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SBI MLS Coach of the Year: Oscar Pareja

Oscar Pareja SBI MLS Coach of the Year (USA TODAY Sports)

Photo by Jerome Miron/USA Today Sports
 

By FRANCO PANIZO

Oscar Pareja led a different team in 2014, but a year after leaving Colorado for FC Dallas, he once again found success.

Pareja left the Rapids to join FC Dallas this season, and all he helped the unsettled Hoops do was jump back into the playoff picture a year after finishing near the bottom of the Western Conference. He helped young players blossom, and helped FC Dallas overcome myriad injuries to post a strong campaign that made Pareja SBI’s choice for MLS Coach of the Year.

Pareja received two-thirds of the first-place votes in SBI staff voting, edging out D.C. United’s Ben Olsen for the honor.

Pareja received the nod not only for helping FC Dallas reach the playoffs for the first time since 2011, but also for helping players such as Fabian Castillo, Victor Ulloa and Matt Hedges reach new heights.

Here is closer look at the other finalists for SBI MLS Coach of the Year:

2. BEN OLSEN, D.C. United

From worst to first, D.C. United enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in 2014.

After finishing a record-setting season of futility in 2013, D.C. finished atop the Eastern Conference this year thanks in part to the leadership of Ben Olsen. Olsen managed to successfully integrate a lot of new pieces into his side — from veterans Fabian Espindola and Bobby Boswell to rookie Steve Birnbaum — and help the club compile a 17-win season.

Injuries ultimately led to D.C. United’s demise in the postseason, as the team fell at the hands of the archrival New York Red Bulls, but that still did not take away from what was solid bounce-back campaign for the club.

3. GREGG BERHALTER, Columbus Crew

If Gregg Berhalter’s first year in charge of the Crew was any indication, Columbus could be a contender for many years to come.

The Crew rebounded from a subpar 2013 with Berhalter leading the way, and they played a proactive style under him that was lauded throughout the league. Confiding heavily in youngsters like Wil Trapp and surprise role players like Ethan Finlay, Berhalter helped Columbus finish third in the Eastern Conference before being eliminated by the New England Revolution in the playoffs.

4. JAY HEAPS, New England Revolution

The New England Revolution are back in the MLS Cup final, and while a lot of the credit is going to midseason acquisition Jermaine Jones, Jay Heaps deserves plenty of credit for the success.

Heaps added the right pieces to his exciting young team, giving it even more offensive flair en route to finishing in second place in the Eastern Conference. Heaps may have lucked out in getting a difference-maker in Jones via a blind draw, but the fourth-year head coach seemed to push the right buttons and find the right blend of players to help the club make its deepest postseason run since 2007.

From introducing Jones to finding suitable roles for Charlie Davies and Teal Bunbury, Heaps enjoyed a strong season at the helm of the Revolution and it could be made even better with a win on Sunday.

5. CARL ROBINSON, Vancouver Whitecaps

Another first-year head coach, Carl Robinson enjoyed some level of success in guiding his young Vancouver Whitecaps to the postseason.

It took until the final week of the regular season for the Whitecaps to clinch that playoff berth, but it was still an impressive feat given the strength of the Western Conference. Robinson wasn’t perfect in his first year, but overall his guidance in the 50-point season (12-8-14) was a step in the right direction for a club that had regressed by missing out on the playoffs last year.

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What do you think of SBI picking Pareja as Coach of the Year? Agree with the selection? Think Olsen or Berhalter were more deserving?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Luckily the voters have more sense than the writers on this site, and voted Ben Olsen as coach of the year overwhelmingly. Pareja was a distant fourth.

    Reply
  2. Ben Olsen engineered and led DCU’s remarkable turnaround. He played a significant role in roster decisions along with the GM, and then coached them to point where they were punching well-above their collective weight. He had to deal with injuries and EJ. I think he should have won over Pareja.

    Reply
    • No way. DCU deserves front office of the year. They made great off season moves to add seasoned vets. Pareja basically took the same young players FCD had before and made them play as a team. And if you ask me FCD played tough ALL season long. They are well coached and you can tell by their mentality and results. The injures to their back line/ midfield was a constant thing this year yet Pareja did what he did with Colorado last year.

      Thats superb coaching!
      .

      Reply
    • Pareja engineered and led FCD’s remarkable turnaround. He played a significant role in roster decisions along with the GM, and then coached them to point where they were punching well-above their collective weight. He had to deal with injuries and Fabian Castillo, Blas Peres, etc. I think he should have won over Olsen. 😉

      Reply

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