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Bolton supporters name Ream Player of the Year

Riyad  Mahrez of Leicester City competes with Tim Ream of Bolton Wanderers

Photo by Paul Greenwood/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

Tim Ream has put together a very good season for Bolton Wanders and that has gone a bit under the radar for fans living stateside.

The same cannot be said for those in Bolton.

Ream was voted the winner of the Bolton Wanderers Supporters Association (BWSA) Player of the Year award on Tuesday at the club’s end-of-season gala for his quiet but sturdy campaign. Ream edged out midfielder Neil Danns to claim the award, and is now the second American after Stuart Holden (2011) to win it.

The 26-year-old defender began the season by not seeing the field in any of the Trotters’ first four matches, but he got the nod in their fifth league game and never looked back. Ream has started each of the 41 league matches since then, even after suffering a broken nose in late January, and has consistently been one of Bolton’s better performers.

What do you think of Ream being voted the BWSA’s Player of the Year? How impressed are you by his season? Do you see him being called into the U.S. Men’s National Team’s preliminary World Cup camp?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. It’s harder to play defense in England than any other place in the world…Germany second. So, on that note, Klinsmann needs to scout better. He has such an attacking mentality that he has completely ignored the defensive side of the team. He has no idea who his best defenders are because his focus is on developing an attacking side out of guys who CANNOT PASS (except for Bradley). His system is too advanced for our guys for it to be remotely effective against high-pressure, skilled teams. Bring Ream into the team…if he plays defense well enough in England there is no question he should be on the USMNT.

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  2. I don’t think Ream makes the final roster.

    He’s solid and had a good season, but hard to see him displacing guys who qualified us.

    I think if JK takes risk in the back, it will be on someone like Yedlin or Chandler who is a threat on the counter rather than another guy who is a decent passer out of the back.

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  3. Congrats on your award Ream. It was earned. Not given. I hope you get a shot in a game soon with the USMNT. Don’t give any reason for the coaches to drop you. Keep it going.

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  4. Not to say i told you so….

    Seriously, i have been one of his advocates. he’s not perfect, but he is a lot better than many give him credit for. I’m very pleased for him

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  5. I am happy for Ream.

    Since he was playing in the back, I am pretty sure the fans would not be happy if he had continued to make the kind of mental errors that he suffered when he was with the Red Bull.

    He was always good with the ball and can run fast, but he did look a bit slower in making quick lateral moves.

    The award does point to a relatively error-free season for Bolton and given the reputation that toughness is a prized trait in the Championship his willingness to battle. I can’t imagine the fans would be happy if those things were not part of his game; those are positives he can bring to the USMNT.

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    • *head explodes*

      AGAIN.

      Ream never made mental errors at Red Bull. EVER. He was rock solid in his ROOKIE season, when he was shortlisted for rookie of the year. He was even better in his second season and was given looks by, I believe West Brom and somebody else. He played in the Gold Cup, where he looked shaky all game and made one obvious error that led to a goal.

      The guy had one ßhitty game, and it has blossomed into this weird meme: he’s soft, slow, “no lateral movement”….

      When you blather that “the award does point to a relatively error-free season…” it’s obvious that you’re using pundit speak and you do not know what you’re talking about.

      STOP.

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      • I am sorry but while I like Ream’s potential and I also am a Red Bulls season ticket holder, but I disagree. He did have quite a few mental lapses on defense, losing track of attackers, not keeping the line, etc.. in that 2nd season in particular. Great on the ball, but…… If that but has been really improved, he could be what we have been needing so badly on defense. Here is to having hope.

      • The award does point to a relatively error-free season…

        Ream started 41 Championship League games this season: 9 fouls given to 23 drawn; received 2 yellow cards, and no reds.

      • Just saying that “the award does point” is total mealy-mouthed verbiage that means nothing.

        Also, the stats you cite have nothing to do with errors whatsoever.

  6. Ideally he wouldn’t be starting, but if he can be a competent sub at a few positions, he might be worthwhile to bring to Brazil. I’d definitely bring him to the 30-man camp. Too hard to predict what Jurgen will wind up doing, but it kind of feels to me like Ream and Orozco could be battling for one spot.

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    • I feel the same, but think JK will continue to be open-minded in camp and over the last three games, so it’s definitely possible they could both prove their importance.

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    • he’ll be in the 30…up to him whether or not he takes advantage of the opportunity! Let’s not forget that JK has called him up for the last few friendlies but he declined the last one for the birth of his first child, so he’s been on the radar and I think he will impress!

