The annual MLS combine is unique.
It’s the only time and place each year where all the league's coaches and scouts are on the touchline of the same soccer pitch watching an actual game.
OK, so the players aren't professionals, and in fact many of them probably never will be. But there you are.
Most coaches aren't all that impressed by what they see here.
For the most part they simply look down their noses at what's going on, ever hopeful however that somebody out there might step up and make an impact.
The fact is the cream of the crop has already been scooped by the U.S. program and are training with that squad at the same time.
The consensus is that the difference in talent between those with the U.S under-20s and the combine crew is enormous. In fact the top several picks in Thursday's draft are likely not on display here; they're in the U.S. camp as part of the Generation Adidas crew already signed to MLS contracts and are still draft eligible.
But no matter, it’s boatloads of fun watching coaches and scouts from different teams mingle with each other. Vancouver is of course in the most enviable position as they hold the No. 1 overall pick.
Bob Lenarduzzi, Tom Soehn, Teitur Thordarson, Colin Miller and the others are constantly entertaining offers from other clubs for that coveted pick.
The Whitecaps however will be content to wait until draft day before deciding what to do. It’s no secret that they need some attacking players, but whether they try and accomplish that through the draft or by trading remains unclear.
So it’s hard to know how useful many of these kids will be to MLS teams.
Of note: Wayne Rooney's younger brother John is here trying to make an impression and he scored a goal Monday.
Most recently he was training with Tranmere Rovers and is hopeful someone will notice something about him other than his name. The best looking player Monday might have been 18-year-old Joao Plata from Ecuador. He's a little guy but he buzzed around effectively and scored twice in his team's game. He now has three goals in two games. Whitecaps boss Lenarduzzi incidentally wasn't even supposed to be here this week. His original plan had him flying from Fort Lauderdale to London, England for meetings Sunday.
But like many others, his flight fell victim to the bad weather and was cancelled. Ever the wise man, Lenarduzzi decided to remain in sunny, balmy South Florida and head to the draft in Baltimore straight from here.
As for Toronto FC, their contingent has consisted of Paul Mariner, Jim Brennan, Nick Dasovic, Danny Dichio, Jason Bent and Tim Regan.
Head coach Aron Winter and assistant Bob de Klerk were due to arrive from the Netherlands Monday night and take in Tuesday's proceedings.
Former TFC assistant Leo Percovich has found a new home. He says he was quietly released by Toronto just before the New Year and joined the staff of the Chicago Fire last week.
Even though they don't enter the league until 2012, the Montreal Impact have a delegation here. Director of soccer Nick De Santis and assistant coach Mauro Biello can be found watching it all with interest. They'll be at the draft as well as part of their preparation for the following year when they'll have the first pick overall.
