Sutton Named Goalkeeper of the Year

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Sutton Named Goalkeeper of the Year

http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=2530

Canadian Men’s National team and Montreal Impact goalkeeper Greg Sutton was named Goalkeeper of the Year in the United Soccer Leagues First Division for a fourth consecutive year.

Sutton ended the season with the lowest goals-against average (0.500), allowing only seven goals in 14 games and 1,260 minutes of play. He also finished the season second in the league with nine shutouts.

Sutton helped the Impact tie a club record with only 15 goals allowed in 28 regular-season games.

“It’s a great honour but once again I have to give credit to our defense,” said Sutton. “We have been playing together for several seasons so it makes things easier. It’s always great to be recognized for the efforts you put in during the year. Andrew (Weber) did great and it was not easy for a young goalkeeper like him to be thrown in the middle of the action like that.”

Sutton played only 14 games this season due to a fractured index. His substitute, rookie goalkeeper Andrew Weber, ended the season with the league’s second lowest goals-against average — 0.571 in 14 games.

Courtesy of the Montreal Impact

** I have to say, the fact he was injured and his replacement posted similar numbers kind of takes the shine of his accomplishment. Montreal really does have an exceptionally strong defensive team.

[CanuckFan]

This award is a bit of a joke isn't it. Very similar to the MLS keeper of the year award. Both are ENTIRELY based on team statistics, not individual play.
Sutton may very well be the best keeper in the USL but this award is given to the GK with enough minutes on the team with the lowest GA in the league. Pat Onstad won MLS keeper of the year several times but I do not personally think he is the BEST gk in the MLS. He just happened to be on the best defensive team.

Lars is number one in my books (based on talent, not province of origin).

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Lars is number one in my books (based on talent, not province of origin).

Shhhhh, Cuddles might hear you! ;) :D

[CanuckFan]

At the risk of being considerably NOT pc, the lovely English expression "thick as mince" comes to mind. There is an argument to be made for exclusivity at times like this.

[jpg75]

At the risk of being considerably NOT pc, the lovely English expression "thick as mince" comes to mind. There is an argument to be made for exclusivity at times like this.

Ed, if you have time check out Atiba in CL's action at

sop://211.152.34.35:3912/9148 it's a SopCast channel you need the software

[simon99]

Not easy to judge who's the best keeper in a league with so many games being played (and only a few are on TV). I would feel comfortable with Sutton being the best USL keeper right now from the little I've seen this year and I'm in the opinion of giving a lot more credit to a keeper who's playing for the best defensive team (communications skills are underestimate in the work of a keeper). A well organized defense always have a good and confident keeper behind them.

To many fans fall for the fancy saves because that's what's spectacular and you rarely see a poster of a keeper organizing his defense ;) .

In the end the bad thing for Sutton is to stay in the USL when he should be playing at a higher level (too bad it didn't work with Start in Norway, that would've been excellent for him).

If Sutton was to get our MNT #1 spot he should be playing at a higher level (that means no more MTL Impact after this year). If he doesn't it should automatically be Lars jersey unless Wagenaar starts at ADO. I don't think Kenny has the talent to be challenging for that but he can provide a good cover.

[CanuckFan]

Not easy to judge who's the best keeper in a league with so many games being played (and only a few are on TV). I would feel comfortable with Sutton being the best USL keeper right now from the little I've seen this year and I'm in the opinion of giving a lot more credit to a keeper who's playing for the best defensive team (communications skills are underestimate in the work of a keeper). A well organized defense always have a good and confident keeper behind them.

To many fans fall for the fancy saves because that's what's spectacular and you rarely see a poster of a keeper organizing his defense ;) .

In the end the bad thing for Sutton is to stay in the USL when he should be playing at a higher level (too bad it didn't work with Start in Norway, that would've been excellent for him).

If Sutton was to get our MNT #1 spot he should be playing at a higher level (that means no more MTL Impact after this year). If he doesn't it should automatically be Lars jersey unless Wagenaar starts at ADO. I don't think Kenny has the talent to be challenging for that but he can provide a good cover.

