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Casting Pearls night
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 4:26 pm

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MLS Combine Notebook: Drenched on Day One
Rain and wind enveloped South Florida on the first day of the MLS Combine. Kyle McCarthy braved the conditions to file his first MLS Combine notebook.

By Kyle McCarthy

LAUDERHILL, Fla. – Forget about the sun and the sand. Those who left the heavy coat and the umbrella at home for the first day of the MLS Player Combine were in some serious trouble.

South Florida is in the middle of a patch of cold, rainy weather that left residents of the Sunshine State wondering why they traveled south in the first place. Temperatures plunged into the 40s during the day with the wind making the unseasonably chilly temperatures feel even colder. Reports of snow flurries in Boynton Beach on Saturday night marked the first snowfall in the area since 1977, according to a local television report.

Suffice it to say these weren't the conditions MLS had in mind when it decided to park its Combine here. While the dreary weather bailed out a few players who didn't possess the fitness to cope with a warmer day, it also turned the main stadium at Central Broward Regional Park – normally a cricket stadium complete with two cricket pitches right in the middle of the circular field – into a mucky mire that made good football nearly impossible during the second game of the day.

"I'd like to have a little bit less mud, maybe," suggested Wake Forest midfielder Corben Bone after trudging off the field after playing in the second match.

The poor field conditions led MLS to flip the proposed schedule for the next three days in the hopes that the weather would improve. The players will now have Sunday off before returning to the field on Monday (2:00p.m. and 3:45p.m.) and Tuesday (9:30a.m. and 11:15a.m.)

Mwanga skips Combine: Oregon State forward Danny Mwanga pulled out of the Combine amid speculation that Philadelphia will select him with the first overall pick in Thursday's SuperDraft.

The move would make sense for a Union side that is expected to go with an attacking player at the top of the draft. Philadelphia manager Peter Nowak traveled to Oregon in order to help sway Mwanga to choose MLS and reject possible trial offers in France, according to a report in The Oregonian earlier this week.

Condivo opens Combine with a romp: Three first-half goals paced Condivo to a 4-1 victory over F50i in the first of two matches on the day.

Andrew Hoxie (William & Mary) scored the opener after six minutes with an all-too-easy curling shot to the far post. Steven Kinney (Elon) doubled the lead with a diving header from a free kick after 21 minutes before Eric Alexander (Indiana) finished off a sweeping move with a low drive on 29 minutes.

Othaniel Yanez (Louisville) continued the Condivo rout in the second half with a stunning 30-yard blast to extend the lead to four before Drew Yates (Maryland) snatched a consolation goal from the spot after Ryan Peterman (San Diego) bundled over Ross LaBauex (Virginia).

Scoreless draw caps doubleheader: Jabulani and Predator X played to a drab scoreless stalemate to conclude the proceedings.

Predator X had a goal ruled out for offside after Jack McInerney (U.S. U-17s) volleyed home Mike Seamon's (Villanova) feed over the top early in the second half. McInerney later failed to convert a low cross from Samuel Appiah (Boston University) from inside of six yards, while Two-Boys Gumede (UAB) went close with a low drive to the far post in the late stages as Jabulani tried to notch the winner.

Run for cover: The roof over the stands may have kept the rain away, but the swirling wind forced just about everyone inside the two-story structure overlooking the field. MLS coaches and executives took the upper floor, while the players and the media shared the bottom floor with dividers providing the required separation.

Three points to note
1. Ofori Sarkodie (Indiana) wanted to display his ability as an attacking fullback on the right side for F50i, but couldn't find any room on the outside with Pascal Milien (Tampa) hugging the sideline. Sarkodie switched to the left to start the second half...and soon found Millien right back in front of him to clog his path. Milien, incidentally, saw a ton of the ball, but didn't do much with it.
2. Is it a coincidence that F50i got steamrolled with Mwanga – who was slated to pair with the invisible Andrew Wiedeman (California) up top – elsewhere? Probably. F50i's midfield couldn't cope with the Condivo quartet led by Zach Loyd (North Carolina) and Tony Tchani (Virginia).
3. The muddy field conditions - particularly on the far side of the field near the two cricket pitches - may make it considerably more difficult to evaluate wide players because the teams simply didn't want to play the ball on that side of the field when they could avoid it. If the conditions don't improve, the four Combine coaches will have to find a way to adjust to the conditions and dole out playing time accordingly.