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  7. Hopefully he has turned a corner. I still don’t trust him to handle the international pace. The underleagues in England might be a step up from MLS or maybe even Holland, but it’s still not international level.

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    • Regarding pace- I seem to recall when he first went to Bolton, he surprised everyone by being one of the fastest on the team in running drills. Kind of leads one to believe that perhaps his liability at CB was inexperience, being slow of thought?

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      • When they talk about international pace they are referring to speed of thought, or rather not thinking and just using your muscle memory to do the things you need to do.

        There are many examples of fleet of foot US players, Findley, Bornstein, Marvell Wynne, etc.,, who were perhaps not quite reactive enough. And some of these guys were real burners.

        And there are many examples of good internationals who were demonstrably slow, Franz Beckenbauer, Boca, Dempsey for example, but have enough experience and smarts to react quickly enough to make up for their lack of pace. Eventually, they occasionally get exposed but no one can have everything.

        Cruyff famously said the fastest man is the one who starts running first… , ,

        It would be great if all USMNT players were big ,fast, strong, skilled and kind to children and animals and donated money to all the appropriate charities and were kind to their parents but that is unrealistic.

        Foot speed is just another variable to throw into the evaluation mix not the end of the world deal breaker most of you seem to think it is.
        .

      • Nice post. Agreed. I haven’t seen Ream play more than a few peeks since he went to Bolton. What I was getting at and rather lazily trying to express is, I think he has the physical tools… it’s my hope that more time under his belt and games in England have improved his speed of thought/the mental part of his game. I’d suspect it has, but to what extent, I suppose we may well find out soon enough.

      • I like and agree with your breakdown, but the question remains: has Ream become quick and reliable enough to help us on the international level? I’ve only seen him play for Bolton a couple times this year, but his stats, and this most recent accolade, suggest to me that he deserves a chance to prove himself with the 30. I think he’ll get the opportunity.

      • Much agree Amphibious one,
        it also sets a bad precedent if players receive such accolades, and do not get rewarded with at least an opportunity to show there skill and test their mettle.

      • Very well said and good insight GW.
        Also one can cross train to develop heightened reflexes and instinctual play.

    • Wipe out half our current world cup team if you are knocking Ream for playing only in the champion’s league. It is a step from MLS where half our team plays currently so playing in the champions league is a plus and not a minus. I haven’t seen him play. June 2nd is the deadline to submit the 23 man roster so if Ream makes the 30 man roster, he has the camp and at least 2 friendlies against decent competition to show how he looks on defense. The camp is not dribbling around cones.

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      • believe they call that league the championship. Also I don’t think its clear the championship is superior to the MLS. I mean for god’s sake Sundelrand are in the premier league,

      • I would say that It has more depth. Top MLS teams might be a Top Championship team. After those 1 or 2 top teams it gets really thin really fast.

      • You do realize that Sunderland is far better than any MLS team, right? They may be struggling in the prem, though it looks like they will avoid relegation, but they would dominate MLS. The top tier MLS teams are mid table Championship teams.

      • Not sure if I buy “the championship is a step up from Holland and MLS” The majority if not all of the 2010 world cup runners up started in the Eredivisie. Can the Championship say the same? How many Championship guys have even been called up to England, let alone achieved anything on the international stage?

        As for MLS, I think a lot of Europeans come to MLS thinking its an easy paycheck only to be surprised by the quality (maybe Defoe is an exception).

      • Eh, most of Holland’s difference makers play outside the Eredivisie. That league is second tier if not lower. It’s probably better but not by a wife margin.

      • Let’s not use anecdotes to compare the leagues. MLS clubs have beaten EPL teams pretty much every season. That doesn’t make MLS on par with the EPL.

        MLS squads don’t have the money or depth to be competitive with the Championship or Eredivisie, so it’s a moot point.

        Are there players in MLS better than players in those leagues? For sure. Would an MLS squad finish in the top half of the Championship under its current structure (salary cap, roster size, quality)? No way.

  8. Interested to know how much he improved on his weaknesses: mental lapses and being soft in the air and on the tackle. If he made good progress in those areas he should def be in strong consideration for the national team.

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      • Champion’s league?? Only a couple of eligible american players have played in the Champion’s league. Sacha is one. I agree that his mental lapses on defense being soft in the air and on the tackle outweighed is very good skill with the ball and passing ability. Given he has started almost every game in the Championship division, I assume he has corrected those weaknesses at least addressed them to a great extent so he absolutely deserves a call up to the final camp. We are so weak in defense that if the above is true and he looks in camp, how can he not make this world cup team? If he has made is defensive game acceptable, his skill in passing and on the ball would do wonders to our team’s chances.

