It Seems To Me . . .

MLS scores with its selection of 'Best XI' for first decade.

Four member of the Major League Soccer 'Best XI' for its first decade are, from left to right: Landon Donovan, Preki, Peter Nowak and Jeff Agoos. In the background is Dan Courtemanche, MLS senior vice president for marketing and communications. -- MLS photo by Essy Ghavameddini --

By Robert Wagman
SoccerTimes

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Tuesday, November 15, 2005) -- When I think Major League Soccer has done something wrong, I am quick to complain, usually in this space. So I should be just as quick to sing its praises when I think the league has done something right. And in naming the "All-time Best XI" to have played in the first decade of MLS, the choices are spot on.

From back to front, the league has chosen as goalkeeper Tony Meola (Kansas City Wizards and now the MetroStars). The defenders are Eddie Pope (D.C. United, MetroStars and now Real Salt Lake), Jeff Agoos (D.C. United, San Jose Earthquakes and now the MetroStars) and Marcelo Balboa (Colorado Rapids, MetroStars)

The midfielders are Marco Etcheverry (D.C. United), Landon Donovan (San Jose Earthquakes and now the Galaxy), Carlos Valderrama (Tampa Bay Mutiny, Miami Fusion and Colorado), Preki (Kansas City, Miami) and Peter Nowak (Chicago Fire). The forwards are Jaime Moreno, who started with D.C. United and returned after a brief stint with the MetroStars, and Brian McBride (Columbus Crew).

The voting was done by fans (50 percent), the soccer media (25 percent), and by players, coaches and front office personnel (25 percent) from a pool of 78 candidates, comprised of players who were previous selections on the annual Best XIs, or were named to at least three All-Star Games since the league began in 1996.

The key to the selection criteria was that it eliminated some big-name players who came into the league for a season or two and then either moved on or retired. This, I think, was only fair because the all best 11 should be limited to players who helped build the league and gave it whatever measure of stability it has achieved.

Five of the 11 have played in all 10 MLS seasons: Moreno, Pope, Agoos, Meola, and Preki. Four of the selections earned five total "Most Valuable Player" awards: Valderrama (1996), Preki (1997, 2003), Etcheverry (1998), and Meola (2000). Together, the 11 have a combined 21 MLS Cup championship rings as players, led by Agoos with an impressive five, and followed by Moreno (four), Pope (four), Etcheverry (four), Donovan (two), Meola (one), Preki (one), and Nowak (one as a player, not to mention one as D.C. United coach).

Five have been MLS Cup MVPs: Etcheverry (1996), Moreno (1997), Nowak (1998), Meola (2000), and Donovan (2003). Etcheverry (1997, 1999), McBride (1998), and Balboa (2000) scored the MLS "Goal of the Year.". Between the 11, they have scored 373 goals and recorded 549 assists.

The league did not name an MVP for the first decade, but it would be hard to argue with Etcheverry as that choice. For eight seasons, he led D.C. United to three MLS Cup wins, four finals and a level of international recognition that has not been matched since.

When you look at the best 11, four played for United. They were the heart and soul of United -- through its glory years of 1996-99.

There wan't a coach named for the decade's "Best XI," but such a choice would be obvious. Bruce Arena led D.C. United to two championships and three finals in MLS's first three years before he took over the United States national team.

One could perhaps offer some slight quibbles about a few of the choices.

Brad Friedel was perhaps a better goalkeeper than Meola. He was the runnerup in the voting, but he moved on to greater success in Europe where he is still one of the best keepers in the English Premier League with Blackburn Rovers. Meola deserves the nod because he remained in MLS and now has come back from what amounted to forced retirement to play again. If there is a "Comeback Player of the Decade," Meola would be my choice.

I'm sorry MLS named only three defenders in order to get in five midfielders. If there had been a fourth slot, it might have been a hard choice between the runnersup in the category -- Ryan Nelsen, Carlos Bocanegra and Lubos Kubik. In my view, Nelsen's best years are still ahead of him playing with Friedel at Blackburn. Bocanegra has become a much better player since moving to Europe. My choice for the fourth best defender in the first decade of MLS would have been the Chicago Fire's Kubik.

I certainly can't quibble with the five in the midfield. DaMarcus Beasley, Mauricio Cienfuegos and Cobi Jones were the next highest vote getters. Beasley has become a much better player since he went to PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, Cienfuegos was wonderful for years and Jones deserves an award for longevity and durability, but the voters got the five exactly right.

The voters also got it exactly right at forward. Now that he is at Fulham in the EPL, one might forget that McBride played eight MLS seasons -- for admittedly a mediocre team in the Columbus Crew. Had he played for a league power, he might be talked about as the best of the best. Moreno was for years the best and most reliable scorer in MLS, enjoying three league titles with D.C. United until he was slowed by injury. Now, returning to Washington, he has come most of the way back and led United to another crown in 2004. He would have to be considered with Meola as the top comeback player of the decade.

So hats off to MLS for this selection. Balboa is already in the National Soccer Hall of Fame and Marco Etcheverry could be voted in next year. Each and every member of the "All-Time Best XI" should be inducted as soon as he is eligible. Ten years from now, MLS will likely pick a "Best XI" for the first two decades. How many of this 11 will be on that list, I don't know but, for now, this is a very satisfying group of MLS's very best.

Robert Wagman is a SoccerTimes senior correspondent. E-mail Robert Wagman.

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