saw this thread about the best team... who was/is the best player ever in mls? we are talking while they were playing in mls, not the *they were a great player in their prime, then came to mls* stuff... i mean skill while actually playing in mls, who was the best ever?
Great player among teams that are of a much lower quality than today's MLS. I have to weight the latter years more than early ones. The list: Kreis - Nobody has put up more numbers in MLS. 1999 MVP. Disappears come September and has zero titles. Preki - Can pass and score. Creates for others and unlike El Pibe, he can create for himself. Has anyone else in the league left more defenders corkscrewed into the ground? Numbers second only to Kreis and there is a huge age difference - Preki is 39 and still in thee top 15 in scoring. 1997 MVP and 2000 Champion. Valderamma - 112 MLS assists is a record still in progress. Involved in the scoring of 7 more goals than Etcheverry. Never does El Pibe have a bad game. Diallo - Has the size. speed, the nasty. He has 108 points since his entry in 2000. Dema Kovalenko is next for people who entered in 2000 with 55. Three teams, no titles and several suspensions has dulled the glow of his considerable skills. Pope - as sollid a defender as they come. Can also score from set pieces. Vanney - Many All-11's, good enough to go to France. Stern John - 95 points over 2 seasons before leaving for England. Freidel - 1.10 GAA over two seasons with average Columbus. Best ever in MLS. Left for England and much better money. Hartman - 1.27 lifetime GAA. Only Meola has more sutouts. Meola - MLS leader in GK minutes. Has played with 1 Champion, 5 crap teams, and 1 average one. Still the MLS SO leader. Players that have a shot: Jon Busch GK CLB - Rookie, no weaknesses and a better GA than Freidel. Name one of Columbus' defenders... Landon Donovan - Pure class. Mentally above anyone in the league, may not be here long. Twellman - Newcomer of the year, can pass, poach, run and score. Ruiz - Can score early and late. Can get the winner or a hat-trick to bury you. For my money: Best over 7 years - Preki Best old guy - Preki Best young guy - Donovan Best foreigner - Novak Best big man - Diallo Best little man - Cerritos Best drarf - Cienfuegos, Spencer close second Best passmaster - Valderamma Best CK taker - Etcheverry Best PK taker - Preki Best lungs - Chris Henderson Best mind - Donovan Best hair - who else? El Pibe Best linebacker - Thornton Best pure scorer - Ruiz Best guy you tune in to watch like Tyson - Diallo Best guy with a free kick - Kreis Best GK - Freidel Best SO stopper - Garth Lagerwey Best money GK - Meola Best single season in MLS - Meola 2000 Best defender - Pope Best guy to close down the other teams sniper without fail - Vanney Best coach - Arena, but if Bradley finally manages to avoid the injury bug, the title will be his. Best guy I'd like to have a beer with - Mathis Best gut I'd like to have 10 beers with - Ray Hudson Best heart - Mo Johnston Best clutch - Miklos Molnar has it now, Ruiz is closing quickly. Best diver - Graziani, El Flopidito is close second Best glue guy - Armas
Petr Nowak and Jaime Moreno I think are the best players ever in the league. Unfortunately Moreno's been injured far too often but in the first 4 years of the league he was the best player in the league. Nowak has been phenomenal for the Fire from the getgo, and he's old!!!
I agree on Jaime Moreno. Having watched him over the course of his career, I'd say that he was the best player ever in MLS. Lightening fast, incredible dribbling ability (especially at high speed), equally adept as scoring and passing, indefatigable. His talent is much diminished now, but even last night, out-of-shape and clearly hobbled, he displayed skills beyond the realm of all else on the field. If it's true that he's played his last for DC (and, by extension, MLS), it will be a great loss.
Best player in MLS history I would have to go with either Preki or Jason Kreis. Both players have played at a high level since MLS's inception.
You have to give more credit to Stern John that guy was the s**t,he was definitely the most exciting player in MLS' history.However my vote for the best player ever is Marco Etcheverray
The 2000/2001 version of Clint Mathis. Tab Ramos comes in at 2nd. Yeah, he is always injured, but his skill is the reason for his injuries. Whenever I get to watch him play, he's always dribbling past defenders, and sometimes 3 at once. The cross to Clint in the 9/5 DC game was one of the best I've ever seen in MLS. The Petter Villegas "Rock Bottom" in the same game is another example why he is always injured. The only was a defender can stop him, is by beating him up. Tab's just underrated I think.
IMO- wade barrett is the best defender! but best overall player i would have to say probably Kreis, but i think it could be kinda close with some others.
Since I started watching the league and being a goalie fan I'd like to mention: Scott Garlick and Tony Meola.
I would say the best ever has been Henderson or Ralston. They have produced wherever they have gone and they are two way players.
MLS' best player EVER...Etch I am an official Jason Kreis apologist, and caught much flack for calling him the greatest american in soccer, but Etchescary was the most dominant in the league. Too bad he's not playing to his potential anymore, because he's got at least 8 more yrs of tread on those tires. Kreis' free kicks had great velocity but often banged off the wall setting up rebounds. Etches found the upper 90. Etch had better vision and wasn't scared of taking on anyone near the box. Both are solid defenders, w/ a spiteful, hacking edge going to Kreis. Etch was better running w/ the ball and, like someone else noted, could go tiro olympico on any given corner. DC's success and failures follow directly the level of play Etch put on the field. He will be sorely missed.