What Happened To The 7 Players Drafted Before Clint Dempsey?

Clint Dempsey is one of Major League Soccer's best products, but seven players were drafted before him in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. Here we take a look at those players in MLS, and where they played their football/soccer.
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▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
00:00 - Intro
00:42 - #7 Clarence Goodson
02:18 - #6 Ramon Nunez
03:23 - #5 Ryan Cochrane
04:39 - #4 Matt Taylor
06:32 - #3 Joseph Ngwenya
08:21 - #2 Chad Marshall
10:49 - #1 Freddy Adu
▬ Description ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Names like Freddy Adu, Chad Marshall, Joseph Ngwenya, Matt Taylor, Ryan Cochrane, Ramon Nunez and Clarence Goodson come to mind when thinking of the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. All of those players were taken in the draft before Clint Dempsey was selected by the New England Revolution. He will go down as one of the biggest steals in the history of the SuperDraft. He was a legend for the USMNT and played with the USA National Team in the 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

[@dylann6800]

Absolutely wild that there was a draft system in football. Interesting video

[@darealpapajon]

Very common in American sports

[@Kaijufied]

There still is, how ever it’s not as big as it used to be as young prospects skip college or get signed by European teams

[@1607Adi_Manz]

​@@Kaijufiedgood choice when it came to soccer american should copy their ancestor europe instead, way more established and align with fifa standard

[@shaunnichols1743]

@@1607Adi_Manz The flip side of that is MLS is probably on a whole the most financially stable league *of its caliber* in the world.

[@shaunnichols1743]

@@Kaijufied Genuine question: are MLS teams now signing American players out of European academies? Because that would be a great way for MLS to raise its level of play while still benefitting everyone involved

[@zaneps151]

Putting the weight of a country on a 14 year old had only one outcome and that’s what happened to Freddy Adu There was no way a 14 year old was going to succeed without proper development and just shooting straight to the first team killed any chance for him to succeed Imagine if he went to the Ajax academy or any other academy known for developing young talent

[@DungTran-li2wn]

"14"

[@jamesinho28]

@@DungTran-li2wn bingo. Look at recent pictures. He looks 50.

[@litocruise1196]

Fresh adu was not 14 lol he was for sure 18 hahaha

[@DungTran-li2wn]

@litocruise1196 fresh Adu is a great nickname. Especially considering him and will smith are about the same age haha

[@the_real_idoit8166]

Yea that’s the thing with football compared to other American sports in sports like the nfl or nba etc players start off at an age where in football they be only a few years off from being considered at their prime in football like the NFL most players start off like at 20 or 21 recently in September Arsenal subbed on a 15 year old to the first team(I have to add that he did only play for a minute)

[@idkwhattoputhere4703]

Your videos are amazingly high quality! Your videos look like ones made by people with Millions of subs yet you only have 1.58K? This is an absolute crime! We need to get him to at least 100k subs!

[@cryptic_lens]

Fr

[@jamesinho28]

I’d say the biggest problem for Adu was the whole “lying about his age” thing. He has the same career trajectory as all those guys who did it.

[@wraynephew6838]

exactly. No 14 year old boy should be playing in a men's soccer league. MLS should of had an age requirement. A 14 year soccer prospect is still developing both physically and mentally.

[@DungTran-li2wn]

​@@wraynephew6838should've *

[@jamesinho28]

@@wraynephew6838 he wasn't 14. Maybe add a decade. There was a lot of that going around in that era.

[@digitalslw]

He wasn’t 14???

[@seahpo6737]

there's literally zero evidence that he lied about his age, other than similarities in his career path to players who did which is very circumstantial at best and isn't proof of anything. especially since his career also has those same similarities with other mega-hyped youth prospects who didnt pan out and didnt lie about their age, like hachim mastour

[@PedroLyraFutebolNaGringa]

Love the video! Definitely want to see more of these. I just have one detail I thing could get better: if you could talk more about how the player did in college, I think it adds great context

[@Flippityflap]

freddy adu must have been really 16 or 17 when he was 14. He looked so old at 26 (and at 14)

[@SoccerSavantUSA]

Yes, this has always been the suspicion. That he had forged his birth certificate and was actually 4-5 years older than he claimed. It would explain a lot. If you see a pretty-good 21-year-old but think he's only 16, it really changes the expectations!

[@Eibarwoman]

@@SoccerSavantUSA I also don't recall any serious injuries to hinder Adu's development which only strengthens the suspicion.

