Revs select Jaqua and Simms

Head coach Jay Heaps potentially added two pieces to his team on Monday afternoon as the New England Revolution selected Nate Jaqua and Clyde Simms in Stage 2 of the 2011 Major League Soccer Re-Entry Draft. The Revs now control the MLS rights to each player and the league will extend contract offers to both within the next seven days.

Nate Jaqua struggled in his final two seasons in Seattle, but the 6'3" striker could look to revive his career in New England.

“With Nate and Clyde, we’ve chosen two players who have a lot of MLS experience,” General Manager Michael Burns said. “The league will now make them contract offers. Should they decide to remain in MLS and play for the Revs, we believe they can help us on the field. We also expect that their professionalism would have a positive impact in our locker room.”

Jaqua, a forward, has nine years of MLS experience, most recently playing the past three seasons with the Seattle Sounders. The 30 year old had a career year in 2009, scoring nine goals and adding seven assists in 28 games, but has failed to score a goal in the past two seasons while seeing a diminished role appearing mostly off the bench in 28 games.  A Eugene, Ore., native Jaqua has tallied 41 goals and 28 assists over 197 career MLS games.

At six-foot-three, Jaqua could provide an imposing presence up top for the Revs if he can once again find his goal scoring prowess. Jaqua’s past success earned him three appearances with the U.S. National Team from 2006-2008. He has previously played on the Chicago Fire, Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo in MLS and had a brief stint on SC Rheindorf Altach in Austria. He was originally drafted out of the University of Portland third overall in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft by Chicago.

Simms, a central midfielder, played his entire seven-year MLS career with D.C. United. He made 182 MLS appearances for D.C., including 147 starts, mostly as a defensive midfielder. After graduating from East Carolina University in 2004, Simms went undrafted and signed with the Richmond Kickers, a second division team.

Simms big break came in 2005 when he was called in as a replacement player for the U.S. National Team during a dispute between the U.S. Soccer Federation and the U.S. Soccer Players Association. Simms made such an impression that then Head Coach Bob Bradley kept him on the squad even after the dispute was resolved and the regulars returned to camp. He earned a cap with the U.S. and was soon signed by D.C. United.

Though the Revs have MLS rights for both players, they may opt to sign in another league or retire. Last year the Revs selected Brazilian Fred in the Re-Entry Draft and traded his rights to D.C. United after they were unable to sign him. The Revs selected left back Danleigh Borman in Stage 1  of the Re-Entry Draft last Monday, but have yet to announce if  they’ve reached a contract agreement.

Zimbabwean striker Kheli Dube, whose contract was not renewed by the Revs, was selected by the Chicago Fire in the Re-Entry Draft. This is the second year in a row the Fire have selected a player from the Revolution, having taken defender Cory Gibbs last year.

Defender Ryan Cochrane and midfielder Pat Phelan, who were available in the draft after the Revolution didn’t re-sign either player, went undrafted.

Former Rev striker Pat Noonan, who last played for the Seattle Sounders, was selected by the defending MLS Cup Champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy in the draft. Other former Revs who were available, but went undrafted, include Chris Albright and Adin Brown, one of the heroes of the Revs run to MLS Cup 2002.

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