VANCOUVER – The second stage of the Re-Entry Draft on Wednesday certainly generated more interest than the first, but for the Vancouver Whitecaps, it was just another quiet day at the office.
The club decided to stand pat, passing on selecting any of the 32 MLS veterans available.
“We looked closely at all the players that were there, and there were obviously some experienced players, some players that have been very good in MLS,” Whitecaps FC director of professional teams Greg Anderson told MLSsoccer.com. “But we have a plan for how we’re building our roster and the types of players that we’re looking for in each spot and we didn’t feel that any of the players on the list fit exactly what we’re looking for.”
Forums have exploded with commentary as players such as Juan Pablo Angel, Jimmy Conrad, Frankie Hejduk and Jeff Cunningham were all taken, but Anderson said he was not caught off guard by the movement.
“There were obviously some big names that moved to different teams," he said, "but I think that everybody expected some players to be moving today.”
Though the club decided against using the Re-Entry Draft this year, Anderson feels it could be useful in the future.
“I think it’s going to be a way for teams to get players, depending on who's available and the position that our club is in at the time of the Draft,” explained Anderson. “It could be that there’s a player available that will fit, so it’s just a matter of timing.”
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