Expansion Draft A Huge Success For FC Dallas
By Curry Goff
Last week’s MLS Expansion Draft gave FCD fans a glimpse into the brains and thought processes of the team’s executives. With the ability to protect ten players on the roster, FCD made some moves that gave us a better indication of who they like moving forward.
For the casual observer who has no idea what an Expansion Draft is, it occurs every time a new team is added to MLS. They fill out their rosters by adding players from other MLS teams. Each team can protect 10 of their players from being selected by the new team. If that wasn’t enough explanation, Google is your best friend. Moving on…
When FCD announced their protected list, many names came as no surprise. If names like Hedges, Akindele, Castillo, or Diaz were left off that list, Oscar Pareja and I would have had a heart-to-heart, either that or a “come-to-Jesus” moment.
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FCD also did as many suspected they would do by protecting both Christ Seitz and newly acquired Dan Kennedy in goal. With FCD failing to resign Raul Fernandez, it was no shock to see him left off the list. Even though he wasn’t picked up by the two new teams, don’t expect him on the roster come March.
Of the remaining four left to protect, Loyd and Michel were both good choices. Both had solid seasons and rightfully earned a protected spot. But as for Watson and Hollingshead, I can’t say that I was 100% on board.
When I look at players like David Texeira and Adam Moffat that were left to the wolves, I wondered whether or not they might be more valuable than the Watson Hollingshead pairing. Moffat never got the playing time I wanted him to get. When he sat in the holding midfield role, he was a big, burly, man-rock of a midfielder. And Texeira showed a lot of youthful promise in the attacking third. I thought for sure they would protect one of the two.
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The Texeira and Moffat situation was inconsequential though, as neither of them was chosen. But, much to my chagrin, George John was picked up by NYCFC. I must say, I was rather fond of John and all he did for FCD. But all in all, Dallas got a nice commission from the league for a player they probably weren’t going to bring back next season. Not bad for a day’s work.
Overall, with only John being taken, Dallas did really well in the Expansion Draft. Because no one picked up Raul Fernandez, they can work up something more valuable for him through a trade. FCD also showed strong commitment to a core group that is going to prove important next season.
To put on my school teacher hat, I would have to give the execs an A on this project. They protected the people they absolutely needed to protect and brought back the key people in the key spots. Not much to critique there. Go look for another Dallas team’s management to fuss about. I hear Jerry Jones is missing the abuse he normally gets around this time of year.