[@jamesinho28]

He looks about 50 now. Even if he was 16 or 17 he should have gotten a lot better. But he never did. He was probably in his mid 20s when he was "14."

[@1607Adi_Manz]

@@jamesinho28 that's a bit exaggerated

[@nabimenj641]

great video thank you! would love to see another video about the top 10 draft picks from a certain mls year or something... keep it up man

[@Kryptic517]

Excellent video! One of my favorite I’ve seen in a while, keep up the effort.

[@n.stamm_]

Shoutout for the pronunciation of the German clubs/cities! Not the easiest of names. Great video!

[@brian_227]

Another great video from you. Keep up the good work 👍

[@dannytradio]

Great video. Definitely want to see more of these

[@toiky9476]

bro it’s the mls man

[@aryanmathur4049]

Great video! Suprised it doesnt have more views

[@filiplindblad6756]

You sir just earned a new subscriber! Really great quality video, you're very talented.

[@alfonsohr02]

Man I just clicked on the video and after watching most of it was surprised to see your sub count, you do high quality work, it'll pay off

[@Tomdabomb86]

Great work

[@AlfieT344]

Class video idea and even better video execution

[@jeffrueter94]

Great stuff, Blake. 🤙

[@thomaskendell8146]

As a Leeds fan I still have nightmares about Ramon Nuñez

[@etrestre9403]

Stop.

[@thomaskendell8146]

@@etrestre9403 😭

[@TheJonBob]

Woah you have less than 2k subs?!?!? This video was so high quality and good that i went to check if this isnt a back up channel or something. And you even mentioned HITC sevens 🐐. Keep up the great work

[@gracielynn9623]

This was a brilliant video idea! I just subscribed.

[@69bona]

Great video!

[@ShrimpsonH]

Really great video. Would fr love a ton more draft videos like this

[@yiotzolive6581]

Top quality upload like the style reminds me of the similar nba type videos keep it up

[@1904Jester1992]

Freddy Adu spent his time in Lisbon drunk and chasing tail nearly every night. Those were my university years, saw him all the time all around the city’s night life hotspots.

[@citizenstranger]

as good as marshall's career was, its hard to not think of the 2009 gold cup final. goodson too. they were the center of the defence that conceded 5 goals to mexico.

[@Priceinator11]

Dam this is such a great idea and perfectly executed. So suprised to see the views below 20k (wtf?) and your subs below 2k?!?!? Commenting to boost that algorithm

[@calle5218]

great video

[@rkeogh3467]

If adu had gone to a top European academy I think he could have been great

[@NazriB]

Lies again? Champions USMNT 7 Times Brazil 5 Times

[@blueberryjones]

Are you dense

[@JoshuaBilling-of7mc]

But like starting your career at USA and staying there for awhile could damage your career cause it doesn’t have good academy’s or good football if he went to like 2 division English football that would be way better to actually get good at football to develop at young age

[@rkeogh3467]

@@NazriB what?

[@rkeogh3467]

@@JoshuaBilling-of7mc that's what I'm saying

[@zaphster11]

Nice content! Subscribed! Hoping to see you grow!

[@telegamer13]

This was a genius video idea! Would be interested in another one with a different US player.

[@Blazer_Tom_]

Very common concept among other American sports

[@Am1sco]

There are millions of these types of videos out

[@BuzzCarrick70]

Probably should have mentioned Ramon Nunez played in the 2010 World Cup for Honduras as well as the 2008 Olympics and 2005 U20 World Cup.

[@btq9687]

Interesting video!

[@hansmeiser1200]

good content mate. i left a sub and looking forward to more

[@micahmason6328]

Its so fun to see the Houston vs New England MLS final! I was 17 years old at the game with my brothers!

[@douglasharley2440]

excellent video, subscribed! lol, i remember this like yesterday...damn, i'm old. 🤣

[@control2XS]

As a Leeds fan I have very fond memories of Ramon Nunez, we were in a very bleak place as a club and he often provided some great moments, a lot of Leeds fans think very highly of him still.

[@lildeahl]

the picture you used at 12:46 is Next level soccer team I played for and i remember him coming

[@twilso9]

You referred to HITC??? Yup, I’m subbing

[@zwebackshyper9307]

got to watch adu sit on the bench when the las vegas lights came to play our citys team in like 2018 we were seated right behind their bench and chanted we want adu practically all 2nd half lol he never came on but at the end of the game we got to talk to him a bit and take a pic good guy from the couple minutes we got to interact with him he was all smiles and friendly with us

[@Amm17ar]

Those GMs didnt know where he was from dawg.

