CAROLINA'S DANIELLE FOTOPOULOS NAMED MAY WUSA PLAYER OF THE MONTH "Fotop" Tallied Four Goals and Three Assists in Four Games During May - ATLANTA (Tuesday, June 3, 2003) - Carolina Courage forward Danielle Fotopoulos has been selected as the WUSA's Player of the Month for the month of May by the Professional Soccer Reporters Association. The powerful striker led all WUSA players in scoring during May, registering four goals and adding three assists for 11 points in four matches. Fotopoulos had a blistering month of May, earning MET-Rx Player of the Week honors earlier in the month after figuring in all five goals (scoring two and assisting on three) in Carolina's 5-2 victory over first-place Washington on May 17. The former University of Florida star's seven points against Washington tie her with Atlanta's Maribel Dominguez and former Philadelphia Charge midfielder Liu Ailing for most points in a WUSA game. She scored at least one goal in three of four games during May, including a late equalizer to earn a 2-2 draw on the road at Philadelphia on May 31. With her 11 points in May, Fotopoulos is now tied with New York's Tiffeny Milbrett as the WUSA's all-time leading scorer at 71 points. "Fotop" has 25 goals and 21 assists during the regular season, while Milbrett has 29 goals and 13 assists. Fotopoulos is one of two players to register 20 or more goals and 20 or more assists (joining Boston's Maren Meinert) during her WUSA career. A look at Fotopoulos' performances during the month of May follows: DATE PERFORMANCE May 10 Held scoreless in a 3-1 loss to San Jose May 17 Two goals and three assists in a 5-2 win at Washington May 24 One goal in a 2-1 loss to San Diego May 31 Scored a late goal to earn a 2-2 tie at Philadelphia Fotopoulos, who captured 26 points in the voting, outdistanced Boston's Meinert (20 pts.), Washington's Abby Wambach (14 pts.), Philadelphia's Marinette Pichon (13 pts.), Atlanta's Charmaine Hooper (5 pts.), San Diego's Julie Fleeting (4 pts.) and Washington's Mia Hamm (2 pts.). The WUSA's Player of the Month is selected at the end every month throughout the regular season by a panel of journalists from the Professional Soccer Reporters Association.
I didn't vote for her. I mean, the team is what 1-5-1? She had the monster game against DC, but 2xgoals+assists isn't always the best way to tell who the "best" player is.
There's an old saying in business "You manage what you measure". Fotop's measured results were excellent. What wasn't measured is another story. She rarely wins 50-50 balls, loses the vast majority of 1-v-1's, is really not a factor in pressuring the opposition's defense and loses possession on a regular basis. She's a very difficult target for her teammates because she lacks the quickness and speed to corral any ball that is not delivered right to her feet. She's not a playmaker, so I wouldn't put too much stock in her assist production. As long as she can get the ball in Birgit's vicinity she has a chance for an assist. If all of this sounds like a condemnation of Fotop, it's not. She is what she is. A highly specialized goal scorer. She has the size and strength to dominate in the opposition's box. She can put the ball in the net with her feet as well as anyone and her heading ability is superb. The fact she's scored as many points as she has on a 1-5-1 team could be considered a plus. One would think it would be easier for her to score points on a team like Atlanta or Washington where she would have more opportunities. There's another business saying, "What's easiest to measure is not always what's most important". In fact, the most important things are often the most difficult to measure. In soccer, fowards and keepers have some very specific measures. Goals assists, shoutouts, GAA's saves etc. are simple and accurate but do they really tell the story? Many would argue that forwards need to do more than just score goals and keepers statistics can be as much a team measure as an indication of individual keeper's abilities. What about midfielders and defenders? It could be the most dominant player in WUSA right now (i.e. the best) is a defender or midfielder who rarely if ever shows up on existing measures. Would they ever be Player of the Month? Highly unlikely because what sets them apart from the rest isn't measured. Maybe the best player in May was Nonen or Lilly or some lesser known player who just got the job done time after time without being noticed. You can only manage what you measure. Based on existing measures, Fotop earned Player of the Month.
I would say, "Based on the fact that it's almost impossible to watch more than one WUSA game per week the voting media is forced into relying on stats and press releases."
I did not vote for her wither. CAFAN - I think your comments about Fotop are spot on. You have to take her at what she is and you are exactly right. She is a highly specialized player. I laughed the other week when we were playing San Diego and she put away that header off the corner. My wife said wouldn't it be nice if there was a special teams unit that you could use just for corner kick situations. I grimaced for a second cause of the NFL parallel. Anyway, I did not think she was an all star. There are way too many forwards who have a more complete package that were, i thought, worthy of the all star vote. Fotop has some good characteristics though. She is gritty and scrappy inside the 18. She has heart which is one of those things you can not measure and she is extremely confident again a non mesurable attribute. She lacks that great first touch though and she is incredibly slow. It is painful to watch the counter attack fall apart around her because she looses her fisrt touch or is just not quick enough to get away from the defense. I don't think she will ever see the National team roster again though. Abby has taken over the big target forward position and has proven herself now.
Fotop is a very effective goal scorer in WUSA and would be just as effective in international play. Unfortunately she likely isn't selected to the USWNT or WUSA All Stars for reasons of aesthetics rather than results. Fotop doesn't represent what USA women's soccer is trying to sell. Results are important, but having the ability to play a pretty, possession style is also a big factor. Wambach and Parlow are perhaps not as dangerous in the box but they are much better players in the possession game.