Gutiérrez key in Union's Colombian acquisitions

PHILADELPHIA– For a couple of hours on Wednesday, an Irish bar turned into a Colombian one.

In a move that has been whispered about for weeks, thePhiladelphia Unionunveiled their two newest acquisitions– goalkeeper Faryd Mondragón and defender Carlos Valdés – in front of a swarm of Sons of Ben fans.

Both players are members of the Colombian national team and will likely be immediately inserted into the Union starting lineup.

“This,” Union manager Peter Nowak said at a press conference at Fado Irish Pub, “is the end product of our hard work throughout the offseason.”

And the man largely responsible for helping to bring the two Colombians to Philly is another one of the franchise’s newer acquisitions, Union head of scouting and player development Diego Gutiérrez.

Gutiérrez, who was hired last month by Philly, also hails from Colombia. He said he had long conversations late into the night with Mondragón as he tried to woo him to town, with Valdés in tow.

“Colombian players are a very good value and becoming a commodity in the world,” Gutiérrez told MLSsoccer.com. “They don’t go out in numbers as much as Argentines and Brazilians do, but it will become that way because they’re players that can adapt to pretty much any culture. For the mostpart, they’re bilingual. They’re a very good value and they fit our league very well.”

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Gutiérrez should know how well Colombians fit into MLS. As a longtime player for Chicago and Kansas City, he lived it. And he’s maintained close ties with many of his countrymen since retiring as a player and stepping into his new front office job.

“Diego has been a huge force in building that bridge because of his connections and his ties,” Union coach John Hackworth said. “At the same time, we’re also just looking for quality. Any time you can bring in two internationals who are currently starters on their national team, especially ateam like Colombia, you’re doing alright.”

Reiterating Hackworth, Gutiérrez also wanted to make clear that he’s not perceived as a one-trick pony.

“Look, I’d like to think that I bring a little more to the table than just bringing in Colombian players,” he said. “But having known Faryd and having known Carlos was a big factor. At the end of the day, it’s not just about getting Colombian players. Our view of the market is very, very large. As we narrowed down prospects and candidates to bring in, they just happened to be Colombian.”

With the addition of Mondragón and Valdés, the Union now have four Colombians on the roster. Defender Juan Diego González and midfielderRoger Torresare the others. (Torres, who was on loan last season, is expected to return).

In the press conference, Mondragón downplayed the infusion of Colombians on the Union, but Valdés later said how important it is to have veteran countrymen on his side.

Mondragón, 39, has seen it all through a career that has lasted more than 20 years, having played for teams in Argentina, France, Spain, Turkey and Germany.

“{Mondragón} is an idol to me,” said Valdés, who played his club soccer for América de Cali and Independiente Santa Fe. “Not just for me, but for Colombian soccer, he’s an icon. He’s a very important acquisition for us and by having players like Faryd, we’re going to really be able tomake history.”

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Report: Dempsey to Liverpool is possible

NEW YORK– The rumors of Clint Dempsey joining Liverpool are being revived once again and this time his former Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is not the one pulling the strings at Anfield Road.

A report in UK newspaperMetroclaims that Liverpool left back Paul Konchesky could be sent back to Fulham as part of a transfer for Dempsey. If a transfer does materialize, it would have to happen before the close of the window on Jan. 31.

The article claims that Konchesky is out of favor on Merseyside since Kenny Dalglish took over for Hodgson. The former Fulham player was acquired by Liverpool last August on a reported $6 million transfer.

Liverpool were taken over by American owners earlier this year with New England Sports Ventures (NESV) assuming control of the club from Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Dempsey is a formerNew England Revolutionplayer in MLS, featuring in the same city in which NESV is based. His six league goals for Fulham are just one off his career high in the EPL.

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For Houston, time for youth movement is now

HOUSTON– The Dynamo introduced their four-man rookie class on Wednesday, the culmination of an offseason that has seen the club lower the average age of its roster from 28 to 24.

As newly drafted Kofi Sarkodie and Will Bruin and Academy signees Josue Soto and Alex Dixon held up their new orange jerseys for photographers at team headquarters, it represented a clear sign to fans and the rest of the league that the club will rely heavily on young players for the first time since coming to Houston five years ago.

“Change is good sometimes,” head coach Dominic Kinnear told reporters. “We went through this type of transition in 2005 in San Jose and we ended up with one of our best rosters the next year.”

Enter Sarkodie and Bruin, two players who were considered difference-makers heading into last week’s SuperDraft. Houston intend for both players to play big roles in the club’s transition in 2011. Both are polished enough to contribute right away, but still have the potential to get better. That combination made them unable to pass up.

Kinnear is excited about Sarkodie’s pace and ability to pressure opponents on the flank when the team has the ball.

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“Kofi provides great pace on the right flank and a great attacking option but that is not to say that is all he can do,” said Kinnear.

Sarkodie shared his new coach’s excitement and feels like the Dynamo are the perfect fit for him and his skills.

“Playing for a team that gets the ball wide allows me to get up the flank and express myself is the best situation for me,” the Akron defender told MLSsoccer.com.

Bruin brings another physical presence and a knack for scoring goals to the forward position. Kinnear and the Dynamo have been searching for a consistent scorer next toBrian ChingsinceJoseph Ngwenyafirst left the club after the 2007 season. Bruin’s production at Indiana suggests he could be the solution to that problem.

WATCH:Sarkodie, Bruin discuss their upcoming rookie seasons

When asked about his increased goal production from his nine-goal sophomore season to his 18-goal junior year, Bruin pointed to improved maturity as the reason. Now that he’s entering MLS, Bruin is looking to lean on Ching to continue the maturation process.

“I really want to learn everything from Brian,” Bruin told MLSsoccer.com. “I want to learn when to do certain things, make passes and attack certain defenders.”

While both players’ perceived strengths makes them candidates to contribute right away, they begin their pro careers intent on proving they have more to offer. Heading into the draft, Sarkodie heard the criticisms of his defense.

“I heard the skepticism,” he said, “but if you watched my games at Akron, I showed what I could do defensively in addition to my attacking.”

Sarkodie is joining a defense that gave up 49 goals in 2010. His athleticism on the defensive side of the ball will be a welcome addition to a defensive group that was susceptible to speedy attackers and players making diagonal runs.

Bruin, on the other hand, feels he can be more than just a target striker and contribute immediately even though the team already has a few target forwards on the roster.

“I feel I can play off a forward like Ching,” he said. “I have the ability to make some flashing runs and I am looking forward to showing them what I have to offer.”

For the Dynamo, that will have to come soon. Sarkodie and Bruin get their first chance to impress and show their overall ability when the club opens the preseason next week ahead of their March 19 season opener against thePhiladelphia Unionat Robertson Stadium.