Well I think I've responded to you before on this. I have seen both keepers live several times and there is no doubt in my mind who I would rather have starting in net for the national team. Lars is a starting keeper on a fairly big club. Nobody else is close (that is still eligible). Wagenaar is not even in the picture. This Lars situation is one of the several reasons that I really am not in favour of either Stephen Hart or Dale Mitchell as the MNT coach. Both will perpetuate these absurd blacklisting practices that are all about the lack of respect that Yallop earned with our players. All players should be given a clean slate for our national team with a change in coaches and be given an even chance to earn a spot on the 18 man roster. Only a f*ing moron like Cuddles could argue that the CSA is picking so and so therefore so and so is head and shoulders above some other player.

[simon99]

I think I wasn't clear in my post. What I meant was that if Sutton was to win the #1 jersey over Lars and other challengers we would need him playing at a higher level.

I really can't commment on Lars form, I haven't seen him for a while but I'm all for a good and healthy battle for the starting spot.

I'm not sure we can say that Lars was blacklisted (unless you're having informations I don't have) he still was invited to the Lux game (3 games a go). I think the fact that we're playing once every 5 months doesn't help to figure out what is the real picture right now. A poster on the V's (BTW good to see you back there) who's close to Hainault said that 25-30 players were approched for the sept 4 Jamaica game, would be interesting to know if Lars was contacted.

I included Wagenaar because I feel he's in a good position to challenge our keepers if he can take Postma place.

[CanuckFan]

I think I wasn't clear in my post. What I meant was that if Sutton was to win the #1 jersey over Lars and other challengers we would need him playing at a higher level.

I really can't commment on Lars form, I haven't seen him for a while but I'm all for a good and healthy battle for the starting spot.

I'm not sure we can say that Lars was blacklisted (unless you're having informations I don't have) he still was invited to the Lux game (3 games a go). I think the fact that we're playing once every 5 months doesn't help to figure out what is the real picture right now. A poster on the V's (BTW good to see you back there) who's close to Hainault said that 25-30 players were approched for the sept 4 Jamaica game, would be interesting to know if Lars was contacted.

I included Wagenaar because I feel he's in a good position to challenge our keepers if he can take Postma place.

Well personally I would go with Begovic over Wagenaar at this point in their development.
Regarding Lars, 'blacklisting' is not the right term. What I mean to say is that the current situation will not change if Yallop's understudies (Mitchell and Hart) take over the show. They would likely have supported Frank's position regarding players like Lars and Tam and Dani F. and therefore would not be in a very good position to entice those players back into the program (even if they wanted them back). I am speculating of course, as I have not recently spoken to either Tam or Lars, but if the CSA needs to call 25-30 players because a few of them are going to say 'No thanks, call me when the games matter. You saw fit to sit me on the bench when I was a starter under Osieck. You pissed away our qualifying chances. Call me when WCQ starts again'.

[simon99]

Well personally I would go with Begovic over Wagenaar at this point in their development.
Regarding Lars, 'blacklisting' is not the right term. What I mean to say is that the current situation will not change if Yallop's understudies (Mitchell and Hart) take over the show. They would likely have supported Frank's position regarding players like Lars and Tam and Dani F. and therefore would not be in a very good position to entice those players back into the program (even if they wanted them back). I am speculating of course, as I have not recently spoken to either Tam or Lars, but if the CSA needs to call 25-30 players because a few of them are going to say 'No thanks, call me when the games matter. You saw fit to sit me on the bench when I was a starter under Osieck. You pissed away our qualifying chances. Call me when WCQ starts again'.

The poster on the V's was saying that the CSA contacted them to inquired about their availability and interest. I don't think it's a measure to be sure to have enough players...I think it's normal to keep in touch with all the players in your pool.

