Yesterday's draft
The draft to me as an observer not from the world of soccer (thus not affected by your internal politics) seems to me to be sort of a scam.
Let me explain, the WPS is running a number of Combines for players to try out. Players from the past WUSA, present W-league and the other league, colleges and international can be drafted (various times) or try out. Each team is or was allotted 3 National Team Members and 2 (I think) international players and allowed to pick from the pool of remaining National team members in the first "US" open draft (yesterday).
This WPS has run two combines so far with another 2-3 on the schedule. Each invited player has to pay the WPS $400 or so to register for the combine (with at least 128 players paying = ($51,200.00 to the WPS each combine-gross amount, not net) and these players have to pay for their own hotel and so on.
Each team after selecting their National and International players pre-Draft yesterday had about 13 to 15 spots remamining (for the final team with 22 spots at most for the pre-season; thus short-term contracts are a possibility).
Yesterday's draft had 4 rounds of 7 selections or 28 players drafted to the Active teams). Thus at most if no additional players from the National team or International community were selected the first two combines (west/east coast for the 2 "major" womens leagues that now exist), 100 players from at least the Tampa combine are out for now. After yesterday, each team is down to about 9 to 12 or so remaining slots - do NOT miss this point - and yet two upcoming combines with many players and the college player allottment still is not done. Chances of making a team for most players (99% of them) is probably <5% - therefore, politics and other is taking effect already in this WPS and that is not good for long-term success.
There is an upcoming December combine (east and west coast) where yet agaoin invited players will be asked to pay to be evaluated (thus WPS may make an additional $102,000 or so) for teh ~Januray draft.
Also at this time and when the Collegiate season ends - those college players with no eligibility left are available for the draft as well - thus fresh young legs in addition to the others from all of these drafts are available for the teams.
Thus in reality - when looking how the WPS and the WPS teams to date have done their Combines and drafts - these Combines are not really for finding and selecting players,, but rather to raise some capital for the WPS alone and to of course try to promote this new league.
I as a fan of wommen's soccer just feel like this set up is more misleading to prospective players and that the WPS is not being honest in how the drafts are being run (no doubt that all of the teams have already mapped out who they want to draft or play for each team, thus why waste people's money or time - just start with the players you want or open it up fairly for the best players to shine having the coaches at the combine actually watch each positional player rather than worry about check out time or if enough food is there for the staff. Focus on the people that you are trying to build a successful league with.
Let me explain, the WPS is running a number of Combines for players to try out. Players from the past WUSA, present W-league and the other league, colleges and international can be drafted (various times) or try out. Each team is or was allotted 3 National Team Members and 2 (I think) international players and allowed to pick from the pool of remaining National team members in the first "US" open draft (yesterday).
This WPS has run two combines so far with another 2-3 on the schedule. Each invited player has to pay the WPS $400 or so to register for the combine (with at least 128 players paying = ($51,200.00 to the WPS each combine-gross amount, not net) and these players have to pay for their own hotel and so on.
Each team after selecting their National and International players pre-Draft yesterday had about 13 to 15 spots remamining (for the final team with 22 spots at most for the pre-season; thus short-term contracts are a possibility).
Yesterday's draft had 4 rounds of 7 selections or 28 players drafted to the Active teams). Thus at most if no additional players from the National team or International community were selected the first two combines (west/east coast for the 2 "major" womens leagues that now exist), 100 players from at least the Tampa combine are out for now. After yesterday, each team is down to about 9 to 12 or so remaining slots - do NOT miss this point - and yet two upcoming combines with many players and the college player allottment still is not done. Chances of making a team for most players (99% of them) is probably <5% - therefore, politics and other is taking effect already in this WPS and that is not good for long-term success.
There is an upcoming December combine (east and west coast) where yet agaoin invited players will be asked to pay to be evaluated (thus WPS may make an additional $102,000 or so) for teh ~Januray draft.
Also at this time and when the Collegiate season ends - those college players with no eligibility left are available for the draft as well - thus fresh young legs in addition to the others from all of these drafts are available for the teams.
Thus in reality - when looking how the WPS and the WPS teams to date have done their Combines and drafts - these Combines are not really for finding and selecting players,, but rather to raise some capital for the WPS alone and to of course try to promote this new league.
I as a fan of wommen's soccer just feel like this set up is more misleading to prospective players and that the WPS is not being honest in how the drafts are being run (no doubt that all of the teams have already mapped out who they want to draft or play for each team, thus why waste people's money or time - just start with the players you want or open it up fairly for the best players to shine having the coaches at the combine actually watch each positional player rather than worry about check out time or if enough food is there for the staff. Focus on the people that you are trying to build a successful league with.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Milan on -
Well, if this is how things were, and I don't know because I wasn't there, but if they were, then this bothers me as a supporter of the league. If this is the way it was then I feel sorry for the kids who payed all that money and thought they had a chance but didn't even get a look because the coaches didn't care and or had their minds made up who they wanted to see. Maybe some of these coaches feel they already know all the talent of all women soccer players in the country. I am glad to hear that the Chicago coach stuck around though.
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Permalink Reply by Soccerdad on -
The W-league is all about making money... this was a last Hurrah for them so to speak before losing talented players to WPS.
I expect Chicago to stay, she may know names but here she connected faces, same with St Louis coach
Coaches are going to pick players they are comfortable with.
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Permalink Reply by D.Scott on -
WPS said:Hi D. Scott,
Just to re-enforce what Peter and Alyse have already written, you don't have your facts correct. The combines in August and September, were run by the WPSL and W-League, respectively. WPS was not involved in the management of those events, did not charge players a fee to participate and did not see any money from the WPSL and W-League players who participated in those events.
WPS will run two combines in December - one of the West Coast and one on the East Coast. The invited players will NOT be charged a fee to participate in the combine, so again WPS will NOT make any money from the players who participate in the December combines. Our purpose in holding these combines is to provide players with the opportunity to be scouted by WPS coaches as they seek to play in our league, not to make money for the League.
Scouting the players at the combines is something WPS coaches take very seriously. Each coach wants to build the best roster possible and is competing with the other coaches and franchises to find the players who will make his/her team a winner. These combines help the coaches answer questions about the participating players as they prepare for the drafts.
You wrote: "The combines in August and September, were run by the WPSL and W-League, respectively. WPS was not involved in the management of those events, did not charge players a fee to participate and did not see any money from the WPSL and W-League players who participated in those events." - which makes me ask, WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THESE COMBINES IF WPS DID NOT HAVE A HAND IN MANAGEMENT, you mean to tell me that George and the Tampa crew did it all? I hope you paid them well.
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