WVHooligan - Soccer Blog

Just as we all expected, today FC Dallas traded for recently turned pro Bruno Guarda from Colorado. Guarda was placed in a special weighted lottery last week and the Rapids won it. Guarda returns back to Dallas to play for his former college coach now with the MLS side.

I do think Dallas gave up a bit (a 2nd and 3rd round pick in next year’s draft, plus allocation) but both sides wanted to get it done so you can’t blame them for getting what is expected to be a very special player.

Here is the information that was just sent to me.

FC Dallas today acquired former SMU midfielder Bruno Guarda from the Colorado Rapids in exchange for the team’s natural 2nd and 3rd Round selections in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft and a partial allocation.

The Rapids won a special lottery to obtain the rights to Guarda on July 22. Special lotteries are conducted by the league among interested teams for players who are not eligible to be discovered and who were not drafted. Twelve of the 14 teams participated in last week’s lottery for Guarda’s rights.

“I’m very excited to stay in Dallas,” said Guarda. “My first priority is FC Dallas, and my second priority is to finish my degree here at SMU, which I have two semesters left. But becoming a professional was something that I’ve been dreaming about since I was a little kid, and hopefully one day I can make everyone proud at FC Dallas.”

“We’re very excited to have Bruno Guardo at FC Dallas,” said FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman. “What he’ll bring to the team is that he has a great work ethic. Attacking he was one of the better players in the country at the collegiate level, and he really surprises you because he works so hard defensively to gain the ball back. Tactically he’s very sound; technically he’s very sound. He’s capable of penetrating with a dribble or the pass, and I look for nothing but good things from Bruno as he comes into the professional ranks with FC Dallas.”

Guarda scored 15 goals and added 18 assists playing in his three years at SMU for Hyndman. He was a Herman Trophy semifinalist following both his sophomore and junior years (2006 and 2007).

What do you all make of this deal?

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