MLS made this year’s Generation Adidas class official yesterday, and with the combine starting tomorrow, I couldn’t help but talk about the long list of local talent that will take part. Let’s list them again:
Generation Adidas
Kevin Alston, Indiana, Silver Spring, Md.
Rodney Wallace, Maryland, Rockville, Md.
Jeremy Hall, Maryland
Omar Gonzalez, Maryland
Others:
Michael Lahoud, Wake Forest, Fairfax, Va.
Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe, George Mason, Bowie, Md.
Matt Poole, Virginia, Reston, Va.
A.J. Delagarza, Maryland, Bryans Road, Md.
Graham Zusi, Maryland
Milos Kocic, Loyola
So, we’re excited. However, let’s be honest, it’s hard to imagine that every player is drafted next Thursday. With that in mind, I spoke with Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch yesterday about Poole, who could end up like one of two former teammates: Jeremy Barlow, who didn’t have a good combine and never quite got himself into a team last year despite being drafted late by Houston and bouncing to both D.C. United and Los Angeles, or Adam Cristman, who was drafted late and has turned into a nice MLS forward in his first two seasons.
“Matt’s got to do well at the combine,” said Gelnovatch. “He’s not this guy right now who’s pegged to be drafted no matter how he does at the combine. He’s going to be one of these guys that by doing well at the combine, his stock will go flying high.”
That’s what you get if you play at Virginia.
As for Gelonvatch’s two injured fab freshmen, Tony Tchani and Chris Agorsor: “They’re making great progress. They’re both off crutcheds, out of their braces. I would expect Tony to be jogging and running with the team in the next four weeks or even less, and Chris in the next six weeks.”
