Two announcements from the Colorado Rapids this week helped paint a clearer picture of the opening day roster when the season kicks off on Saturday, March 2 at FC Dallas.
Major League Soccer' roster compliance deadline is March 1. On that date, teams are required to have no more than 30 eligible roster players, be within the salary budget, and have no more international players than slots available. (MLS ROSTER RULES)
The signing of goalkeeper Clint Irwin and defender Kory Kindle brought the Rapids roster to 29 players. However, on Friday, the team announced that Jamie Castrillon would be facing a long recovery from knee surgery, which will likely free up his roster and international slot for the time being.
Here's how the roster stands as of Feb. 22, 2013:
Goalkeepers: Matt Pickens, Steward Ceus, Clint Irwin
Defenders: Drew Moor, Marvell Wynne, Anthony Wallace, Chris Klute, Diego Calderon, Brian Mullan, Davy Armstrong, Shane O'Neill, Kory Kindle
Midfielders / Forwards: Pablo Mastroeni, Hendry Thomas, Jamie Smith, Nick LaBrocca, Nathan Sturgis, Dillon Powers, Martin Rivero, Dillon Serna,Tony Cascio, Jaime Castrillon, Edson Buddle, Deshorn Brown, Andre Akpan, Atiba Harris, Kevin Harbottle, Kamani Hill, Charles Eloundou
NOTES:
- The Rapids have eight International roster slots available for 2013: six were naturally assigned by MLS and two were acquired in trades.
- On June 29, 2005, the Rapids acquired a permanent International spot from Real Salt Lake in exchange for the rights to Adolfo Gregorio...On Jan. 16, 2013, the Rapids acquired an International Slot from Chicago in the trade the Jeff Larentowicz trade...Also, in December 2012 the Rapids re-acquired an original International slot from New York that was originally sent to the Red Bulls through the 2012 season in the Mehdi Ballouchy / Mac Kandji trade on Sept. 14, 2010.
- Seven of the eight foreign slots are occupied: Brown (Jamaica), Calderon (Ecuador), Rivero (Argentina), Thomas (Honduras), Castrillon (Colombia), Harbottle (Chile), and Eloundou (Cameroon). Midfielder Jamie Smith (Scotland) received his permanent residency over the offseason and no longer counts as an international.
- Castillon is likely to be place on the disabled list to start the season, meaning the team could use his roster and international slot to sign another player while he's inactive (provided the team has additional salary budget available). In this case, and if there are no other transactions with the current roster (trades / cuts), Colorado would have two roster vacancies instead of one. And, the team would have two international spots available.
- *Cameroonian forward Charles Eloundou is still in the process of obtaining his P-1 visa, which would allow him to come to the United States. He won't technically be on the roster - eligible to play - until he received his visa.
