David Beckham has always been known as a fierce competitor and for his ability to return from the injury that cost him a chance at the World Cup, he was awarded with the 2011 MLS Comeback Player of the year.
The 36-year-old midfielder has enjoyed an MVP-caliber season, battling back from a potentially career-ending Achilles injury that cost Beckham a spot on England's 2010 World Cup spot and caused him to miss six months of the 2010 MLS season. Whereas in 2010, Beckham struggled with injuries, in 2011, Beckham was the catalyst for a stellar Galaxy midfield that will take part in MLS Cup against the Houston Dynamo on November 20th at the Home Depot Center.
Beckham finished the season with 26 appearances, tallying 15 assists (second most in MLS) and two goals. The award is added to a list of accolades for Beckham, who was also awarded with an MLS Best XI selection as well as his second career All-Star selection earlier in the season.
Beckham recieved the award over fellow finalist DC United forward Charlie Davies and Chicago Fire striker Dominic Oduro, who finished second and third respectively. The voting for the award was decidely split amongst the club representatives, players and media that participated.
Davies was the media's choice with a near 27 percent share of their voting while club representatives selected Oduro with 18 percent of their votes. However, Beckham was the player's selection with a nearly 20 percent share.
Would Beckham have been your selection? Should Davies or Oduro have gotten the award?
Share your thoughts below.
I guess then he for sure lost the MVP award, so the voters thought he deserved some award for his great service this season…
Clearly I don’t understand what Comeback player of the year means… Beckham has an MVP chance, but what is he coming back from? He did great all year and wasn’t bad last year either!!!
Derosario kind of sucked it up at the beginning of the season, was transferred twice(!), and then finished as the best player at the end of the season. What a comeback!
I don’t get it.
Apparently 4 goals equals an majority of 11 goals…who knew? That said, I tend to think that Dominic Oduro was probably more deserving than either Davies or Becks.
I’m over David Beckham. I hope he heads to PSG.
Now let’s get that Cup
Charlie started hot, but faded badly. The physicality of the league takes a toll on foreign transfers
He shouldnt have been messing arounf with Milan then
Or maybe if Beckham re-signs with MLS, they can find a way to give it to him again for “coming back” to the league?
Nah–it seems that by giving it to Beckham, the award goes to someone who just seriously elevated his game from the previous season. So if Donovan returns to his usual form, than he wins it. Coming back from a career or even life-threatening injury evidently doesn’t seem to be the definition of a comeback.
You don’t like Davies and his personality–I get that. So that means Charlie Davies shouldn’t be eligible for Mr. Congeniality or Outstanding Personality in MLS. This was called Comeback Player of the Year Award. Beckham had a nice comeback in 2010.
If this is just “Wow–he elevated his game from the previous season” award than it should have been Brad Davis. And I take it that means Landon Donovan should be a great candidate for comeback of the year in 2012 (since he was only very good this year, not dominant like some previous years).
Yeah, sports awards are sometimes a bit fuzzy in terms of definition (MVP anyone?). But again, Davies nearly died. He’ll probably never be the player that he was. It’s an accomplishment that he was able to walk again. And he’s playing pro soccer and scored 11 goals?
My thoughts:
1) Maybe there should be a rule about this award not applying to people who suffered self-inflicted injuries? I mean, everyone makes mistakes, but there’s a difference isn’t there?
2) Maybe Charlie can sue MLS for $20 million for not awarding him Comeback PoY?
3) Davies is still making his comeback, so I think it’s okay that he didn’t win the award. If CD9 plays in MLS next year and continues to improve I think he will be eligible again. Keep it up, Charlie.
4) Goff was pissed that Charlie didn’t get it. Not sure why, but it’s funny that Goff took it personally. Did a raccoon pee in his Cheerios?
I don’t think any of us know what the definition is of comeback player. I think it could purely be this guy had an awful year and was good the next.
What are you? A 13 year old girl?
What-eva, I do what I want!
Whatever.
I have a feeling you are right.
