The Re-Entry Draft is all about the opportunity at redemption. If you don’t believe me, ask former MLS defender Ryan Cochrane.
Cochrane was at a low point in his career when the Re-Entry Draft was introduced in 2010. After winning the MLS Cup with the Houston Dynamo in 2006 and 2007, the Oregon native was released following a season-and-a-half where he only made 18 appearances. Cochrane, 27 at the time, had a lot to consider.
“I was playing behind some big name guys that had been with Houston for a while,” Cochrane reflected. “When the end of the season came around, Houston declined my option and at that point I was kind of at a turning point of my career. I was trying to figure out what my options were going to be.”
Cochrane considered playing in a lower division, moving overseas and calling it a career before ultimately choosing to enlist in the Re-Entry Draft. Despite being a new concept, Cochrane immediately saw the benefits of the draft.
“When I first heard of the Re-Entry Draft, I thought it was awesome,” Cochrane illuminated. “For teams that were looking for guys, they could find the right guy that would fit their system in terms of their style, in terms of how much room they have under the cap. For the players it was nice because if your option was declined by the team you were with you no longer had to be at their mercy in terms of trying to go somewhere else to play.”
Cochrane looked at the Re-Entry Draft as an opportunity to reignite his career. The Santa Clara product was so committed to rebounding from his second stint in Houston that he claimed that money and location weren’t a factor.
“For me, it was more important to get an opportunity to continue to play and to see if I could find the right path back to start to build the career back up again,” Cochrane professed.
Cochrane became one of 13 players selected in the 2010 Re-Entry Draft when the New England Revolution used their first pick of the second round (fourth overall) to claim the veteran defender. The selection, which wasn’t predicated with any prior conversation, brought a sense of elation.
“The great thing about the Re-Entry Draft is that team that picks you up – you know that they want you,” Cochrane said. “You know that they want you to sign. That gives you a little bit of confidence to go into that situation.”
Although he soon signed a contract with the Revolution, his experiences with Houston and Re-Entry Draft remained at mind and served as a motivator.
“Going through that Re-Entry Draft process, having my option declined by Houston, definitely put a chip on my shoulder,” Cochrane explained. “It grounds you a little bit, humbles you a little bit, but at that point you’re really trying to fight back. When you’re going through that Re-Entry Draft process, a lot of times you can be on the downslope of your career so you’re looking for that opportunity to turn things around.”
The 2011 season didn’t go as planned for Cochrane or the Revs. The club had its worst season in franchise history when it finished tied for last in MLS with 28 points and a record of 5-16-13. Changes were on the horizon as longtime manager Stevie Nicol was replaced by former defender Jay Heaps.
Heaps soon initiated his rebuild, which included the release of Cochrane. Regardless, Cochrane remains appreciative for the chance at redemption provided by the Re-Entry Draft and the Revolution.
“Overall I would say I was thankful for the opportunity once I got out of Houston to have a place to go and see if I could turn things around,” Cochrane stated. “It doesn’t always work out. It didn’t really work out for me in that sense. But again, grateful for the opportunity, for sure.”
(Image courtesy of MLSSoccer.com)