[@papinate6784]

Revs fan here. Pain.

[@mitchconner2021]

Seems like Nunez was talented but couldn't really settle in and get comfortable anywhere. I wonder if him being an MLS guy made teams not wanna give him the time to get stuff tactically ya know?

[@BlakeAerni]

It definitely felt like he had a short leash almost anywhere he went

[@marcjohnson3322]

Ramon Nunez was a favourite among the Leeds fans back then, decent little player

[@AJ-bm1sr]

Fantastic football player for sure!

[@CallMeNewStepDad99]

Kind of funny that Dempsey is mid in Europe but a legend in the US 😂

[@mythix5906]

Yeah, it happens a lot, since people tend to back their own, example Nani and Sturridge were considered to be extremely talented but in Australia they are very mid, that have not made a difference at all to the teams they joined. Out of all the players to play in the A-League they are not even top 100, yet they were considered really good in England. It happens

[@505Vermont]

Dempsey would be the greatest player of all time for the vast majority of nations on earth

[@nathanribeiro3383]

​@@mythix5906 They weren't at their best anymore because they got older, that's why they moved to Australia

[@abc-rf8gi]

He was pretty good in europe though, not like he was a flop

[@davepazz580]

95% of all players in the world are considered "mid" in Europe...

[@usamatv9379]

Lol einfach meine TuS Koblenz da haha

[@paulalexander8874]

Loved the video but mention Alfie at HITC and I subscribe! Great example to follow and keep it real 👍

[@Sarge430]

Dempsey is the GOAT of American Soccer IMO. That being said as a Sounders Fan Chad Marshall is probably the best CB in MLS history and top 10 American CBs ever.

[@CognizantCheddar]

Marshall is only the best if we're going by number of appearances. Pope, Lalas, Bocanegra, all better CBs than Marshall that played a significant number of years in MLS. Probably have to rate Balboa, Conrad, and Agoos close to Marshall, too.

[@Handysoccersc]

Demerit Onyewu slightly better than him also but I agree Marshall top 10

[@Handysoccersc]

Tim ream better than him also but still Marshall probably still top 10

[@rockinmel1]

Great video. Chad Marshall wasn't just the Crew's GOAT, he was probably the best MLS defender of all time. He would likely have had a much longer international career, but for some reason Bob Bradley had no confidence in him. But his loss was his club's gain, as with all overlooked international-quality players on MLS clubs. (It's the shame of MLS that they play through FIFA breaks, handicapping clubs who sign multiple internationals in key roles.)

[@user-rd2kq2ok7c]

Not the last time Bob Bradley ruined something

[@RussCourtney]

Great research and presentation! Subscribed. My thoughts: I thought the teams that didn't pick him would look like suckers, but there were a lot of high quality players in there.

[@etrestre9403]

Curtny

[@arielsantos1332]

good vid imo

[@martynhawthorne7294]

I love the mls 👍 funny how the say shutouts for clean sheets I live in the uk and the commentary difference it’s like to different sports

[@giodhuha6771]

Matt Taylor so underrated in Germany should've been given chance to represent USMNT

[@bigenaryal1788]

in third tier bruh

[@1607Adi_Manz]

@@bigenaryal1788 that's american soccer player level back then now we have so many talents played in the 1st division bundesliga instead

[@benikandmomo4234]

I subscribed at 1.52k subscribers 😮😊

[@MiguelDuran]

3:35 wow I had no idea Ryan Stiles played pro soccer

[@Alphoric]

The whole draft system makes so little sense especially in football

[@cachegaming8609]

AYEE SHOUT OUT THE VILLE ONE OF OUR ONLY FAMOUS PEOPLE😂

[@njp2k914]

An interesting video! I don’t understand the American sports systems obsession with ‘drafts’

[@michaelstein7510]

