Sounders FC Announces Protected Players for 2011 MLS Expansion Draft

RENTON, WASH. – Seattle Sounders FC has submitted the list of protected players for the 2011 Major League Soccer Expansion Draft, to be held on Wednesday, November 23 at 12 p.m. PT. The League’s 19th team, the Montreal Impact, will begin to take shape following the 10-round draft. The event will be streamed live on MLSsoccer.com.

Seattle Sounders Press Release

Montreal to Select from Unprotected Players on Wednesday, November 23

“Given the fact we’ve lost three players to expansion drafts the past two seasons we are bracing ourselves for the possibility of losing someone,” said Sounders FC general manager Adrian Hanauer. “Despite those losses we have developed a deep squad and grown stronger. We couldn’t protect everyone, so some of those who contributed significantly to our success are bound to be exposed. It will be interesting to see how Montreal approaches this.”

See what Sounders fansite SounderatHeart.com says about the Seattle protected list.

Each current MLS club has had the opportunity to protect 11 players from their 2011 roster. Generation adidas players (who did not graduate at the end of the 2011 season) and Homegrown players are automatically protected and do not count against a team’s 11 protected roster spots. Designated Players do not have to be protected unless the player has a no trade clause in his contract. MLS Clubs may lose no more than one player from their 2011 roster during the Expansion Draft.

At the conclusion of the Expansion Draft teams may resume trading. The Expansion Draft details are listed below:

Protected

Alonso, Osvaldo

Evans, Brad

Fernandez, Alvaro

Friberg, Erik

Hurtado, Jhon Kennedy

Montero, Fredy

Neagle, Lamar

Ochoa, Sammy

Parke, Jeff

Rosales, Mauro

Zakuani, Steve

*Tetteh, Michael (automatically protected as Generation adidas player)

Mike Fucito could make an impact in Montreal after being left unprotected today by the Sounders (Rick Morrison)

Non-Protected

Boss, Terry

Carrasco, Servando

Estrada, David

Ford, Josh

Fucito, Mike

Gonzalez, Leo

Graham, Taylor

Ianni, Patrick

Jaqua, Nate

Levesque, Roger

Meredith, Bryan

Montano, Miguel

Noonan, Pat

Riley, James

Sanyang, Amadou

Scott, Zach

Seamon, Michael

Wahl, Tyson

White, O’Brian

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6 Comments on “Sounders FC Announces Protected Players for 2011 MLS Expansion Draft”

Scott
November 21, 2011

The surprise unprotected were Riley and Fucito, although Fucito not so much.
Protecting Evans? Why? The Sounders have so much money they want to keep overpaying a benchwarmer? Protect Neagle and Ochoa? Those were relaimation projects,

Hurtado? I love the guy, but he loses races to tortoisses. Three legged toroises.

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goalWA.net
November 21, 2011

I agree with the list except for Evans. Theoretically a talented, attack-oriented holding or wide midfielder is an important commodity. Unfortunately, Evans hasn’t been any good since early 2009.

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TC
November 22, 2011

I would have kept Fucito over Evans- Not sure what they were thinking there, but I am not the coach, so there must be a strategy

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MGB
November 22, 2011

I hope they don’t lose Riley. Also it seems like a lot of unprotected backs who have seen significant playing time – I guess they don’t plan on losing all of them . . .

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Foot76
November 22, 2011

I like the list too, but Mike Fucito and Riley should have been protected other than??? Don’t get me wrong I hate to lose anyone I still can’t get over Sanna Nyassi but I don’t think we will be hurting. It dose make me excited about the open transfer window.

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Kitsap Kid
November 22, 2011

I like Fuctio as a player, but I heard he had a fallen out with Zigi so if he’s gonna be a negative person in the locker room… see ya later! It is better for him anyway, he needs to go get more playing time somewhere else, the clock is ticking, given this american system (although things are changing) you usually don’t become pro till your 22-23 years old, which is pretty old in the soccer world. Anyway best of luck to him, I’m guess he will score a bunch of goals for some else.
I love that they protected Lamar!! I do not think Ocho is going to produce a lot of goals for us, he is not fast enough, but in the MLS you need someone who is gonna bang around up top for you so we shall see. I wonder what the status of White is?
Anyway, maybe Rosales can call up some of his homeboys back home and we can pull them out the wood works also

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