Mo Johnston hopes to break MetroStars draft curse
The New Jersey Star Ledger has the run down on the task at hand for MetroStars coach Mo Johnston. Basic summary, win soon or your gone.
With that as the motivation, Johnston is getting prepared for the MLS draft this Friday. He has the number five pick with which to work. However, as the article points out and common wisdom would dictate, he might just trade that pick for a known player instead of risking everything on what might be.
All you need to do is look at the Metro's draft history to see how bad of an option the unknown can be. You could really start and end this conversation with one name, Steve Shak.
He was the number one pick overall in 2000. Where is he now? Without being cruel, let's just say he is currently between projects and none of those projects are related to top flight soccer. Be the way, the second pick of that draft was Nick Garcia. Garcia has played in 168 matches for the Wizards since 2000, almost won rookie of the year honors and often ends up in US national training camp.
But I don't mean to pick on Shak. After all, he didn't ask to be picked first and he is not the only bad draft choice ever made by the Metros. In the very first draft they went with indoor defender Matt Knowles over DC United's chose of Raul Diaz Arce. Over Arce's career he scored 82 league goals and helped DC to two MLS Cups while Knowles MLS career was over in just 29 games.
Again, I'm not trying to pick on anyone, but one should really look back to see what has happened before trying to figure out what will be.
My thought is that they will trade the pick. The need a goal scorer and fast, but they will not find that in the draft. If they do use the pick, I would expect them to go with an attacking midfielder since they are in need and that is a position that could be handled by a decent rookie.
Update: Thanks to poster "The Metrologist" for pointing out that it really is only first round picks that have gone poorly for the Metros. They have had success with later picks and they have even got better with the more recent first round picks. I should have noted that I was only talking about their first picks in the SuperDrafts of year's past. Thanks for pointing out my error.
With that as the motivation, Johnston is getting prepared for the MLS draft this Friday. He has the number five pick with which to work. However, as the article points out and common wisdom would dictate, he might just trade that pick for a known player instead of risking everything on what might be.
All you need to do is look at the Metro's draft history to see how bad of an option the unknown can be. You could really start and end this conversation with one name, Steve Shak.
He was the number one pick overall in 2000. Where is he now? Without being cruel, let's just say he is currently between projects and none of those projects are related to top flight soccer. Be the way, the second pick of that draft was Nick Garcia. Garcia has played in 168 matches for the Wizards since 2000, almost won rookie of the year honors and often ends up in US national training camp.
But I don't mean to pick on Shak. After all, he didn't ask to be picked first and he is not the only bad draft choice ever made by the Metros. In the very first draft they went with indoor defender Matt Knowles over DC United's chose of Raul Diaz Arce. Over Arce's career he scored 82 league goals and helped DC to two MLS Cups while Knowles MLS career was over in just 29 games.
Again, I'm not trying to pick on anyone, but one should really look back to see what has happened before trying to figure out what will be.
My thought is that they will trade the pick. The need a goal scorer and fast, but they will not find that in the draft. If they do use the pick, I would expect them to go with an attacking midfielder since they are in need and that is a position that could be handled by a decent rookie.
Update: Thanks to poster "The Metrologist" for pointing out that it really is only first round picks that have gone poorly for the Metros. They have had success with later picks and they have even got better with the more recent first round picks. I should have noted that I was only talking about their first picks in the SuperDrafts of year's past. Thanks for pointing out my error.
posted by Mike H at 5:35 PM
2 Comments:
"All you need to do is look at the Metro's draft history to see how bad of an option the unknown can be. You could really start and end this conversation with one name, Steve Shak."
Err, not quite. Or are we still going to knock Colorado for taking Tahj Jakins first?
The Metros draft history has been pretty stellar post-OZ. Clark, Davis, Magee, Gaven, Ward, etc. Even Bradley (there was no doubt he'd come to the Metros) or Parke (a little lucky, that one). The issue hasn't been drafting badly. It's been that the good first round picks haven't lasted more than a season or so before being shipped off somewhere else.
to the Metrologist, great point. Yes, I should have limited it to just first round draft picks. Thanks for pointing that out.
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