The first GSC Players of the Week in of 2007 shared the spotlight for the first time in 2008 as West Florida forward Keith Savage and Montevallo goalkeeper Melford James Jr. were both selected in Major League Soccer's Super and Supplemental Drafts, respectively. Savage and James are the first players in Gulf South Conference history drafted in any MLS Draft.
Savage, a Gulf Breeze, Fla. native, was selected by Team Chivas USA with the team's only pick in last Friday's SuperDraft. The three-time All-GSC honoree was chosen with the first pick in the fourth round, 43rd overall. Located in Carson, California. Club Deportivo Chivas USA is the sister team of Club Deportivo Guadalajara, popularly known as 'Chivas', Mexico's most beloved soccer club. Chivas USA celebrated its inaugural season as an MLS expansion team in 2005 and finished the 2007 season with the top record in the Western Conference (15-7-8).
The club is led by one of the most distinguished and spectacular players in MLS history, Preki. Preki is one of the most spectacular attacking players in the league's 12-year history. During a 10-year MLS career with the Kansas City Wizards and Miami Fusion, Preki registered 79 goals and 112 assists, won the MLS Cup in 2000, was named the league's only two-time MVP (1997 and 2003) and was an eight-time All-Star. The Yugoslavia native, who later gained U.S. Citizenship, played for the U.S. National Team with Keith's father Bruce Savage and was named Head Coach of Chivas USA on January 17, 2007 and quickly nabbed the 2007 MLS Coach of the Year Award.
"Keith is a hardworking kid who can play up top and in midfield," Preki said. "We look forward to having him join us when we open camp in February."
"I recognized coach as soon as he told me who he was because he played with my dad," Savage said. "He told me he was excited to tell me they drafted me and to get in shape quick."
"I am thrilled for Keith," said UWF Head Coach Bill Elliott. "He has worked extremely hard every single day and is very deserving. Keith will represent West Florida very well."
James was chosen in Thursday's Supplemental Draft with the tenth pick in the fourth round, 54th overall, by the Chicago Fire. The Fire was one of two expansion clubs in 1998 and won the MLS Cup in its inaugural season. Chicago finished fourth in the Eastern Conference last season at 10-10-10, but made it to the Conference Semifinals before losing to the New England Revolution, 1-0.
Chicago assistant coach Daryl Shore joined the Fire as the team's first full-time goalkeeper coach in 2000 and played collegiate soccer against Montevallo Head Coach Ryan Pratt. Shore attended Birmingham-Southern College while Pratt was at Alabama-Birmingham and after contacting Shore about his goalkeeper last month; Pratt said the Fire became interested in the Brampton, Ontario, Canada native.
"Junior is a big reason for our success at UM and I always felt he could play at the next level," Pratt said. "It was just a matter of finding the right people for him to showcase his talents."
James got a call from the Fire's President and CEO John Guppy Thursday informing the net minder of the team's selection and to be ready to report to camp early next month.
"Obviously Junior can punt the ball to the moon and back," Pratt said of James' unbelievable drop-kicking ability. "That can draw the scouts attention but from there you have to do more than just distribute the ball and Junior is so quick for his size and his remarkable strength, quick hands and feet are some of the qualities pro coaches look for. He also has incredible command between the pipes with his communication skills and that is important in team sports."
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