So you, dear reader, want to build a great MLS roster.
You want to catapult your team to the top of the league, winning Supporters’ Shields and MLS Cups along the way. Maybe you’ll even contend for a US Open Cup or two – if MLS will let you play in it, that is.
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It’s a noble goal. But where do you start? What differentiates the bad rosters from the good ones or the bumbling organizations from the savvy ones in MLS?
As teams from around the league rush to add the final few pieces to their respective puzzles before the 2024 regular season kicks off next week, now is a good time to take a step back and examine how the best squads are formed.
Sure, with the league’s overly complex roster regulations, even some active MLS front office members don’t have a full grasp of all of the ins-and-outs and best practices when it comes to squad-building. But a look around the league can still help us identify a handful of the ‘golden rules’ of MLS roster construction.
Rule No 1: Use your DP spots wisely
In MLS, how you use your Designated Players spots has the potential to make or break your season. To lay the foundation, every team can sign up to three DPs. These are big-money players, either due to their transfer fees, their salaries, or some combination of the two, that can extend beyond the league’s basic salary cap structure. They’re the stars.
How do you make the most of your DP spots?
Well, using them all is a good place to start. Yes, CF Montreal, everyone is staring at you while your lone DP Victor Wanyama sniffles in the corner by himself. Signing three DPs gives you the best chance to have the most top-end talent on the field at any given time. You don’t absolutely have to have three DPs to be among the best in MLS – LAFC made it to the Concacaf Champions League (now Cup) final last year, finished third in the West, and made a run all the way to MLS Cup with just two DPs in their squad.
But after coming up short in both of those finals, you can bet manager Steve Cherundolo would’ve liked one more piece to put his team over the top.
Simply convincing three DPs to sign on the dotted line isn’t a ticket to trophies, though. For most teams, there’s not much sense in tying up one of…