Photo: Courtesy of Philadelphia Union
Philadelphia Union
The Union selected midfielder Marcus Epps and right back Aaron Jones in Friday’s SuperDraft. The team traded the 42nd overall pick and $50,000 of 2018 General Allocation Money to acquire the 25th pick to select Epps (that the league now announces the amount of GAM and TAM involved in such moves is very welcome.)
Jim Curtin said, “We got two players today that we want to be with the Philadelphia Union for a long time.”
Earnie Stewart said of the deal to move up in the draft order to select Epps, “At one point, we didn’t want to wait longer because we thought Marcus would go sooner. We made sure we were ready to do a deal and make sure we creep up the board and move up and get him.”
Stewart said of Epps, “He has speed, he has agility, he’s a big boy. The combination of those factors and the philosophy that we have at the Philadelphia Union, we believe we can develop this kid to be something very special. If you have the ability that he has on the ball and the speed that he has, that can create a lot of chaos in the opponent’s half. That’s something we look forward to developing in Marcus.”
Curtin said of Epps, “We see him as a wide player and a guy who can go by the first defender and beat him one-on-one. We felt his speed was something our roster could use more of.”
Curtin said of Jones, who will be competing with Keegan Rosenberry and Ray Gaddis for the starting right back spot, “He really impressed us,. He’s a kid who will compete from Day 1. He wins his one-on-one battles defensively, he embraces the defensive part of the game and he’s a guy that wants to get better every day. He has a Union mentality and will be a guy our fans will be high on.”
No word (that I’ve seen anyway) on whether an international spot will be needed for Jones, who is from England. As you will recall, all seven of the Union’s available international spots are currently occupied but perhaps someone is getting a green card.
Rounds three and four of the draft will take place on Tuesday via conference call(the announcement on the league website does not indicate what time). At present, the Union have the 11th (55th overall), 33rd (77th overall), and 38th (82nd overall) picks of the day.
At MLSsoccer.com, Will Parchman gives the Union a C+ for their draft picks because they selected a right back over the center back options that were available. “That said, the Jones pick was a tidy piece of business.”
At Goal.com, the Union are included among a list of SuperDraft winners: “Last year’s big draft-day winner didn’t figure to do much on Friday, but made a shrewd move to trade up to the top of the second round to grab South Florida winger-forward Marcus Epps. Epps fills a need in the Union attack, and only cost $50,000 in allocation money. Clemson fullback Aaron Jones could also step in and contribute.”
More on the Union’s draft picks at PSP (Epps, Jones), Philadelphia Union (announcement, reaction, meet the draftees), Philly.com, CSN Philly, Philly Soccer News, Brotherly Game (Epps, Jones), and Philadelphia Sports Nation.
Auston Trusty has been called up for the US U-20 MNT training camp in Carson, Calif., Jan. 15-23. There will be another camp in Orlando, Jan. 31-Feb 10, before the team opens group play in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship tournament against Panama on Feb. 18 in Costa Rica. Derrick Jones, who was called up for the December camp in Costa Rica and Four Nations Tournament in England in October, was not called up (is he injured?).
The Washington Post talks to Keegan Rosenberry about getting his first USMNT call up.
At Philly Voice, Kevin Kinkead breaks down the Union’s 2017 schedule: “This schedule looks more manageable than the one the Philadelphia Union had to go through last year.” More on the schedule at Section 215.
Section 215 says the Union roster has too many wingers on it.
Pattison Ave returns to its review of the 2016 season with a look at the departure of Vincent Nogueira.
Local
At Brotherly Game, Matt Ralph notes that Colton Storm (Kansas City) and Brian Nana-Sinkham (Seattle) were part of the Union Academy back in the old “club and country” days before the founding of the YSC Academy and current Union Academy system.
Storm formerly played for Reading United, as did fellow draft picks Guillermo Delgado (Chicago), and Lindo Mfeka (San Jose) were selected in Friday’s draft. Reading alums Connor Maloney, Billy McConnell, Robby Sagel and Jordan Wilson are available for selection in Tuesday’s draft.
Former Ocean City Nor’easters goalkeeper Eric Klenofsky was selected by DC United in Friday’s draft.
Delaware Online notes the selection of Guillermo Delgado, who played his college soccer at University of Delaware.
MLS
UCLA forward Abu Danladi was selected by Minnesota as the No. 1 pick at Friday’s SuperDraft. More on the draft at MLSsoccer.com, Philly.com, and SI.
