PLAYER PROFILE: HADJI BARRY
By: PXI STAFF (@ProspectXI)
Position: Forward
Primary Role: Winger
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 160
DOB: 12/08/92
Nationality: Guinea
Preferred Footed: Left
Club: Orlando City SC (MLS)
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE:
No International Team Experience.
CURRENT STATUS:
Drafted 13th overall by Orlando City SC in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.
PLAYING CAREER:
2012: Monroe CC (NJCAA) – 18 games, 12 starts, 12 goals, 4 assists
2013: Monroe CC (NJCAA) – 18 games, 16 starts, 5 goals, 8 assists, 19 shots on target, 3 yellows
2014: Central Florida (NCAA – D1) – 16 games, 16 starts, 1 goals, 10 shots on target, 1 yellow
2015: Central Florida (NCAA – D1) – 17 games, 17 starts, 11 goals, 3 assists, 27 shots on target, 2 yellows
ANALYSIS:
Hadji is an athletically gifted forward who showed his speed at the MLS combine, recording the fastest time in the 30 Meter Dash Speed Test at 3.88 seconds. Hadji was drafted by Orlando City 13th overall in the 2016 MLS Draft. Hadji was born in Conakry, Guinea with his family immigrating to Rochester, New York. Barry attended Greece Olympia High School while also playing club soccer for with the Greece Cobras. He won All-County First Team in Soccer and was also successful as a cross country athlete in High School.
Hadji attended school locally in Rochester at Monroe Community College and won two regional championship scoring 13 goals and 12 assists in 36 games over the two years and won his region player of the year and first team honours. He was brought in with eight players to Central Florida prior to the 2014 season where Head Coach Bryan Cunningham said “Hadji is a very dedicated and versatile player. A very quick lefty that can play out on the wing or even play forward and at times can play in the midfield.” Barry was used for versatility his first season with Central Florida, which resulted him only scoring one goal in 16 games although in 2015 he was used as the main attacking option and scored 11 goals and added three assists in 17 games and was named to the first team All-American Athletic Conference.
Barry does have some good athletic upside and the fact he is predominately left-footed made him different than most of the players in the draft the concern is the lack of pedigree compared to other players in the draft so he is a bit of a surprise going 13th overall. Although a forward, Haji doesn’t have the finishing touch you want from someone up front so is more effective as a speed option on the left wing. Hadji has some tricks 1v1 although to be a productive winger in MLS he will need to improve his overall ball possession and crossing.
HIGHLIGHTS:
+ Born in Conakry, Guinea
+ Played High School and Club Soccer in Rochester NY
+ Played two seasons of NJCAA Soccer with Monroe CC
+ Played two seasons of NCAA Division 1 Soccer with Central Florida
+ Drafted 13th overall by Orlando in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.