The opening match of the 2013 season begins in exactly three months (March 2). It's the shortest offseason ever for MLS and teams don't have any time to waste.
A few key events:
December 7 -- Re-Entry Draft Stage 1
December 14 -- Re-Entry Draft Stage 2
January 17 -- SuperDraft
~January 24 -- Supplemental Draft
March 2 -- First Kick
The Re-Entry Draft is a mechanism created for the most recent CBA as a concession from the owners to the players to compensate for the lack of free agency. In MLS, most contracts have a series of team options. If a player was out of contract or his option is declined, the team still retained his rights. In order to move to a new club, the new club would have to trade for his rights. This really screwed the fungible journeymen, who were useful squad depth, but replaceable enough that no one wanted to trade for them.
Now, players with enough age+league experience are eligible for the Re-Entry Draft. If selected in Stage 1, the drafting team basically pays the player their 2012 salary. In Stage 2, the teams can negotiate the contract down somewhat. If history is any guide, Stage 2 will be much busier.
In the end, there's never any top-line talent that passes through this draft; it's just a way to pick up a few nifty depth players.
As usual, the draft, international signings, and trades will be much more important and the latter two categories are just getting started. It's only a day after MLS Cup, but there's already a lot of stuff flying through Twitter.
* RSL is blowing it up. It looks like Jamison Olave and Fabian Espindola are going to NY for cash. Will Johnson is going to Portland for cash.
* In addition to the Johnson acquisition, Portland is dealing Kosuke Kimura to NY and has picked up Michael Harrington from KC.
* Revs(!) are the only team to make any foreign acquisitions this year. Andy Dorman, who played for NE from 2004-2007 returns from Crystal Palace. Kalifa Cisse comes in from Bristol City.
* Seattle has been going after Honduran NT defender Wilmer Crisanto, who is with Victoria in his native country
Hopefully there will be enough going on this offseason to keep me moderately entertained.
A few key events:
December 7 -- Re-Entry Draft Stage 1
December 14 -- Re-Entry Draft Stage 2
January 17 -- SuperDraft
~January 24 -- Supplemental Draft
March 2 -- First Kick
The Re-Entry Draft is a mechanism created for the most recent CBA as a concession from the owners to the players to compensate for the lack of free agency. In MLS, most contracts have a series of team options. If a player was out of contract or his option is declined, the team still retained his rights. In order to move to a new club, the new club would have to trade for his rights. This really screwed the fungible journeymen, who were useful squad depth, but replaceable enough that no one wanted to trade for them.
Now, players with enough age+league experience are eligible for the Re-Entry Draft. If selected in Stage 1, the drafting team basically pays the player their 2012 salary. In Stage 2, the teams can negotiate the contract down somewhat. If history is any guide, Stage 2 will be much busier.
In the end, there's never any top-line talent that passes through this draft; it's just a way to pick up a few nifty depth players.
As usual, the draft, international signings, and trades will be much more important and the latter two categories are just getting started. It's only a day after MLS Cup, but there's already a lot of stuff flying through Twitter.
* RSL is blowing it up. It looks like Jamison Olave and Fabian Espindola are going to NY for cash. Will Johnson is going to Portland for cash.
* In addition to the Johnson acquisition, Portland is dealing Kosuke Kimura to NY and has picked up Michael Harrington from KC.
* Revs(!) are the only team to make any foreign acquisitions this year. Andy Dorman, who played for NE from 2004-2007 returns from Crystal Palace. Kalifa Cisse comes in from Bristol City.
* Seattle has been going after Honduran NT defender Wilmer Crisanto, who is with Victoria in his native country
Hopefully there will be enough going on this offseason to keep me moderately entertained.