Miami Fusion F.C.
The 1997 MLS Expansion Draft was held November 6, 1997. Two teams participated, the Chicago Fire and Miami Fusion F.C., both expansion Major League Soccer clubs starting play in the 1998 season.
Format
Each team in the league made ten players, including at least one foreign player, available for the Fire and Fusion to select. From this pool of available players, the two teams then selected twelve players. Although Paul Caligiuri of the Los Angeles Galaxy was listed as exposed, he had recently won a lawsuit against the league which forced the league to place him with the Galaxy as his original contract with the league had stipulated. Consequently, he was not available for selection. The Fire won the first selection through a coin toss. The draft was held via conference call.
Expansion Draft
Pick
Selecting Team
Player
Position
Previous Team
1
Chicago Fire
Danny Pena
D
Los Angeles Galaxy
2
Miami Fusion
David Vaudreuil
D/M
D.C. United
3
Chicago Fire
Kevin Hartman
GK
Los Angeles Galaxy
4
Miami Fusion
John Maessner
M
D.C. United
5
Chicago Fire
Manny Lagos
M
MetroStars
6
Miami Fusion
Kris Kelderman
D/M
D.C. United
7
Chicago Fire
Jason Farrell
M
Columbus Crew
8
Miami Fusion
Joey Martinez
D
Dallas Burn
9
Chicago Fire
Jorge Salcedo
M
Columbus Crew
10
Miami Fusion
Jeff Cassar
GK
Dallas Burn
11
Chicago Fire
Zach Thornton
GK
MetroStars
12
Miami Fusion
Nelson Vargas
M
Tampa Bay Mutiny
13
Chicago Fire
Francis Okaroh
D
New England Revolution
14
Miami Fusion
Cle Kooiman
D
Tampa Bay Mutiny
15
Chicago Fire
Diego Gutierrez
M
Kansas City Wizards
16
Miami Fusion
Ramiro Corrales
D
San Jose Clash
17
Chicago Fire
Andrew Lewis
D
MetroStars
18
Miami Fusion
Matt Kmosko
D
Colorado Rapids
19
Chicago Fire
Brian Bates
D
Colorado Rapids
20
Miami Fusion
Scott Budnick
GK
Tampa Bay Mutiny
21
Chicago Fire
A.J. Wood
F
Columbus Crew
22
Miami Fusion
Wade Webber
D
Dallas Burn
23
Chicago Fire
Steve Patterson
F
Colorado Rapids
24
Miami Fusion
Bryan Taylor
F
Los Angeles Galaxy
Team-by Team breakdown
Colorado Rapids
Joey DiGiamarino (M)
Withdrew Sean Henderson upon selection of Matt Kmosko(18)
Withdrew Paul Grafer upon selection of Brian Bates (19)
Reached maximum upon selection of Steve Patterson (23)
Columbus Crew
Ubusuku Abukusumo (D/M)
Withdrew Billy Thompson upon selection of Jason Farrell(7)
Withdrew Mike Clark upon selection of Jorge Salcedo (9)
Reached maximum upon selection of A.J. Wood (21)
D.C. United
Roy Wegerle (F)
Withdrew Scott Garlick upon selection of David Vaudreuil (2)
Withdrew Roy Wegerle upon selection of John Maessner (4)
Reached maximum upon selection of Kris Kelderman (6)
Dallas Burn
Wade Webber (D)
Juan Sastoque (F)
Withdrew Eric Dade upon selection of Joey Martinez (8)
Withdrew Temoc Suarez upon selection of Jeff Cassar (10)
Reached maximum upon selection of Wade Webber (22)
Kansas City Wizards
Nino Da Silva (M)
Withdrew Brian Johnson upon selection of Diego Gutierrez (15)
Los Angeles Galaxy
Jose Vasquez (D)
Jose Botello (F)
Withdrew Harut Karapetyan upon selection of Danny Pena (1)
Withdrew Steve Jolley upon selection of Kevin Hartman (3)
Reached maximum upon selection of Bryan Taylor (24)
MetroStars
Carlos Parra (M)
Withdrew Brian Bliss upon selection of Manny Lagos (5)
Withdrew Jeff Zaun upon selection of Zach Thornton (11)
Reached maximum upon selection of Andrew Lewis (17)
New England Revolution
Evans Wise (M)
Brian Dunseth (D)
Withdrew Steve Klein upon selection of Francis Okaroh (13)
San Jose Clash
Esmundo Rodriguez (M)
Withdrew Shawn Medved upon selection of Ramiro Corrales (16)
Tampa Bay Mutiny
Nelson Vargas (M)
Withdrew Alan Prampin upon selection of Nelson Vargas (12)
Withdrew Sam George upon selection of Cle Kooiman (14)
Reached maximum upon selection of Scott Budnick (20)
References
References
[https://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/25/sports/plus-soccer-rose-bowl-for-mls.html SOCCER; Rose Bowl for M.L.S.]
[https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/11/06/expansion-draft-unlikely-to-give-fire-much-fuel/ Expansion Draft Unlikely To Give Fire Much Fuel]
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