FIFA 2003 Player of the Year

Discussion in 'Women's International' started by DCUPopeAndLillyFan, Oct 12, 2003.

  1. the_13th_redneck

    the_13th_redneck BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Sep 3, 2002
    The exerpt from this article reads:
    3. The 2003 FIFA Women’s Awards - …are a joke. Okay, I can agree with the inclusion of Birgit Prinz and Hanna Ljungberg in the category for “Player of the Year,” but Mia Hamm? Come on, people! She wasn’t even the best player on her own club team this year, it was Abby Wambach (Hamm as much said so herself). Okay, maybe it was FIFA’s way of giving Mia a wedding present in light of her recent marriage to Nomar Garciaparra, but couldn’t they have just given her a picture frame instead? Don’t get me wrong; Mia had a fine 2003 campaign. She helped the Washington Freedom win the WUSA Title, and she played well in the first 2 games of the World Cup, but the best player in the world in 2003 wasn’t even nominated. Who was it? Anyone who follows the game knows it, so say it with me…Maren Meinert. Seriously, FIFA needs to stop basing the Women’s award on lifetime achievement, and nominate players who made significant contributions during the actual calendar year. In 2003, it was Meinert.
    -------------------------------------
    What I say: ABSOLUTELY SPOT ON!!!!


     
  2. DCUPopeAndLillyFan

    Apr 20, 2000
    Colorado
    Meinert didn't finish in the top 3 - the NT coaches get more pathetic every year, she was the clear choice for 2003.

    At least Sun Wen didn't finish in the top three again :rolleyes: Anyone wanna bet she finished fourth though?
     
  3. Poachin_Goalz

    Poachin_Goalz Member

    Jun 17, 2002
    Athens, GA.
    From the Soccer America November 10, 2003 issue. These are their picks for the best players at each position for an "Ultimate Women's World XI". They make a disclaimer that some worthy players may not be represented due to current injury problems. (The most glaring ommissions for this reason are Kelly Smith and Shannon MacMillan IMHO)

    Striker
    *1. B. Prinz (Germany)
    2. V. Svensson (Sweden)
    3. A. Wambach (USA)

    Forward
    *1. H. Ljungberg (Sweden)
    *2. M. Hamm (USA)
    3. Bai Jie (China)

    Attacking Midfielder
    1. M. Meinert (Germany)
    2. M. Mostroem (Sweden)
    3. H. Sawa (Japan)

    Right Midfielder
    1. K. Garefrekes (Germany)
    2. Formiga (Brazil)
    3. S. Gulbrandsen (Norway)

    Holding Midfielder
    1. S. Boxx (USA)
    2. B. Wiegmann (Germany)
    3. R. Lingor (Germany)
    tie
    3. F. Ostberg (Sweden)

    Left Midfielder
    1. K. Lilly (USA)
    2. P. Wuinderlich (Germany)
    3. Yun Yong Hui (North Korea)

    Right Back
    1. K. Stegemann (Germany)
    2. K Bivens (USA)
    3. C. Pearce (USA)

    Right-Center Back
    1. J. Fawcett (USA)
    2. S. Nonen (Canada)
    3. A. Hingst (Germany)

    Left-Center Back
    1. S. Minnert (Germany)
    2. C. Hooper (Canada)
    3. J. Toernqvist (Sweden)
    tie
    3. C. Salisbury (Australia)

    Left Back
    1. S. Gottschlich (Germany)
    2. S. Larsson (Sweden)
    3. K. Bengtsson (Sweden)

    Goalkeeper
    1. B. Scurry (USA)
    2. S. Rottenberg (Germany)
    3. C. Joensson (Sweden)

    (************************************)
    The BS breakdown is as follows
    ----------top3players-----positions_represented
    Germany----11-----------------10
    Sweden-----8-------------------7
    USA---------8-------------------7
    Canada------2-------------------2
    China--------1-------------------1
    Japan--------1-------------------1
    Norway------1-------------------1
    Brazil--------1-------------------1
    North_Korea--1-------------------1
    Australia-----1-------------------1

    (************************************)

    Soccer America didn't pick Hamm as the best player at her position. I tend to agree with this. She is still a great player but she isn't the best.
     
