By RYAN TOLMICH
MLS announced the finalists for its 2014 awards Thursday, highlighted by a trio of Most Valuable Player candidates that are set to take the field in this weekend’s conference finals.
LA Galaxy forward Robbie Keane, Seattle Sounders forward Obafemi Martins and New England Revolution midfielder Lee Nugyen were named finalists for MVP, which will be presented on Dec. 3. Notably absent is another forward set to feature this week, the New York Red Bulls’ Bradley Wright-Phillips, who tied a league record with 27 goals this season.
In addition to Martins’ nomination, the Sounders also see head coach Sigi Schmid earn recognition with a nomination for this season’s Coach of the Year. Schmid is joined by The Columbus Crew’s Gregg Berhalter and D.C. United’s Ben Olsen as this season’s nominees.
Have a look at the nominees for the rest of 2014’s MLS awards below:
Most Valuable Player
Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)
Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders FC)
Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution)
Rookie of the Year
Tesho Akindele (FC Dallas)
Steven Birnbaum (D.C. United)
Harrison Shipp (Chicago Fire)
Defender of the Year
Bobby Boswell (D.C. United)
Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy)
Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders FC)
Coach of the Year
Gregg Berhalter (Columbus Crew SC)
Ben Olsen (D.C. United)
Sigi Schmid (Seattle Sounders FC)
Comeback Player of the Year
Charlie Davies (New England Revolution)
Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC)
Rodney Wallace (Portland Timbers)
Goalkeeper of the Year
Steve Clark (Columbus Crew SC)
Bill Hamid (D.C. United)
Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Newcomer of the Year
Stefan Ishizaki (LA Galaxy)
Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution)
Pedro Morales (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
Humanitarian of the Year
Diego Chara (Portland Timbers)
AJ DeLaGarza (LA Galaxy)
Zach Loyd (FC Dallas)
Individual Fair Play
Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers)
Michael Parkhurst (Columbus Crew SC)
Harrison Shipp (Chicago Fire)
Team Fair Play
LA Galaxy
Philadelphia Union
Real Salt Lake
Referee of the Year
Mark Geiger
Jair Marrufo
Alan Kelly
Assistant Referee of the Year
Peter Manikowski
Paul Scott
Adam Wienckowski
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What do you think of the final nominees? Who do you expect to win this season’s awards?
Share your thoughts below.
I would like to get Seattle fans point of view on Frei. I have watched the sounders maybe 8-10 times this year and every time I come away thinking he is terrible. Has seemed like a real weak link, but maybe I’m missing something.
“Terrible” is a strong word that I wouldn’t apply to Frei. He’s been “average” or “below average” most of the season. But playing on one of the best teams in the league, that means he’s been one of the worst (or the worst) players on the team. Moreover, goalkeeper is in charge of the defense; it may seem unfair, but if defenders aren’t positioned well, then he has to carry a lot of the blame. Just to point out the obvious: Sounders won Supporter’s Shield this year in spite of their defense.
Towards the end of the season and in the playoffs, however, he’s been “really good” or “exceptional.” Hence, Comeback Player contender.
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I BELIEVE THAT LEE WILL NGUYEN
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I BELIEVE THAT LEE WILL NGUYEN
I can’t believe the Costa Rica coach wasn’t nominated….. they are by far the best team in the region and would whup Germany tomorrow if given the chance. What a bunch of bs. MLS is the worst country in CONCACAF.
FIRE KLINSMANN
BWP at the VERY LEAST should have been an MVP finalist. When you equal the record for goals in a season , it should be automatic that you be a finalist. As far as I’m concerned, the credibility of the voting process has diminished. It’s just not right.
Pareja should have been a finalist for COTY as well. I know the league and everyone invested in it through some capacity or another is still growing, but some things should be no-brainers by now. Too much analysis or over-thinking with some of these decisions…
MisterJC, it’s not a scoring competition. How is that so hard to understand? Let’s break down the abbreviation, “MVP” (don’t worry: I’ll be right here to hold your hand throughout the entire process so you won’t get lost)
M = Most
V = Valuable
P = Player-who-scored-the-most-goals-in-the-league-no-matter-when-or-how-those-goals-were-scored-and-ignoring-all-other-factors-that-go-into-creating-goal-scoring-chances-or-the-the-effect-of-those-goals-on-the-outcome-of-the-game-or-playoff-standing-and-also-ignoring-all-other-contributions-to-the-team-such-as-defense-especially-because-defense-is-not-important-in-soccer-only-scoring-goals-matters-nothing-else-but-goals-goals-goals.
There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?
I’m well aware this isn’t a scoring competition, however BWP is, in effect, being punished for playing with Henry, as if his contributions are not weighted as much as the others, which is ridiculous. Not putting a player who is one of only three players ever to score 27 goals in a single MLS season sets a bad precedent going forward…
He’s not “being punished.” Giving an award to one guy doesn’t take anything away from BWP. This isn’t scout camp where everybody gets an award so no one feels left out.
And actually, leaving him out sets an excellent precedent going forward: it emphasizes that this particular award is not a goal-scoring competition. Maybe, one day, we might even see {gasp!} defenders rightfully win MVP.
Let’s get the pool started!
