It’s Major League Soccer’s biggest event of the offseason. Think of it like the Golden Globes: a highly anticipated yearly tradition, but one that is an imperfect predictor of the future and notable lately for superstars who declined to take part.
Presenting the 2008 MLS SuperDraft today in Baltimore, where the league’s newest crop of players with potential will be selected.
Ghanaian forward Patrick Nyarko of Virginia Tech is likely to be chosen No. 1 overall, and if so he’ll reap a deserving financial reward. But for the rest of the players picked, mostly college seniors, there are no guarantees. They’ll have to fight to win a roster spot, and the reward is a starting salary lower than the average of the rest of their graduating class.
“It’s not a very player-friendly league, possibly one of the worst you can think of, and it’s incredibly difficult,” said one college head coach on condition of anonymity. “Once you get drafted, that’s only the beginning of the process.”
None of Major League Soccer’s biggest names arrived via the SuperDraft — press conferences and confetti showers greeted David Beckham last summer. The draft has produced a most valuable player only twice in theleague’s 12 seasons: Jason Kreis in 1999 (a fifth-round choice in the inaugural college draft in 1996) and Taylor Twellman in 2005 (drafted in 2001, after two professional seasons in Germany).
Yet the overwhelming majority of players on nearly every MLS roster have come into the league via this annual selection process. Only three of two-time defending MLS champion Houston’s 23 current players wasn’t drafted.
“I don’t think it’s acknowledged that the college system is the feeder for their teams,” said Virginia Tech head coach Oliver Weiss. “The most successful teams are ones that are working that way.”
Along with the recent drain of the league’s top American players to better-paying leagues in Europe, the best of the college ranks are also bypassing MLS, including Notre Dame’s Joseph Lapira, the 2006 Hermann Award winner (currently on trial in Europe), and Boston College’s Charlie Davies (last year’s consensus top pick, currently in Swedish first division), diminishing the draft’s value.
Meanwhile, college underclassmen and high school seniors have the greatest incentive to enter the draft. As members of Generation adidas, a joint venture between MLS and adidas, they aren’t bound by salary cap restrictions.
Maurice Edu, last year’s No. 1 pick who departed Maryland as a junior, earned more than $130,000 as a rookie. Wells Thompson, a senior at Wake Forest who was picked four spots later, earned $30,000, but nearly helped New England win MLS Cup.
“The four-year college guys always get disadvantaged in the draft,” said Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski. “But year-in, year-out, they’re the ones who seem to make the most contribution oncethey get into the team.”
Likely local picks
Patrick Nyarko
» Slick and skilled, the 6-foot forward has been wowing coaches since he arrived in Blacksburg three years ago and is a likely No. 1 overall selection. This year he had seven goals and 10 assists as the Hokies reach the national semifinals for the first time.
M • Maryland
» The under-23 national team member played attacking midfielder for most of his career with the Terps (15 goals, eight assists as a junior), but wing or holding midfield is his likely position in MLS.
Pat Healey
M • Towson
» Not only the 2007 Colonial Athletic Association player of the year (eight goals, nine assists), Healey is the son of Baltimore Blast general manager Steven Healey, so he’s got the genes to understand what it takes to be a pro.
Billy Chiles
G • Towson
» A second-team All-American from Silver Spring (Springbrook High), the 6-foot-3 shot stopper racked up 15 shutouts in two seasons starting in the net for the Tigers and is now a member of the under-23 national team pool.
M • Virginia
» The former Langley High standout had his best college season as freshman, when he was named Atlantic Coast Conference tournament MVP. Quick and energetic, has potential to play as a wide midfielder.