Houston have acquired defender A.J. DeLaGarza from the Galaxy “in exchange for $125,000 in General Allocation Money and $50,000 in Targeted Allocation Money.”
Kansas City have signed 26-year-old Spanish midfielder Ilie Sánchez “to a two-year contract through 2018 with an option for 2019.”
The Galaxy have signed 18-year-old defender Hugo Arellano to a Homegrown Player contract from LA Galaxy II.
Galaxy president Chris Klein says the team is close to signing Jermaine Jones.
Landon Donovan says it is “still up in the air” whether he’ll be playing in 2017.
MLS has released its full national broadcast schedule of games on for 2017.
Don Garber says he is “confident” David Beckham’s Miami team will be the league’s 24th franchise.
MLSsoccer.com and SBI on Garber’s thoughts about expansion in St. Louis and San Diego.
At The Telegraph, Riccardo Silva, owner of NASL side Miami FC, says the league will now have ” less focus on the politics of the past across US soccer and more focus on the fans at the game.” The article also says “some NASL owners are advocating the creation of a new competition with the United Soccer League that will determine the ‘real’ division two champions in North America” although this “has yet to be even discussed with the USL.”
US
LA Galaxy goalkeeper Brian Rowe has been called into the USMNT camp to replace Stefan Frei, who is out with an ankle injury.
Five U-23 players have been added to the USWNT’s January camp roster, including 16-year-old Brianna Pinto.
At The Guardian, a profile piece on Alex Morgan, who says USWNT players want a new CBA deal before the start of the SheBelieves tournament, which begins on March 1 at Talen Energy Stadium.
Elsewhere
The Chinese FA has announced that Super League teams will be restricted to fielding only three foreign players per game.
The AP reports, “American criminal investigators are continuing to pursue soccer corruption, according to outgoing Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who initiated the prosecution of fraudulent FIFA executives.” The first trial is scheduled to take place in October.
If I had to guess, for the for the Union to get the defender and midfielder they need either Alberg or Ilshino have to go. Having one of those players is nice but having both is a bit of a luxury that the Union can’t afford.
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If I had to guess it will be Alberg who is on his way out.
Guess the Chinese FA had to figure out someway to curb the buying spree. If Costa signed with a Chinese team, it would probably set the European clubs to panic mode (thought they’d also have to reconcile that with the bounty of cash these teams are paying for transfer fees.
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Hope we get another two signings to round out the squad before the pre season begins. Still need a CB and a “controlling” midfielder….
A third goalkeeper is more important than another CB, it seems to me. You KNOw you will be missing Blake in early September and early October next fall, and there will be more absences with Jamaica next summer and this coming spring as well. Right now, John McCarthy starts those games and right now his back up is “a call for volunteers” from the field players. That’s not appropriate for a professional team at the top level.
In re green cards, somewhere in the last several days I saw an alleged comment from Ilsinho that he wants to educate his children in this country and – by implication – to that end He is close to getting his green card. [if I noted the source of the comment, the note is not available to me on this device.]
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I remember laughing out loud as, if true, the news likely puts paid to my “rehab -and -sell” theories.
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The heat is now squarely on Ray Gaddis.
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First, they have five outside backs on the roster. Last year they had four, and one of those was loaned 28 out of 30 times to Bethlehem for its games.
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Second, assuming they sign both draft picks, if I counted correctly Friday night and include the mentioned controlling midfielder, they have 26 roster slots filled. They still need a thrid goalkeeper to cover Blake’s international absences. The oft mentioned veteran centerback would make 28, and a versatile reserve who could fill in at both #s 8 & 10 would be extremely useful. They moved to fill that slot last season (Kratz).
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That’s more bodies than they have roster slots.
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Final observation. Several presumed returning players are on option years. There may be a lot of turnover after 2017.
Most of our depth players stink. I would not be surprised to see a lot not back next year.
In other roster-related news, Leo Fernandes is no longer included on the Union’s roster.
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He was out of contract but the team had noted that they were in discussions to resign him and he was included on the roster a week or so ago. I guess he will not be back now?
I feel for Leo, but in all candor, IMHO he’s not good enough to play in MLS.
I am assuming that the three draftees they will acquire tomorrow will go directly to Steel FC. A., no room on the Union roster, and B. The Steel roster currently stands at 9. USL roster minimum is 12. Last year they opened the season with 14.
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When asked on the last day of June last year, Earnie Stewart commented that the more Steel players there were the less money there was for each individual, or words to that effect, implying a salary budget that was firmly fixed. Hugh Roberts will have commanded a decent USL salary, whatever that is. Other clubs would have been happy to sign him. And they re-signed Chambers, under the same conditions. I would be very surprised if the roster were larger than 14. And one of the 14 needs to be a backup goal keeper to Matt Perrella.
