Quotesheet

MLS coaches react to 2004 SuperDraft selections

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS HEAD COACH BOB GANSLER

On the team's offseason acquisitions:

"We feel good about it. We wanted to strengthen ourselves in every part of the field. We got one of the two best goalkeepers in the SuperDraft and we got a very good defender in Shavar Thomas, who was a first round pick last year. So it's not just who we picked but what we acquired. We got another first round draft pick from last year in Diego Walsh to solidify our midfield in the center. We got a wide guy in Jay Alberts and we got a couple of forwards. We felt that Matt Taylor and Ngwenya were the best two forwards in the SuperDraft so we would have taken either one. If anything Matt (Taylor) fits more with the rest of the gang that we have. I feel good that we augmented what we already have."

On the changes to the team:

"We were eight minutes from MLS Cup, so I don't think we needed to make wholesale changes, but we needed to make some. We have Jose Burciaga coming back and Diego Walsh feels comfortable on the left. We also have a national team player in Chris Klein who can play either side. Eric (Quill) and Carey (Talley) are good players, but you don't get quality for chop liver, so we had to give something up in order to gain."

COLORADO RAPIDS HEAD COACH TIM HANKINSON

On the Rapids' selections:

"We were very pleased to see Adolfo Gregorio of UCLA. We think he has special qualities. He has great creativity in his midfield game and can play central, right or left. So I think we've helped ourselves there in adding something to the attack. Defensively we want to regroup and re-strengthen our approach to things and so we picked a number of defenders. We think that Cann from Canada showed great poise and experience for his age. We know that we're going to be losing Nat Borchers to the Olympic Program as well as Pablo (Mastroeni) to the National Team and it was very important to make sure that we revamped and are well covered next year."

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH DOMINIC KINNEAR

On the team's SuperDraft acquisitions:

"Going in we had our eye on the two players that we got. As the weekend was going on we didn't know if would be able to get those so we were a bit nervous. We like to keep local guys and we know exactly what they could do, and obviously they're good players and know other teams wanted them. We had our hearts set on the people we got so we feel very lucky."

On plans for integrating the new acquisitions into the lineup:

"It definitely adds to the depth of the team. I don't want to make too many changes to a championship team. So if anybody coming in is going to make an immediate impact they're going to be someone pretty special. But as the season goes on with the Olympics and World Cup qualifiers we definitely need depth. So not only can they add depth but they are very good players."

METROSTARS HEAD COACH BOB BRADLEY

On the team's acquisitions:

"I was surprised to see Seth Stammler available late in the second round. Seth's been a very, very important player for the University of Maryland and we're excited. He's a versatile, good defender and I hope that he can help us.

"Zach Wells helps us with our goalkeeper situation, with Paul Grafer having retired. He's had tremendous success at UCLA and hopefully he can help us.

"Occean is an interesting player. He played for a friend of mine, Tom Lane at Southern Connecticut. He's their leading all-time scorer and has also played with the Canadian Under-23 team and can also play other positions. The hope is that he can blossom in Major League Soccer."

On the team's future offseason acquisitions:

"We didn't have quite as much to work with (draft picks) this time around but hopefully through some other means we can find some players that can help our team as we try to continue to improve."

LOS ANGELES GALAXY HEAD COACH SIGI SCHMID

On the Galaxy's SuperDraft campaign:

"Obviously coming into the SuperDraft we wanted to improve ourselves offensively. I think we were able to accomplish that. Joseph (Ngwenya) is a good addition for us. He's shown he can score goals at the collegiate level and what he did to earn Soccer America Player of the Year. So that's a good player for us on the offensive end ... Ned Grabavoy is an experienced player from the U.S. Under-20 team who is great on free kicks, showing that he does very well on offense as well ... With (Josh) Gardner, two of our three picks are Project-40 players, and we wanted to improve upon the protected spots on our roster."

CHICAGO FIRE HEAD COACH DAVE SARACHAN

On the team's SuperDraft selections:

"Coming into this SuperDraft we knew we had a lot of picks, and we weren't sure how it would all shake out. But now that we are leaving the draft we feel pretty good that we got some very good quality players, a lot of cover in a lot of spots and competition. We don't have a lot of spots in our roster but that's not such a bad thing where competition will push everybody."

COLUMBUS CREW HEAD COACH GREG ANDRULIS

On the team's SuperDraft campaign:

"We felt we had a plan coming in and we were able to execute it for the most part. There are always few twists and wrinkles but we wanted to get better defensively and add some depth up front and think we were able to accomplish both of those things today."

On the potential loss of Brian McBride:

"I think we made some great acquisitions whether Brian is or is not with us, but obviously we are a much better team with him than without him but that's out of our control right now."

D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH PETER NOWAK

On the selection of Freddy Adu:

"I am very excited to get Freddy, but and I am also excited to work with the other guys we picked today. I expect them to develop and I'm sure we got some good players today. We didn't pick any more strikers because we have Santino (Quaranta), Ronald (Cerritos), Freddy (Adu) and (Alecko) Eskandarian."

On his transformation of the team:

"We want to create a winning system. On paper everything looks good. With these draft picks, I feel we have created a really competitive roster. Nothing is going to be for free. Everyone has to win their positions and start to work because players with potential will have to step up and play like men."

DALLAS BURN HEAD COACH COLIN CLARKE

On the team's selections:

"I'm very happy with what transpired today. We picked up some good starters and some great young kids and I'm looking forward to camp starting and going to work."

On No. 6 pick Ramon Nunez:

"Nunez is a great kid. We had him in Dallas and he trained with us in the past and has always done very, very well. He's one that I think is going to be a special player down the line ... We're looking for great things from him. He's been, like I say, in with us training and he's more than held his own in that environment. So, we're looking forward to having him in."

On No. 7 selection Clarence Goodson:

"Clarence [Goodson], I've seen over a couple of years and a lot more of him this year. He's a player who's played up front for a lot of his career and moved to the back the last two years. He's a big defender, very good in the air, good feet. He's another Project-40 young kid who's going to come in and have a good opportunity to start for us."

On the impact young players have had on the draft and the League:

"The Project-40 players are very important. They don't count against the cap which is very nice. But that's not to take away from their ability. These kids have made a commitment to come out of school because they are good players. They are Project-40s because someone has recommended them. We're looking forward to having them in next year."

Courtesy of Major League Soccer.