We’ll get to it, just be patient.
This afternoon Major League Soccer unveiled the rules for the first-of-its-kind re-entry draft in December, a mechanism that the collective bargaining agreement signed last spring helped create, here’s what we know about how it will work (per an MLS release today):
“Available to all teams in Stage 1 of the Re-Entry draft on December 8 will be:
1. Players who are at least 23 years old and have a minimum of three years experience in MLS whose options were not exercised by their clubs (available at option salary for 2011).
2. Players who are at least 25 years old with a minimum of four years of MLS experience who are out of contract and whose club does not wish to re-sign them at their previous salary (available at 2010 salary).
3. Players who are at least 30 years old with a minimum of eight years of MLS experience who are out of contract and whose club does not wish to re-sign them (available for at least 105% of their 2010 salary).
Players who are not selected in Stage 1 of the Re-Entry Draft will be made available in Stage 2 on December 15. Clubs selecting players in Stage 2 will negotiate a new salary with the player.
Players who remain unselected after Stage 2 will be available to any MLS club on a first come, first serve basis.”
Here’s what else we know. (1) D.C. United is picking first, since it finished last in the regular season. (2) D.C. United made it known before the season even ended that this winter it was looking for every position down the middle of the field, from forwards to center back; and as much as it needs skilled players, (3) D.C. United is desperate for leadership, especially in the back.
“We need a different pulse, in a lot of ways, on this team,” said interim head coach Ben Olsen after the final game of the year. “With a guy like Jaime [Moreno] leaving now, it’s even more crucial to get some leaders here that are going to put their stamp on this team.”
So, where are we going with all this? An interesting potential prospect who fits nicely into the equation was listed by Soccer America in this story about the timeline of events that lead up to and included the re-entry draft: Kansas City defender Jimmy Conrad, who has plenty of U.S. national team and MLS experience and happens to be a proven center back. He fits into category #3 (age 33, 11 seasons experience).
Even if you dismiss this suggestion outright, his situation makes a nice starting point to explore how this whole re-entry thing will work. If my interpretation of the rules just released is correct, D.C. would have a chance to pick him up. Now, plenty of hurdles have to be cleared before this could happen – the timeline released by MLS pretty much requires a Ph.D. to digest – but Conrad could be traded, he could be left unprotected in the Expansion Draft, or he could be re-signed by the Wizards.
Plus, it’s not totally clear what the total list of available players looks like across all three categories, and again, it could change as the waypoints in the timeline are crossed.
But should all the dominos fall, D.C. United would know on December 3 if it has the chance to have a crack at Conrad. It would have to offer him at least $256,200 because he earned $244,000 last year – thus meeting the 105% threshold.. He would instantly become one of the team’s highest-paid players and he would be somewhat of a risk given his age. But he could be just the kind of locker room guy with pedigree on the field that D.C. United needs.
Would that be worth it? It’s an intriguing question.
