Is That A Super Draft? No Just A Light Bez.
Look into my eyes…you will trade us for players, these are the picks you’re looking for. Super? Super!
How’s everyone feeling? Super? That’s just super guys! I’m super too. To quote South Park: ‘I’m super psyched to be here!’. It’s SuperDraft day in MLS – feel the excitement! Today is the day where Canadian Cyle Larin will get drafted first overall – which is kind of exciting I guess – by Orlando City SC. But other stuff has to happen too – there’s rounds and rounds of excitement to be had as teams trade picks, trade players, and drag things out for as long as possible to heighten the excitement! Super!!
The Toronto FC brain trust has said more than once that they want to build the team through the draft – citing past shining examples like Kyle Bekker so take that with a massive grain of salt (shhh, I know they drafted Nick Hagglund, he’s a nice boy and I’m sure that he’s going to do very well. Stop spoiling it). The big question is whether or not TFC will draft for need or for a shiny new toy to hold up as the best player and they got him! They have no use for him, but they got him!
Even before all this drafting happens, TFC signed Jay Chapman to a Home Grown Contract earlier today – I swear it looks like they ambushed him in his room and while he was still sleepy got him to sign a contract – which is honestly a good thing. While he’s not ready for the first team (no he’s not, you stop that!), TFC will have their USL Pro team this year which is going to be great for those not quite ready for prime time players that are signed with Toronto.
I’m so sleepy…. Just sign it Jay and you can go back to bed.
But on to the matter at hand – what will TFC do with their picks? They hold the sixth, ninth and eleventh picks in the first round (and then a bunch of picks in the later rounds. Their most pressing needs are defensive but putting green defenders right into MLS situations rarely works well. However there are a couple in this year’s draft that look intriguing. For CanCon purposes there’s Skylar Thomas – big CB with some potential; Axel Sjoberg (he’s 6’7″!) a CB with some upside but also would take an international spot and Robbie Earle’s son Otis Earle. I’d take any of the three just for their names – hey, footy bloggers need puns to survive! There’s also talk of TFC taking Goalkeeper Alex Bono and then flipping him to another team for a more experienced and established MLS player. I’d like to see Toronto try to pull of this type of move somewhere in the draft. While youth is great for the future and yes, there’s that USL Pro team roster to fill out, TFC need experienced players to step into roles now while the kids are learning.
For all of the superdraft super fun you can watch live at the link below starting at 12:30:
http://www.torontofc.ca/live
And then feel free to chatter away with us in the comments area – ooh, this is kind of our first live thread here at VMP – Super!! This is Bez & Vanney’s time to show us what they can do now that they’ve been given the keys to the new car. Hopefully they don’t crash.
January 15, 2015
trades! trades! trades! trades! that’s what i want out of this. ideally get a decent experienced cb from someone for one or even 2 of these first rounders.
failing that, draft centre backs. plenty of midfield and forward prospects, focus on the defence please.
January 15, 2015
Me too – I almost don’t care if they come away with a player actually from the draft class or not. I’d be fine with experienced MLSers via trade. But yes – DEFENCE!!
January 15, 2015
Well, now they are gonna draft offense.
January 15, 2015
I know. Just to piss us off.
January 15, 2015
Oh dear gods – he’s never going to stop talking is he?
January 15, 2015
alright. at work, crap compute, not watching, twitter and here it is. sounds like I’m not missing much so far.
January 15, 2015
Landon kicks off the draft? Ugh. They just won’t stop with this will they?
January 15, 2015
larin 1st to orlando. makes sense.
January 15, 2015
Go Cyle! Not a surprise at all. I’m happy for him.
January 15, 2015
NYCFC take a time out because they tried to phone Frank Lampard and he pretended he did not know them…
January 15, 2015
Hahaha.
January 15, 2015
Why do they get time outs? Let’s just keep dragging this out. Zzzzzzzz…..
January 15, 2015
Khiry Shelton – or Dominic Oduro lite (check the hair) goes to NYCFC. I’ve little impression of him.
January 15, 2015
The obligatory deity thanking. And he says umm, more than I do!
