Major League Soccer has announced the finalists for the various 2014 award categories.
Major League Soccer conference finals are about to get underway, but before they do, the league announced the finalists for the various award categories.
There are a few notable occurrences. For instance, all three MVP candidates are playing for the MLS cup, a first since 2010. The biggest slight might be the absence of New York Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips from the MVP category. Wright-Phillips scored a record-tying 27 goals this season.
Seattle Sounders coach Sigi Schmid is nominated for Coach of the Year, and if wins it would be his third, tying him with LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena.
Here they are below, via the league’s website.
2014 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)
Volkswagen Most Valuable Player Finalists
- Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)
- Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders)
- Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution)
AT&T Rookie of the Year Finalists
- Tesho Akindele (FC Dallas)
- Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United)
- Harry Shipp (Chicago Fire)
Defender of the Year Finalists
- Bobby Boswell (D.C. United)
- Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy)
- Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders)
Coach of the Year Finalists
- Gregg Berhalter (Columbus Crew SC)
- Ben Olsen (D.C. United)
- Sigi Schmid (Seattle Sounders)
Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
- Charlie Davies (New England Revolution)
- Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders)
- Rodney Wallace (Portland Timbers)
Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
- Steve Clark (Columbus Crew SC)
- Bill Hamid (D.C. United)
- Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Newcomer of the Year Finalists
- Stefan Ishizaki (LA Galaxy)
- Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution)
- Pedro Morales (Vancouver Whitecaps)
MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year Finalists
- Diego Chara (Portland Timbers)
- AJ DeLaGarza (LA Galaxy)
- Zach Loyd (FC Dallas)
Xbox Individual Fair Play Finalists*
- Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers)
- Michael Parkhurst (Columbus Crew SC)
- Harry Shipp (Chicago Fire)
*Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fouls committed, cards received, games & minutes played, as well as subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.
Xbox Team Fair Play Finalists*
LA Galaxy
Philadelphia Union
Real Salt Lake
*Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fewest fouls committed, cards received, and on subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.
Referee of the Year Finalists
Mark Geiger
Jair Marrufo
Alan Kelly
Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists
Peter Manikowski
Paul Scott
Adam Wienckowski
Here are the dates for when each award will be announced
Nov. 24: AT&T Rookie of the Year, Xbox Fair Play Individual and Team of the Year
Nov. 25: MLS Defender of the Year, MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year, and Referee/Assistant Referee of the Year
Dec. 2: MLS Coach of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year and MLS Best XI
Dec. 3: Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Volkswagen MLS MVP
Dec. 4: AT&T Goal of the Year, MLS Save of the Year
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