  4. TOTC

    TOTC Member

    Feb 20, 2001
    Laurel, MD, USA
  5. auger9

    auger9 New Member

    Apr 24, 2003
    Ontario
    i hope that was sarcasm.
    so happy hamm didn't win! YES!!
     
  6. Norfolk

    Norfolk Member

    Mar 22, 2001
    Well done!

    A certain Matai Vave the head women's soccer coach of the Solomon Islands voted for Michelle Akers in 2nd place!!!

    Way to keep your finger on the pulse of women's soccer!
     
  7. Woody-99

    Woody-99 Member

    Jan 19, 2002
    Germany
    Re: Well done!

    When I read the coaches' votes, that made my day :D
    But I fear that might be the end of an era, just one lonely vote this year ;)
     
  8. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Anyone that pays any attention to the womens vote needs to consider this:

    Michelle Akers received a higher total (one 2nd place vote) than Abby Wambach (one 3rd place vote).

    Personally? I would've voted
    1. Maren Meinert
    2. Birgit Prinz
    3. Victoria Svensson
    Wambach would've been my next choice.

    The totals:
    http://images.fifa.com/events/playergala/2003/results/results_by_player_f.pdf
     
  9. DCUPopeAndLillyFan

    Apr 20, 2000
    Colorado
    Pathetic on various levels again. Although Meinert should have gotten it, at least Prinz got the award she should have gotten in 2002 and maybe in 2001.

    The dumba$$ votes were as follows:

    Mongolian coach voting for Sun Wen for 1st, then nobody for 2nd and 3rd (Mongolia has a women's team???).

    Sun Wen getting 5 other third place votes - including from Australia who presumably have a clue about things.

    Tiffeny Milbrett getting two third place votes. Have you watched her since 2001?

    Michelle Akers getting a second place vote.

    Brandi Chastain getting a third place vote. She played one half in the WC and did nothing of note this year.

    An African (forget who) coach voting for Aly Wagner for first place and two local players no one has ever heard of for second and third. I can picture the guy saying, "Well, uhh, Aly is hot!"

    World Cup sides Nigeria and Ghana not even bothering to submit votes.

    Mozambique coach picking players from the U-19 tournament last year.

    Wambach getting one third place vote (from Norway) and nothing else. She was easily in my top 6 or 7.

    It was fun seeing Nia Kunzer get a third place vote. I guess World Cup winning goals are worth something!

    - - - - - - - - - - -

    As usual, I tallied just the World Cup coaches votes along with other top 20 sides. I was surprised that Prinz was a runaway winner even within this group, but Meinert was a clear second and Svensson a clear third, with Hamm and Ljungberg tied for fourth. I think the top coaches considered World Cup play far more than club play, which would explain Prinz being ahead of Meinert and Svensson ahead of Ljungberg. Hamm and Ljungberg had more support among the bottom-feeder coaches though which sent them to second and third.
     
  10. donzerly

    donzerly New Member

    Feb 24, 2002
    Toronto
    But quite sensibly picking Christine Sinclair as no. 1! :)
     
  11. TOTC

    TOTC Member

    Feb 20, 2001
    Laurel, MD, USA
    Sinclair will win a WPOY one day. She's a PTPer.
     
  12. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Will that be before or after Michelle Akers stops getting votes?
     
  13. sendorange

    sendorange Member+

    Jun 7, 2003
    Bigsoccer.com
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
  14. Dandal

    Dandal Member

    Jul 20, 2002
    Sweden
    Club:
    --other--
    According to german press Perugia has offered her 1 M euro for a 30 month contract (+ free house, trips home etc). Considering she can't even make a living playing for 1. FFC Frankfurt this must be really tempting, publicity stunt or not.