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Harrington opts to stay put at Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo.– Negotiations may have dragged on until the cusp of the preseason, butMichael Harringtonis staying put in Kansas City.

Sporting KC announced Wednesday that Harrington had signed a new contract with the club, keeping the team’s starting right back in blue for the foreseeable future. Terms of the deal were not released, per club policy.

“It was a longer process than I thought it was going to be,” Harrington said. “It’s just great to get it done. I’m excited to be back here. I’m very happy with the way things turned out.”

The 24-year-old, who was free to pursue opportunities outside of Major League Soccer once his contract expired following the 2010 season, said he had chances to explore options in Germany and Norway during the offseason but decided not to.

“I had opportunities for tryouts and some things like that, but I didn’t end up going on any trials or anything,” Harrington said. “Basically, it was a period where you are free, and that doesn’t come around all that often. It only makes sense to see what is out there and make sure you aredoing what is best for you because it is a commitment.

“I thought long and hard about it and decided that staying in Kansas City was what I really wanted to do.”

Now that Harrington’s contract is taken care of and his presence at the only professional club he’s ever known is assured, the defender is focused on one thing: turning Kansas City into a winner.

Sporting have made two trips to the playoffs during his four seasons with the team, but they’ve missed out on the postseason in the last two years.

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With back-line stalwartJimmy Conradgone and Harrington among the team’s longest-tenured players, he hopes to be an integral part of the continued transformation of a squad that fell just short in 2010.

“I want to bring that experience to younger guys and step up and be a little bit more of a leader this year,” Harrington said. “Leadership is something that I sort of feel like I’ve been growing into. Usually, I’ve been a guy who kind of keeps to himself and focuses on my individual tasks.”

By most measures, last season was a banner year for Harrington as he bounced back from a 2009 season plagued by injuries to make 29 starts and lead the team in minutes played.

But that’s not to say he's satisfied.

“Last year was a good year,” Harrington said, “but I’m planning on this year being a better year. I still think I have a lot of growing to do, which is a good thing. There is still potential there to be filled and plenty of things that I want to do that I haven’t done yet.”

Foremost on that list is returning Sporting to the upper echelon of the league and to the playoffs during a season that promises to bring plenty of excitement in the form of a new stadium and the arrival of Designated Player Omar Bravo.

Although he had the opportunities to head elsewhere and possibly find success there, Harrington said he could only see himself doing that in one place.

“Kansas City is definitely in my heart now,” he said. “I like living here. I like the people here. I like the coaching staff, the owners and really everybody that is affiliated with the club. I only see this club going up.”

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Relaxed Bradley has eye on future in Jan. camp

CARSON, Calif.– Usually tight-lipped and serious, Bob Bradley had a smile on his face immediately after the United States national team practice concluded Thursday morning at The Home Depot Center. Perhaps it was the sunshine, the solid training session or the coming end of the three-week camp.

Or maybe it was because Bradley is doing what he loves: teaching young Americans to play soccer, far removed from the pressure of a World Cup or even qualification for an international tournament. Bradley, his staff and 23 players were on Mooch Myernick Field in the shadows of the HDC simply trying to improve.

"The feel of this camp is always based up on the group that you've got in and what's coming next,"the coach said."We've had years where we've had a qualifier early in February and now you've got MLS guys who know they are preparing for that qualifier. The January camp in those moments can be very hard and demanding, but it's all with a sense that these players have been off and in order to have them ready to play early in February, that's what's needed in the camp.

"This is different. This is now a camp where we've been able to try to identify the group of young players that we thought would be excited to be here, that we thought had some starting points and give us a chance just in one camp, in one game to start the process. This camp has had a different tone just based upon {how} the schedule works."

The corollary, of course, is that the young group (average age: 23.4) doesn't include many of the country's best players.Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, Stuart Holden and the rest of the first-choice team are either in Europe with their clubs or recovering from a strenuous World Cup cycle.

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They will feature for the Americans during this summer's vital Gold Cup– the winner of the regional tournament earns a berth in the 2013 Confederations Cup – but few, if any of the crew here, will earn a place on that roster.

That's all part of Bradley's plan. This January session– the first one of the new World Cup cycle – is designed to build depth with an eye toward the future.

"I think this camp gives us a starting point of where we are with a lot of these guys and over time you start to see how they progress,"Bradley said."It's important to keep in mind that in a first camp, the level is very different than it's like when we've got all of our best players in a camp. There's a big difference."

The reward for the untested group's hard work is a friendly with a young Chile side on Saturday. Some can look forward to another look on Feb. 9 when the Americans play Egypt in Cairo.

"Egypt is coming up quickly,"Bradley said."Obviously, it won't be that easy for us to have MLS players who have been in for the Egypt game. The timing of getting them ready for that game probably doesn't fit. We'll balance out decisions in that time with what we see going on in Europe with different guys and in particular, how it looks on Saturday with certain guys to see if it makes sense for some of them to be with us in Egypt."

Right now, however, the 23 men are simply focused on impressing the coaching staff. They know their first chance to shine might be their last. The 20-day stint is all about the inexperienced players getting comfortable in the Red, White and Blue.

In many ways, Bradley's comments about phenomJuan Agudelo(above, right) apply to the entire group. TheNew York Red Bullsstriker went from not playing with his club to scoring the winning goal against South Africa in a November friendly. He's talented, but still raw.

"There's still part {of Agudelo's game} that just needs time in terms of overall understanding of movement and playing with his teammates and stuff,"Bradley said."It's important with him and all these young guys that we manage to help them keep things in perspective and hope they can keep moving along."

If some of them eventually join the first team, the last three weeks will have certainly be worth smiling about.

Noah Davis covers the United States national team for MLSsoccer.com. Follow him on Twitter at @noahedavis.

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Older Nats relishing opportunity in US camp

CARSON, Calif.— The prevailing rhetoric coming from the United States national soccer team’s January camp centers around the collective youth of the group Bob Bradley called up.

The statistics back up this theme: The average age is younger than 24. There are a mere 26 caps scattered among the 23 players. Alejandro Bedoya, who made his debut for the US in January 2010, leads the assembled players with six appearances. Four men were born in the 1990s.

So yes, the majority are young, but there's a dash of age and experience in the ranks as well. The elder statesmen aren't that old– especially when you exclude the goalkeepers – but you can find them if you search.

Marvell Wynne, who turns 25 in May, is the fourth-oldest field player on the squad and a veteran of the senior, U-20 and Olympic teams. He's helping put the proceedings in perspective for the newer guys around him.

"These guys are young,"he told MLSsoccer.com after training on Thursday morning."A lot of them are pretty serious and focused. I try to make some jokes, get them to relax a little bit because we're still playing soccer in the end."