Three stars of the day
1. Tchani – Central midfielder bossed the center of the park in Condivo's impressive win.
2. Hoxie – Can't complain about production, but coaches will wonder if he has MLS-level ability.
3. Ike Opara (Wake Forest) – Head and shoulders above every other defender on the field.

Three players who earned a second look
1. Justin Morrow (Notre Dame) – The left fullback certainly took his fitness training seriously because his motor just didn't stop.
2. Kwame Watson-Siriboe (UConn) – The central defender moves well and possesses pro-caliber size.
3. Samuel Appiah (Boston University) – The speedy right winger braved the mire on the far side of the field and contributed consistently when he came on as a second-half substitute.

Three players who can't wait for Monday
Between the first-day jitters and the dour conditions, the poor performers get a pass...but only for today.

They said it...
"Everyone here is an unfinished product. If they were (a finished product), they'd be making big bucks in Europe. Everyone has something they need to work on to get better."
--Wake Forest defender Ike Opara, in response to a question about whether he agreed with the perception that he needed to work on his passing.

"He's prepared us to the point where if we work hard, the other stuff will just come naturally. He told us to do what we've been doing."
-- Bone, on Wake Forest coach Jay Vidovich's advice to the four Wake players attending the combine.

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:14 pm

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MLS Combine Notebook: Solid on Day Two
The sun shined and the players responded to the improved conditions. Kyle McCarthy recaps the important points from the second day of the MLS Player Combine.

Jan 12, 2010
By Kyle McCarthy

LAUDERHILL, Fla. – Shunt those awful memories of the cold, rainy and windy opening day of the MLS Player Combine to the side. The second day, well, this was more like it.

The rain stayed away. The sun beamed down on South Florida like it usually does, though the warmth remained conspicuously absent. The prospects benefited from the improved conditions and the moderate temperatures by cobbling together a pair of games that revealed the talents of many of the players on display.

Without the weather to bemoan and with another doubleheader slated for Tuesday morning, let's hop straight into the notes from the middle day of the Combine:

Hoxie strikes again in Condivo win: Andrew Hoxie (William & Mary) scored the decisive goal in the 85th minute to hand Condivo its second win on the bounce with a 2-1 victory over Predator X.

Hoxie collected an Eric Alexander (Indiana) pass and dragged his shot back inside the near post to settle a match that was scoreless until the 80th minute. Michael Thomas (Notre Dame) opened the scoring ten minutes from time with a tantalizing free kick that nestled in the far upper corner after Alexander coaxed a Predator X defender into conceding a foul.

Mike Seamon (Villanova) replied one minute later after surging into the penalty area, lifting an effort over the onrushing goalkeeper and watching it trickle over the line. Seamon's goal looked like it had earned Predator X a second consecutive draw, but Hoxie's late heroics ensured Condivo would maintain its 100% record heading into the final day.

Early goal paces F50i to its first win: Irving Garcia's (UC-Irvine) alert finish after 19 minutes provided the margin of victory as F50i defeated Jabulani 1-0.

Garcia pounced when Andrew Wiedeman's (Generation adidas/Calfornia) shot deflected off a Jabulani defender and fell right into his path. Garcia's low finish held up despite a host of second half pressure from Jabulani causing considerable consternation in the F50i defense. Teal Bunbury (Generation adidas/Akron) threatened often and forced one awkward save in the second stanza, but the pressure wasn't enough to grab a share of the points as Jabulani fell to its first defeat and F50i claimed its first points after an opening-day drubbing from Condivo.

Keeping time: After playing 40-minute halves on Saturday, the Combine switched to full 45-minute stanzas on day two.

Meetings, part one: MLS commissioner Don Garber and MLS president Mark Abbott trekked down to South Florida to catch up with the assembled group of coaches as part of a series of meetings around the Combine.

Meetings, part two: Representatives from the MLS Players Union met with the Combine attendees on Monday morning. The Union is entitled to a one-hour meeting with the players without MLS representatives in attendance.

Three stars of the day
1. Eric Alexander (Indiana) – Contributed to both Condivo goals and continued to make a nuisance of himself in and around the penalty area.
2. Zach Loyd (Generation adidas/UNC) – Submitted an active and effective shift at right back today after an influential performance at left midfield on Saturday. The former Tar Heel is a footballer in the truest sense of the word.
3. Mike Seamon (Villanova) – Instinctive goal capped an impressive two days.

