Flurry of allocations before draft
MLS announced several more allocations as the countdown to the draft continued, bringing the total number of players signed to 39.
Each of the 10 MLS teams, except for Colorado, has now been assigned its full allotment of four allocated players. The Rapids will announce their fourth player Feb. 6
U.S. defender Marcelo Balboa will play for the Colorado Rapids, Italy and AC Milan midfielder Roberto Donadoni is going to the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, Ecuadoran national team forward Eduardo Hurtado and El Salvadoran Mauricio Cienfuegos will play for the Los Angeles Galaxy, Colombian midfielder Leonel Alvarez joins the Dallas Burn, and Alexi Lalas’ Padova teammate Giuseppe Galderisi joins him on the New England Revolution.
U.S. national team veterans Brian Bliss and Cle Kooiman go to the Columbus Crew and Tampa Bay Mutiny, respectively. Uruguay’s Adrian Paz joins Bliss on the Crew.
New England also gets the A-League’s New York Centaurs goalkeeper Jim St. Andre, the Kansas City Wiz gets indoor veteran Preki, the San Jose Clash gets Nigerian defender Ben Iroha and Washington D.C. United adds Bolivian striker Juan Berthy Suarez.
The draft order, which was announced Feb. 5, is:
1. Columbus Crew
2. Colorado Rapids
3. Dallas Burn
4. Los Angeles Galaxy
5. New England Revolution
6. Kansas City Wiz
7. Tampa Bay Mutiny
8. San Jose Clash
9. New York/New Jersey MetroStars
10. Washington D.C. United