Filed under: D.C. United, Los Angeles Galaxy, Philadelphia Union
D.C. United midfielder Andy Najar has won Major League Soccer's rookie of the year award, beating out New York Red Bulls defender Tim Ream and Philadelphia Union striker Danny Mwanga in a race that was far more captivating and controversial than is typical for an undercard honor.Perhaps that has something to do with the major media markets involved, or perhaps in a World Cup year, everyone is eager to find the next national team star (Ream is American, and Mwanga and Najar eventually may become citizens and choose to represent the U.S.).
The trio featured a defender, a midfielder and a forward, who played very different games and whose supporters justified their claims to the award using very different criteria.
Ream was a rock-solid center back who performed with a maturity that belied his 23 years, helping the Red Bulls cut the number of goals conceded by nearly 40% on their rise from worst to first in the Eastern Conference. Mwanga tallied seven goals and four assists for the expansion Philadelphia Union, a stunning haul for a first-year player on a first-year team.
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Source: http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2010/11/03/andy-najar-d-c-uniteds-17-year-old-midfielder-wins-mls-rooki/
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