Introducing Our Newest DP...

...Fredy Montero.

Ok, so it wasn't a huge shock, but it is a very nice development. Ever since MLS instituted the Designated Player Rule, teams have been shooting to sign over-the-hill European stars simply because of their name. The thinking was that David Beckham would be the pioneer. He would tell others about MLS. They would decide to retire by signing with MLS. Then gradually, more and more players would come from across the Atlantic. Each time they would get younger until it reached a point where MLS was competing with the likes of United and Chelsea for prime talent.

It was a plan that would take, oh I don't know...30 years. Luckily, somewhere along the way, certain teams decided that signing aging superstars wasn't the best business model. They said to themselves, "Hmm...what can sell soccer in my city? Oh, I know - a winning franchise!" So they started looking for other avenues to gain talent.

I want to give credit to the likes of RSL and Seattle for looking south to Latin America for their talent. On the same day that Seattle made Montero a DP, RSL locked up their 28 year old Costa Rican star Alvaro Saborio to a DP contract. Combined with Javier Morales, Fabio Espindola and Jamison Olave, they have built a championship contender out of little known Latin American stars. It's a blueprint that other teams would be wise to take. RSL knows that living in Salt Lake doesn't appeal to soccer players the way NY or LA does, so they went another route. If they can do it, so can NE, KC and Columbus.

Back to Fredy: His signing is a little different than Saborio in that he is still only 23 years old and has a bright future ahead of him in Europe (whereas Saborio is just finishing a stint in the Swiss league). No one in Seattle thought he would be around for Year 3. Hell, after his first year and his weird loan from Deportivo Cali, most thought he would be gone to Spain after Year 1.

In retaining his services, Seattle not only solidified themselves as contenders, but they also helped the league. While MLS has indeed seen its share of young international talent over the years, the league has always just been a stepping stone to something bigger. This might be the first step towards changing the philosophy on what a DP should be. Instead of signing an overpriced Euro star whose best days are behind them, teams should start investing in not only local (ie- homegrown) talent, but international as well. I'm talking from Central and South America, Africa and maybe even Europe. If the talent pans out, then teams can use their DP to keep them in the system for a few years. Sign players whose best days are ahead of them - just make sure those days are on American soil and not European. That is what the DP Rule should be about.

With the introduction of academies and the Homegrown player rule, we are certainly seeing a new direction from the league. To me, the next logical step would be to change the DP rule slightly and require one of the possible 3 DP slots be used on a player under the age of 25. That might be a pipe dream, but for now, I am super excited to have our own young talent locked up for a few more years.