Union excited about MLS Expansion Draft selections
Mix of youngsters, veterans make up first 10 players picked by Philadelphia
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Just ask Philadelphia Union team manager Peter Nowak.
"I think it was about 5 a.m. when we finished," Nowak said as he refilled his coffee cup at Union headquarters Wednesday afternoon.
Makes sense. It's anything but easy to build a team from scratch.
With 192 available players from the league's 15 existing teams, Union certainly had plenty to choose from.
That's what made this process so challenging.
The names on the board in Philadelphia's war room changed constantly over the past few days, especially as it got closer to the end.
"Probably 2,000 times," Union assistant coach John Hackworth quipped.
When it was over, the Union coaching staff believed it gathered a solid group of young players mixed in with veterans.
Among the more impressive picks were Alejandro Moreno, a Venezuelan international, who just completed his eighth season in MLS. Most recently a forward with the Columbus Crew, Moreno has scored 43 career goals and added 28 assists. He also scored in MLS Cup 2008 for the Crew.
Union also plucked Chivas USA defender Shavar Thomas, a veteran of seven MLS seasons. He was part of a Chivas USA defense which allowed only 31 goals in 30 games. Thomas is a member of the Jamaican national team and helped them win the Digicel Caribbean Championship in December 2008.
Philadelphia also selected Sebastien Le Toux, who was the first player signed by Seattle Sounders FC. Le Toux, who had led the USL-1 Sounders in scoring, played in 28 MLS regular season games in 2009.
Union selected the following players in the expansion draft:
Jordan Harvey (DF, Colorado Rapids)
Andrew Jacobson (MF, D.C. United)
Brad Knighton (GK, New England Revolution)
Sebastien Le Toux (FW, Seattle Sounders FC)
Stefani Miglioranzi (MF, LA Galaxy)
Alejandro Moreno (FW, Columbus Crew)
David Myrie (DF, Chicago Fire)
Shea Salinas (MF, San Jose Earthquakes)
Shavar Thomas (DF, Chivas USA)
Nick Zimmerman (FW, New York Red Bulls)
The five teams which didn't have a player selected included FC Dallas, the Houston Dynamo, Kansas City Wizards, 2009 MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC. Each of the league's teams were allowed to protect 11 players.
"We like where the roster is and it's a good start," Nowak said. "It's a good starting point for the future work of our team."
At 21, Myrie was the club's youngest player selected while the 32-year-old Miglioranzi was the oldest player picked.
Nowak wasn't judging the selections based on age. He was in search of the 10 best players who would fit the team concept he will preach.
"It's a good mix of young players and veterans," Nowak said, repeating the phrase several times during his press briefing. "We want to have leadership from the beginning."
The 10 players should begin arriving in Philadelphia within the next two weeks. From there, they'll meet with the coaching staff and front office and get acclimated as the 2010 season inches closer and closer.
Philadelphia will begin play in the Eastern Conference in the 2010 season. Union will play their home opener at Lincoln Financial Field on April 10 and will open their home stadium during the year as soon as construction of the 18,500-seat facility on the Chester waterfront is finished.
Union's first-ever First Kick will tale place March 25, 2010 against Seattle Sounders FC at Qwest Field.
Between now and then, the roster will likely change considerably, especially with the MLS SuperDraft Jan. 14 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
This was a heck of an opening, though.
"We're really excited," Nowak said. "I'm very eager to start meeting with all them in person when they arrive in Philadelphia."
Andy Jasner is a contributor to MLSnet.com
