Philadelphia Union manager Peter Nowak heaped great expectations on Danny Mwanga by making him the No. 1 pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. Nowak brought him along slowly this season but after he scored three stoppage time goals in three substitute appearances, he could not keep him off the field.
Mwanga is a Rookie of the Year candidate with his seven goals but he has not scored since August 14 and he has to play his way back into the lineup after being sidelined with a shoulder sprain. That did not prevent him from earning the No. 5 rating in the 24 Under 24.
Road to Stardom: The 19-year-old Mwanga has only been in the USA for four years but in that short period he has already left his mark. Before going No. 1 in the SuperDraft, he was the top scorer for Real Salt Lake’s Under-18 team in a youth tournament held in Madrid and he was also a Hermann Trophy finalist last year as a sophomore at Oregon State.
Breakout Moment: On May 29 he scored the stoppage time game-winner in the Union’s first road victory in club history, a dramatic 3-2 win in Houston. Making the most of his appearances as a sub, Mwanga was a regular starter two matches later. He vaulted into national prominence for his performance in a friendly against Manchester United on July 21.
Player Breakdown: Mwanga exudes confidence on the ball and his size and technique have allowed him to be a one-man wrecking crew. He has combined well with forward teammate Sebastien Le Toux and the rookie is very much at home in the Union’s attacking system.
What the Technical Directors Say:“He has the potential to be one of the best strikers in the league … Absolutely no ceiling on that kid … We’ve got to find a way to make him an American citizen … He’s gotten steadily better as the year has gone on … Off the ball running and finishing are much better than anticipated … He’s composed in front of goal, he can strike the ball well … He needs to work on his passing and getting others involved in the game.”
What’s Next: Mwanga has to show he can be a full-time regular starter in 2011 and overcome injuries like the shoulder sprain which has disrupted his current season. He needs to aspire to be Philadelphia’s leading scorer as the Union’s go-to guy and not get caught up in the Congo or USA national team decision that is sure to hound him.
Check back on Tuesday as the No. 4 player in the 24 Under 24 is unveiled.
What is the 24 Under 24? Simply, the best 24 players in MLS under the age of 24 (as of Nov. 1, 2010).
MLSsoccer.com whittled down the list to a group of 30 players and then an expert panel ranked the names based on five categories: (1) Skill; (2) Upside; (3) Q-Rating or Marketability; (4) Future Value; and (5) Intangibles.
The “24 Under 24” expert panel was made up of six members: Jeff Carlisle (ESPN.com), Steve Davis (SI.com), Brian Dunseth (Fox Soccer Channel), Allen Hopkins (ESPN), Alexi Lalas (ESPN) and the MLSsoccer.com editorial staff.
Who is the best No. 1 SuperDraft pick in MLS history?
Market Research
5.Mwanga, DannyF
MLS Technical Directors Say:
“He has the potential to be one of the best strikers in the league … Off the ball running and finishing are much better than anticipated … He’s composed in front of goal, he can strike the ball well … He needs to work on his passing and getting others involved in the game.”
6.Pappa, MarcoM
MLS Technical Directors Say:
“Really technical with great skill … Has good vision for the game and he can find a splitting pass and can change a game getting by a guy … He’s not going to run you up and down … Plays a lot older than his age … If he played more defense he’d be a more effective player and he’d be around the ball more often and in position more often to take advantage of quick breaks.”
7.Shea, BrekM
MLS Technical Directors Say:
“Great size, good engine and brave with the ball … Very good technical ability especially for his height … He’s matured in a comfortable environment, you’re seeing the talent blossom … Having more of an impact on games … Big and fast and left-footed and attacking. You’d kill for that package in anybody, anywhere at any age.”
8.Johnson, SeanGK
MLS Technical Directors Say:
“His athleticism in terms of being a shot-stopper is very good. Where he’s going to need to show improvement is the tactical end with his positioning and when to come out of the goal … With more experience will learn to read the game, direct his back line and know positionally where to be when the ball is in different parts of the field.”
9.Ream, TimD
MLS Technical Directors Say:
“Composed and good in the air … Comfortable on the ball, a very good passer of the ball and a playmaker out of the back … The mistakes he’s made they don’t live with him. … Needs to improve on ability to turn and make quicker decisions … Has to smell danger and learn to whack balls up the field when he needs to and not make passes that aren’t there.”