In the 3 names you've named I feel that only Tam would be right to complain about his treatment (I think ignoring someone only for a bad showing at an U-23 tournament is a bad excuse, don't call him for a few games but call him back). After the Onstad era (don't want a argue again about his choice ;)) Lars had a chance to battle for the #1 jersey with Sutton but after that it was Kenny and Sutton and then after getting his career back on track he didn't show up for the Lux game because of injuries.

I think something happenned between him and FY but who's fault it is? I have no details so I don,t know.

In the case of Fernandes, he was contacted by FY and he decided to go elsewhere.

[CanuckFan]

..........

I think something happenned between him and FY but who's fault it is? I have no details so I don,t know.
..............


Well you said yourself that you don't know what happened but you are quick to make a judgement on the issue.
I say the players should have a clean slate under a new coach, and with either Hart or Mitchell they will certainly not be treated that way. I want our best players on the field. The fact that some of them may have felt unjustly treated by Yallop and and lost any desire to play for him should be old news. They should be given 'amnesty' so to speak and be able to fight for selection under the next coach.

[cuddles24]

Whatever Canada's best available players are they should be the first ones used, not the ones that suit some political or personal needs, or not based on who is being blackballed, etc.....The CSA are extremely arrogant and ignortant if they honestly think they are good enough to afford to make selections based on anything except who the best possable people are, sorry the Canadian Soccer team is not good enough by a long shot to play games with selections to have any chance of reaching their future goals(eg-any prayer of qualifying for the WC). Some of the CSA must think they are a superpower like France, Italy, or England who can afford to do that, ROTFL!

[simon99]

Well you said yourself that you don't know what happened but you are quick to make a judgement on the issue.
I say the players should have a clean slate under a new coach, and with either Hart or Mitchell they will certainly not be treated that way. I want our best players on the field. The fact that some of them may have felt unjustly treated by Yallop and and lost any desire to play for him should be old news. They should be given 'amnesty' so to speak and be able to fight for selection under the next coach.

Well, I should've said that Tam was the only one with a clear reason to be complaining. Tam didn't had a chance, at least Lars got one with the Guatemala game and the Potugal game and was called for the Lux game as well.

Maybe Yallop considered that Sutton did a better job and wanted to take a look at Kenny at the same time so he went with those two. After that Lars career got back on track by the time of the Spain game and he was invited to the next game. I don't think it was that bad not to call Lars for a couple of games (USA and Austria). What would be bad is if Lars isn't selected for our next games, that would indicate something.

Before making judgement about Hart being a Yallop follower I think I'll wait to see the selection for the Jamaica and T&T games. If Lars isn't called for those I'll side right by you about this story.

[Grizzly]

Ed, I think we have to wait and see who Hart calls to judge whether he is simply a Yallop follower. After watching the Jamaica game I think he prepared the team very poorly and I was not impressed with his coaching but I am still not ready to call him a Yallop follower. I do not think he is qualified to be our men's team coach and in fact he is far worse than Yallop who I did not like. I don't view Mitchell as a Yallop follower at all. I think Mitchell is a far better coach than Yallop and seems to be far more honest in his interviews. Mitchell had some problems with Fernandez which seem to be at least partly if not entirely the fault of Fernandez' behaviour and certainly Mitchell's choice for keeper in that tournament justified his choice. I don't know why Yallop took so long to call Fernandez once he was a starter in Greece but if it was because of Mitchell's advice he would be a Mitchell follower and not vice versa. My impression was often that Yallop was not as aware as he should have been about the careers of some of our players and I think this was the reason more than Mitchell's opinion of him. I have never seen any evidence that Mitchell has a problem with Hirschfeld or Nsaliwa. I think Mitchell is a better coach than Yallop and a better choice as a national team coach than Yallop proved to be. Mitchell would not be my first choice but I don't think he would be a bad choice although I have been certainly dissappointed before. I think at least before one starts accusing people of being Yallop followers one has to give them enough time to see who in fact they do choose. If Lars is not chosen for any of the next three matches than one can conclude that Hart also has a problem with him but until then I will give him the benefit of the doubt even though I was not at all impressed with his coaching debut.