By DAN KARELL
We’re just hours away from the start of the 2014 Major League Soccer season, and it’s time to start predicting who will win the bevy of end-of-season awards.
The writing staff at SBI came together and voted on who we think will win the major awards in 2014, with Toronto FC Designated Player Michael Bradley taking our vote for MLS Most Valuable Player.
There was plenty of debate amongst the SBI writing staff and we are sure that there will be plenty of debate from soccer fans across the country on who they think will win the MVP, Coach of the Year, and Golden Boot.
Here are the SBI staff selections for the 2014 MLS Awards:
SBI STAFF PICKS FOR 2014 MLS AWARDS
(Ives’ picks in bold)
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
1. MICHAEL BRADLEY
2. Robbie Keane
3. Diego Valeri
GOLDEN BOOT
1. ROBBIE KEANE
2. Marco Di Vaio
3. Mike Magee
(Jack McInerney)
DEFENDER OF THE YEAR
1. MATT BESLER
2. Omar Gonzalez
3. Jose Goncalves
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
1. NICK RIMANDO
2. Donovan Ricketts
3. Julio Cesar
(Jaime Penedo)
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
1. JERMAIN DEFOE
2. Gaston Fernandez
3. Vincent Nogueira
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1. PATRICK MULLINS
2. Steve Birnbaum
3. Andre Blake
(Harrison Shipp)
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
1. CLINT DEMPSEY
2. DeAndre Yedlin
3. Gyasi Zardes
(Luis Gil)
COACH OF THE YEAR
1. MIKE PETKE
2. Peter Vermes
3. Caleb Porter
(Oscar Pareja)
MLS BEST XI
FIRST TEAM
NICK RIMANDO
KOFI SARKODIE
MATT BESLER
OMAR GONZALEZ
CHRIS KLUTE
MICHAEL BRADLEY
WILL JOHNSON
GRAHAM ZUSI
DIEGO VALERI
MARCO DI VAIO
ROBBIE KEANE
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SECOND TEAM
DONOVAN RICKETTS
SHEANON WILLIAMS
AURELIEN COLLIN
JOSE GONCALVES
SETH SINOVIC
TIM CAHILL
LANDON DONOVAN
DARLINGTON NAGBE
CLINT DEMPSEY
MIKE MAGEE
CHRIS WONDOLOWSKI
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What do you think of the SBI staff selections? Which selections do you agree with the most? Which the least? Who do you see winning this year’s awards?
Share your thoughts below.