With Sporting Kansas City’s 2014 season at an end, the next step for the club is the MLS expansion draft. Two teams are entering the league next season, meaning twenty players, ten for New York City FC and ten for Orlando City SC, across North America are up for grabs. The draft is set for December 10th.
Each established team can protect eleven players, not including Homegrown and Generation Adidas players (Kevin Ellis, Jon Kepim, Mikey Lopez, and Erik Palmer-Brown should all be exempt) Sporting KC’s had a lot of ups and downs this year, but this draft is the first step toward a better first season in the Western Conference. Here’s my list of players that the team should protect:
- Graham Zusi
Zusi is a prime example of “World Cup fatigue,” but he still made the difference in a number of games. The last few games of the year, it was hard to tell if he was even on the field, but then he’d make a great play or set up a free kick and remind everyone why he’s still in the starting lineup. Zusi is a powerful midfielder and has been recognized by the team at their Pitch Black award ceremony in early October as the Most Valuable Player for the third year in a row. He lead the team with eight assists and is only behind the second player on the list (a player Zusi elected to share his MVP win with) in number of goals with five. - Dom Dwyer
No one expected Dwyer to be Sporting’s breakout star this season and score a club high twenty-two regular season goals. Dwyer spent some of the 2013 season at Orlando’s USL Pro team on loan, where he proved he could step up and earned his spot back on the MLS team later that year. 2014 proved to be his year. He was asked to share Zusi’s MVP win and was also honored on his own as Offensive Player of the Year. Dwyer’s future has been a hot topic for Sporting KC as he is either considering becoming a US citizen or moving back home to England. Should Dwyer stay in Kansas City and continue to improve at this rate, he’ll be one to watch in 2015. - Benny Feilhaber
If Feilhaber hadn’t already proved his worth to this club, he certainly showed it this season. Not only did he win Sporting’s Goal of the Year award for his last minute strike against Columbus, he assisted many other game winning goals throughout the season. He missed the end of the season with an ankle sprain and the midfield wasn’t the same without him. Feilhaber adds a creative and attacking presence to the Sporting KC midfield that no other player has equaled. Plus, he offers off the field gems and it’s hard to imagine 2015 without them. - Paulo Nagamura
Nagamura brings a sense of assurance to the team. He can be counted on to be in a position to make plays and assist the attack. - Soony Saad
He didn’t play as much this season as in 2013, but the 22-year-old forward is still one of the top goalscorers for Sporting KC. He’s got a lot more up his sleeve and will be an interesting one to watch. - Toni Dovale
2014 was Dovale’s first season with MLS. He definitely played better in the CONCACAF Champions League, scoring three goals and assisting a fourth, than in MLS play. He wasn’t the most confident or comfortable midfielder, but as the season went on, he came into his own. Dovale will only continue to progress and is another young player with a lot of potential. - Matt Besler
Matt Besler had an injury prone season (to be fair, the who team had an injury prone season), but he was still the backbone of Sporting’s back line as well as being the team’s captain. He had a case of World Cup Fatigue as well, but was still a pivotal member of the squad. - Seth Sinovic
Sinovic was honored by the club as Defensive Player of the Year for the 2014 season. He is the most consistent man on Sporting’s back line and the back line is where Sporting needs consistency. - Andy Gruenebaum
The goalkeeper slot for this side was so inconsistent, but out of the three keepers that made appearances, Gruenebaum showed the skill and capability. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Sporting hasn’t won a game since Eric Kronberg took over after Gruenebaum’s injury. Sporting need a keeper and Jon Kempin’s not there yet, while Kronberg may be past it. Gruenebaum is the keeper of choice. - Chance Myers
Another player that got hit with the injury bug in 2014, Myers is too good a defender to leave unprotected. He scored twice in 2013, and had he not been injured, 2014 could have seen an even more impressive Myers. - Ike Opara
Despite being hurt early on in the season, Opara offers speed and height for Sporting that was sorely missed as the season went on. Opara is another defender that can create chances and score goals. He just needs to be healthy.
Notably missing is Aurelien Collin. Collin is a great defender, but is also a huge factor in Sporting KC’s decline. His contract is up and he has refused two offers with a higher salary, but apparently not high enough. I wouldn’t keep a player around whose bad attitude stays with him on the field and leads to giving up goals. It doesn’t matter how good he is when he’s in a good mood, it’s about the goals he concedes when he’s in a bad mood.
Claudio Bieler is also a noteworthy man missing from the list. He didn’t play much in 2014, but when he did play, he seemed like a shadow of the player he was in 2013. He hasn’t declined horribly, but with Dwyer’s thunder stealing season, Bieler will have something to prove.
Manager Peter Vermes has a chance to put a great, healthy, group of guys together for Sporting KC’s move to the western conference in 2015. If this group can stay fit and injury-free, 2015 will be an entertaining season from Sporting KC.
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