With two picks in the first round and another in the second, FC Dallas used all three of their early picks in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft on three Generation adidas players, making their already young roster even more youthful.
With the second overall pick, the Hoops took 17-year-old defender/midfielder Brek Shea. Six picks later, they took goalkeeper Josh Lambo, also 17. And in the second round, the club got a nice surprise when 20-year-old midfielder Eric Avila, who was projected to go much earlier, was available at No. 19.
"We're really, really pleased," FCD head coach Steve Morrow said. "We've got three Generation adidas players, which is a task well done for us. The players we have picked up have really big futures and we're glad to get three quality Generation adidas players."
Both Shea and Lambo were part of the U.S. U-17 national team residency program in Bradenton, Fla. while Avila is currently a part of the U.S. under-23 national team and is trying to grab a spot on the roster with Olympic qualifying set to begin soon.
"Brek Shea is a tremendous prospect as are the other two," he said. "Josh Lambo for us is the best young 'keeper around. (Eric) Avila is a great young prospect who we were delighted to pick up in the early second round. We certainly didn't expect him to be there at that point. To pick up three quality Generation adidas players with great futures is a great achievement for FC Dallas."
For Shea, a native of College Station, Texas, playing in his home state is definitely something he looks forward to.
"It's great to be able to stay close to home," he said. "My brother and some other family live in Dallas, so it will be good."
The 6-foot-3 Shea got to know a pair of his current FCD teammates while in Bradenton, 2007 draftees Abdus Ibrahim and Anthony Wallace.
"I was really surprised that I went with the No. 2 pick," he admitted. "It was really exciting."
Lambo, who is close friends with Shea, admits that being taken so high was a bit of a surprise when he went eighth, the first 'keeper taken in the draft.
"To an extent, yes (I was a little surprised that I went that high)," he said. "I felt that I was one of the better goalkeepers but going that high was remarkable for me, especially being as young as I am."
The native of Wisconsin figures to be the third 'keeper for the Hoops behind Ray Burse and Dario Sala but looks forward to learning much from them.
"I just feel that it's going to be really good for my development right now," Lambo said. "They're both great goalkeepers and I'm looking forward to working from them. I want to learn from them and become a better professional."
Lambo spent a week training at Pizza Hut Park in summer 2006 with English Premier League side Everton FC, who was in town to play Mexican side Club America in a preseason match and liked what he saw. He is also good friends with Ibrahim and Wallace and is looking forward to being teammates with them yet again, as he was with the U-17s.
Avila said he was a little shocked that he dropped to the second round, but being taken by FCD is just fine with him.
"From all the stuff that I read (I was going in the first round)," he said. "So, I was surprised that it happened (when I dropped). But I'm really happy. I have good friends there (in Dallas) and am just happy to come there."
Right after the draft, Avila hopped on a plane to return to the under-23 camp in Los Angeles, where he met another of his new teammates earlier in the month.
"I just started hanging out with and talking to Arturo Alvarez (during the camp)," Avila said. "He's a great player and I'm happy to be playing with him."
Morrow admitted that adding more youth was one of his goals coming into the draft.
"It was important for us going in to keep picking up Generation adidas players," he said. "We've always got one eye on the future, which is something we accomplished with this draft. We're not finished with the squad just yet. We still have a couple of experienced players that we want to go after and I think the blend of experience and youth that we have will make us very balanced on the roster."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
