:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/28227245/20130926_mje_ae4_971.0.jpg)
We're inside of 30 days until D.C. United's season opener on March 8 at RFK Stadium, and the time has come to look at the players who wear jersey numbers 29 and 30 (or at least who wore them last year - I have no clue who is wearing what number this season). Luckily for us, they're both young guys who play the same position. Conor Doyle and Michael Seaton both joined the Black-and-Red last season, Seaton as a homegrown player just over a year ago and Doyle via weighted lottery midway through the season. Both are back this year, with the approval of the B&RU community (Doyle to the tune of 78% and Seaton almost unanimously), and while neither looks to feature in the first XI at the start of the year, let's project a few months into the future.
Where do we see these two come June, August, October? Right now, Doyle is almost certainly ahead of Seaton on the depth chart, even if the Jamaican teenager spent time this winter training with Inter's U-21 squad. But will that still be the case by the end of the year? I'm not so sure. Doyle is a talent and could have a high ceiling, but Seaton has the potential to be something truly special. More importantly, Seaton has been realizing that potential at a faster pace than most ever expected, moving from United's academy to a professional contract to scoring goals for the Richmond Kickers to playing with the Jamaican Men's National Team to training with the best young prospects in Inter Milan's system. Who's to say he won't take the next step, earning time and scoring goals in MLS?
By the same token, who's to say Doyle won't also improve upon the flashes he showed in 2012?
Either way, it's a good problem to have, especially since both figure to start the season behind newcomers Eddie Johnson and Fabian Espindola. So here are my questions to you, readers: How will Conor Doyle and Michael Seaton fit into Ben Olsen's plans in 2014? Which one will score more goals for the Black-and-Red this year?
