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The next phase of the Major League Soccer offseason occurs Friday afternoon.
Stage 1 of the Re-Entry Draft begins at 3 p.m. ET with the San Jose Earthquakes in possession of the first pick after having the worst record from the 2018 season. Players become eligible for the re-entry draft in a few ways, according to league rules:
Players at least 23 years old with a minimum of three years MLS experience whose contract options were not exercised by their clubs. They will be available at their option salary for 2019. Players who are at least 25 years old with a minimum of four years MLS experience who are out of contract and their respective clubs do not wish to re-sign them at their previous salary. They are available for at least their 2018 salary. Free agents who choose to participate.Players may choose to opt out of the draft, and players not selected in Stage 1 will be available for Stage 2 at 2 p.m. ET Dec. 20.
If a player is selected in Stage 1, teams must exercise the player’s contract option or extend a “Bona Fide Offer” if the player is out of contract. If a player rejects the offer, the drafting club will hold that player’s right of first refusal in MLS.
If a player is selected in Stage 2, teams can negotiate new contracts. The drafting team must make a genuine offer to a player within seven days.
Any players not selected will be available first-come, first-serve to all clubs.
Ashley Cole and David Villa are the two standout names on the Re-Entry list, but it’s unlikely either of them is selected because of Cole’s high salary and Villa already announcing his move to Japan.
Some of the intriguing options eligible for selection include New York City FC midfielder Tommy McNamara, Toronto FC forward Tosaint Ricketts, Orlando City goalkeeper Joe Bendik and D.C. United’s Nick DeLeon.
In 2017, two players were selected in Stage 1 of the Re-Entry Draft, and one of them, Mike Grella, is eligible for the selection process again in 2018.
The majority of teams usually pass on their selections, but there have been some success stories out of the Re-Entry Draft, with FC Dallas’ selection of Maxi Urruti in 2015 being the most recent.
Players Eligible For Re-Entry Draft
Chicago Fire: Jonathan Campbell, Drew Conner, Michael de Leeuw, Christian Dean, Patrick McLain, Luis Solignac
Columbus Crew: Mike Grella, Adam Jahn
Colorado Rapids: Giles Barnes, Enzo Martinez, Jack McBean
FC Dallas: Maynor Figueroa
D.C. United: Vytas Andriuskevicius, Nick DeLeon, Kevin Ellis, Jared Jeffrey, Taylor Kemp, Kofi Opare, Travis Worra
Houston Dynamo: Luis Gil, Dylan Remick, Jared Watts
LAFC: Dejan Jakovic, Charlie Lyon, Calum Mallace, Quillan Roberts
LA Galaxy: Ashley Cole, Ariel Lassiter, Brian Sylvestre
Minnesota United: Matt Lampson, Johan Venegas
Montreal Impact: Louis Beland-Goyette, Kyle Fisher, Michael Salazar
New England Revolution: Femi Hollinger-Janzen
New York City FC: Tommy McNamara, Andre Rawls, David Villa
New York Red Bulls: Carlos Rivas
Orlando City: Joe Bendik, Earl Edwards Jr., Richie Laryea, Donny Toia, Jose Villarreal
Philadelphia Union: Fabinho, John McCarthy, Richie Marquez, Josh Yaro
Portland Timbers: Steve Clark, Lawrence Olum
Real Salt Lake: Luke Mulholland, Taylor Peay, Demar Phillips, Luis Silva, Stephen Sunday
Seattle Sounders: Calle Brown
Toronto FC: Clint Irwin, Tosaint Ricketts
Vancouver Whitecaps: Jose Aja, Aaron Maund, Brian Rowe
Unattached: Wandrille Lefevre
The post MLS Re-Entry draft: Eligible players, rules and more appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.
Original author: Joe Tansey, Pro Soccer USA
To prepare for the 2019 season, a pair of Major League Soccer teams will head to Las Vegas in February for the preseason.
Las Vegas Lights FC, a United Soccer League Championship side, announced Wednesday it will host Toronto FC and the Colorado Rapids for a pair of exhibitions. The Lights will face Toronto Feb. 2 and then take on the Rapids Feb. 16.
These two games will be the first for Eric Wynalda, the former United States men’s national team forward who was hired as the head coach of the Lights in October. Wynalda was previously the coach of the United Premier Soccer League’s LA Wolves and North American Soccer League’s Atlanta Silverbacks. As a player, he had 106 caps and scored 34 goals for the U.S.
The Lights will begin their second season in existence in 2019.
“Season 2 can’t start soon enough. We are ecstatic to bring more MLS clubs to Cashman Field,” Lights owner and CEO Brett Lashbrook said in a statement. “We proved last year we can be a big-time soccer market – and now with Cashman Field being a soccer-only venue and U.S. soccer superstar Eric Wynalda as our new coach we are ready to rock n’ roll.”
For their first ever home match, a preseason contest against the Montreal Impact of MLS, more than 10,000 fans attended. The Lights finished their first season with a record of 8-19-7 and an average announced home attendance of 7,221.
Sammy Ochoa led the Lights in scoring with eight goals and seven assists. One of the 32-year-old’s strikes was nominated for USL Goal of the Year. The Lights re-signed him to a new contract in November. They also exercised the options on the contracts of goalkeepers Thomas Olsen and Angel Alvarez, defender Christian Torres and midfielder Matt Thomas.
American forward Freddy Adu also appeared in 14 games for the Lights last season, but the option on his contract was declined by the club. Las Vegas said in a November release that is was negotiating with Adu, 29, to bring him back for another season.
Toronto FC and the Colorado Rapids both missed the MLS Cup playoffs in 2018.
The post Las Vegas Lights FC to host Toronto FC, Colorado Rapids for preseason appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.
Original author: Mitchell Northam, Pro Soccer USA