It’s a way to make the league more competitive year-to-year by giving struggling teams a chance to add the best young prospects from the college ranks. It’s not a guarantee that they’ll improve their roster, since they can make a mistake and draft poorly, but it’s generally an effective way to keep things interesting so bad teams don’t stay bad forever and good teams have to work hard to stay good. Europeans might think it’s weird, but I much prefer a balanced league to leagues like the Bundesliga and the French league where rich and successful teams like Bayern and PSG can dominate forever with little interruption. Bayern did everything they could to not win the title this year, and they still won it! North Americans would grow very tired of that. Far too many European leagues are dominated by a handful of elite clubs, and the rest have no chance of ever winning a title in the modern age. That’s no fun. In our professional sports, every team has the opportunity to be good for at least a short window of time, if they draft and develop their players well. The MLS draft is much less important now than it was in Dempsey’s time. There are still a few late bloomers like Miles Robinson and Matt Turner who play college soccer and turn into excellent professionals. But those are rare nowadays. Most MLS teams develop their own academy players now and pay little attention to the MLS draft. It’s kind of a relic of a bygone era now.

[@njp2k914]

@@michaelstein7510 thanks for the explanation :)

[@1607Adi_Manz]

@@michaelstein7510 balance league is boring, that why no American club have more fan base than european elite club Elite club attract fan who in return bring more to the club

[@1607Adi_Manz]

@@njp2k914 there's negative side as well to the draft system

[@michaelstein7510]

@@1607Adi_Manz You think it’s boring, because you have no experience of it. MLS has had 9 different champions in the last 10 seasons, all while the league’s quality has improved significantly. That’s fun and interesting. Things don’t get stale. The model the rest of the world follows only rewards the elite teams and crushes everyone else. The affect has become compounded in the last 20 years of massive TV deals. The rich clubs are getting richer, which is great for them, but it’s not good for the long-term health of those leagues. What will the Bundesliga look like in ten years after Bayern inevitably learn from this year’s struggles, win the league by 20 points next season, and win ten more titles in a row? That won’t be good for the league. And many European leagues are in the same boat, with one team lapping the rest. That’s not interesting, even if the quality of play on the field is very good, in some of the leagues. I’m so glad American sports leagues are designed to discourage that level of perpetual dominance. Every team has a fair chance to succeed or fail. The salary cap model has its flaws, but I prefer that any day over what you’re used to.

[@keshawnstanford5336]

Bro I completely forgot that was the year Adu went first 😂 he played for Tampa for a bit

[@maximelecomte5962]

funny i thought of the richmond kickers when that german team was called kickers then next guy in video actually goes to RVA Kickers !

[@RighAlban]

Imagine being advertised as the next Pele and your claim to fame is assisting an assist.

[@deanbartlett1392]

Make a players you didnt know were drafted video! Jack Harrison was drafted and became an England international #neverforget

[@GarkKahn]

I forgot mls had a draft too

[@jjoshu_a]

is there deadass a fucking mls draft 💀💀

[@florn5601]

Yeah but it’s kinda uselss now most of the people drafted don’t even get a first team contract because they aren’t good enough.

[@jetorixjones]

Dempsey, Donovan, and Howard will forever be USMNT legends. Pulisic has a lot of work to do if he wants to take the “greatest” title from Deuce.

[@1607Adi_Manz]

Pullisic won UCL

[@bkml]

Wait? Watching since ten years ago?

[@stephendenis3855]

A lot of Americans playing in Germany. Even my high school coach played in the 4th division there.

[@1607Adi_Manz]

American love Nazi

[@ih8mcfly]

Adu needs to join City. Pep can help him develop.

[@christycullen2355]

Why does young Clint Dempsey look like Martin Shkreli 😂

[@UTFT___]

Draft systems need to come to europe imo

[@1607Adi_Manz]

disagree

[@kobe4212]

Hard pass. That's what academies are for

[@matsevensohai]

Players from the US, i will remember donovan and howard

[@dimi5881]

Freddy Adu probably should have went to Ajax,Benfica or Borussia Dortmund academies.

[@1607Adi_Manz]

Borussia Dortmund Isn't a youth focus development club back then, but ajax definitely good destination for young player

[@harrythemasterofall1022]

whats a draft

[@the_real_idoit8166]

If there’s one thing that Americans should take from football it’s academies they just help develop players more easily to playing professional and not only that it instills the culture and philosophy of the club(team) to the players at a very young age making them perfect fits for the club

[@1607Adi_Manz]

they should demolish the draft system and take advice from europe system instead it's not necessary copycat but rather inspired by

[@1607Adi_Manz]

gold medal in Olympic doesn't determine anything but still american think they're the biggest sport nation

[@wraynephew6838]

How do rational adults expect a 14 year old to compete with grown men without proper development? Major League soccer should have an age limit of at least 17 years

[@davepazz580]

They believed he was developed enough at that point...