Actually the roster limit is 30 & 5 academy players. http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/628858-usl-announces-competitions-rules-for-2016
So NASL wants to create a competition with USL, that will decide who is the King of D2. I like the ideal of it but will NASL survive to see it?
On a side note, I wonder how the U.S. Open Cup schedule will work this year?
Posted my concern about US Open Cup in the schedule release article: Almost impossible for the union to field competitively were they to get to the quarters like the past 3 years. Based on years past, right smack in the middle of 3 matches.
I think it will survive. The teams seem a little more level headed now. If they drop the hubris and focus on being local, they have a good foundation.
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I expect to see all of the USL and NASL teams dumped in together, which could mean a very large round. The USL, NASL, and other teams may have to fight it out a few rounds until MLS comes in.
Can’t we send Jones on a season-long loan to Bethlehem, meaning we wouldn’t need the international spot? Since he was a late draft pick anyway, shouldn’t we temper expectations, especially considering his competition is a guy currently training with USMNT?
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I’m ok with stockpiling talent, but a guy like Jones might be better off playing 90 minutes a night in Bethlehem. This also alleviates roster issues for the big club.
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Isn’t this one of the main reasons why we have BSFC?
I expect the right back slot on Steel FC to be Academy product Mark McKenzie’s to win if he can. He is a YSC Academy senior, and the organization has until August to decide whether he is ready to be signed now as a homegrown player. If he is not, his development is slowed by the nature of the NCAA experience as currently configured, and the fact that he will no longer be allowed to play at the USL level. His summers would have to be spent in the PDL, a level below.
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Unless McKenzie stumbles badly, or gets called into the national U-18s, I would be surprised to see Aaron Jones on the pitch at Goodman in any sustained way.
Jones does not occupy an international slot, I don’t think. I could be wrong, but he has been called into USMNT U-20 camp, got the start for Tab Ramos in the camp in Costa Rica late last year, second “friendly” of the camp.
I think he’s talking about Aaron Jones, not Derrick.
If McKenzie is that good, then this seems like an absolute waste of a draft pick. Why pick a guy who will occupy an international spot (mentioned in the article) who doesn’t have a chance to play at either level available to the club?
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Defies logic from a front office that has not shown that level of irresponsibility.
Counterpoint – this is sports, where anyone can get hurt at any time. Also, the Union compete in an international market. Who knows if McKenzie will sign or bolt for Europe like other academy kids have done? Who knows if Keegan is already attracting interest from abroad and may be moved in the next year or two? A club can never have too much depth and most of us here don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes with Earnie running the ship. I agree the pick seems odd given other apparent needs, but we can’t really say it’s a waste of a pick right now.
My suspicion is that the choice of Jones in the draft means that Ray Gaddis is about to become trade bait. He could probably start for some clubs, and he’ll be truly surplus if this new kid can be Rosenberry’s replacement.
Yes he’s trade bait. I guess he could start somewhere. We have a tendency to pump the tires of our players, he was available in expansion and was passed on. Don’t be surprised if he’s on loan to FC Cincinnati with the other Union alums
You don’t draft for need for the farm club. You stockpile talent and develop them. Jones clips show a guy with offensive upside who is probably much further along than a U18 kid
Yes, he can be on a USL deal. If he’s called to the U it takes up a slot. Most likely Ayuk on the way out.
I legitimately cannot think of a worse use for an international spot than a 3rd string RB behind a starter who didn’t miss a minute last year and another guy of roughly starting caliber.
He’s not going to be on the first team roster. Most definitely a Steel player to start.
It’s a good pick if… Ray Gaddis is traded for a position of need.
Who said he was third?
On Derrick Jones:
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Jonathan Tannenwald
@thegoalkeeper
It turns out Derrick Jones is not yet eligible to play in a game for the U.S. U-20s because he hasn’t lived in the country for long enough.
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Jonathan Tannenwald @thegoalkeeper 23h23 hours ago
From what I’m told, Jones may be eligible & cleared by the time of the World Cup. A similar situation to Kekuta Manneh with the senior team.
Tannenwald knows what he’s doing. Jones did start in the second game of a friendly in Costa Rica late last year.
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That he did must have been an error by someone somewhere.
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Good catch by CPfief! Much obliged!
Sorber is doing the Pro course this year – the same one that Curtin did last year.