Through the first day of the MLS College Combine in Carson, California, one thing is clear in Real Salt Lake’s camp – Andy Williams is a harsh critic.
A self-professed soccer junkie, Williams offers the most pointed criticisms of players at the combine as RSL seeks to predict who could be available when the Claret-and-Cobalt is on the clock with the 13th pick on Friday. Central to the team’s grading processes has been the years of work put in by Williams as Head Scout along with several other coaches who have kept their eyes on college matches in recent years.
And while he sees players as having quality and fitting in certain systems or on certain clubs, he knows not every player fits the profile of what Real Salt Lake seeks.
“I have a thin line and that’s my line, I guess. It’s hard to explain,” he said Monday from the team’s draft headquarters in Manhattan Beach. “The chopping block is sharp.”
Williams’ high standards and critical eye are a good contrast to some of the other personalities in RSL’s technical staff and while they provide for some light moments during the player evaluation process, he is also well-respected amongst his peers and his critiques, no matter how unforgiving they may seem, carry a lot of weight as RSL narrows down its choices ahead of Friday’s draft.
His opinions hold a lot of merit after he spent the better part of his time with RSL’s technical staff watching games at all levels across the country and around the world.
When he praises a player, it carries even more weight because it isn’t something he hands out without careful consideration to the player’s abilities and RSL’s needs and culture.
“I wouldn’t say it goes back just one year. Most of these guys I’ve been tracking the last three years. So I’ve got an idea who has been consistent and who can make the professional jump,” he said. “I think there’s good quality all around. I think there are some hidden gems there and hopefully some of them fall to us in our slot.”
The 2017 MLS SuperDraft kicks off with Minnesota United FC picking first on Friday at 1 p.m. MT.
