Off Topic » n, N.J.That just opened my eyes and I knew

PHILADELPHIA - Ask coaches and GMs about Cyle Larin and theyll tell you hes a big talent with a big future.But the 19-year-old Canadian forward, who could go No. 1 in Thursdays MLS SuperDraft, also wins kudos for his demeanour off the field.Hes a great kid, we were very fortunate to have him said UConn coach Ray Reid, who worked with Larin for two seasons. As much as Im going to miss him as a player, if you want the truth Im going to miss him more as a guy. Hes a very good guy.Hes a terrific lad, first and foremost, echoed Canadian under-20 coach Rob Gale. Hes a very level-headed kid.Orlando City SC has first crack Thursday at the six-foot-two 190 pounder from Brampton, Ont. Fellow expansion team New York City FC picks second, ahead of the Montreal Impact, San Jose Earthquakes and Portland Timbers.With three picks in the first round — sixth, ninth and 11th — Toronto FC will be an active player whether it opts to trade some of its selections or not.The Vancouver Whitecaps pick 13th. Its the lowest selection the team has had since joining MLS and, with five picks in the third and fourth rounds, the Whitecaps will be looking for some diamonds in the rough.The first two rounds go Thursday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Rounds 3 and 4 will be done by telephone Jan. 20. Larin will learn his future before Canadas game against El Salvador on Thursday at the CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Montego Bay, Jamaica. He has already won three caps under Benito Floro for the senior national side and is still kicking himself for a missed scoring opportunity against third-ranked Colombia.I rushed the shot, he lamented. If I hit it properly, I think I would have scored.Larin, who like Toronto FC midfielder Kyle Bekker grew up playing for the Sigma FC academy in suburban Mississauga, scored 23 goals and added six assists in 39 career games for Connecticut.He was named American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year in 2013 after collecting 14 goals and three assists. This season, he won AAC Offensive Player of the Year honours with a conference-best 0.56 goals a game.Canadian MLS team officials speak as one when Larins name is raised.Exceptional talent, said Toronto FC GM Tim Bezbatchenko.He obviously has talent, added Vancouver Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi.There was speculation Larin would enter the draft after his freshman year. But he wanted to prolong his college experience — at least for another season.He made up his mind last October, after coming in the 82nd minute of Canadas game against Colombia at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.That just opened my eyes and I knew I wanted to leave that year, Larin said. That was the decision right there.Larin, who trained briefly with clubs in Belgium and Germany, mulled over going back to Europe but decided the MLS was the best place to begin his pro career.He is diplomatic about where he might end up.Going No. 1 is always nice, he said. New York or Orlando would be nice.Receiving passes from Frank Lampard or Kaka would be fun, admitted Larin — a Chelsea fan who counts veteran Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba as another of his favourite players. There are no nerves, just excitement. Polite and soft-spoken, Larin says his goal in his MLS rookie season is to do my best and hopefully help out the team and see where it takes me. Larin can play as a forward or tucked in behind a striker and likes both roles. He is fast, deft at controlling the ball and has vision — able to pick out a teammate with a pass. His tool box is full.His college coach sees him flourishing at centre forward.Hes mobile, he can get out to the flanks. Good with his back to the goal, said Reid. Hes dangerous in the box.Reid says the best is yet to come.I think Cyles just scratching the surface, he said. Hes athletic, hes a wonderful kid, hes got talent. But hes still young. Hes still learning how to use it every day, how to be ready mentally every day. Physically, hes a work in progress. But hes got a lot of talent. Hes got a huge up-side if he can get it right. Reid knows his stuff.In his 18 years at the UConn helm, he has seen 32 of his players taken in MLS draft. Thirteen of those went in the first round with Chris Gbandi (2002) and goalkeeper Andre Blake (2014) going first overall.Reid, who recorded his 400th coaching win last October, is to be honoured Thursday as 2014 NSCAA East Regional Coach of the Year on Thursday as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America national convention in Philadelphia.Gale has also mentored Larin, helping him deal with the hype. Gale is quick to note that on his team Larin is one of 20.Were very realistic as a staff in that the lad is a talented boy but he has yet to go through the test of professional football ... Theres no doubt hes a talented footballer. Hes got great feet, he can finish. So the tools are there.But these next couple of years are going to be a great test for the lad, he added.Larin wore No. 9 as a youngster, switching to No. 10 at college. Asked what number hell wear as a pro, he shows a measure of his maturity.Im going to have to earn that, to try to get the number I want, he said. Larin enters the draft as one of five underclassmen with Generation Adidas contracts. That increases his appeal to clubs since his deal wont count against the salary cap.He is the first Canadian to sign a Generation Adidas contract. Teal Bunbury, who has U.S. and Canadian citizenship, got a GA deal before electing to play internationally for the U.S.NOTES: MLS has signed four more college seniors ahead of the draft. The latest to get contracts are forwards Andy Craven (North Carolina) and Akeil Barrett (Tulsa), midfielder Connor Hallisey (California) and defender Saad Abdul-Salaam (Akron) ... New York City FC has signed U.S. international midfielder Mix Diskerud on a free transfer. He spent the last three seasons in Norway with Rosenborg.Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter New England Patriots NKeal Harry Jersey . The NFL announced Friday that the Texans sixth-year veteran offensive lineman will replace Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jason Peters in the Jan. New England Patriots Chase Winovich Jersey .A. Happs hold on a spot in the Blue Jays starting rotation is in question. http://www.cheappatriots.com/ . Kelli Stack and Alex Carpenter also scored for the Americans, who avoided a repeat of Finlands upset at the Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., in November. Finnish goalie Noora Raty made 58 saves in that one, but the three-time Olympian could stop just 40 of 43 U. Discount New England Patriots Jerseys . Atletico Madrid made it three wins from three thanks to a double from in-form striker Diego Costa in a 3-0 victory at Austria Vienna, leaving the Spanish side on the brink of the last 16 already to continue its brilliant start to the season. New England Patriots Damien Harris Jersey . Hes even holding a bat on one of his 2014 baseball cards. So far, hes playing like his picture.STUTTGART, Germany -- Alisa Kleybanova defeated third-seeded Petra Kvitova 6-2, 7-6 (3) to provide the first major upset at the Porsche Grand Prix on Wednesday. The 102nd-ranked Kleybanova rallied from 5-3 down in the second set to beat her Czech opponent. It was the Russians first victory against a top-10 player since winning her battle against Hodgkins lymphoma, which kept her out between May 2011 and March 2012. The sixth-ranked Kvitova had been given a bye to the second round and was playing her first match since inspiring the Czech Republic to the Fed Cup final last weekend. 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