The defender earned his first cap against Argentina in the 2007 Copa América, playing right back. During this three-week training camp, however, he's been deployed in the middle, a position he played during the 2010 MLS season. He says feels more comfortable there now than out wide, and he enjoys the position of leadership afforded by the new role.

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At the other end of the field, the forward line consists of 18-year-oldJuan Agudeloand 20-year-oldTeal Bunbury. Oh, andChris Wondolowski, who turns 28 a week from Friday and is the oldest field player in camp. He’s hoping to make his first appearance in a US uniform against Chile here at the Home Depot Center on Saturday.

"I'm really enjoying myself and loving the opportunity to play with a lot of great players in front of some great coaches,"said Wondolowski."I just take it as it goes because it's a once in a lifetime opportunity."

TheSan Jose Earthquakesattacker enjoyed a breakout 2010, tallying 18 goals in 26 matches and leading his club to an upset of Agudelo'sNew York Red Bullsin the first round of the playoffs. Wondolowski knows he's a long shot to make the Gold Cup roster this summer, but he's appreciating the moment.

"That would be a dream come true– to play in a tournament with the US,” he said. “But just to be a part of {this camp} and be a part of this group has been wonderful. I've learned a lot and I hope to keep on learning."

Given the growing depth of the American pool, players on the fringe like Wondolowski and Wynne might be tempted to press in an attempt to make a statement with the coaching staff. But, as theColorado Rapidsdefender mentions, one great season at any age can propel a talent onto the American first team. For proof, look no further than the example of a player who called the HDC home until a couple weeks ago.

"In the last couple of years, I've always thought it was a make-or-break year, and I've realized that it's not,"Wynne said."Edson Buddletook a really big break from the national team. Then, he had a great year, and he goes on and makes the World Cup team."

Who knows where the future will take Wondolowski and Wynne, but they certainly sound happy where they are. Sometimes it's nice have the perspective of"old age."

Noah Davis covers the United States national team for MLSsoccer.com. Follow him on Twitter at @noahedavis.

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American Exports preview: EPL debut for Jones?

AMSTERDAM - With another busy weekend ahead in Europe, we have compiled a handy guide to the best games on the card involving Americans.

All times are in ET.

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BUNDESLIGA

Hannover 96 v Schalke

Saturday, 9:30 a.m. on Dish German Sports

Americans: Steve Cherundolo (H96)

The skipper will take his usual place at right back for the season's surprise package, but Beasley remains sidelined with a muscle strain. The second place Reds will attempt to chip away at Borussia Dortmund's 12-point title cushion by hosting the leaders' arch rivals. Hannover won at Schalke in August and have won two straight home games. The visitors will arrive without Asian Cup participant Atsuto Uchida.  

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Aston Villa v Manchester City

Saturday, 12:30 p.m. on Fox Soccer Channel

Americans: Brad Friedel, Eric Lichaj (Aston Villa)

Villa's big netminder will try to extend an impressive run when second-place Manchester City come to town. Friedel has not lost a home game to Citeh since 2003, a span of five wins and three draws with four clean sheets that started at Blackburn. The hosts will be boosted by the additions of Darren Bent and Jean Makoun, and the suspension return of Ashley Young. Man City, who've lost just once in 13 league games, are missing Mario Balotelli.

Blackburn Rovers v West Bromwich Albion

Sunday, 11 a.m. on Fox Soccer Channel

American: Jermaine Jones (BR)

The Schalke loan item is expected to dress for his debut and seems likely to feature in some way as Rovers host one of their favorite guests. The Baggies have not won at Ewood park in over 45 years, and though they snapped a five-game losing slide last weekend, they travel without Pablo Ibáñez and Steven Reid. Meanwhile, Blackburn will give late fitness tests to midfielders Vince Grella and Steven Nzonzi.

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SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Hearts v Rangers

Saturday, 7:45 a.m.

American: Maurice Edu ('Gers)

The U.S. international could be back in the starting lineup after a pair of sub appearances coming back from injury. Rangers have lost just one of nine meetings with Hearts since Edu signed in 2008, and have won three straight at Tynecastle. The Light Blues will be without departed striker Kenny Miller and injured wingback Saša Papac. The home team - now up to third after nine wins from a 10-game unbeaten rub - has ruled out several players, including attackers Andrew Driver, Kevin Kyle and Rudi Skacel.

JUPILER LEAGUE

Anderlecht v Standard Liège

Sunday, noon

American:Sacha Kljestan(AND)

Kljestan&Co. will want to open up their six-point league lead when arch nemesis Standard invades Constant Vanden Stock. The break has allowed the Mauves to become largely fit, with captain Olivier Deschacht still on the mend. The visitors are in fine squad shape ahead of the most hard-fought fixture in Belgium. The last seven clashes at Anderlecht have seen two wins a side and three draws.

BEST OF THE REST

EPL: Everton (Tim Howard) v West Ham United (Jonathan Spector) - Sat. 10 a.m., delayed at 6 p.m. on Fox Soccer Plus

EPL: Fulham (Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson) v Stoke City - Sat. 10 a.m., delayed Sun. 10:30 a.m. on Fox Soccer Plus

Bundesliga: Borussia Mönchengladbach (Michael Bradley) v Bayer Leverkusen - Sun. 9:30 a.m. on ESPN3.com/Dish German Sports

Coupe de France: Racing Strasbourg vÉvian (Quentin Westberg) - Sat. 2:45 p.m.

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Márquez to train for week with Mexico's Atlas

TheNew York Red Bullshave announced that Designated Player Rafa Márquez will train with Mexican First Division club Atlas for a week beginning Monday.

The Mexican international star requested to work out with Atlas prior to the start of New York’s preseason schedule, which will begin with a trip to Mexico on an undetermined date.

Márquez will join the Red Bulls once they arrive in Mexico.

“Rafa expressed his desire to our head coach Hans Backe to train with Atlas in Mexico,”RBNYgeneral manager Erik Solér said in a statement. “While we are finalizing dates and places where we will be doing the different parts of our 2011 preseason, and as we do not have a finalized calendar, we support Rafa’s desire to start preparing in anticipation of this season.

“We expect Márquez to reintegrate with the team as soon as we have the exact date of our arrival in Mexico for the first part of the preseason.”

Márquez appeared in 10 regular-season games and both postseason matches for the Red Bulls after joining the club last summer. He, like fellow Designated Player Thierry Henry, will go through his first MLS preseason experience this year as he enters his first full season with the club.

Márquez made his professional debut at 17 years old with Atlas in 1996, and appeared in 77 matches for the club before leaving in 1999.

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Cardozo didn't see Galaxy selection coming

NEW YORK– Paolo Cardozo, theLA Galaxy’s first pick in the MLS SuperDraft, never expected that Bruce Arena would be the one to select him last week in Baltimore.

