MLS Award projections: MVP, Coach of the Year and more
by Steve Davis on Sep 1, 2010 10:54 AM EDT
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All the smart patooties around SB Nation’s soccer family have started a Major League Soccer awards tracker. The initial voting will be available soon. Meanwhile, you can check out my selections at this point.
(FYI, if you haven’t checked out the SB Nation soccer offerings lately, do yourself a solid and look ‘em over. SB Nation soccer editor Richard “Fingers of Fury” Farley continues to fill up the site’s soccer front page with great content. Meanwhile, we recently added blogs dedicated to EPL leaders Chelsea and, just to prove we’re not frontrunners, the struggling Houston Dynamo in MLS. You’ll get ‘em next year, guys. And there’s more to come as SB Nations continues to fill out its burgeoning roster of soccer blogs.)
But I digress. Back to morning topic … While enjoying an icy, limey Pacifico last night, here’s the list I put together. Feel free to tell me where I went wrong. (About the MLS list, that is; there is no wrong when it comes to icy limey Pacifico.)
MLS MVP
1. Fredy Montero
2. David Ferreira
3. Javier Morales
(More, including Defender of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year)
Defender of the Year:
1. Jamison Olave
2.
3. Omar Gonzalez
Goalkeeper of the Year
1. Nick Rimando
2. Donovan Ricketts
3. Jimmy Nielsen
Coach of the Year:
1. Schellas Hyndman
2. Hans Backe
3. Preki
Rookie of the Year:
1. Danny Mwanga
2. Andy Najar
3. Tim Ream
Newcomer of the Year
1. Alvaro Saborio
2. Joel Lindpere
3. Jimmy Nielson
Comeback Player of the Year
1. Sebastien Le Toux
2. Bobby Convey
3. Mehdi Ballouchy
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Glad you included Jimmy Nielson
in a couple categories. He really has had a helluva year in goal for the Wiz.
by I need more Esteban on Sep 1, 2010 11:57 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Chris Albright
definitely deserves a look for comeback player. I agree with your top 3 for rookie of the year, but think Tony Tchani is looking like an honorable mention (is it clear which team I support?).
Preki!?
I wrote a long list of reasons why I disagreed with your mention of Preki as a potential CotY, but upon realizing it was just a (very) hate filled rant I deleted it and am instead just going to ask, why did you pick him as a candidate?
Other than that, good picks!
Re: Preki!?
Yeah, why not Kreis?
JK seems like a natural choice, given the number of times RSL is represented in the other categories.
but couldn't you argue ..
… the other way around? they have all this talent, so he just has to steer the ship. Jason has done a fantastic job. there can be no arguing the point. but i’d say he did the better job last year. this year really has been about maintaining course. Saborio is the one significant change from last year, and he’s a great addition. otherwise, it’s the same team, same system, etc. again, that’s not to take anything away. but this is Coach of the Year for 2010. just my early thoughts, though. i AM looking for diverse views here.
re Preki
yeah, there’s definitely an asterisk there. it’s a “late August” pick. if Preki gets TFC into the playoffs, then you have to consider him. he would have, after all, done so by completely rebuilding the team. if they end up like last year, close but no cigar-style, then … nah. at this point, i think they might just sneak it. but we’ll see.
Goalkeepers
Rickets and Rimando I can understand. But Nielson, really? Why not Hartman?
re Hartmant
I will probably slip Hartman in quietly next month. I just wanted to see a wee bit more body of work. he wasn’t starting to begin the year, remember. all the other guys were. clearly he’s done a great job, making the big saves Sala wasn’t making before, and I’ve written that several times.
Comeback player
While he has had an absolutely brilliant season, can Le Toux really be considered for Comeback Player of the Year in his second year in the league? I would assume a player would need a good year, followed by a bad/injury-plagued year, followed by another good year to warrant consideration. What exactly is he coming back from, not being protected by Seattle in the expansion draft?
Neilsen / Neilson
As much as I would like to argue with your rookie rankings…I can’t. I’m a Red Bulls but Mwanga and Najar have been very impressive on bad teams. That written, how is that goalkeeper’s name spelled anyway?
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