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Mutiny gets more payback for Diaz Arce deal

Tampa Bay has the second and sixth picks in the first round of today's MLS SuperDraft.

By RODNEY PAGE

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 5, 2001

As Mutiny general manager Bill Manning was trying to explain last season's trade of popular forward Raul Diaz Arce for midfielder John Maessner, he kept returning to one point. This was not a bad trade, Manning insisted, because the Mutiny was getting two first round draft picks from D.C. United.

"If you look around the league, you have guys like Nick Garcia (Kansas City), Carlos Bocanegra (Chicago) and Adin Brown (Colorado) that have made an immediate impact," Manning said. "Last year's draft showed that there is talent there and they can play in this league right away."

It has been nine months since the Diaz Arce trade, and today the Mutiny finally finds out who it gets for those draft picks. Manning won't say who he's looking at for fear of tipping his hand.

Tampa Bay has the second pick in the draft. San Jose has the top pick. The Mutiny also has the sixth pick. Its other picks are eighth in the fourth and fifth rounds.

"We're looking for an impact player with the No. 2 pick," Manning said. "This draft is not as deep as last year's, but I think the youth players are just as talented.

"We're looking for speed on defense, we'd like to get a complementary forward for Mamadou, and we'd like to get some help in the midfield. In the late rounds we'll likely get a goalkeeper to compete with (reserve) Matt Nyman."

If the Mutiny decides to find a complement for Diallo, there appears to be an abundance of forwards in the draft. Project-40 players Devin Barclay and Isaias Bardales are at the top of most lists. Barclay is a member of the under-20 national team. Bardales was San Jose State's top scorer last season.

Edson Buddle, another under-20 national team member, and Chris Carrieri of North Carolina are other possibilities.

In the back, Cory Gibbs of Brown University is considered an athletic defender with speed. Tenywa Bonseu, formerly of the A-League's Pittsburgh Riverhounds, played for Chicago last season would have been eligible for the draft but was allocated to the Crew on Saturday.

The Mutiny has two foreign roster spots open because defenders Kalin Bankov and Joe Addo received green card work visas during the off-season. That means the Mutiny can also go after a senior international, but it is unlikely to do so.

The expected top pick in the draft is youth international Joselito Vaca of Mexico. Vaca is a midfielder who has been compared to Marco Etcheverry.

It's hard to imagine this year's draft will be as fruitful as last season's. Of the top 12 picks last season, 10 enjoyed extensive playing time, including top pick Steve Shak with New York/New Jersey. Danny Califf of Los Angeles and 16-year-old Bobby Convey of D.C. United also were part of that draft.

Major League Soccer Superdraft

WHEN/WHERE: Today, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Signature Grand Hotel, Davie.

FORMAT: Six rounds, 12 picks per round. San Jose has the No. 1 pick.

MUTINY PICKS: Second and sixth picks in the first round. Eighth pick in fourth and fifth rounds.

ELIGIBLE PLAYERS: Project-40 players currently signed by MLS, A-League players, college players, youth internationals, transitional internationals (which do not count toward foreign roster spot) and senior internationals.

WEBCAST: Live webcast on www.nerevolution.com and www.TheCrew.com. Also round-by-round updates on www.mlsnet.com and www.tampabaymutiny.com.

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