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Rapids aim for offensive boost in draft

Forward, left-side help lead wish list for MLS franchise

Alan Pearce, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 12, 2007 at midnight

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Even after acquiring promising U.S. scorer Herculez Gomez, the Colorado Rapids might be looking for a forward in today's Major League Soccer SuperDraft.

Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo learned a few days ago Thiago Martins, a hard-working striker, has signed to play for a second-division Norwegian club.

Martins, who started 14 games last season, was a free agent. However, the 30-year-old native of Brazil still was sought by the Rapids after scoring three goals and registering four assists last season with Colorado.

The Rapids are positioned well to restock its roster. They have the sixth pick plus five more choices in the remaining three rounds.

Clavijo believes there are five to six top-notch players available, although he said the cream of the crop does not match the previous two drafts.

"I would not say it's worse than before, but it's more level," Clavijo said. "I wouldn't say that anyone specifically stepped up in the (combine) games that we saw. We have a pretty good draft pick, so we should end up with a pretty good player."

Besides seeking a striker with size, the Rapids also are looking for an offensive midfielder and help on the left side at both defender and midfielder.

Last season, after Dedi Ben-Dayan returned to Israel in midseason, the Rapids had to use Nicolas Hernandez and Jacob Peterson at left wing and neither replacement plays optimally there.

Peterson, though, was such a success in his rookie year that the Rapids again hope to strike it rich in the second round. Colorado has two picks in the second round, the 17th and 18th overall.

Usually, the most sought-after players in the SuperDraft carry the Generation Adidas designation, which means they have left college early or skipped it altogether to pursue professional soccer. Most important, the program's players are exempt from the salary cap.

This year's Generation Adidas crop is thinner and younger than in the past. It also is something more of a mystery, Clavijo said.

"Five of them were not (at the combine) because they've been training with the national team, the U-20s," Clavijo said. "Two guys on the U-17s were not there. Some of the coaches probably have seen them, but they didn't see them at the combine."

ETC.: Former Rapids assistant coach Steve Trittschuh has left the club to become director of coaching for the Colorado Rush youth soccer organization. Clavijo said he wants to fill the vacancy with a full-time strength and conditioning coach . . . The Rapids announced their final preseason match will be played against Real Salt Lake on March 31 in Las Vegas.

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