CHICAGO - Major League Soccer today announced the selection order of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, to be held on Friday, January 20, 2006 in Philadelphia, Pa. in conjunction with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
The Chicago Fire will enter the 2006 MLS SuperDraft with six of the draft's 48 picks, including the 10th overall selection. The Fire currently holds four slots in the draft's second round - the 14th, 19th, 20th and 22nd overall selections - but will be forced to hand over one of those picks to FC Dallas to complete last year's draft day deal that sent goalkeeper Henry Ring to Dallas in exchange for the 29th overall selection in last year's draft, which Chicago used to take eventual 2005 Gatorade Rookie of the Year finalist and 2005 Fire/Budweiser Golden Boot winner Chris Rolfe. Chicago will round out the 2006 MLS SuperDraft with its natural third round (34th overall) and fourth round (46th overall) selections.
The Fire is coming off perhaps the best draft in club history in 2005, when the "Men in Red" selected a load of talent that included defenders Gonzalo Segares and Jack Stewart, midfielder Will John and forwards Rolfe and Chad Barrett. Those five players spearheaded a Fire rookie class that led MLS in 2005 in games started (54), minutes played (5,290), goals (13) and assists (12).
The MLS SuperDraft selection order is determined as follows: The first four selections are from teams that did not qualify for the 2005 MLS Cup Playoffs beginning with the team with fewest 2005 regular season points (three points per win, one point per tie). The remaining eight positions are ranked by fewest regular season points among the teams that were eliminated in the same round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