Three players who earned a second look
1. Kwaku Nyamekye (Harvard) – A second straight solid day for the prototypical central defender.
2. Phil Edginton (Louisville) – New Zealand defender partnered Nyamekye and provided a stable presence.
3. Chris Schuler (Creighton) – Didn't notice him at first, but he's got good size and a decent first touch for a centerback.

Three players who can't wait for Tuesday morning
1. Andre Akpan (Harvard) – Of the players with a contract in hand, he's probably shown the least.
2. Tim Ream (St. Louis) – Center back tried his fortunes at left back and showed that he'll likely need to distinguish himself in the middle to make it in MLS.
3. Julien Edwards (Drake) – One glaring blunder – a dangerous backpass under pressure that Brian Perk had to pick up to concede an indirect free kick from 12 yards away – marred an otherwise decent day.

Three questions to answer
(In the spirit of interactivity, I went through Twitter replies and e-mails today and picked out a few choice questions. Get in the game by following along on Twitter – @kylejmccarthy – or dropping me a line via e-mail.)

1. chances tchani goes top 3 with what sounds like a strong combine?
@elecseanica, via Twitter

In terms of talent and performance at the Combine, Tchani is in the top three. The question is whether he fits in New York (second pick) or San Jose (third pick). Ike Opara makes more sense for the Red Bulls, but Tchani could add something in central midfield for a side that needs an upgrade in its engine room. An attacking player – Corben Bone or Teal Bunbury, with Bunbury a better fit – fits the Earthquakes more deftly, though San Jose isn't exactly known for following convention and Tchani is more polished than both of those options. Short answer: it's a coin flip.

2. Someone who has come out of the pool to make it into round 1/2 discussion.
@SoccerCityFC, via Twitter

Notre Dame fullback Justin Morrow. Liked him on day one, liked him on day two. He's got a good motor and joins the attack frequently from his left back spot. His crossing isn't bad, though it needs to become more consistent. From what I've seen over the past two days, I'd be hard pressed to locate 32 better options than him, particularly considering he plays a position (left back) of need for many clubs.

3. Any word on the prospects of Notre Dame’s Michael Thomas & Creighton’s Seth Sinovic?
Gareth, via e-mail

Thomas hit a stunning free kick free kick to open the scoring today, but his MLS future looks somewhat limited. The finish alone will open a few eyes for the Fighting Irish midfielder, but Thomas showed up a bit on the heavy side and doesn't have the mobility to play inside or the pace to play outside. As for Sinovic, I have no notes on him from either day. Middle of the road then, I'd say.

They said it...

“I got two great balls, two great assists from my teammates. It's a great feeling.”
– Hoxie, on collecting his Combine-leading second goal of the weekend.

“The field's pretty good in some areas and pretty bad in some areas. There's a patch in the middle of the field that was completely muddy in the last game and today, it was just dry dirt. The rest of it is short grass and it moves quickly.”
– Akpan, on the playing surface

Casting Pearls night
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Casting Pearls night
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:19 pm

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MLS Combine Notebook: Resolution on Day Three
A pair of close games closed the book on the 2010 MLS Player Combine. Kyle McCarthy files his last dispatch from South Florida as he prepares to head to Philadelphia for Thursday's SuperDraft.

Jan 13, 2010
By Kyle McCarthy

LAUDERHILL, Fla. – The chance to influence the future is now out of the hands of the approximately 75 players that took part in the MLS Player Combine. Now the wait begins.

In the end, this year's Combine shook out like all combines do even with the foibles introduced by the peculiarly chilly weather in South Florida. Some highly-touted players impressed, some didn't. Some unheralded players found their way onto the map, while others made observers wonder why they were even invited in the first place. Everyone had an ample chance to show why they should be drafted.

MLS coaches and executives will spend the next two days discussing potential trades and separating the wheat from the chaff. Given the relatively high standard of play at the Combine and the additional evidence provided by those who participated, they'll have plenty of work to do to sort out out their priorities and their draft boards before the SuperDraft kicks off on Thursday afternoon.

Condivo goes three-for-three with narrow victory: Eric Alexander (Indiana) notched his second goal of the Combine to assure Condivo of top spot in the four-team round-robin tournament with a 1-0 win over Jabulani.

