The Tampa Bay Mutiny continued its team overhaul when it made a pair of trades June 29. Tampa sent midfielder Josh Keller and a first-round pick in the 1999 College Draft to Chicago for defensive midfielder Jorge Salcedo, and then sent defender Mike Duhaney to the MetroStars for midfielder Paul Dougherty. Salcedo and Dougherty are expected to join the Mutiny today and will be available for the team’s July 4 home match against New England. Salcedo, 25, is already well-traveled within MLS. He spent the league’s first season with Los Angeles, 1997 with Columbus, and had been with the Chicago Fire this season. He has three goals and nine assists in his MLS career. “We’re delighted to be able to acquire Jorge Salcedo,” said Mutiny GM Nick Sakiewicz. “Not only is he a strong, solid player on the field, he’s also a model citizen off the field… While we are giving up a good young talent in Josh as well as a first-round college pick, we felt this was a deal we had to make.” “Jorge is a ball-winner and we need that kind of player,” explained Tampa Bay coach Tim Hankinson. “He will provide an excellent link from our defense to our attack and will be a great leader on the field. I think Josh Keller will become an outstanding player in time, but Jorge is already an outstanding player and we need him now to make us better. In Keller, Chicago receives the Mutiny’s first selection in the 1998 College Draft. He has played over 600 minutes for Tampa Bay this season. “Keller is a smart young midfielder that we believe fits well with our team,” said Chicago coach Bob Bradley. “In addition, the first-round college draft pick will allow us to bring another good quality young player to our team next season.” The 5-foot-3 inch Dougherty returns to Tampa, where he played with the Rowdies in 1993. The English native has had a long and successful career in the U.S. in both indoor and outdoor soccer. In his first season in MLS, he has tallied three goals and nine assists for the MetroStars. “As with all trades, this was a tough one to make,” said Sakiewicz. “Mike [Duhaney] has been a very solid player for us over the last season and a half and I know he will do an outstanding job with the MetroStars. “But we have a great deal of confidence in R.T. Moore and his ability to play the left fullback position and we felt we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to add to our firepower with a player like Paul Dougherty.” “I have known Paul for a long time,” added Hankinson. “He has outstanding skill and will add another dimension to our midfield. he is also a tremendous fighter and that’s the kind of player we need at this time. I know Paul leaves everything he has on the field every time he plays and I’m looking forward to that type of excitement and energy from him as we head into the second half of the season.” Duhaney, who missed the inaugural MLS campaign due to injury, logged over 2,000 minutes for Tampa Bay last season en route to earning Rookie of the Year honors. He continued to be a starter for the Mutiny this year and tallied his first career MLS point in Tampa’s 2-1 loss at Miami on June 27. “With Tab (Ramos) and Marcelo (Vega) on their way back from the World Cup, and Miles Joseph healthy again, we were having a tough time finding a place for Paul to play,” said Metros GM Charlie Stillitano. “Mike Duhaney will give us some much-needed speed on our back line and provide us with even more all-around depth.” The MetroStars also waived Joe Munoz and Travis Roy.