      • i dont think our problem is passing from the back. the issue will be whether our center backs get torched by ghana as they did in 2010. Unless Ream has gone through the Jurgen Klinnsmann speed development regime, I remain skeptical…

    • I’d think playing through a broken nose speaks to improved toughness.

      And the header pic certainly looks like he’s holding off that other player.

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    • if you peruse the bolton message boards youll find the general opinion is Ream is versatile, good on the ball and can pass well, but really isnt a very good defender. He’s had more success in the midfield than in the back 4… apparently, i confess i havent seen Bolton but I can read a message board.

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  9. Shows you how little Bolton fans know about the game.

    People on SBI have posted that Ream is too slow and too weak to play the game.

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      • People on SBI have also reacted with fury and righteous indignation when anywhere dare question whether a team full of Germericans is in the best interests of US soccer.

      • People on SBI have also spiritedly advocated for the immediate capping of any dual eligible, two-legged mammal to score a goal outside MLS.

      • Every time I start to write a comment about this, I get it all typed out and then decide it’s better just to leave it alone. Have a good day Slow.

      • As if you would know the difference between a healthy forum and and this piece of s**t commenting section thats hardly been revitalized hardly since it’s inception.

        Aren’t you the man who’s been accused of being a bigget several times on this website?

      • It’s not the question of interest that creates that reaction, it’s the insinuation that “Germericans” are somehow second class to your precious “natural born Americans”. It’s an extension of a superiority complex that commonly leads to more blanketed discrimination.

      • Except that isn’t my position because I’ve never said you have to be a “natural born” American to play for the USMNT. In fact, I’ve posted plenty of times that Zelalem should play for us, I thought Najar should. Fagundez too. I guess it’s easier for you to just make up my views and respond to those.

      • Quite fortunately, the argument is pointless. There are very specific laws and regulations in the US Constitution and FIFA that address this issue. Arbitrary personal opinion… bias that essentially represent- “citizens shall be more like and relatable to me” do not matter.

      • Yes. The laws regarding citizenship are fact. The benefit of recruiting players that have lived most of their lives outside of the US (excluding vacations) regardless of the their citizenship status is debatable. Two different issues.

      • If the aim is to form the best team possible composed of U.S. citizens in order to compete for a World Cup… probably the greatest benefit comes from assembling the most talented group of Americans and leaving things such as cultural background out of the equation.

      • This is the internet.

        If you are going to question something then it stands to reason that the people who favor that something will defend it.

        If you can’t make your case well enough then they will continue to criticise you assuming you continue to make that point, which you always do.

        Obviously you enjoy the conflict.

        So rather than whining about how people treat you poorly, either make a better case for your point of view or accept that fact that some people will never agree with you.

      • An idiom (Latin: idioma, “special property”, f. Greek: ἰδίωμα – idiōma, “special feature, special phrasing”, f. Greek: ἴδιος – idios, “one’s own”) is a combination of words that has a figurative meaning owing to its common usage. An idiom’s figurative meaning is separate from the literal meaning.[1] There are thousands of idioms and they occur frequently in all languages. There are estimated to be at least twenty-five thousand idiomatic expressions in the English language.[2]

      • People on SBI have also spoken about the benefits of smoking marijuana and it’s need to be nationalized.

    • people on sbi also think there’s a difference between playing against huddersfield town and playing against mexico, so there’s that.

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      • No there’s not. Football is football. That’s why Wondolowski should start, he will no doubt score hat-tricks all the time and win us the World Cup!

      • That’s the think about sarcasm: It’s hard to discern in print. If you a better job with your sarcasm people won’t mistake you for a dope.

      • I guess you really believe that anyone thinks Chris Wondolowski is the key to US winning the World Cup? Sounds to me like you’re the dope.

      • Hahahahaha. I loved this whole thread. How bored are we? Until the next friendly this will only get worse. Ives must love his combustible little ant farm.

        Tomorrow I hope somebody starts spontaneously talking junk on Chad Deering and for some reason World War III breaks out.

  10. Haven’t seen Ream play this year but I hope he gets called in to the 30 man roster. Could play LB/RB in a pinch and no CB should be a lock for Brazil except for Besler. (Including Omar Gonzales)

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