WASHINGTON -- Blessed with two first-round picks in a talent-laden year, D.C. United will enter Thursday's MLS SuperDraft with a more bullish attitude than in recent offseasons, even as the club's technical staff continues to view the draft as a vehicle for long-range player development first and foremost.
A strong 2009 crop of Generation adidas signings has further bolstered an array of talented college products on offer in St. Louis, and while United head coach Tom Soehn and general manager Dave Kasper take pains to downplay the potential impact of any rookie additions, they nonetheless seem eager to add depth and create competition for playing time as they build this year's squad.
"I think of all the years, it's a really intriguing group of players," said Soehn on Friday. "A couple of them are deciding to do other options, which would've made it even deeper, but we're still excited with the core of guys that are coming out."
That approach stands in notable contrast to the club's situation 12 months ago. The 2008 SuperDraft took place in Baltimore, barely half an hour up the road from their RFK Stadium home, but at that point United was squarely focused on the international market -- as the unveiling of five South American signings, led by designated player Marcelo Gallardo, would soon confirm.
According to Soehn, that strategy was dictated by prevailing circumstances both at home and abroad. United had just three '08 SuperDraft selections -- only one of which, winger Ryan Cordeiro, ever saw time in a D.C. uniform -- and the underperformance of several of those foreign acquisitions in a disappointing campaign has given him and Kasper plenty to think about.
"I think every year's a learning experience," said the third-year boss. "But as of last year, we didn't really have the ability to acquire any young Americans. Now this year we're positioned ourselves pretty well in a pretty strong draft."
The Black-and-Red braintrust traditionally focus on selecting the most talented players available rather than address specific positional needs. But this time around there is enough eye-catching talent on offer that United's possession of the fifth and sixth overall picks could lead to more immediate contributions than D.C. normally expects from its rookie crop.
"[The coaches] don't expect them to come in and be a starter," said Marc Burch, who last week inked a new contract with D.C. "But if they come in and beat someone else out -- if they beat me out, if they beat [right back Bryan] Namoff out, if they beat one of our forwards out, that's good for them and that just shows that they want it more than the guys on our team do. We have enough players to where we're not going to expect them to come in, but if they prove they can, then no one's afraid to put in a player that has the ability to play."
A prolific striker in college, Burch was taken by the LA Galaxy in the second round of the 2006 SuperDraft, only to switch positions and clubs before finding a home as a defender with United. That sort of developmental path helps illustrate the reasons behind Kasper's cautious approach to draftees.
"I think there's a little bit more expectation for a first-round pick to succeed," said the longtime United GM. "But we identify players we think have the qualities to be successful at the next level. All the players we'll be identifying and eventually select -- given that opportunity, they have to run with it. But it is a big change. They're now professionals, playing virtually 10 months of the year. The nature of the process, you never know. Some players are not going to make it for various reasons."
But the quantity of top prospects this year might just enable the capital club to land a few potential stars for the seasons ahead.
"We actually have some quality guys that we think we can get, and also build around for the future," said Soehn of Thursday's event. "So we feel like we're in pretty good shape to draft some kids that can help us."
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