“There’s a few guys that are still out there that I think can come in and fill in some of the spots that we need for depth,” technical director Chris Henderson said. “We’re going to look for that gem who can come in and make the team and surprise us.”
Sounders reserve goalkeeper Josh Ford came to the club in the 2011 Supplemental Draft. And forward Mike Fucito was selected in the fourth round of the 2009 SuperDraft – which these days is the equivalent of the second round of the Supplemental Draft.
This four-round draft once again involves college seniors and a few foreign players not selected Thursday in the two-round SuperDraft. The Sounders have the 33rd, 34th, 53rd and 72nd picks. They lost their first-round pick to Chicago in a deal last season that allowed them to sign forward Sammy Ochoa. They gained a second pick in the second round in a trade with Dallas.
“When you’re picking in the supplemental part of the draft, to some degree, it’s a numbers game because they’re players that we probably haven’t seen as much as the top players,” Sounders general manager Adrian Hanauer said. “… It’s a chance for us to bring three, four, five more players into camp. Sometimes there’s a diamond in the rough.”
New and veteran Sounders will report to training camp Thursday at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila. The club begins competitive play March 7, meeting Santos Laguna in a CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal match at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC begins its fourth MLS regular season March 17 at home against Toronto FC.
Don Ruiz, 253-597-8808
don.ruiz@thenewstribune.com
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