DALLAS - FC Dallas Head Coach Colin Clarke today announced that the club has signed defender Michael Dello-Russo and midfielder Miguel Guante, who were selected in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft and Supplemental Draft respectively. In addition, in order to meet the League's March 1 salary budget, roster-size, and international player limits compliance date, the team traded veteran defender Steve Jolley to the MetroStars in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2007 Supplemental Draft. The team also re-structured second-year forward Abe Thompson contract in order to occupy the final spot on the 18-man senior roster.
Dello-Russo and Guante along with fellow draft picks and Generation adidas players Dax McCarty and Blake Wagner join returning players Drew Moor, Ramon Nuñez, Mario Torres and Aaron Pitchkolan on the team's 10-man developmental roster. Justin Moore, the team's first pick of the second round (15th overall) of the MLS SuperDraft will be the lone rookie on the senior roster.
Carlos Ruiz, Mark Wilson and Simo Valakari occupy three of the four available senior internationals on the team. Roberto Mina and Ramon Nuñez will occupy two of the four available youth international spots.
The team departs for La Manga, Spain on Thursday and will spend one week training at the La Manga Club. Colin Clarke's staff will then travel to the Meon Valley Marriott in the city of Southampton, on the South Coast of England, for their second and final week in Europe before returning to the U.S. on Thursday, March 16.
Goalkeeper Ray Burse Jr., the team's third round selection in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, will travel with the current 26-man squad for the start of the team's two-week European leg of the preseason. Fellow un-signed draft-pick Dominic Oduro, a forward originally from Ghana, will not accompany the team as he awaits the necessary proper documents. The 20-year old striker, who leads the Hoops with three preseason goals, will train with the Richmond Kickers of the USL First Division while FCD is in Europe. He is expected to rejoin the team when they return to Frisco for training on March 20.
The following is the current FC Dallas Roster:
No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Birthdate Hometown College
12 Arturo Alvarez M 5-9 156 6-28-85 Houston, Texas --
00 Jeff Cassar GK 6-2 195 2-2-74 Livonia, Mich. Florida Int'l
33 Kenny Cooper F 6-3 195 10-21-84 Dallas, Texas --
22 Michael Dello-Russo D 5-10 165 8-22-83 Columbia, Md. Maryland
4 Chris Gbandi D 5-10 170 4-7-79 Houston, Texas Connecticut
11 Clarence Goodson D 6-4 165 11-17-82 Alexandria, Va. Maryland
28 Miguel Guante D/M 5-9 164 8-24-84 Ft. Huachaca, Ariz. Portland
13 Dax McCarty M 5-9 142 4-30-87 Winter Park, Fla. North Carolina
9 Roberto Mina F 6-0 175 11-7-84 Guayaquil, Ecuador --
14 Drew Moor D 6-0 170 1-15-84 Dallas, Texas Indiana
24 Justin Moore D 6-0 177 6-13-83 Snellville, Ga. Clemson
8 Richard Mulrooney M 5-9 160 11-3-76 Memphis, Tenn. Creighton
10 Ramon Nunez M 5-5 145 11-14-85 Dallas, Texas SMU
6 Ronnie O'Brien M 5-10 155 1-5-79 Bray, Ireland --
27 Aaron Pitchkolan M 6-2 185 3-3-83 Aurora, Colo. West Virginia
19 Bobby Rhine F 5-10 171 4-18-76 Fenton, Mo. Connecticut
20 Carlos Ruiz F 5-9 170 9-15-79 Guatemala City --
48 Dario Sala GK 6-3 200 10-17-74 Cordoba, Argentina --
7 Abe Thompson F 6-0 170 1-12-82 Fairfax Station, Va. Maryland
29 Mario Torres M 6-1 155 4-7-82 Carrollton, TX --
17 Simo Valakari M 5-10 160 4-28-73 Helsinki, Finland --
3 Greg Vanney D 5-11 169 6-11-74 Tempe, Ariz. UCLA
16 David Wagenfuhr M 5-9 160 6-22-82 Colorado Springs Creighton
23 Blake Wagner D/M 5-10 160 1-29-88 Tampa, Fla. --
15 Mark Wilson M 6-0 170 2-9-79 Scunthorpe, England --
21 Alex Yi D 6-2 175 3-21-82 Easton, Md. UCLA
Unsigned draft picks training with the team
30 Ray Burse Jr. GK 6-1 185 10-2-84 Prospect, Kent. Ohio State
25 Dominic Oduro F 6-0 155 8-13-85 Pramso, Ghana VCU