In attendance for the event, the diminutive Uruguayan believed all along that theColumbus Crewwould be his team of destiny. After all, it was Crew representatives who scouted him while he was playing in Argentina for the Quilmes reserve team.

But after the Crew took Indiana defender Rich Balchan with pick No. 12 and then Michigan’s Justin Meram at No. 15, Cardozo became puzzled and increasingly nervous.

“At the draft, {the Crew} spoke to me and my representative said that it could be Columbus to pick me,” Cardozo said on the FutbolMLS.com podcastTiro Libre.“I was very nervous. Team by team was passing and they weren’t picking me. Even teams that talked to me a lot.

“When {the Galaxy's} turn came, I wasn’t expecting it. It surprised me but luckily it was the Galaxy. I’m happy.”

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Los Angeles got a good look at him in three matches at the MLS Player Combine in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cardozo was a victim of nerves in a forgettable first game but then came on strong in his last two appearances. He showed true No. 10 qualities: a knack for always being around the ball and creating for his teammates.

Arena, who does not have a classic No. 10 playmaker on his roster, took a chance on the 21-year-old, who can be compared to Argentine Diego Buonanotte in both stature and technical ability. In MLS, he is more like a quicker and more mobile version of Philadelphia’sRoger Torres.

“We haven’t spoken on what {Bruce Arena} expects from me but he said he’s happy to have me in the group and wants me to work with the rest of the team,” Cardozo said. “I just really want to start training.”

For now, Cardozo is currently stationed in a Los Angeles hotel and in the meantime has already familiarized himself with the Home Depot Center. He is eager to get started and make a name for himself in the US to help his family, who until recently were residing in one of the poorer sections of Buenos Aires.

“I want to have a good preseason and play in as many games as possible and show people and the technical staff why they picked me,” Cardozo said. “That’s what I’m working on – to do the best possible.”

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Gringo Report preview: Ponce, Chivas eye 1st win

After getting mostly positive results last week, our American legion offutbolistascarry on to Week 3 in the Mexican Clausura tournament. There are some good matchups scheduled this weekend, so grab a hold of some chips and salsa, sit back and tune in.

Chivas de Guadalajara (0-0-2) vs. San Luis (2-0-0)

Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, Telemundo

American: MiguelÁngel Ponce (CHI)

Unlike their tame offense, Chivas’ defense has looked mostly solid in their first two games, and Ponce has been a big part of that. He will patrol the flank from his usual left back spot against a San Luis team who has played balanced, effective soccer to establish themselves as an early favorite.

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Santos (1-1-0) vs. Pachuca (1-0-1)

Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, Galavisión

American: José Francisco Torres, Hérculez Gómez (PAC)

Pachuca’s more defensive approach has paid dividends: Unbeaten in two games and no goals against. They’ll be hoping the confidence they carry from their two results translate onto Santos’ pitch, where they haven’t won since 2003. With no foreseeable change in tactics, Torres and Gómez could make late appearances.

Puebla (0-1-1) vs. Estudiantes Tecos (1-1-0)

Sunday, 12:55 p.m. ET, TV Azteca

Americans: Edgar Castillo (PUE); Daniel Atunéz, Samuel Ochoa (EST)

Castillo showed last week the skills that had the Mexican and US national teams vying for his services, putting forth a dynamic attacking display. He’ll look to do the same against Estudiantes, against whomla Franjawill try for their first win.

Estudiantes, fresh off a win against Apertura 2010 champs Monterrey, have a new look and will attempt to keep momentum going. To what extent Atunéz and Ochoa will participate is unknown. The first started in the first game of the season, but Ochoa has yet to see any action.

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América (0-1-1) vs. Tigres UANL (1-1-0)

Sunday, 5 p.m. ET, Univisión

American:Jonathan Bornstein(TIG)

Bornstein made his Mexican league debut last week in a win, but he did so in a holding midfielder role. With Mexican international Jorge Torres Nilo owning the left back spot, Bornstein should reprise his debut role against an América team still staggering in their attempt to find their old attacking style.

Best of the Rest:

Mexican Primera: Monterrey vs. Atlante (Sonny Guadarrama), Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, Telemundo

Mexican Primera: Querétaro (Isaác Acuña) vs. Morelia, Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, TeleFutura

Liga de Ascenso: León (Marco Vidal) vs. Indios de Ciudad Juárez (Joaquín Alonso), Saturday, 11 p.m. ET

Mexican Primera: Toluca vs. Jaguares de Chiapas (Francisco Javier López), Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Telemundo

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Taylor"elated" about going to Portland

After an injury hampered his senior season at the University of Tulsa, Chris Taylor knew his play in the 2011 MLS Combine would be crucial to realizing his dreams of playing in MLS.

“I knew I didn’t have the best senior year in terms of statistics,” Taylor said. “So I knew I had to go show what I could do {at the Combine}. I had to show people what got me onto the U-20 national team and made me successful there. There were definitely some nerves.”

Despite those nerves, Taylor was a player who saw his stock rise during the Combine in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

In the first game, the left back flew up and down his side of field and put himself into the attack. Meanwhile, he made sure his opponents didn’t make any progress on his flank. The Portland Timbers rewarded Taylor for his effort on by selecting him 22nd overall in last Thursday’s SuperDraft.

Taylor said he spoke with representatives from several clubs at the Combine, but the Timbers weren’t one of them.

University of Tulsa

He watched the live SuperDraft telecast on ESPN2, which televised only the first round, at home in Oklahoma. When his name wasn’t called, he switched over to MLSsoccer.com to monitor the second round, but technical difficulties with the live feed prevented him from hearing the next several picks. He missed his own name being called.

“I was on the phone with my dad and brother and they were having trouble seeing it, too,” Taylor said. “Then, all of a sudden, I get a text from my agent: ‘Portland!’”

Less than 15 minutes later, Taylor received a call from Timbers general manager Gavin Wilkinson and a text message from coach John Spencer.

“To be honest, I’m elated to be going to Portland,” Taylor said. “It’s a great opportunity.”

Taylor gives Portland depth at left back, a position that Wilkinson has called one of the most crucial for the way the Timbers expect to play. The team already hasRodney Wallace, who is likely to see time at that position.

At the Combine, Taylor demonstrated his versatility by filling in for a game at center back.

At Tulsa, where Taylor played a defensive midfield position, he missed three games in the middle of the 2010 season as he recovered from a partially torn quadriceps muscle. He attempted to play with the injury, but eventually took three weeks of complete rest to allow his leg to heal.

Taylor returned in time to help the Golden Hurricane reach the second round of the NCAA tournament.

At Portland, Taylor will join a roster that includes another former Tulsa standout, Ryan Pore.

He will also join forces with Hermann Trophy winner Darlington Nagbe of the University of Akron, the No. 2 selection in the SuperDraft.

