Thursday, January 15, 2009

RSL's Draft Picks

First Round, #12 Overall:
Jean Alexandre

Position: Midfielder
School: Lynn University
Hometown: Haiti (holds US Greencard)
Age: 22
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 190
Links: 2008 SSC Player of the Year, Lynn University Roster, Ranked 1st in Scoring in Div II
Lagerwey says: “The staff felt that Jean was one of the best athletes at the [adidas MLS Player] Combine. With us moving to a fast and wide field at Rio Tinto Stadium, we feel the need to bring in athletic and versatile players, and selecting Jean helps us accomplish those goals. We took a chance taking a kid from a smaller school, but Jeff Cassar and I both have numerous contacts in South Florida from our Miami Fusion days that we contacted about Jean, so we felt very comfortable taking a chance with him at that pick.”

Fourth Round #54 Overall:
Raphael Cox

Position: Midfielder
School: University of Washington
Hometown: Tacoma, Wa
Age: 22
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 145
Links: Tacoma Tide draft article, University of Washington roster
Lagerwey says: “Raphael’s a left-sided midfielder, and we felt the need to add a true left-sided player to the team during this draft. He’s a very athletic and technical player that will be an exciting addition to the squad.”

Fourth Round #57 Overall:
Mfana'Futhi Bhembe







(pic courtesy of Julie Fizer)


Position:
Forward
School: Alabama A&M
Hometown: Mbabane, Swaziland
Age: 26
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 155
Links: Ranked 3rd in Scoring in NCAA
Lagerwey says: “Futhi was the fifth leading goal scorer in Division I this season. He’s a quick attacking player that got things done at the collegiate level, so we’re anxious to see if that can translate to the pros.”