Last Update: January 07, 2009
Update: Every year I meet up with a friend of mine at the College Cup, and in some year’s past he’s gotten a hold of the initial MLS interest Generation adidas list. This list is a list of names that MLS asks the coaches about and then contacts said players if there is interest about signing. This list is by no means a list of who will eventually sign, it’s just a good starting point. Players can be added and removed by MLS coaches, by the player, and by the MLS league office.
We met up again this weekend and he gave me the list for this year. I’ve added the names on that list below and highlighted them with a dark blue background to their name.
This group starts with some leftovers from 06-08, a few names from various sources, and a few of my own choosing. If I get action on a name, I will move him up to the top. Got a name for us or a story about a player going pro? Send it me at buzz@3rddegree.net.
I hear MLS is after as many as 6 of the current U17s, but since the Worlds aren’t until late in ‘09 the bulk of them may hold off a year the 2010 SuperDraft. Wow, I can’t believe I just wrote 2010.
This page is a clearing house for information and isn’t meant to be definitive in any way.
Possible Signings
| Name |
Pos |
Team |
Cl |
Status |
Source |
Notes |
| Daniel Cruz |
F |
UNLV |
So |
Signed Ga |
SBI |
Ives reporting he has signed with MLS. I’ve since been able to confirm it. On the MLS Ga possible list. US U-20 |
| Michael Stephens |
M |
UCLA |
Jr |
Signed |
3rd Degree |
Now it seems he may not have signed…. no one seems to know. 3rd was hearing he’s signed, but it’s through the grapevine. SBI previously said not done yet. When you win player of the year in the Pac-10 as a junior, there isn’t a whole lot to stick around for. SBI confirms as target. On the MLS Ga possible list. |
| Ike Opara |
D |
Wake Forest |
So |
Staying in school?? |
SBI |
Ives previously said Opara is staying in school, but now think he might be waiting to see who trades up so I moved him back up. We hear he’s one of the most coveted names in this pool. If he comes out. SBI confirms as target. On the MLS Ga possible list. |
| Peri Marosevic |
F |
Michigan |
Jr |
signed Ga |
SBI |
SBI confirms as target. On the MLS Ga possible list. |
| Steve Zakuani |
F |
Akron |
So |
Signed Ga |
3rd Degree |
Ives has confirmed. Hearing from some informed people that he’s signed with MLS and rumor has it he’s the highest paid Ga signing. |
| Stefan Frei |
GK |
California |
Jr |
Signed Ga |
3rd Degree |
Ives has confirmed. Hearing he’s signed, same source as Husidic, not the player or agent. Might be the best keeper in College soccer. |
| Baggio Husidic |
M |
UIC |
Jr |
Signing Ga |
3rd Degree |
Hearing he’s signed now, although not from a source as firm as the player or agent. Previously I had heard (from a completely difference contact) that he was interest in Europe, his agent contacted me to say the Europe interest information I had was “inaccurate and damaging to a player’s desire to play in MLS.” One can’t help but wonder why you have an agent before signing with MLS if the player wasn’t interested in Europe on at least some level since last time I checked signing with an agent killed college eligibility. Ives has confirmed. |
| Kevin Alston |
D |
Indiana |
Jr |
Signing with MLS |
3rd Degree |
Ives has confirmed. A source very close to Alston contacted us to say Kevin has signed Ga and been invited to the combine. So does Goff. |
| Jovan Bubonja |
GK |
UIC |
Jr |
No offer yet |
3rd Degree |
Has no offer yet from MLS, but is graduating in December. Previously his coach John Trask has said MLS was interested in him. MLS not likely to sign two Ga keepers, with Frei in, he is not highly probable to sign. A final season wouldn’t hurt him in the least. |
| Omar Gonzalez |
D |
Maryland |
Jr |
Signing with MLS |
Soccer Insider |
Goff says he’s signing with MLS. Has trained with FCD on and off the last couple years. |
| Rodney Wallace |
D |
Maryland |
So |
Signing with MLS |
Soccer Insider |
Goff says he’s signing with MLS. |
| Jeremy Hall |
M |
Maryland |
Jr |
Signing with MLS |
Soccer Insider |
Goff says he’s signing with MLS. |
| Sheanon Williams |
D |
North Carolina |
Fr |
Turning pro |
DC Examiner |
Leaving UNC. But there appears to be nothing happening with MLS. |
| Matt Kassel |
M |
Maryland |
Fr |
Considering Pro |
SBI |
Ives says he is thinking about going and MLS would offer. If MLS signs NYRB get’s first dibs, then it’s SuperDraft. |
| Gale Agbossoumonde |
D |
US U17 |
HS |
MLS Ga list |
3rd Degree |
On the MLS Ga possible list. |
| Cody Arnoux |
F |
Wake Forest |
Jr |
Considering pro prospects |
Winston-Salem Journal |
On the MLS Ga possible list. |
| Efrain Burgos, Jr |
M |
SJ St |
So |
GA? |
Big Soccer
|
Family friend says Burgos is entering the MLS draft as a Generation Adidas. But his name hasn’t shown up anywhere else. Suspect information. |
| Charles Renken |
F |
US U17 |
HS |
Europe |
ESPN |
US U17. EPL teams are all over him, has worked out with Arsenal, Reading and, 1860 Munich. |
| Carlos Martinez |
M |
US U17 |
HS |
Back to U17s |
ESPN |
Kicked out of the US U17 Academy and was looking to go pro, but appears to have worked his way back into good graces and back into the U17s. |
| Felix Garcia |
F |
Laredo Heat |
HS |
going pro |
3rd Degree |
Has already given up his eligibility playing for Laredo and has since played in a FCD official reserve game as guest player. Has been in a US pool so must either enter draft or weighted lottery. |
Out List
Players that look like they are not coming out this year, or not signing with MLS
| Name |
Pos |
Team |
Cl |
Status |
Source |
Notes |
| Andre Akpan |
F |
Harvard |
Jr |
Almost certainly staying. |
3rd Degree |
On the MLS Ga possible list. I’m told he is under intense family pressure to graduate from Harvard and not pass up a free education of that level. |
| Corben Bone |
M |
Wake Forest |
So |
Leaning toward staying |
Winston-Salem Journal |
Has flirted with MLS twice before and had sniffs from Europe. If Wake repeats it might be time for him to go, he is saying he is thinking of staying. |
| Joseph-Claude Gyau |
F/M |
US U17 |
HS |
Germany? |
ESPN |
US U17. Looks like he’s joining Bayern Munich’s youth team. |
Out Out List
These are guys that signed Pro contracts somewhere else.
| Name |
Pos |
Team |
Cl |
Status |
Source |
Notes |
| Ellis McLoughlin |
F |
U Wash |
So |
Signed |
various news sites |
Hertha Berlin |
| Jared Jeffrey |
M |
Dallas Texans |
HS |
Signed |
Belgium Soccer |
Belgium’s Club Brugge. |
Key
| |
Officially signed or “signing with MLS” but only announced by player, a very strong connection, a respected top tier reporter, or by MLS. |
| |
Rumored, hearing, water cooler talk, contact says… close to signing or “going pro.” |
| |
Unknown |
| |
Staying in School |
| |
Signed Somewhere else |
| |
2009 MLS Ga List |