“{Nagbe} has great feet, strength on the ball and he’s got quickness and awareness in tight spaces. He’s a fantastic player,” Taylor said of his new teammate, whom he played against three times in college. “I’m excited that he’s not going to be running at me anymore.”

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Boxall's int'l experience appealing to Vancouver

VANCOUVER– Vancouver Whitecaps FC opted to go international with the first pick in the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft on Tuesday, nabbing New Zealand native Michael Boxall out of UC Santa Barbara.

The club also selected midfielder Joe Anderson from Coastal Carolina University and defender Santiago Bedoya from Northeastern University.

This will not be Boxall’s first trip to Canada. The 6-foot-2 defender played for the All Whites at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, starting all three matches in the prestigious youth tournament. The 22-year-old also suited up for the U-23 national team at the 2008 Beijing Olympic, and has two caps with the senior nationalsquad.

“With him having Olympic and national team experience for New Zealand, we felt like he’s a guy that had good qualities, being a big imposing center back,” said general manager Tom Soehn of the team’s first pick.

WATCH:Michael Boxall highlights

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Working against Boxall, perhaps, is the fact that he would count on the roster as an international player (although the club has yet to officially use an international slot_. As it currently stands, no more than 10 places on the roster will go to players who are not Canadian or American.

“It’s always a concern because you only have so many international slots,” explained Soehn. “Ultimately, though, it will be up to him to prove that he deserves to have one of those. It does make it more difficult, but it’s no different than anyone else trying for one of those spots.”

The‘Caps also picked up Brampton, Ontario, native Anderson with their 19th overall selection in hopes that the 24-year-old Canadian can translate his collegiate scoring prowess into MLS success.

The 6-foot-1 attacker led Coastal Carolina to the NCAA tournament this season with a hat-trick in the Big South tournament championship game and netted 10 goals with one assist in two seasons at the school.

“Joe is more of a midfield/forward,” said Soehn. “He’s a big, tall, lanky player with good athleticism and good technique. There’s an upside to him and obviously he’s Canadian, which is a bonus.”

Bedoya was the Whitecaps’ final draft pick. Fans will likely recognize the name, as the 22-year-old is the younger brother of talented US national team midfielder Alejandro Bedoya.

“He’s someone that was recommended to us pretty highly and they felt he could make it in the right environment” said Soehn. “He’s an attacking left back who gets his share of assists. He’s athletic, he’s got a good engine getting up and down the line, and he’s got a bloodline with his brother.”

Soehn insists that despite the fact that these three players were not selected during the MLS SuperDraft last week, they’ll be given the same opportunity as every other player at camp.

“Come first day of camp, they’re all starting equal,” emphasized Soehn. “You don’t evaluate where they were picked. They all show up the same and they have to prove themselves.”

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Follow the Supplemental Draft on MLSsoccer.com

The 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft takes place on Tuesday afternoon at 2 pm ET. Join MLSsoccer.com for up-to-the-minute coverage of all the developments, including all three rounds of the draft and any trades or moves made during the day.

On MLSsoccer.com, follow along on the updatedlive draft tracker. Or get realtime updates on Twitter at the@MLS_Insiderfeed.

After the draft is over, MLSsoccer.com will have continuing coverage and analysis of the day's events.

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Savage: I'm torn by Whitecaps opportunity

Derby County midfielder Robbie Savage said a move to the Vancouver Whitecaps is very much a possibility, but it'll be a difficult decision to make.

The 36-year-old made the admission in his weekly column forThe Daily Mirroron Friday.

"Vancouver Whitecaps of the MLS have offered me a chance to play for them,"Savage wrote."On one hand, it's a beautiful city, an amazing new stadium and the chance to be in at the start of something exciting.

"On the other, I worry about leaving Derby in the lurch, saying a temporary goodbye to friends and family and missing out on talking to fans every week on 606."

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Savage was referring to a soccer-themed radio show he hosts on BBC Radio 5, called606. Savage has said in the past that he's interested in a career in media after he retires from playing. He recently won a national award, the Plain English Award, which recognizes commentators who avoid using jargon and speaking"gobbledygook."

"I'm torn by it all,"Savage continued."Stay in England and continue with the media career I've worked hard to build over the past year? Or take a big leap into the unknown— albeit in a city where my wife Sarah already has family?"

The Welshman also expressed concerns— initially raised by Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand through a Twitter conversation— about moving his two young sons to a new country and the impact that could have on their lives.

The Daily Mirrorfirst reported that Savage was a Vancouver Whitecaps target on Thursday. For the move to happen, though, it's likely Derby would have to let Savage go on a free transfer. However, Vancouver's part-owner Jeff Mallett also owns a share of Derby and could help make the transfer happen.

Known for his feisty character and crunching tackles— he was once ranked the dirtiest player in the EPL by a British newspaper— Savage has played in the top English leagues for over 16 years, starting his career in Manchester United’s youth system before spells with Crewe Alexandra, Leicester City, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers and now Derby County.

"I've got to be honest and say that part of the lure of Vancouver for me is the chance to keep playing,"Savage wrote."For all my planning for a life without football, I'm not ready to even think about retiring. For me, it's like thinking about death."

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Klopas: We expect Castillo back for preseason

Chicago Firetechnical director Frank Klopas said he expects Designated Player Nery Castillo to report to preseason camp, despite rumors linking the Mexican forward to a Greek club.

According to a Mexican report published Wednesday, Castillo wrote on his Facebook account that he and his brother Alex– who serves as his agent – are currently in Greece “negotiating with a European club. Hopefully everything goes well and we can make the move.”

Klopas– who brought Castillo to Chicago last summer – was asked about Castillo's comments in a conference call with reporters after Thursday’s SuperDraft.

“Nery is a member of the Fire,” Klopas said. “We expect him to be back in preseason with the team. That’s all I can tell you. My main focus has been on the draft.”

Castillo signed a one-and-a-half year contract with the Fire last summer but can opt out of the deal in June. The mercurial striker, who played with Greek club Olympiacos from 2000-2007, failed to score or tally an assist in eight appearances with Chicago last year.

Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. Email him atsam.h.stejskal@gmail.comand follow him on Twitter @samstejskal.

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Chivas USA looking for impact player

Despite nearly two feet of snow falling on some parts of the Eastern seaboard in the last 36 hours, the 2011 MLS SuperDraft will go ahead as planned on Thursday evening in Baltimore.

AndChivas USA– with the fourth overall pick – will be looking for a player that can make an immediate impact next season.

“We’d like to find a player who we think can come in and help us right away,” new Chivas USA head coach Robin Fraser told MLSsoccer.com on Wednesday afternoon. “If you’re in a situation where you have a number of players in positions already and you’re very deep, then this draft – andany draft – is less significant for you. But when you’re in the building stages – as we are – we’re certainly hoping to get a player that can help us right away.”

