Photo by ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
CONCACAF will recognize the achievements of players, coaches and referees in the region for the first time, and several Americans are in the running for the numerous awards that will be handed out.
CONCACAF announced on Tuesday afternoon that it will begin to have annual accolades in 2013 and that the inaugural categories are Player of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Female Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Goal of the Year and Referee of the Year.
To earn consideration, a person must have played/coached/refereed in an official CONCACAF tournament at club or international level, a FIFA-sanctioned international competition or in a domestic league within CONCACAF’s territory.
A bevy of American standouts have been nominated for those awards. U.S. Men’s National Team stars Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore are among the candidates for Player of the Year; Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, Hope Solo, Sydney Leroux, Christie Rampone and Morgan Brian are the U.S. Women representatives up for the Female Player of the Year; and Mark Geiger and Jair Marrufo are among those being considered for the Referee of the Year honors.
In addition, Tim Howard is in the pool of players for Goalkeeper of the Year and both U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann and LA Galaxy manager Bruce Arena are up for Coach of the Year.
Altidore and Brek Shea are candidates for Goal of the Year with their respective winning strikes against Honduras and Panama. Altidore had the lone tally in a 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory at Rio Tinto Stadium on June 18 and Shea scored to push the U.S. past the Panamanians, 1-0, in the Gold Cup final at Soldier Field on July 28.
Fans hold a third of the final vote and can pick from the semifinal lists of 10 nominees for each category, which were determined through voting from all of the Technical Directors of CONCACAF’s 41 member associations and the region’s Technical Study Group. Fans can vote here.
Member associations’ national team coaches and captains represent another third of the final vote and media the other.
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Like the idea of CONCACAF handing out annual awards? Which Americans do you see winning in their categories? Any player/coach/goal/referee you think should be included that wasn’t?
Share your thoughts below.
Jack Warner for executive of the year.
Going to be a neck and neck battle between Warner and Chuck Blazer,
I think Warner is the favorite for the Ethics award, though.
I would say the fact that 4 Americans were nominated for PotY means that no Americans will win.
Not sure why people are dissing Jozy. Did r scored a BAZILLION goals this year. A grip for his club and some damn fine ones for the National team. The hat trick against Bosnia (plus assist) is by far the most dominating performance I have seen by any USMNT player ever.
Also the goal that should have been nominated was the EJ goal with the Fonovan assist in the gold cup. Goodson’s pass from the back to Donovam laying off to EJ running into acres of space with the left door finish was by far the best movement and finish the US had this year. The Zusi cross to Altidore’s one time early in the year was pretty sweet too.
Disappointing that no MLS goal made the list.
Jozy for player of the year? What kind of alternate reality did I just step into?
The world of Concacaf?
Landon’s got the best chance of any US Nat of winning based on name recognition. Any non-US fan who wants to acknowledge the US for owning CONCACAF this year will vote for him. I’m tempted to vote for him, but I think Jozy earned it.
The nominee that most stuns me is Bengston. How in the world did he get on there? He has sucked for the Revs when he has seen the field (not often), and his hissy fit and decision to ditch his national team is the most noteworthy thing he’s done this year. What a steaming pile of a nomination.
agreed, besides two pretty opportunistic goals vs. Mexico; Bengston had a pretty terrible calendar year.
some good goal of the year candidates. the bicycle kicks from Garcia (HON), Ruiz (CRC) and of course Jimenez (MEX) were incredible but the story line for the Guadeloupe guy was incredible.. Jimenez vs. Guadeloupe? … should have put some of EJ’s goals and Evan’s goals vs. Jamaica on there…
Player of the year: hard to pick. are they considering club and country? Dempsey and Altidore were both up and down but overall good, Bradley had a solid year, Ruiz and Peralta had huge years considering club form too. If its club and country id take Jozy.
I assume you meant the Martinique guy? What’s the story there? (Aside from it being a goal by Martinique)
well a game winning goal for Martinique (thanks) from 40 yds. is enough! but i think it was his second international goal, first one in a decade, at the age of 38, probably his last go around with his Island’s National Team..
Did they just pick random unimpressive US goals to ensure that we wouldn’t win? Our two entries are easily the worst of the 10 options.
The US votes will probably be split. I went with Bradley, Leroux, Howard, Julio Dely Valdes, no one for ref, and Jimenez.
Argh. Apparently you have to make a selection for each. Stupid. Eenie meenie minie moe…
not Rodriguez! the red on Besler is unforgivable.
Gah, good call! I glossed over the name at first, but yes, Rodriguez is garbage. I went with Walter Lopez, because Guatemala, or something. I’m only familiar with a few of the refs. I don’t particularly like or dislike Geiger. Marrufo stinks. We’ve never lost a Courtney Campbell game, but for some reason I have a bad impression of him.
If anyone else has reasons to vote for (or not to vote for) other refs, please provide them here so SBI readers can be more informed voters!
i voted for C. Campbell for that reason.. again not too sure who is the best of that category..
The thing about Campbell is I don’t always agree with his calls, but I have no doubt that he is scrupulously fair, something you don’t always find in CONCACAF.
Thanks. Good tip. I was just thinking that guy could not possibly have been nominated.
Wish I could vote for a US goal, but ours just weren’t that good. Didn’t Zelaya have a ridiculous goal during Gold Cup? I’ll have to dig that up. Jimenez has to win if you’re considering both impressiveness and importance.
Well, they also picked Bruce Arena…a good pick if they’re voting on 2012 achievements.
Jimenez goal would be a winner no matter what, though the Martinique player’s goal was pretty darn impressive.
Jozy’s strike off the volley against Germany
Zusi’s header to rip the hearts from the Panamanian people
EJ’s header off the bench
Come on thats the best 2 US goals they could come up with? EJs header against Mexico or Evans stoppage winner in Jamaica were both at least better then those nominated.
What was the single most impressive goal for the US this year?
1.Jozy’s free kick
2. Evans equalizer in OT
3. EJ’s header off the bench
both of EJ’s headers off the bench. vs. ELS (GC) and vs. MEX
I know Shea’s goal was the game winner in the Gold Cup final, but…… the ball was rolling into the goal, and he tapped it in from about 3 inches away. Plus, it was set-up from Donovan’s whiff. Ugly goal all around (An important goal, but ugly). How is that even on teh list. there were a few other weak goals nominated as well.
Even Shea’s winner against Costa Rica during the Gold Cup was at least alittle more impressive and that one was probabaly a bit lucky as well.
ya context might be the only reason its there.. Jozy’s goal vs. Honduras was good but not overly impressive like the others!
I think we can agree that no one of the Mexican national team should get player of the year. No one on that team has played well.
You do realize mexico will stuff the ballots and have 10000 soccer fans for every 1 US fan
Oribe Peralta?
Peralta was massive — the best striker in league play.
Jesus Corona only because ha managed to save Mexico so many points for the Hex. Oribe was consistent but not necessarily the best when it came to WCQ. Maybe if you include club performance.
Carlos Vela! Wait, can we include La Liga performance?
When Sydney Leroux finishes second, I will welcome her into my open arms, talk late into the night, and console her until next year.
Get in line bud
Uh … Yeah. Console her.
Without makeup, she’s a dog, dude.
Don’t care one way or another about the player awards being so subjective, but the coach of the year is Klinsmann without question.
Are any of the 4 El Tri coaches on the ballot?