The Jabulani midfielders failed to close down Alexander 30 yards from goal, all but inviting him to try his luck one minute before the halftime interval. Alexander's resulting drive screamed into the lower left-hand corner, leaving Brooks Haggerty (North Carolina) with no chance to save it.

Andrew Hoxie (William & Mary) nearly added a second nine minutes from time after he headed Michael Thomas' (Notre Dame) corner kick towards goal, but Korede Aiyegbusi (N.C. State) cleared the effort off the line.

F50i closes out tourney with second straight win: Tennant McVea's (Loyola-Maryland) early header handed F50i a 1-0 victory over Predator X in the final match of the Combine.

McVea climbed highest to nod home Conor O'Brien's (Bucknell) corner kick – with plenty of help from the underside of the crossbar – to stake F50i to a lead after 17 minutes.

Predator X improved after the goal and missed out on their best chance to level the proceedings seven minutes later. Michael Stephens (UCLA) thundered a long-range effort off the bottom of the crossbar and the rebound fell kindly to Andre Akpan (Generation adidas/Harvard). Akpan, however, could only watch in frustration as John Moore (Stanford) rushed out to block his effort.

Check your watches: After playing 40-minute halves on Saturday and 45-minute stanzas yesterday, the games returned to 40-minute halves to close out the Combine.

Watch out for knocks: Ike Opara came out halfway through the first half after colliding with Wake Forest teammate Zach Schilawski, presumably as a precautionary measure. Dilly Duka (Generation adidas/Rutgers) didn't take the the field after suffering an ankle injury.

Juiciest piece of gossip: Troy Perkins is signed and delivered to MLS with a salary that pays him well north of $200,000 per season.

Three stars of the day
1. Stephens – A breakout day, at least in this pundit's eyes, because he finally showed the touch and the vision expected of him.
2. David Estrada (U.C.L.A.) – Another Bruin who saved his best for last by moving well and displaying impressive close control.
3. Drew Yates (Maryland) – Think of this placement as an award for three consistently above average days of soccer.

Three questions to answer
(In the spirit of interactivity, I'll pick out a few choice questions each day during draft week and answer them in this space. Get in the game by following along on Twitter – @kylejmccarthy – or dropping me a line via e-mail.)

1. How did Milien fare for F50i over the event? Is there a chance he gets drafted as U-Tampa's Ryan Maxwell did last season?
@tbsoccerblog, via Twitter

The player in question is speedy Tampa midfielder Pascal Milien, a late addition to the Combine list. Maxwell, a previously little-known right midfielder from the same school, fared considerably better last year – he was good enough and fast enough at the Combine to play himself into the back half of the first round. Milien didn't impress nearly as much as Maxwell; his pace isn't as blazing and his production isn't as prolific. That being said, I can see Milien's name popping into the SuperDraft picture as a late-round pick.

2. Who do you see as the top 2nd round picks after the combine? Did Stephens and Nakazawa improve their standing?
@chorrudustweets, via Twitter

The question names one of them: Stephens. The U.C.L.A. midfielder emerged from a pair of innocuous performances to garner man-of-the-match honors in F50i's 1-0 win over Predator X. He's a tidy little midfielder with good vision, though he's going to have to play more defense to stick at the next level. Nakazawa didn't stand out for me this weekend, but he'll probably find his way into the mix in the middle rounds. Two other guys who might come off the board in the second round: Notre Dame's Justin Morrow and Portland's Collen Warner.

3. Do you think that having so many games in such few time is a good thing for players? The combine could use a few more days.
@polyesterfreak, via Twitter

It certainly shouldn't be any longer than this four-day stretch and I'd hesitate to truncate it, too. The current setup does a good job of doing three things: (1) giving players more than one chance to display their wares, (2) testing whether the players kept up with their fitness and (3) allowing teams to spend time with the players to get a sense of their personalities. It's not the perfect system, but it works well enough for what it needs to do.

They said it...

“I haven't been approached by this many agents ever.”
– Yates, after reflecting on what his Combine performances have done for his draft prospects.

“If you want to be one of the top couple of draft picks, it's not just about going down to the Combine. It's about going down and being the best player at the Combine. That has to be your goal.”
– Harvard coach Jamie Clark, dispensing a sage piece of advice that a few players – including his own star forward – should have followed. Clark, the son of Notre Dame coach Bobby, played two-and-a-half years for San Jose and spent a couple seasons playing in Scotland.

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