Chivas USA endured a disappointing 2010 season, finishing the year at the bottom of the Western Conference with an 8-4-18 record. But after several front office changes and with Fraser now at the helm, the team is eager to turn things around next year.

“We have more needs than an established team,” Fraser said. “For us, we could certainly improve in several areas. While we have very good players in certain areas, we are pretty wide open. Probably the wisest thing we can do is to have a couple of contingency plans. We’re never sure exactlywho will be there. That said, I’m confident that we can get somebody who can help us.”

The 2011 SuperDraft is loaded with talent. An accomplished group of college players is joined by several young players from South America to make up what is likely one of the best player pools of the last few years.

“There are a couple of interesting players, for sure,” Fraser said. “I feel like, in the past, it always seems like there have been a number of players in a certain position. Some years there were a bunch of outside backs, some years it was center-backs. This year, the talent is kind of all over the place. There is no specific position that’s overloaded. There are some decent players at a number of positions.”

Fraser has certainly had a busy few weeks with the move from Salt Lake to Southern California. But the newly-minted Goats head coach insists he’s had plenty of time to evaluate this year’s crop of talent.

“I’m pretty well-acquainted with this draft class,” he said. “No matter how busy or tight your schedule is, it’s an important mechanism by which we can make teams better. It’s always important that you dedicate enough time to {scouting} that you feel like you have a decent feel for theseplayers.

“I think we’ve done enough that we feel like we have a pretty good handle on where the talent lies this year.”

Chivas USA also hold a pick in the third round, the 40th overall.

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Fire plan to draft best player available

TheChicago Firefront office has a lot of work to do– and not a whole lot of time to do it.

Numerous offseason departures decimated the Fire’s roster, leaving them with just 19 players under contract – 11 players short of the roster size limit of 30. Chicago will want to fill out the majority of their squad before preseason training begins later this month. They’ll resume that process on Thursday, when they’ll head into the MLS SuperDraft with four valuable picks.

Chicago have the No. 9 pick overall, as well as picks at Nos. 45, 49 and 51.

“We need to add players,” said Fire technical cirector Frank Klopas, who is in South Florida scouting potential draft targets at the Combine. “We’ve lost players in the front line, we’ve lost players in the back line and we’ve lost players in the middle, so we need to replace those players and the draft is one way to do that.”

Klopas said that he was impressed with the quality of play at the Combine, but that he’ll base his draft-day decisions on far more than the three-day camp.

“There are a lot of good players here, but thankfully we’ve seen almost all them before, which I think is really important,"he said."If you try to base your decision-making on everything you see here, you’ll get it wrong because a lot of the guys are not at their best fitness levels, so I think the good thing for us is that we’ve been able to scout heavily beforehand and we put that information in and we share the information and analyze before we get here and then we arrive and get to see the players for a few more days and rank them accordingly.”

The Fire lost eight players who started at one time during the 2010 season, including starsBrian McBride(retirement),Freddie Ljungberg(signed with Celtic FC) andWilman Conde(signed with Atlas). Fire captain CJ Brown also retired, while midfieldersJohn ThorringtonandPeter Lowrywere both snatched up in the Expansion Draft.

The team also parted ways with defender Krysztof Krol and strikerCollins John. They added formerNew England Revolutiondefender Corey Gibbs in the Re-Entry Draft before scooping up Daniel Paladini (Carolina Railhawks) and Josep Mikulic (NK Zagreb) on Tuesday.

Though the Fire are looking dangerously thin at forward after the McBride and John losses, Klopas indicated that the club will draft the best available player– regardless of position – with all four of their selections.

“We lost players in every line,” he said. “Which way we go with our pick – whether it’s a guy in the back or in the front – is going to depend on the player available at that moment.”

Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. Email him atsam.h.stejskal@gmail.comand follow him on Twitter @samstejskal.

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As players adjust, Combine play"unbelievable"

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla.– With the nerves and uncertainty of Day 1 out of the way, Day 2 of the MLS Combine yielded crisper play, more goals, and two entertaining matches. Players had a new level of familiarity with each other, and could make the proper adjustments to improve on Monday.

Having Sunday off to rest and recover from the first day of games on Saturday also added a sense of freshness as the hopefuls set out to make another impression while on the field.

For AdiZero forward Will Bruin, the day off was welcome.

“Yesterday I got to relax and lay around and get my legs back, but they’re going to be sore tonight,” Bruin said.

One of the Generation adidas signings out of Indiana, Bruin had an extremely quick turnaround Friday night. He was in St. Louis as a finalist for the Hermann Trophy announcement, and flew early Saturday morning to be in Ft. Lauderdale in time for the combine.

Most of these players– if not all – are playing full-sided matches for the first time since their respective college seasons came to an end, and it’s working against them.

“I’m definitely not there 100 percent, because this is my first time playing full side 11-v-11 since the end of the season ... so I’m going to have some soreness here or there,” Bruin said. “I still got a lot of things that I could do that I haven’t really shown yet.”

For some players, like Steven Beattie of Northern Kentucky, getting to play alongside AdiPower teammate Corey Hertzog was a great one, while the play on the field struck a chord with the Division II Player of the Year.

“The standard is what I expected – unbelievable,” Beattie said. “There’s not a bad player out there, there’s no easy games.”

The second day of games were a bit kinder to the Irish striker, who had a hand in Hertzog’s two goals. It was a nice contrast from Saturday.

“Two days ago no one could really find their feet, couldn’t really find each other, most of us had flown in the day before,” Beattie said. “I knew today was going to be a lot better.”

The coaches of each combine team used different looks and different formation. Some players spent the full 90 minutes on the field, while others only a half. This made it an even greater challenge to create some kind of understanding between the new players.

Bruin, who spent 45 minutes on the field for AdiZero Monday, lamented the need to press and adapt knowing his time on the field could be short.

“It’s good to get these games going, it’s a great atmosphere, but only playing a half it’s a little hard to get into the flow of the game, because once you start reading people, and start combining with people and knowing where their going to be, the half’s over,” he said.

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Report: Beckham-to-Tottenham loan not dead

TheLA Galaxy’sDavid Beckhammay yet still join English Premier side Tottenham Hotspur on a two-month loan.

Following Tottenham’s 3-0 win over Charlton in the FA Cup on Sunday evening, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp said he’s still “hopeful” that the club could still bring the 35-year-old midfielder to White Hart Lane.

“Hopefully it could still happen,” Redknapp told media, according to the Associated Press. “The situation is ongoing.”

Redknapp’s comments were a different tune than the one he had sung just hours earlier, when he had indicated that the Beckham deal was a “no-goer.”