January 15, 2015
kyrie shelton to new york city after a timeout and much frank lampard joking.
more trades please!
January 15, 2015
Romario Williams goes No. 3 – and throws a touch of French into his acceptance so good on him!
January 15, 2015
San Jose w/ Fatai Alashe (defensive MF) – zero idea as to this kid. But go him!
January 15, 2015
Hey, Alashe was supposed to be TFC bound to play with Chapman!
January 15, 2015
Oh really? Do tell!
January 15, 2015
Portland takes Nick Besler – Matt’s little brother goes fairly high. And he didn’t thank god first! Or at all?
January 15, 2015
He threw in a god bless at the end – does that count?
January 15, 2015
They were together on the Spartans, midfielders together and some internet mock drafts had TFC picking him to play him with Jay Chapman (and cause Kyle Bekker to change his hairstyle)
January 15, 2015
Damn – we missed a chance to make Kyle change his hair?
Thanks for the info though. 🙂
January 15, 2015
Toronto take Alex Bono!! Here come the trades!!!
January 15, 2015
Bono – place U2 joke here
January 15, 2015
Aw man, U2? (get it?)
January 15, 2015
The Fire take Matt Pollster – defender which they sorely needed. And waiting for the deity thanking.
January 15, 2015
And we have no deity thanking! He’s instantly my new favourite.
January 15, 2015
Should TFC hang onto Bono he’s a GA player so doesn’t count against the cap. But I still think that they’re going to trade him.
January 15, 2015
Bono could be trade bait, but perhaps it is Bendik on the block…. If Bono is good enough for USMNT look… could be worth keeping.
January 15, 2015
And with TFC’s next pick they take – a time out! Booooo!!!!
January 15, 2015
got pulled away at just the wrong time we took bono? magnificent. if confusing. poor quillan roberts.
January 15, 2015
Roberts gets a year with the USL Pro team no matter who is on the senior roster…
January 15, 2015
sure. and so he should. but when he was ready he’d have always knocked konopka down the depth chart. I’d say that’s less likely with this guy. and this guy might potentially be competition for that usl pro team. can’t imagine they want to pick him then dump him to the bench all season.
January 15, 2015
clement simonin. who’s he then?
January 15, 2015
Alright, here we go: They take Clement Simonin? Umm, who?
January 15, 2015
And he takes an international spot?
January 15, 2015
Ah the obligatory TFC jokes and fun making. Surprised it took this long.
January 15, 2015
I’m no college expert, but Simonin has me stumped…
January 15, 2015
It is honestly hurting my brain. But I’ve done so little research this year.
January 15, 2015
But a defender at least. So welcome aboard Clement.
January 15, 2015
Maybe he is two years away from being two years away….
January 15, 2015
Hopefully he’s closer than that.
January 15, 2015
apparently no-one really knows who this simonin bloke is.
which makes me feel smug about not spending hours researching things.
January 15, 2015
Alright – final first round pick and TFC takes Skylar Thomas! OK that one actually makes sense.
January 15, 2015
and now skylar thomas with the 11th pick. a name that people had been throwing out there, and a defender to boot. not too bad. Now i should go back to work.
January 15, 2015
Do we know if that Simonin is alive, I know that a NHL team once drafted a dead player, surprisingly not the MLSE owned team?
January 15, 2015
you’d hope they checked out at least that much. but hey it’s TFC, so…valid question I think.
January 15, 2015
Next TFC pick is #29 in the second round – I have a big MLS Superdraft decision – nap or cup of tea?
January 15, 2015
For me the option is ‘ go to work’ . Retail schedule means I’ve got to leave this thread to you fine gentleman.
January 15, 2015
Here’s his highlight pack from 2013:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCeN0Bdt4G0
January 15, 2015
Wesley Charpie chosen by TFC – could be for his whiteboard skills
January 15, 2015
into the second round and it’s another defender wes charpei. know nothing about him
January 15, 2015
and now edwin rivas. dunno.
January 15, 2015
Edwin Rivas – another obscure pick, a forward. That ends TFC’s picks for today. 3 and 4 round next week on conference call.