One of the projects the SBN MLS crew is working on is a mock draft. So when I'm not getting ready for the holidays, and when I'm not prepping for the next addition of OFF, and when I'm not prepping for the 2010 Player Recaps I'm reading a ton of draft/prospects stuff. Not just Dizzo's solid work on Keepers and CM/Fullbacks, but stuff out there from the respected to the marginal. Today, things just got officially more complicated as Wayne Rooney's younger brother John has signed with MLS as one of several international players who will be available in the Superdraft.
John Rooney, the 20-year-old younger brother of Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, headlines a list of young international players who will join the college seniors and Generation Adidas signees invited to participate in the annual MLS player combine in January.
So with a Generation Adidas class of from 8-12 underlassmen, and more than 60 players at the official Combine, and dozens more at the Sounders Vegas combine, MLS couldn't just leave well enough alone, but had to start adding more players who are essentially unknowns to the possible draft list.
Here's some select quotes from an interview with MLSsoccer.com
MLSsoccer.com: Why MLS? What has struck you about the league that you want to play in America?
John Rooney: I’ve been watching the league for a few years now and it’s getting better and better every year. When I went over there in August I thoroughly enjoyed it. I went to one of the Seattle games [while on trial] and the Sounders fans were great. They [Sounders] had great support and it was a great experience. When I went over there it was fantastic from the start.
MLSsoccer.com: How did the opportunity with Seattle come about?
John Rooney: I played for Macclesfield in the English league and they offered me a new contract and I turned it down. I was focused on the chance and the opportunity to go over there [USA] in August and trial with two teams [Seattle and Portland]. It was the right time in my career to go over there and to improve on my young career.
John Rooney is more a CAM/CM/RM/LM type of guy, and while many will be tempted by his genes, let's be honest the only reason to draft him is if he is at a good value. Rooney has a goal and 3 assists in League Two. We're not talking about a great offensive talent. He's not the only guy that will be causing issues in the mock draft, MLS will have other young internationals on the list as well.
We aren't going to have scouting reports on most of these. Some may be Sanna Nyassis, others may be better, most probably even bigger gambles. These are going to be MLS min salary or Reserve level players in the 18-23 year old range who need to reboot their careers like Fiat reboots the 500.