All I want for Christmas is a full time GM.

So here we are, almost 3 months since the firing of Mo Johnston and Preki, and over a month since über-consultant Jürgen Klinsmann was announced, and after a lot of cuts by Earl Cochrane, we've reached another of the off-season milestone's that can prove helpful in restocking the roster, the re-entry draft.

For the full details of how the two stages work click here, but basically this Wednesday allows team to choose from these players, agreeing to pay the option on their contract, or for those players with no option, making what's known as a bona fide offer, ie something similar to what they're currently earning, which the player can choose to accept or not.  Anyone not drafted at all moves on to the second stage next week, where players and clubs can negotiate for whatever price they want.  Even if an agreement isn't reached, the club would still have the MLS rights to that drafted player in the future.

Toronto FC's Nick Garcia isn't one of these players by mistake, it's full of players like him, decent players who have earned their contracts in previous years, but whose skills have diminished to the point where they're not worth the salary cap hit those contracts promise them.  Most of them could be useful players at a lower cost, so I imagine Wednesday will be quiet and next weeks second stage will see most of the action.  However there are players out there who could make a difference for a team that's looking to rebuild, and has a lot of recently created cap space.

So what might TFC, who pick 6th overall do?  Juan Pablo Angel, whose option would call for a designated player spot is the biggest name available, and along with Guillermo Barros Schelotto would provide the biggest offensive spark, if only short term for a club that desperately needs it.  I really can't see Schelotto happening, but Angel is an intriguing prospect, still a very good goalscorer, but no longer worthy of being a designated player, especially if Dwayne De Rosario gets the upgrade he wants and takes up our 2nd of 3 DP slots.  Defensively, the biggest names are Jimmy Conrad, Frankie Hejduk and Gino Padula, though all are getting on in years and very unlikely to go in the first round.  A more affordable option would be the signing of Dema Kovalenko, a defensive midfielder who could provide some depth in midfield and allow Nathan Sturgis to be shuffled back to occupy one of the problem full back spots.

All those decisions to be made Wednesday could give a good indication of just how interim Earl Cochrane really is.  If there is a higher profile, more experienced GM on the way, then more than likely TFC will pass on the higher contracts on offer tomorrow and wait until next week, thus maintaining the salary cap space and DP slots for the new guy to fill as he wishes on players from outside the league.  If he goes out and makes a splash, picking up Angel as a solution to our striking woes, or one of the other higher priced players, then it's very likely that the powers that be will have decided that of all the names suggested to them or headhunted for them by Klinsmann and SoccerSolutions, they think the Cochrane and Jimmy Brennan combo is the best way to go.  I really want to believe that that's not the case so I'm hoping for a quiet day from TFC, but the more time goes by, the more imminent the removal of the interim tag seems.  It would be nice if the situation gets resolved soon so all the other decisions involved in building the squad, from De Ro's contract to potential new signings can be made with the assurance that it's all part of a longer term plan.  Ticken Tocken Jürgen, Ticken Tocken.

EDIT:  This really isn't worth it's own post, but TFC didn't pick anyone up, and only 2 players were picked up all round.  Next Wednesday should be a bit more active.