Without him, only the sucktitude of the Dallas Burn would've prevented KC from not making the playoffs. Scored the big goals, made the big assists. He was fit and healthy, playing nearly every minute of all 30 games. He avoided yellow and red card suspensions, and he won the scoring title, and I believe he led the league in assists. Anyone agree with me? Got a better choice?
No better choice, its Preki, was the only reason KC got 11 wins, led the league in scoring, assists and only had 3 less goals that the golden boot winner(s)... Most important player for his team, I believe he also played in all 30 games this season... I don't know why others are saying Donovan, Razov or Spencer, all great players, but they don't do for their teams what Preki did for KC, and Preki led the leadue in scoring....
Any impartial observer would agree that Preki deserves the MVP for the 2003 season. I really think there is little argument to be made otherwise. MLS might not want its image tarnished with a 40 year old winner, but the guy deserves it.
I won't be suprise LD wins it if the writers voting for this award are the same ppl that voted for the US soccer player of the year award. Who knows, they might just be voting for the names.
Here is going right for the goal: and Namoff in the background seems to be thinking, "Great, I finally cover left and the bastard beats me to the right".
Actually, my favorite shot from this season is this one. Hendo - who played with Preki in both KC and Miami, and against him for 8 years - buys the fake to the right as Preki goes past him on the left.
Once es dios! There are varrying definitions of MVP. If you have a "best player at any time during the season" then maybe you go Donovan or Razov. If you go more towards a "most indispensible over 30 games" definition, then I think you have to go Preki. If you're over about 32 or so I think you go Preki also just on principle. Sure I'm a bit biased. That said, nobody was positively involved in more goals than Preki (29). Other players had as many as 20 entries on scorsheets. That's a 45% increase in real production over the next guy. Preki is the MVP. Too bad he will not win it.
Oh, Preki hands down gets the award. My question in all of this... if you're Preki, you're 40 years old, obviously old for a soccer player.... do you retire now and go out on top? Tough call.
Not a tough call at all. Preki has long said he plans to continue playing as long as his body allows. I'm guessing his wife will pull him off the field before he is 50.
Preki was interviewed tonight here in Houston on Glenn Davis' Soccer Hour radio show, and he concurred with what y'all are saying: that as long as he rolls out of bed in the morning and his body feels like doing the training, he'll be playing.
I once thought this, but I don't think its that big of a deal. Zola was amazing for Chelsea last season at 36. The ancient Oakland Raiders went to the Super Bowl last year. A 39 year old Al MacInnis played at an MVP level last year in the NHL, not to mention Ray Bourque playing at such a high level in his 40s. These types of players are rare, as is Preki.
it should be preki... that's where my vote would go but i'm worried about the voters selecting the right person
So who is the right person?? I am not against Preki but there are not many MVP votes that do not have some controversy. It is a preference among whoever the voters are. You can make a decent case for Preki Landon Razov Spencer Onstadt Does MLS do a 1-2-3 vote with points for each or just one vote per person??
You vote for 3. I can't recall if it is 5-3-1 or 3-2-1, though. Additionally there are seperate voting blocks. Not all blocks vote for all awards. There's the PSRA (media) block, the players block, the GMs/Managers block. Last year, goal of the year had a fan/website block. I expect that voting will take place in the next couple of days.
I really wish people would consider Chris Armas. Sure, he's not an offensive player, and he doesn't rack up the points, but his skill and leadership is what kept Chicago motoring through this season, and I'll put him up with just about any d-mid anywhere. Chalk it up with his massive recovery from last season, and he should be a top-3 candidate in my mind, but likely won't even be nominated because all the press see are goals and assists.
It's the same reason that Pat Onstad won't win. Only something like 16 shutouts and 29 GA in 31 games like Meola's monster season will get a goalkeeper in the running. I won't say that a d-mid will never win the MVP, but they'll be very few and far between - and likely have a bit of an air of "lifetime achievement award" about them.
Anyone remember Twellman? Doesn't he deserve some consideration? 15 goals in 22 games, all from the run of play. There's no doubt he would have been the scoring leader and the golden boot winner (alone, instead of a tie with the Little Flopper) had he stayed healthy.
I think you answered your own question. No one forgot about Twellman, he just didn't stay healthy. Part, or arguably most, of being an MVP is what you give to your team over the course of an entire season. An MVP award isnt a contribution per game, although if it were TT would definitely be in the running. Preki played in every single game for the Wizards this season. He won the scoring title by 6 points. He was three goals behind the golden boot number, and by far lead in assists. He led a second place team (or tied for fourth if you look overall). I agree that Armas had a great year. But like we see in KC, d-mids like Armas and Zavagnin give so much to thier teams but don't get nearly enough credit. I also fear that the right player won't get the award.
Well, you'd have a better case if the Revs hadn't just rolled off three straight wins without Twellman in the lineup.
Are you suggesting that the Revs are better without Twellman? Ridiculous. What the wins demonstrate is how well the Revs now move the ball with Cancela and Joseph in the middle and Kamler and Ralston on the wings. With Twellman, the Revs would have been even better. Twellman's replacement (Fabbro) has done very little.