10.Braun, JustinF
MLS Technical Directors Say:
“He’s got a great body for the position as a target forward … Very active and very good in the air and once you get him going forward … Needs to improve on erratic finishing, playing with his back to goal and getting his teammates involved with the passing … He’s a young kid and has a lot of upside.”
11.Opara, IkeD
MLS Technical Directors Say:
"He is still raw but an excellent athlete ... Tremendous upside ... can dominate in the air, good timing in the air ... He's able to outrun mistakes ... From a man-marking situation few can physically beat him ... Needs to work on ability to play out of tight spaces, make passes and make quick decisions."
12.Smith, RyanM
MLS Technical Directors Say:
"Talented player, technically gifted with both feet, has pace, the ability to serve balls on the run … Needs to find some kind of consistency to be regarded as an elite player in this league … Has 50 different moves on the dribble … Needs to find when the best time to dribble and when the best time to find a teammate."
13.Bowen, TristanF
MLS Technical Directors Say:
"He’s got a lot of good tools … Very good athlete and technically better than people give him credit. He can take people off the dribble. He’s a good finisher with both feet … Needs to get better with his head and holding the ball up… He’s going to be a very solid MLS player."
14.Hamid, BillGK
MLS Technical Directors Say:
“He’s clearly got the tools and he seems to have got some poise … He can be a really successful goalkeeper in this league for a long time if he can get healthy and stay healthy. Young guys have persistent injury problems.”
15.Rogers, RobbieM
MLS Technical Directors Say:
“He’s left-footed, he has pace and he’s American. These are players to be celebrated … Needs to be tougher and defend more … He’s one of those players that will stretch a defense. He has a good engine … He needs to demand the ball a little bit more and get more involved in 90 minutes.”
16.Tchani, TonyM
MLS Technical Directors Say:
"Tchani is still very raw ... One of the best players in college last year. An amazing athlete. Huge, massive upside. Almost unlimited potential but he is not very polished which is normal for a kid at that age."
17.Bunbury, TealF
MLS Technical Directors Say:
"He’s got the size, the physicality. He’s better than some in terms of technical abilities and he’s got some more size. And he’s probably got some more pace than most guys ... It needs to be consistency with him around the goal area. He’s got the tools physically and technically. He’s above average."
18.Pontius, ChrisF
MLS Technical Directors Say:
"In our league he’s got to be a forward ... You want him in and around the goal to profit from that athleticism and ability in the air. For a young player, he’s a decent finisher which is relatively rare. He’s a prototypical college player in that he’s a tremendous overall athlete and he works really hard."
19."Juninho"M
The Brazilian is a vital cog for the Galaxy, pulling the strings in central midfield and jumpstarting their deadly counter. He reads the game well and has a knack of being in the right place at the right time. He’s not the strongest and most imposing of central players but his presence is felt as LA can attest during his recent absence.
20.Johnson, WillM
MLS Technical Directors Say:
"A fantastic player, he’s got a great engine. Technically very good. He’s a fantastic two-way player, one of the best in the league even though he’s a young player from an age standpoint ... He needs to be a little bit more productive on the attacking side of the ball: assists and goals ... You’re looking for an 8-and-8 guy. His production needs to be better."
21.Alston, KevinD
MLS Technical Directors Say:
“Has very good concentration, he’s brave and he has elite athleticism … He can get forward with that athleticism but he needs to refine his game in the attacking third in his one-v-one play and his combination play … he needs a little more consistency on his final pass.”
22.McInerney, JackF
MLS Technical Directors Say:
“Like his mentality. He’s always busy, always in motion … His size is a factor but he makes up for it with this work rate and his ability in the air … His finishing is very good … He needs to manage his own expectations and he’ll find his way in MLS.”
23.Torres, RogerM
The young Colombian wowed fans with his ball skills early on, but he has since lost his place in the Union starting lineup and has become an occasional sub. He possesses superior vision and technique but there are doubts whether his speed and physique can meet the demands of MLS.
- Torres player bio
- WATCH: Picture perfect Torres pass for Harvey goal (4/15/10)
- WATCH: Free kick and cross for 1st goal in PHI history (4/10/10)
24.McCarty, DaxM
A full 2010 season may have bumped up McCarty’s place in the rankings. After a promising start in central midfield alongside Daniel Hernandez, he fell to a quad injury and now has an uphill battle just to regain his spot in the FCD starting lineup.