Those 3 are among the best in their positions. In fact Morales and Ferreira are the two best options for creative midfielders in all of MLS. Zakuani could be one of the best right wingers, I think Najar will join him there next year and if Donovan focuses a little more next year and gets his assists back to near double digits he would be there too, but no doubt Zakuani has the talent and had the injury to come back from. I just hope it’s enough time, a lot of times it takes nearly 2 years to fully come back from a broken leg like that…
Oduro was terrible while in Houston but all the behind the scenes effort Dominic Kinnear put in with him came to life after his transfer to Chicago. Oduro should get the “most improved” player award. Charlie Davies had a good comeback but still isn’t up to his old form and might not get there but he’s still a good player and welcome on any squad in MLS. Something happened with Charlie that only Ben Olsen knows about. Why they stopped playing him I’m not sure. I would’ve thought that with Charlie Davies up front and Dwayne De Rosario in the middle and Chris Pontius on the flanks that DC United would’ve been a strong contender in the playoffs. But, they never made it. I blame Ben Olsen for that. Lastly, David Beckham. The MLS’s Golden Child. I’m really glad that David Beckham stepped his game up here in the US. At 36 years old this is no easy feat. He recovered from injury, ran harder, made great passes, got his teammates involved in the game, inspired his teammates to play better, and gave the fans what they wanted (victories). It’s hard to imagine what else he could do? My only gripe is, it’s easier to do all the things I just mentioned when you have a good coach like Bruce Arena, awesome players like Landon Donavan, Ricketts, Keane, Magee, etc. If David Beckham were on the Chicago Fire, San Jose, Vancouver Whitecaps, or DC United would they have made it to the playoffs or to the finals? David Beckham deserves the “Comeback Player Of The Year” award and hopefully he stays to play with the Galaxy a little longer. Remember those days of “if anyone went near David they got a yellow card?” Now, players just steamroll into him and refs barely even take notice. (LOL!) I guess all the refs reviewed all the tapes from past games and saw what was really going on?
This award is going to either Zakuani, Morales, or Ferreira next year. Take it to the bank.
I never liked that Beckham came over and was paid so much, but this year, he really did earn it so bravo to him.
Mmmmm… bangers and mash…
Davies is a selfish loser. He’s proven it repeatedly since the accident. He isn’t even good enough for this league, and i’m confident he will not be back next year.
The only thing David Beckham came back from was bangers and mash in London with Tottenham Hotspur’s locker room.
Problem is, you KNOW Becks must want the MVP award more. “Comeback players” will always have an asterisk next to their names – as in “he was very good, but not the best.”
It’s like getting an “A” for effort.
He missed nearly an entire season, and the next year was arguably the best player in the league. Your ‘argument’ is absurd.
Yawn!
Beckham had a great season. But Beckham came back in 2010. Davies scored more goals in the run of play than he did PKs (so that claim above is wrong). And Davies nearly died and didn’t play for 2 years. While I wasn’t wild about Beckham skipping MLS games to go to testimonials (and getting injuries playing overseas), those are irrelevant to this discussion. Beckham’s comeback was in 2010.
Davies may never be NT talent again. Be he’s show he’s able to play and contribute in MLS after nearly dying. That sounds like a great comeback to me.
As for Oduro, I’m not clear what the comeback is. He had a great season and he deserves kudos for that. Is it a comeback from being a terrible finisher? If there was an award for Oduro, it would be something like “most improved”. But “comeback”? I don’t think so–he didn’t comeback from anything.
I love how how people hate. The guy won a award,give him the kudos he deserves!
The dude blew his achilles, managed to come back in less than a year, and has had a brilliant (and dedicated, finally) season.
Davies story might pull on the heart strings a little more, but Beckham was deserving of this award.
I’d love to take off days of work to go pay homage to my best buds or former co-workers. I see nothing wrong with that.
Considering his recovered from another serious injury to be as influential as he is today, is a comeback worth noting.
Hater strikes again.
Agreed, but keep in this in mind: Beckham came back from a blown Achilles, while Davies came back from a near-fatal car wreck. Apples and oranges, to be sure.
Hater.
Oh wait, I forgot, Beckham CAME BACK from skipping club games to play in a meaningless testimonial.
TIME TO GIVE HIM AN AWARD FOR SKIPPING GAMES FOR NO REASON WHILE MAKING $6.5 MILLION.
Bravo, bravo. (golf clap)
Good pick, but I’m not sure how Davies got second, I mean a guy who scored more goals from pk’s and was on the bench to end the season. Oduro definitely had a better year than Davies. Oh how the media would have loved Davies story obviously since they felt the need to vote for him.
Do any of the people praising this know what a comeback is?
Hey, that’s life in DAVIDBECKHAMLS. Pathetic.
I was at the all-star game where DB definitely stepped up and lead. At the time I thought it was just a show for Sir Alex but as I watched him play in regular season games it was clear that he has a renewed fire in his belly and deserves this hands down.
Good for him. He definitely deserves it.
I think that David Beckham deserved to win this award! Nice job, Beckham! He has seemingly (with Robbie Keane and co) kinda taken over at LA Galaxy and given Donovan a “break”.
I can’t seem to disagree. Bravo Beckham.