League Soccer has announced the full roster for both this year's Generation adidas class
and the updated MLS Combine rosters.
Rather than give you a mock draft when I haven't followed the dozens that were at the Combine, I
thought I would provide a snapshot of the players that are in the range for the Sounders to
pick.
Draft Slot
SoccerAmerica
SoccerNet
MLSDraft.
Colorado's starters will have to wait until Thursday to find out what the team will look like
after Tuesday's trade of midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy for forward Macoumba Kandji.
The starters are scheduled to take the day off from practice on Wednesday, which gives the team
a couple of days to figure out where Kandji fits and who will be called on to create from the
midfield in front of Saturday's 7 p.
Major League Soccer has released the names of the players protected by each of the 16 current
MLS teams ahead of Wednesday's MLS Expansion Draft.
Portland and Vancouver will choose from the players left unprotected on Monday, with each MLS
team in position to lose as many as two players in the expansion draft.
By L.E. Eisenmenger - BOSTON, MA (Jan 8, 2010) USSoccerPlayers -- Patrick McCabe is the Senior VP
and Managing Director of First Wave Sports, as well as a prominent player agent. They represent
coaches Sigi Schmid, Robert Warzycha, and Preki, and players including William Hesmer, Troy
Perkins, Nat Borchers, Jim Brennan, Baggio Hassidic, Jack Jewsbury, Stefan Miglioranzi, Logan
Pause, Teal Bunbury, Andre Akpan, Chad Barrett, Robbie Findley, Alejandro Moreno, Yura Movsisyan,
and Cam Weaver.
Teal Bunbury, Akron Zips
ST. LOUIS, MO. (Jan. 8, 2010) – Senior forward Kelley O'Hara from Stanford University and
sophomore forward Teal Bunbury from the University of Akron are the winners of the 2009 Missouri
Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy, presented to the top female and male players in NCAA Division I
soccer.
Teal Bunbury, Akron Zips
ST. LOUIS, MO. (Jan. 8, 2010) – Senior forward Kelley O'Hara from Stanford University and
sophomore forward Teal Bunbury from the University of Akron are the winners of the 2009 Missouri
Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy, presented to the top female and male players in NCAA Division I
soccer.
So my well laid plans failed to conceive the desired results. Instead of rattling off a
detailed, team-by-team post, I'll merge the final needs into one list.
Without further adieu, time to jump in.
Chivas USA
A new coach in town makes the Goats a bit harder to read. Do they look to bolster the defense or
give the midfield a boost?
Colorado is about to go on the clock for their first pick at #22, followed by their second pick at
#23. They are reportedly working a deal to swap Cory Gibbs for Jeff Larentowicz from New England.
The deal seems to be contingent on the Rapids signing Larentowicz to a new contract. Updates here
once the picks are made.
The Colorado Rapids have drafted forward Andre Akpan of Harvard University with the 22nd overall
pick of Thursday's Major League Soccer draft. Akpan was taken in the second round with Colorado's
first pick of draft, and he was the first Ivy League player taken in the draft.
As a senior, the Grand Prairie, Texas, native registered 12 goals and 30 points in 19 games (all
19 were starts) for the Crimson.
The Rapids reported to Commerce City today to start training camp. The first practice is scheduled
for Wednesday. We are almost exactly two months from the opening game and its time for Colorado to
figure out what they have. They enter camp with the following players on the roster:
Under Senior Contract:
Goalkeepers:
Matt Pickens
Defenders:
Julian Baudet
Ty Harden
Drew Moor
Scott Palguta
Midfielders:
Mehdi Ballouchy
Colin Clark
Greg Dalby
Kosuke Kimura
Nick LaBrocca
Jeff Larentowicz
Pablo Mastroeni
Jamie Smith
Wells Thompson
Forwards:
Conor Casey
Omar Cummings
Facundo Diz
Pat Noonan
Under Contract (type unknown):
Forwards:
Andre Akpan
Under Development Contract:
Goalkeepers:
Steward Ceus
Defenders:
Michael Holody
Rob Valentino
Midfielders:
Ciaran O'Brien
Forwards:
Ross Schunk
Drafted but Unsigned:
Defenders:
Chad Borak
Midfielders:
Chris Cutshaw
Ross LaBauex
So that's 18 senior players and 5 development players already under contract plus Akpan.
So my well laid plans failed to conceive the desired results. Instead of rattling off a
detailed, team-by-team post, I'll merge the final needs into one list.
Without further adieu, time to jump in.
Chivas USA
A new coach in town makes the Goats a bit harder to read. Do they look to bolster the defense or
give the midfield a boost?
Conor Casey and Pablo Mastroeni will be called to lead again in 2010. (Getty Images)
We're moving on in our look at each Major League Soccer roster to see where all the clubs are at
in their pre-season. So far we've looked at Philadelphia, Chicago and Chivas USA. Today we stay out
west and look at Gary Smith's Colorado Rapids.
Lots of news from the Rapids today. First the game result, then the roster moves.
This morning (early this morning Colorado time) the Rapids played the Arsenal Reserves. According
to Arsenal fans it was closer to a mix of reserves and youth team players. The Rapids won 1-0 on a
Casey goal with a Cummings assist in the 52nd minute.
Another club that missed out on the last day of 2009, Gary Smith felt the need to make a change
or two heading into a new season.
The dynamic duo of Conor Casey and Omar Cummings couldn't get Colorado into the playoffs, so
Smith made a move to bring in Jeff Larentowicz and Wells Thompson to beef up the midfield.
Editor's Note: Forgive the tardiness of this post. After last night's result, I was in no
hurry to share the news.
Behind a brace from John Wolyniec, the New York Red Bulls shot past the Colorado Rapids 3-0 and
into the main draw of the U.S. Open Cup. With the win, the Red Bulls advanced to the third round
where the team will face an opponent to be determined later this summer.
June 5 was a long time ago. The kids were out of school, the World Cup was yet to start and the
Colorado Rapids were off to a fantastic start.
Now, the kids are back in class, Spain reigns as world champions, and the Rapids are mired in a
muddled middle.
Colorado gets the chance to take a big step forward Saturday when the team travels to Columbus
to take on the Crew.
Finally getting to the final part of the season review, the forwards.
Andre Akpan - Akpan only had one appearance this year but got some good experience while on loan to
Tampa in the USSF Division II. He'll probably feature in the reserve division next year, and push
Amarikwa for the forward spot on the bench until Kandji returns.