[@wale26.]

American sports in a nutshell: Draft, League, Championship

[@fabrago05]

what's a draft?

[@shtookaralph5205]

Where was Tim Howard ?

[@rogga1011]

Giuseppe Rossi would probably have been the greatest US striker ever - a partnership with Dempsey in the national team would have been interesting.

[@tpsposts6825]

DEMPSEY THE FUCKING GOAT!

[@HugoSanchez-eb2pz]

Chicharito, Lozano, Rual Jiménez > dempsey, donovan, pulishit

[@Alphoric]

Limiting your talent pool because you have a draft system is the dumbest thing possible. You have to either be rich enough to afford university or get a scholarship for a sport that’s unpopular in the country. Actual brain dead league

[@florn5601]

It’s not the main pathway. No top American talent play collage. Most of the players drafted now days don’t even get a first team contract. And all MLS academy’s are free.

[@florn5601]

Now days most of the top talent get poached by mls academy’s and if there good enough they get a mls next deal which is a youth league or they just get a homegrown contract and play with the first team.

[@wraynephew6838]

It is not that simple. The draft does not limit the talent pool. It is just one pathway. Many international non U.S players sign on to play MLS soccer.The elite American talent play for different academy designed for development. Many of these academies are in Europe.

[@Alphoric]

@@wraynephew6838 it absolutely limits the talent pool. We can all see it limits the talent pool just by using our eyes

[@florn5601]

@@Alphoric that doesn’t make any sense if anything collage soccer is a good thing for players who can’t make professional to get an education or scholarships, your don’t know how are development system works people only play collage soccer if there not good enough to get a homegrown contract or there let go from there academy.

[@jeremiahbarr7172]

Cool video but you could probably cut down on us watching you talk. I felt like it was too much back and forth

[@kaischoneweiss]

not that it really matters but y is pronounced more like u in danish

[@swanlinere507]

The MLS have a Draft ????

[@spendover]

I don't understand this drafting system 🤷‍♂️... what's it all about?

[@nug2675]

It's really just used as a way for smaller clubs to get young talent and have the ability to compete with the bigger clubs.

[@spendover]

@@nug2675 ok, is there any money involved?

[@nug2675]

​@@spendoverI'm pretty sure in the MLS they have a salary cap making it so each team starts with the same amount of money to stop the bigger clubs from just buying out all the young talent from the other teams.

[@fwblok836]

@@nug2675can the player that’s drafted by some club say “no “ ? No money talk?

[@nug2675]

@@fwblok836 Im not so sure about the MLS, but I know in other American sports leagues, players can tell the club to either not draft them or, if the club doesn't listen and does end up drafting them, they force the club to transfer them by refusing to play.

[@27DAYSNINJA27NIGHTS]

clarence goodson is my pastor

[@dmanjere8387]

Who is even Clint Dempsey

[@hdot89]

Adu should’ve went to Europe instead of playing in the MLS

[@abdihamidabdihamid4061]

The only spurs player that hasn't won too many trophies after leaving spurs

[@xristosdikos8851]

Drafted?This is not how football works,you have to go to a decent team start playing from 12years old in youth team and hope if you are realy good to play first team at 17-18 and move foreward.Thats why Freddy Adou and Di Maria went to Benfica at 16 and the one did nothing but Di Maria transefered to Real Madrid at 21and plays until now

[@davidpower5275]

This dude saying a good season is scoring 3/4 goals 😂😂😂

[@markusvienna231]

The first guy transformation from boy to man is crazy.

[@StillAwesome21]

Is Dempsey still considered the Soccer GOAT? I thought Pulisic was y'all guy.

[@ussmassachusetts1154]

I thought it was Donovan or Howard

[@OcHO80ZERo]

I’m mad they have drafts over here in America 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣, fukken always fukken something up!!! MUURRRRIKKKAA 🤣🤣🤣

[@albusdumbledore5875]

Thé US college system ruins the longevity of professional footballer’s careers

[@buddysally886]

Soccer draft 😂😂, that bloke wasn’t 14

[@Sean-ni2nz]

You don’t know where I’m from dog

[@englishjona6458]

Do you know where mich is from lol 😂 his local gang will be a match for any of your gangs trust me

[@MortanAMrk]

ONE OF THE PLAYERS PLAYED FOR BRØNDBY EW EW EW EW EW EW SHUN