The second stage of the Major League Soccer Re-Entry Draft certainly generated more interest than the first, but for Vancouver Whitecaps FC, it was just another quiet day at the office.
The club decided to stand pat, passing on selecting any of the 32 MLS veterans available.
“We looked closely at all the players that were there, and there were obviously some experienced players, some players that have been very good in MLS,” Whitecaps FC director of professional teams Greg Anderson told MLSsoccer.com on Wednesday. “But we have a plan for how we are building our roster and the types of players that we are looking for in each spot and we didn’t feel that any of the players on the list fit exactly what we are looking for.”
Forums have been lit up with discussion, as players such as Juan Pablo Angel, Jimmy Conrad, Frankie Hejduk, and Jeff Cunningham were all taken, but Anderson said that he was not caught off guard by the movement.
“I’m not surprised,” said Anderson. “There were obviously some big names that moved to different teams, but I think that everybody expected some players to be moving today.”
Though the club decided against using the Re-Entry Draft this year, Anderson feels that it could be useful in the future, depending on circumstances.
“I think it’s going to be a way for teams to get players,” explained Anderson. “Depending on who’s available and the position that our club is in at the time of the draft, it could be that there’s a player available that will fit, so it’s just a matter of timing.”
STAGE TWO RE-ENTRY DRAFT SELECTIONS
Round 1
- D.C. United: Josh Wolff
- Chivas USA: Jimmy Conrad
- New England Revolution: Ryan Cochrane
- LA Galaxy: Juan Pablo Ángel
- Chicago Fire: Cory Gibbs
- Sporting Kansas City: Frankie Hejduk
- Seattle Sounders: Chris Seitz
- Columbus Crew: Jeff Cunningham
- LA Galaxy: Luke Sassano
- Colorado Rapids: Tyrone Marshall
Round 2
- New England Revolution: Fred