“I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Redknapp had told SkySports News. “It would have been good to have him here available to play for us, but it couldn't happen. …It's not a problem, you just get on with it."

Instead, Beckham would only train with Tottenham until Feb. 10 to keep fit before returning to Los Angeles for the Galaxy's preseason, said a statement issued on the English club’s website.

Beckham will start training with the London-based club this week. The Galaxy haven’t officially confirmed anything regarding the loan deal, but have stated they want their star back by the start of the MLS season.

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For Combine players, first-day jitters out of the way

LAUDERHILL, Fla.– Day one of the combine has come and gone, and for the aspiring professional players, that can only be a good thing.

Performances on Saturday won’t make or break the future MLS talent, but the nerves and excitement of finally competing on this stage certainly adds a tough wrinkle for the players involved.

The amount of experience and skill on display at this year’s Combine is certainly impressive. However, by nature, it can also be a difficult environment to succeed in, as evidenced by the day’s opening play.

“It was a little bit hectic,” said midfielder Michael Farfan, who was part of the AdiZero team that lost 2-1 to the Jabulani squad on Saturday. “Everyone’s running 100 miles per hour, as everyone’s kind of excited to be out here playing finally.”

Not only did the frenetic pace make the game hard to keep up with, the fact that most of the players hadn’t spent time any significant time on the field together added an extra ounce of difficulty.

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“This was the first time we’ve ever played together,” Farfan said. “It would have been nice to have a practice before to just kind of learn people’s tendencies a little bit, but today we got to know each other a little bit and I think it’ll help us to the next game.”

Despite the uncertainly existing between the new teams, that didn’t detract from the excitement. One of Farfan’s opponents on Saturday, C.J. Sapong, was just happy to be playing with his new teammates.

“It was great to get out there,” he said. “Everyone’s been kind of jittery with the start up to the weekend. Everybody got to know each other. It’s really exciting being out there with all this talent.”

One of those new teammates was Justin Meram, a forward from Michigan. The two paired up nicely on Saturday, forming an impressive attacking duo considering they just met this week.

Before the game, the two discussed playing styles and tactics to try and figure out how to best play together. It almost led to a goal for Jabulani. In one particular play, Meram led a counterattack and set up Sapong, who had his shot saved by AdiZero‘keeper Josh Ford.

Missing the chance was a disappointment for Sapong, though he wasn’t dwelling on it.

“I could have finished the chance, but you don’t want to focus on the negatives,” Sapong said. “It’s only one game. There are two more to go and I have to keep trying to play to the best of my ability.”

Meram was happy to get that first day out of the way.

“I thought I did pretty good, was a bit of a threat, got some shots off,” he said. “First day, you get the nerves out.”

With one combine game in the books for every player– and a day off on Sunday – the next round of action should produce a more cohesive and crisp product as the former college stars gear up for Monday’s action.

AdiPure will play Jabulani at 11:15 a.m. ET. The match will be immediately followed by AdiPower vs. AdiZero at 1 p.m. ET. Both games will be streamed live on MLSsoccer.com.

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Gringo Report: Herculez ready to feature versus América

It’s a new start down in Mexico, as teams prepare to take the pitch for the first game of the Clausura 2011 season. With everyone looking to jump out to a hot start, this weekend promises some fine action. So grab a hold of some chips and salsa, sit back, and tune in, amigos.

Mexican Clausura, Wk. 1

Cruz Azul (0-0-0) vs. Estudiantes (0-0-0)

Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, TV Azteca

American: Samuel Ochoa (EST)

With a new year comes new hope for Estudiantes. Ochoa will look to take hold of a striker spot and help the Guadalajara-based club– which brought in some much-needed reinforcements and a new coach – rebound from a second-worst 4-10-3 record in the Apertura 2010. A win in their first match would be a huge boost for Estudiantes, but it won't be easy. They face a tough Cruz Azul squad coming in with a chip on their shoulder after a premature Apertura playoff exit.

Puebla (0-0-0) vs. Chivas (0-0-0)

MexSport

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, TV Azteca

Americans: Edgar Castillo (PUE), MiguelÁngel Ponce (CHI)

It’s a battle between American left backs when Ponce and Chivas visit Castillo and Puebla. Castillo, who arrived at Puebla during the transfer window, will look to claim a regular spot on a team that promised much but delivered little during the Apertura. Chivas also didn’t live up to expectationslast tournament and will hope to regain the offensive firepower – and confidence – they lacked.

América (0-0-0) vs. Pachuca (0-0-0)

Sunday, 5 p.m. ET, Univisión

Americans: José Francisco Torres, Hérculez Gómez (PAC)

In the Apertura, Pachuca were a far cry from the dominant squad it had been in years before, just barely squeezing into the playoffs. The Tuzos have lost their top scorer, Darío Cvitanich, due to loan expiration. Luckily for Gómez, this should mean a promotion from super sub to starting forward, with Torres feeding him from the midfield. In front of Pachuca will be an América team itching to display quality attacking soccer that they strayed from last tournament.

Liga de Ascenso, Wk. 1

León (0-0-0) vs. Atlante Neza (0-0-0)

Saturday, 9 p.m. ET

American: Marco Vidal (LEO)

One of the most storied clubs in Mexican soccer, León is craving a return to the top flight. Winning the Apertura tournament would give them a chance to return to the Mexican Primera, and the club felt that Vidal – formerly one of three American amigos at Pachuca – had a skillset that would help them. Atlante Neza finished last in the Apertura,but their desire to improve should be trumped by a revamped Leóndesperate to make it back to the first tier.

Best of the Rest:

Mexican Primera: Necaxa vs. Jaguares (Francisco Javier López), Friday, 6 p.m. ET, TV Azteca

Mexican Primera: Querétaro (Isaac Acuña) vs. Tigres (Jonathan Bornstein– injured), Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, TeleFutura

Mexican Primera: Santos vs. Atlante (Sonny Guadarrama), Saturday, 8 p.m. ET

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New York's Agudelo going coast-to-coast for US

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.–New York Red BullsforwardJuan Agudelois in high demand these days.

After playing the first half for the USA Under-20 national team on Thursday in a scoreless draw against a South Florida select team, the 18-year-old headed to the airport for a cross-country flight to join Bob Bradley’s US national team camp at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

“As soon as I start thinking ‘a lot too soon,’ I start to change the subject in my mind,” Agudelo told MLSsoccer.com on Thursday. “I want to stay modest and humble the whole time. I don’t want to be one of those players who starts off good and then, throughout his career, slows down. I want to keep improving.”

Agudelo plays on the right wing in Thomas Rongen’s 4-3-3 set-up with the Under-20s, where his duties involve taking players on and sending in crosses from the flank. Bradley employs him as the support forward in a 4-4-2 formation of the senior team, asking him to check back in order to get the ball on his feet.

