MLS Major League Soccer

U.S. Youth National Team Star Danny Szetela Signs with MLS

Published on July 16, 2004 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


NEW YORK (Friday, July 16, 2004) – Major League Soccer Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Todd Durbin today announced the signing of 17-year-old U.S. youth national team star Danny Szetela, the 2004 Parade Magazine High School Player of the Year. The Clifton, NJ resident, pursued by some of the top clubs in the world including English Premier League clubs Everton and Manchester City, has been a standout midfielder for both the U.S. Under-17 and Under-20 National Teams and joins teammates Freddy Adu (D.C. United), Eddie Gaven (MetroStars) and Guillermo Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy) as the latest American youth soccer star to join the League. Szetela will learn the name of his new team following a weighted lottery to be held on Thursday, July 22 at 3:00 p.m. ET at League headquarters in New York City.

"Becoming a professional soccer player is what I've dreamed about since I started playing the sport as a kid and I'd like to thank MLS for giving me the opportunity to stay in the U.S. to play," Szetela said. "I chose MLS because I think playing at home gives me the best chance to prove myself and I look forward to starting my career and making an immediate impact."

Szetela starred on the U.S. Under-17 National Team, anchoring the midfield during the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Championships in Finland, where he started all five of the team's matches as the U.S. finished in fifth place. It was the best finish by a U.S. team since Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley led the Under-17s to fourth place in 1999. His performance at the 2003 World Championships in Finland, where he was the second-youngest player on the U.S. team behind Adu, drew the attention of several top clubs around the world.

"MLS is pleased to welcome one of the top young American players to the League," Durbin said. "Danny Szetela is another one of America's top prospects who chose MLS over other foreign clubs, which is further proof of the quality of MLS that it continues to be the first choice for the elite soccer talent in this country."

A member of the U.S. youth national teams since joining the Under-14 age group, Szetela's size, work rate, technique and bursts of speed have made him a force in central midfield on the international level. A two-way player with fine attacking skills, Szetela is also an aggressive ball-winner and does not shy away from tough tackles and strong challenges. Like Adu, Gaven and Gonzalez, he is a product of the U.S. Soccer Federation's Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida where earned his high school diploma at the Edison Learning Center.

Since the signing of Szetela comes after this year's SuperDraft, he will be made available to MLS teams via a weighted lottery to be held at League headquarters in New York City on Thursday, July 22 at 3:00 p.m. ET (see below for lottery rules). Szetela will be roster protected and occupy one of six developmental roster spots available to each MLS team but will not count against a club's salary budget or a team's senior roster.

What follows below is: (a) Danny Szetela bio and (b) MLS lottery draft rules. More information on Szetela's signing including an interview, player analysis and photos can be found on the League's official web site at www.MLSnet.com.

DANNY SZETELA

Position: Midfielder

Height: 6' 0"

Weight: 172

Birthdate: June 17, 1987 in Passaic, N.J.

Hometown: Clifton, N.J.

U.S. Under-20s: 2004: Has been one of Under-20 head coach Thomas Rongen's most solid players so far this year, playing in 10 matches (third most of any player), starting in nine games ... Has snagged four caps for the U-20s this year ... Recently traveled with the team to South Korea for a four-team international tournament.

U.S. Under-17s: 2003: The second-youngest player behind 14-year-old Freddy Adu named to the Under-17 CONCACAF qualifying roster and FIFA Under-17 World Championship roster... Started in all four of the USA's matches in the World Championship, helping the U.S. to a fifth-place finish ... Scored six goals and dished out 12 assists in 2003 ... Scored the Under-17s first goal of the year in a 1-0 win over AC Milan on January 1 ... Emerged as one of the most talented players on the field for the Under-17s during his time in residency.

U.S. Under-16s: 2002: Played with the Under-16s in early 2002 ... Played for the U-16's in an international tournament in England, scoring one goal in three games ... Joined U.S. Soccer's full-time Residency Program in September, 2002.

U.S. Under-14s: Participated in the 2001 Under-14 Boys National Team camp.

High School: Graduated in May of 2004 from Edison Learning Center in Bradenton, Fla. ... Named a High School All-American as a freshman and Parade All-American High School Player of the Year in 2004.

Personal: His mother, Krystyna, is raising three kids alone ... His father passed away when he was younger ... Names his father as his biggest role model ... Has three brothers (Tom, Derrick, Greg) and one sister Aneta ... Lists his favorite player as Argentina international Andres D'Alessandro ... Enjoys dancing.

MLS LOTTERY DRAFT REGULATIONS

Lottery ranking is based upon the MLS point system, such that the team with the lowest number of points receives the greatest chance of attaining the player, while the team with the highest number of points receives the least chance of attaining the player. Since the lottery may take place at any point during the calendar year, total regular season points shall be determined for each team by taking its points total for its previous 30 regular season games falling before the lottery, regardless of season dates.

The previous year's playoff achievement is also relevant. This is achieved by assigning various incremental point values to playoff levels, as follows:

Fail to qualify for playoffs: 0 points

Eliminated in conference semifinals: 2 points

Eliminated in conference finals: 4 points

Eliminated in MLS Cup final (runner-up): 6 points

MLS Cup Champions: 8 points

In the event of a tie, the following series of tiebreakers are implemented:

1. Playoff record;

2. Goal differential during the prior year's games;

3. Head-to-head record over the prior year's games;

4. Number of points per game in the current season;

5. Goal differential per game during the current season;

6. Goals scored per game during the current season;

7. Head-to-head record during the current season;

8. Coin toss.

In order to maintain a uniform and standard lottery format, rankings/point totals shall be determined for all teams, regardless of whether or not they have indicated interest in the player available and a certain set "percentage chance" of receiving the player is assigned to each team. For instance, the team with the least amount of points after the above mentioned procedure would receive a 26.2 percent chance of acquiring the player, while the team with the most points would receive a 0.6 percent chance.

Prior to a Lottery, teams may opt out of the process in which case the percentage chances for only the interested parties are totaled and new, adjusted percentages are calculated. The random generator process remains the same. What follows is the current list of percentage chances for the Thursday, July 22 lottery with all teams listed as participating:

Team Reg. Season Pts. Playoff Pts. Total Pts. Percentage Chance

Dallas Burn 30 0 30 26.2%

Columbus Crew 38 0 38 21.1%

MetroStars 36 2 38 16.6%

D.C. United 38 2 40 12.6%

New England Revolution 40 4 44 9.1%

Colorado Rapids 44 2 46 6.3%

Los Angeles Galaxy 45 2 47 4.0%

Kansas City Wizards 43 4 47 2.3%

Chicago Fire 43 6 49 1.2%

San Jose Earthquakes 44 8 52 0.6%

If a team participates in a lottery and lands the services of a player, it shall be precluded from ALL future lotteries during the 2004 League season. Also, in order to be eligible to participate in the lottery a team must have an available Developmental Roster slot or the means to create one.

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Major League Soccer Stories from July 16, 2004


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