Most Valuable Player
Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders FC)
Rookie of the Year
Harrison Shipp (Chicago Fire)
Defender of the Year
Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders FC)
Coach of the Year
Ben Olsen (D.C. United)
Comeback Player of the Year
Charlie Davies (New England Revolution)
Goalkeeper of the Year
Bill Hamid (D.C. United)
Newcomer of the Year
Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution)
Humanitarian of the Year
AJ DeLaGarza (LA Galaxy)
Individual Fair Play
Harrison Shipp (Chicago Fire)
Team Fair Play
Real Salt Lake
Referee of the Year
Mark Geiger
Boswell for defender of the year. Big reason for the DCU turn around. And a big reason for Houston’s defense falling way off this year.
MVP is Lee Nguyen because bagging goals like a forward. Of course all three are deserving. I’d just like to see Lee get rewarded for having a constistantly stellar MVP type season.
Goalkeeper has to be Rimando. He’s still the best in MLS even if it’s by a hair. Hamid is becoming so strong and if he develops that knack for penalty stops then he’ll be amazing.
Thanks for the Motivation MLS for the first time I believe the league is trying to help the Redbulls.
BWP and Henry will be lights out this week.
LOL. I don’t see any snubs here. Not like the give COTY to a 13 win team.
BWP, maybe, but he isn’t in my top 4…just a bad year to score a heck of a lot of goals, but not do much else.
There has to be a joke in there about one of the refs getting nominated. Come DC fans, help us out.
#NGUYENING
Post of the month…
I’m not suggesting any of the MVP finalists aren’t worthy, it just shows how great MLS was this year when a guy who ties the single season scoring record (and brings his team to the eastern finals) can’t make the cut.
Wondo scores 27 in 32 games, wins MVP hands down.
BWP scores 27 in 32 games, plays less minutes than Wondo, doesn’t even get nominated.
Comparing BWP to Wondo’s year isn’t a fair comparison, because other than Henry, nobody else had clear MVP type numbers. BWP’s misfortune is that he did this in a year with a lot of great candidates.
Look at Dom Dwyer – scores 22 goals and he isn’t even in the discussion as a candidate. It’s a tough year. Personally I think the winner should be Martins, but it’s between him and Keane, both of whom were involved in more goals: Keane 19 goals, 14 assists, Martins 17/13.
The guy who took BWP”s spot in the top three is Nguyen. He’s been great, but 18 goals and 5 assists doesn’t better BWP’s 27/2
“The guy who took BWP”s spot in the top three is Nguyen. He’s been great, but 18 goals and 5 assists doesn’t better BWP’s 27/2”
On the other hand 9 Game Wining Goals by Lee is more valuable than BWP 6.
Whoa…Oscar snubbed for COTY…WTF?! How did Berhalter make it over him with less points on the season and less wins?
I declare shenanigans.
I didn’t expect a Dallas coach to win it but uh… he didn’t lose a game in the play offs against the supporter shield winner. How does a guy who gets blown out in the playoffs and had a lesser points total make it in?
Maybe its just cause Dallas played ugly for the second half of the season never mind the results.
The injury fairy seems to have a summer home in Dallas :'(
Nguyen
Shipp
Marshall, no disrespect, but easiest pick of the bunch
Berhalter
Frei
I am a Sounder, but I am going to say Frei deserves it. ( I picked Nguyen after all, and that is a very tight choice ) He has really gotten to be quite good and still improving.
M V Lee
If you want to Nguyen, let Lee spin.
Vote for Nguyen to Nguyen.
After Porter’s performance this year, I would think everyone would see “Coach of the Year” as a curse.
Glad to see the three MVP finalists. Nguyen > Martins >Keane.
I haven’t watched much DCU, so I don’t have an opinion on Boswell, but Marshall >>> Gonzalex for “Defender of the Year.”
As for “Comeback Player,” it’s a hard call between Charlie Davies and Stefan Frei.
It would be downright silly for Jones to win “Newcomer of the Year.”
Lastly, where are the nominees for “MLS Engagement Photos of the Year”?! http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s–45Zn0Ink–/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/785237817567417638.jpg
Silly for Jones? Why? As soon as Jones entered the picture for the Revs, neutrals finally started to see them as a serious contender for a playoff push, and they delivered. A star DP with a great locker room persona was the perfect addition for a team with a strong core of youth players rising. For winning a league (or in MLS’s case, getting into the playoffs), timing is everything, and Jones came at the right time. In an alternate universe, if Jones went to Chicago, I am willing to bet my left nut that the Fire would’ve turned those ties into wins and at least make it to the wild card round (and knocked out by New York).
Silly for Jones? No. Improbable for Jones? Yes. Ishizaki and Morales are absolutely incredible for their teams, and IMHO, this is probably the tightest category next to MVP.
Everything you say about Jones is accurate. It’s what you didn’t say that matters:
Jones is a 15-year veteran, having played at the top level most of that time. Any award for him that has the word “newcomer” would be ridiculous.
Ya, but the award for best 1st time player is the Rookie award.
Which means that its not giving Jones the award that is ridiculous so much as the award is just poorly designed.
The other 2 guys aren’t exactly young either… I believe one is the same age as Jones.
So it’s not about Jones its just a silly award.
I tend to agree. Add this to the rest of the bullcrap MLS awards next to “Comeback Player of the Year.”
“its just a silly award.”
I can agree with that.
Petke deserves to be a nominee for coach of the year over Ben Olsen. Red Bulls kicked DC out of the playoffs.
Right, but from the start of the season, anyone would see the fact that DCU even made the playoffs as a miracle. Not such a surprise with RBNY.