Wondolowski named MLS’S Most Valuable Player
LOS ANGELES, Nov 30, (RTRS): San Jose Earthquakes striker Chris Wondolowski was voted Major League Soccer’s Most Valuable Player for the 2012 season, the league said on Thursday.
The US international, a classic ‘goal poacher’ equalled MLS’s goals per season record, held since 1996 by Roy Lassiter, with 27 during 2012.
“It’s an individual award but I like to think of it as a team award,” said Wondolowski, paying tribute to his coaches and team-mates.
“There weren’t many of those goals were more than one touch fin- this week.
He has been linked to possible moves to Australia’s A-League or Paris Saint-Germain.
Regardless of Saturday’s outcome, Beckham will have left his mark on the league since he began playing for the Galaxy in 2007.
The league has expanded from 12 to 19 teams and it has more than doubled its overall attendance.
“He was an unbelievable ambassador for the league, for the Galaxy,” said MLS commissioner Don Garber.
Beckham scored a seven goals this ishes. I get great service from good passers. I’m not beating 10 guys or shooting into the upper 90 but from six yards and in,” he said.
It was the third successive year the 29-year-old has been the league’s top scorer, but the first time he has been named MVP.
Former France and Arsenal striker Thierry Henry of the New York Red Bulls finished a distant second in the vote of clubs, media and fellow players. Sporting Kansas City and US winger Graham Zusi was ranked third while Houston Dynamo midfielder Brad Davis was fourth. season and had 15 assists last year with the Galaxy. Both were personal MLS season best marks for Beckham.
Some thought it was a long time coming as Beckham got off to a slow start in his first few seasons with Los Angeles, sparring with fans and dividing his playing time between teams in Europe and North America.
“When I first came here people expected me to score 10 goals and that was never going to happen,” Beckham said. “Wherever I played there has always been expectations. Wahether I reach them, that is for other people to
“What he is good at is taking chances,” Wondolowski’s coach at San Jose Frank Yallop told Reuters.
“His general play is solid, just normal. As he says himself, he doesn’t dribble anybody, he isn’t very fast but where he is fast is in his mind. He knows when the ball is going to arrive ...i t’s instinct.
“He works on his finishing, no doubt about that. Every striker tries to score goals but lots can’t because they can’t get away from people. He can, he drifts around and does he thing — he’s very difficult to play against,” he added. decide just what my impact was.”
Beckham’s teammate Landon Donovan also could be playing his last game with the Galaxy on Saturday.
“We haven’t always gotten along, especially in the beginning. But he’s a good person and I think we’re all happy for him,” Donovan said of Beckham.
Donovan hinted recently that he may retire after this season which would end a superb North American career that saw him score more goals than any player in US national team history. Niersbach eyes UEFA executive spot: Germany soccer association boss Wolfgang Niersbach will run for a spot on European governing body UEFA’s executive committee next year.
“The board of the DFB unanimously named Wolfgang Niersbach for a candidature for the position currently held by Dr Theo Zwanziger in European football’s most important body,” the German football association (DFB) said in a statement on Friday. Zwanziger, whose term runs out in May, is also Niersbach’s DFB predecessor who stepped down earlier this year from the world’s biggest single sports federation with more than 6.8 million members.
The election will take place at the UEFA Congress on May 24 next year. (RTRS) Diaz returns for third stint at River: Ramon Diaz, a favourite with the fans after steering a gifted River Plate side to seven major trophies between 1996 and 2002, is returning to the troubled Argentine giants as coach for a third time.
“Ramon Diaz has become River Plate’s new coach. This Thursday afternoon, the club’s president (Daniel Passarella) verbally agreed Ramon Diaz’s arrival,” the record 33-times league champions told their official website (www.cariverplate.com.ar). (RTRS)