Still waiting on Arguez's transfer...

I'm hearing that Arguez's transfer is gummed up in MLS Headquarters because their attention through this week was on the draft in Baltimore. Hertha wants him ASAP and expect him to be challenging for first team minutes immediately. Did DCU let him languish on the field, or was he really motivated to impress and jump overseas?

In totally unrelated news, Benny Feilhaber's future club has been open to speculation but MLS is not on the radar screen. Derby would like to recoup most of their investment in him, which likely prices him out of a side over here. Derby payed $1 Million for his transfer and turned down a $275K offer from Maccabi Tel Avi.

Countries, Counties, Clubs

As United prepares for the game against Toronto, multiple stories that I'd like to draw your attention to this morning.

PARENTS, MEET THE KIDS #1 - CASAL: John Haydon in the Washington Times with a profile of Kasali Casal:

"The more work I do defensively, the more minutes I will get," Casal said... "Right now I'm supposed to be in Nigeria training, but because I've been doing so well here I want to cement my first-team spot," Casal said. "So I don't want to really leave at the moment."

I highlight those particular quotes because it is a stunning change of attitude compared to some previous midfield projects DC United has seen. Casal, in his public statements, seems to be taking the coaching guidance to heart, and is willing to embrace it even if it means changing his style. His focus is on the club, and on his role with the club. You have to like that.

PARENTS, MEET THE KIDS #2 - KPENE: Brian Westfall writes a quick getting-to-know-him type piece on Guy-Roland Kpene. One of the things that I note is that Kpene seems to have a lot of people pulling for him, just from the number of comments we got on him when he was first drafted. To that end, I hope he does well. Both Casal and Kpene are in the real early stages and I don't want to heap expectations on these players for this season. If both manage to find roles to play, even quiet ones with few minutes, and can compete for some significant playing time next season, then I have to consider them a success.

PARENTS, MEET THE KIDS #3 - ARGUEZ: Bryan Arguez started the game for the US Under 20 team and was substituted at the half. Which means he wasn't responsible for giving up the goal that led to the 1-0 Argentina win. Of course, DC United former head coach and current color commentator Thomas Rongren coaches that team.

FOREIGN INVESTMENT: Part owner of D.C. United Will Chang may be interested in an English team, including investing "on behalf of D.C. United." I don't know what that would mean, as the idea of DCU owning part of another team seems... ludicrous, but in a strangely enjoyable hallucinatory type way. Still, the sense I get is that we're a long way from anything happening on this front, so I simply note it and file it for later consideration.

ATMOSPHERE: Jeff Bradley really isn't someone who feels all warm and fuzzy about DC United or our fans that often. So I will note that in his column on the best MLS related atmosphere he has felt, the phrase "At D.C. United" is used twice, the only time such a designation is used more than once. Add to that his discussion of the traveling support in the 1999 MLS Cup final, and it's clear that even if he doesn't want to come out and say it, realistically he knows which team's fans are numerous and passionate enough to consistently bring it. While the league and outside observers fawn over Toronto's support, which is certainly impressive and worth of the praise it is getting, it is important to remember that DC has been doing it for twelve years. In fairness, so have a few other teams (and some have not).

NO MORE BEARS! The Screaming Eagles and other United Supporters that appeared in the Arlington County parade get a shout-out as "a group of D.C. United super-fans." Nice. Congratulations to all that represented their Civic, and Club, pride in Arlington.

DCU's #11 Selection Is...Bryan Arguez, Midfielder. Brad North selected 2nd round. Needham and Schramm in 3rd.

UPDATED: And it's Bryan Arguez. A project, to some degree, central midfielder holding type. Interesting choice...Not sure the one I would have made (Findlay being on the board still) but one that could work out. May fall under the "this guy is safe, let's get him" theory.

What do people say? Buzz Carrick rated him as the #3 Midfielder in the draft, noting he's a good linking and posession midfielder with "upside". Jeff Carlisle had him projected as the #9 pick: "Arguez is described as a player with great tools who is incredibly comfortable on the ball." In short, the more I look at this, the more it makes sense as a "Best available talent" selection. Which is fine with me. The fact that he's a Generation Adidas player doesn't hurt either.

This may not have been the pick I would have made, but it's not a bad pick. It doesn't address a need, but it's tough to do that in the draft. Working with Simms, Olsen, and perhaps even the Carroll brothers... you have a player that can contribute in a few years.

Kinney's Take: I agree with the above. Very much a "best available talent" pick. Which IMHO is the way to in the superdraft.

SECOND ROUND: BRAD NORTH (F-Northwestern) -- Our Rod Dyachenko for this year? Led Northwestern with 9 goals and 2 assists in his Senior Year. A pick from off the radar of most, I'm guessing. Nice to grab a forward.

Kinney's Take: Ranked 20th of the forwards by Buzz. First player picked not invited to either the combine or Generation Adidas. Hopefully this is just more great scouting by the DC Front Office, but we're just hoping at this point. Could be the next Van Sicklen as well. Here is his School Bio.

THIRD ROUND: Jay Needham (D - Southern Methodist University). For a kid who got rave reviews in the Combine, he fell a long way. DC picks him up, and at first blush it seems like great value. From College to the Pros praised his size and awareness, and Joe Soccer Fan said he read the game well. This seems like a good pick at this late in the game. Add a defensive reservist to develop, which is something we need.

Kinney's Take: Great pick this late. I wanted him in the second round. Makes the North pick okay even if he doesn't pan out in my mind. Buzz has him rated 5th out of all defenders. He has problems with pace, but should be good as a back-up. Basically a younger Prideaux with more ball handling skills, won't be as savy, but United can teach that.

D: Totally in agreement with that. Allows us to still take a flyer with our other 3rd round pick. Good stuff here.

THIRD ROUND: RICKY SCHRAMM (F - Georgetown). Anyone? I have no idea. Kinney, what you got?

Kinney's Take: I've got nothing. 21st on Buzz's Forward Rankings. 2004 Big East Player of the Year. Waiting on what JoeSoccerFan thinks of this pick. Hopefully it is one of the ones he was holding close to his chest because he thought we could get him in the Supplemental. But I don't know. Buzz calls him a sleeper pick, but apparently he is very streaky.

FOURTH ROUND: LUIS ROBLES (GK - Portland): This seems like a "Have him in the pocket" pick. Robles wasn't at the Combine, but that's okay. Robles was the 3rd rated keeper from Carrick. Wynalda mentions Nick Rimando, the the absurdly high save total indicates that Robles has some reflexes along those lines. One of those "Hey, why not?" picks. Look, it's the fourth round, you're not going to be wowed, all you can hope for is that you don't get a "What are they thinking" pick. This is fine.

Kinney's Take: This is the goalkeeper that we wanted all along folks. I don't know that for a fact but Goff said that United might draft a goalkeeper and Robles is one of the better ones. Didn't play for a big name team, but he has been on the fringe of the youth national team for while now. Not sure how I feel about taking a goalkeeper, but I think this is exactly what DCU was looking for with this pick. By the way D, Carrick moved him up to second after he wrote the ESPN article, maybe because Noble didn't show much at the combine.