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He executed that role to perfection in South Africa in November, starting and finishing the play for the game-winning goal in his first ever appearance for the senior side.

“Everybody going to the {senior USMNT} camp is going to work their hardest to be on the roster to face Chile {on Jan. 22},” Agudelo said. “I’m going there to work hard, hopefully start that game and get another goal.”

In addition to making his USMNT debut in South Africa, Agudelo joined the Generation adidas team for a three-match tour of Madrid, Spain during the offseason. His performances earned him the attention of La Liga clubs, but the Red Bulls have been adamant that they are not interested in offers for their prized jewel.

Agudelo says that New York manager Hans Backe has not yet given him any indication as to how his role with the club may change in 2011, but he says he’s hoping to learn more when the Red Bulls training camp kicks off.

“I just want to keep improving and getting better,” said Agudelo. “That’s just what I’ve been doing my while life and I feel like I’ve been getting better each and every year.

“I’ve been improving really fast and I’m trying to stay focused, keep on doing what I love and hopefully get some more playing time with the Red Bulls.”

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MLS SuperDraft trimmed to three rounds

NEW YORK– Major League Soccer officials announced Wednesday that the MLS SuperDraft will return to a three-round event this year, and the following Supplemental Draft will return this year and will also consist of three rounds.

The 2011 MLS SuperDraft will be held at the NSCAA Convention in Baltimore on Jan. 13, and MLS clubs will have the opportunity to make additional player selections in the annual Supplemental Draft, which will be held via conference call on Tuesday, Jan. 18. The Supplemental Draft was discontinued by the league in 2009 and also did not take place in 2010.

The SuperDraft switch to three rounds was made in conjunction with input received from MLS clubs, coaches and players. A league spokesman explained that the change to the SuperDraft takes into consideration the increasing number of selections in each round, which have nearly doubled with the addition of new expansion clubs in recent years. The 10 picks per round back in 2004 have since given way to this year’s 18 selections in each of the three rounds.

Next week, each team will have four minutes to make a selection in rounds one and two, and three minutes in the third round. A five-minute break will separate each of the three rounds and every club also has the option of using a single five-minute timeout.

All previous trades that involved a fourth-round pick in the SuperDraft will still be honored, with those fourth-round picks converted into a selection in the first round of the Supplemental Draft.

The first round of the 2011 SuperDraft will be broadcast on ESPN2. Coverage of the remaining two rounds will be carried by MLSsoccer.com.

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Wingert, Borchers praise outgoing coach Fraser

TwoReal Salt Lakeplayers who will perhaps miss former assistant coach Robin Fraser more than anyone spoke up Tuesday, just hours afterChivas USAscooped up Fraser to become the Goats’ sixth head coach in franchise history

Chris WingertandNat Borchersboth had similar paths under Fraser, who was a two-time MLS Defender of the Year during his 10-year playing career.

“Chris and I both feel that Robin’s been huge to our success individually as players – we’ve both basically grown up with him as players,” Borchers told MLSSoccer.com. “It’s tough to see him go, but quite frankly he’s due.”

Borchers was a rookie in Colorado in 2003, and played alongside Fraser with the Rapids before Fraser eventually retired following the 2005 season.

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“I can’t say enough about how much Robin’s meant to me and my success,” Borchers said. “I played with him my rookie year in the league. I played right next to him, and learned a ton that year.

“I probably wouldn’t have come to Salt Lake if it wasn’t for him recommending me to the coaching staff and organization,” Borchers added.

Following the 2003 season, the then-37-year-old Fraser moved onto Columbus, where he won his second Defender of the Year award. There was another wide-eyed rookie who played with Fraser there, too: Wingert.

“He was the captain of theColumbus Crewwhen I came in as a rookie,” Wingert said. “To have a guy like that to learn from is just incredible.”

Like Borchers, Wingert also came to his current club largely due to the influence of Fraser.

“I was actually on a flight out to LA to go sign with them.Chris Albrighthad just gotten hurt and they needed a right back, and so they asked me to come out there,” Wingert said. “And on my way, Robin had called me and said, ‘Do you want to come to Salt Lake?’ We notified LA, and it was a really tough decision for me to make. With Robin taking over as one of the assistants, I felt that {Salt Lake} could be a place where I could succeed.”

Both players credit Fraser for many of the positives that have happened to them throughout their career, both personally and for the clubs that they have played for. They point to Fraser as being instrumental in the defensive success of Real Salt Lake last season– a defense that set a league record for fewest goals allowed (20).

“To be a head coach in this league you have to have a lot of characteristics, and I think one of his best characteristics is leadership,” Borchers said. “He’s a great leader in terms of what he does and what he says. He’s extremely personable, and he definitely cares about his players, and about the job he has to do. And I think he’s a master tactician – he’s very intelligent in the way he prepares his teams. And he’s got the will to win.

“You package all of those attributes up, and you’ve got a heck of a coach.”

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Marshall excited to"get going" at Colorado

Tyrone Marshallwould have liked to spend his last few weeks before preseason on the beach in his native Jamaica, but now that he is officially aColorado Rapidsplayer, he will instead spend that time relocating with his family to the Rocky Mountains.

The 36-year-old veteran central defender agreed terms Monday with the Rapids after the club selected him in the second stage of the Re-Entry Draft on Dec. 15. Marshall, who told MLSsoccer.com he has signed a one-year deal with the option for one more year, said he was glad the lengthy negotiation process is now over.

“I am excited we are in agreement and we can get going,” he told MLSsoccer.com “I wanted to get this sorted before preseason starts.”

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Marshall was the Sounders' Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 but saw less playing time last season in Seattle. He knows he also faces an uphill battle to challengeDrew MoorandMarvell Wynnefor a starting spot in the center of the back four now that he is a Rapid.

“Those two guys won a cup together and it is what it is,” he said. “There are a lot of games coming up. Things happen and it is good to have some kind of depth so that you are not going to lose a beat if someone else comes in.”

Marshall is already familiar with the Rapids organization. He was originally drafted by Colorado in 1998, but only played in one game for the club. Furthermore, he knows a number of the current players on the team's current roster --Omar Cummingsfrom their time together with the Jamaican national team,Pablo Mastroenifrom their time at Miami,Brian Mullanfrom their days with theLA Galaxydays, and Wynne when they shared the pitch in Toronto -- and is looking forward to meeting up with them in Denver.

Marshall said he hopes to see out his playing career in Colorado with the aim of getting into coaching once he hangs up his boots. For now, however, he is focused on working as hard as he can to contribute to the team in a center back role and help the Rapids defend their MLS Cup title.

“I can read the game better there in the middle, organize things and make sure things are right,” he said. “I’ll leave the outside to the younger guys.”

The Rapids are due back for preseason the week of Jan. 24.

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