    I think the journalist just mixed them up - Hanna was at the gala. On the other hand Hamm was not present. And didn't she?
     
  15. sendorange

    sendorange Member+

    Jun 7, 2003
    Bigsoccer.com
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    I would take it if I was Prinz. Although I would check the small print to make sure Gaucci doesn't have any getout clauses of any kind.

    You must be right! I did think it was really bizarre that they were saying Hanna was not there because of her honeymoon, when the picture at the top is her clearly on stage with her third place award :D

    They must be referring to Mia Hamm.
     
  16. TOTC

    TOTC Member

    Feb 20, 2001
    Laurel, MD, USA
    After Frankie Ljungberg stops getting votes instead of Hanna.
     
  17. TOTC

    TOTC Member

    Feb 20, 2001
    Laurel, MD, USA
    Fixed my post! :)
     
  18. DennisM

    DennisM Member

    Dec 10, 2000
    Nya Sverige
    Prinz should not have won it. If going by the best performance with club and country. No way. Then again I don't think Ronaldo should have won in 2002. He didn't do much with the club. Ljungberg should have won. Or Meinert should have won. Those two had the best years with club and country.
     
  19. Norfolk

    Norfolk Member

    Mar 22, 2001
    Didn't Meinert not play in any of the WC qualifiers for Germany and only join them for the finals?

    If so, I would hold that against her.
     
  20. UmeaFan10

    UmeaFan10 New Member

    Nov 15, 2003
    Knoxville, TN, USA
    As far as club goes, Hanna Ljungberg is the reason for Umeå IK's success. I felt that she should have won it last year due her incredible year (39 goals in 22 games!). She also scored just as many goals as Svensson in the WC (including one in the final), and she was in my mind the reason that Svensson did so well since she drew up to four defenders away from other players.

    Still, I think Maren Meinert was perhaps the single most important reason for Boston's success, though one could argue for Dagny Mellgren, so my vote probably would have gone to her. Plus without her I can't see Germany beating Sweden in the final.

    I don't think I need to comment on the ridiculousness of Hamm even beating number eight Renate Lingor, much less Meinert or Ljungberg.

    I'm glad I don't get a vote in this--I couldn't choose.
     
  21. Breakers_rule

    Breakers_rule New Member

    Sep 8, 2003
    In my house.
    I am in the group of "I am thrilled Mia didn't win."

    Birgit deserved it.

    WTG Birgit
     
  22. RedZion

    RedZion New Member

    Aug 8, 2003
    You're absolutely right about Meinert. She was the reason for Boston's success this past year. She stepped it up on and off the field, she grew slightly more comfortable with the English language, and she used her fire-her desire for a Championship to generate focus and steam within the team.

    With all due respect, Lilly had a somewhat-off offensive season for the Breakers, though her finesse on defense and improved little nicks kept her on the forefront of everyone's mind.

    Mellgren was the recepient of sooo many great Maren moments. :)

    And had Maren not returned to Germany, who's to say that they would have won the WWC? I know this is speculation, but there's merits of truth to it.

    Maren was perhaps more valuable to Germany in the WWC than Birgit... perhaps.
     
  23. Perugina

    Perugina Member

    Aug 7, 2003
    Grand Rapids MI
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Maren Meinert should have won

    Birgit was not as tough in WUSA this year but Maren was vital for both club and country.
     
  24. Breakers_rule

    Breakers_rule New Member

    Sep 8, 2003
    In my house.
    I disagree. Maren was not there during the qualifications. She had retired from the Nats. She was only playing club until right before the WWC. Birgit was there. and if you look at the stats, birgit wasn't as far off as most people think for the Courage.
     
  25. the_13th_redneck

    the_13th_redneck BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Sep 3, 2002
    Yeah but her performance in the WUSA and the WWC 2003 was just a cut above everyone else and I just could not see Germany winning the tournament without her. Thats why I believe Meinert should have been voted number 1

     

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