Is Fabian Castillo the league’s Most Compelling Player??
Ned Joyce
The MLS is now headed down the homestretch of its 19th season of existence. It has dealt with expansions, contractions, rough patches and great stretches. There has always been concern with bringing fans into the league, whether it’s bringing soccer into the other sports fans fold or converting an EPL / La Liga fan to an MLS fan. It is and always will be a tough uphill battle.
The thing that will bring people into the game more and more will be the style of play and the players. While the style of play is continually evolving, we must look at what has created the largest amount of buzz and increase in interest in La Liga as a good example. La Liga’s viewership has risen sharply in America by exploiting the ability and successful marketing of Messi and Ronaldo. It is this insight that has caused us to embark on the journey to find the newest award to hoist onto a player, the MLS MCP; the Most Compelling Player.
The MCP is the one who literally compels you to watch. When you see that their team is playing, you should tune in because of them, the same way people tune in to see Real Madrid or Barcelona. What will Ronaldo or Messi do? They must be playmakers that can make magic happen, make you blink and rewind the game, or just make you remember why the game is called the beautiful sport.
There are some rules to be considered for the MCP, however.
The MCP cannot be a BTP (Big Ticket Player). This means no Designated player can be an MCP. Why? Because Designated players were signed solely to fill seats. The MCP was signed to improve a team, and through their play, bring in fans. See the difference? So this takes removes the Dempsey’s, Henry’s, Donovan’s, Bradley’s, etc.
Those chosen for MCP consideration all possess ability yes, but they fascinate and coerce your attention. They are spark plugs, loved by fans, respected by competitors but most importantly; out of nothing they divine opportunities, chances, goals and plays that few can.
New England Revolution’s Lee Nguyen, Fabian Castillo of FC Dallas and Dom Dwyer of Sporting Kansas City are my top 3 MCP Finalists. You the reader are welcome to vote for who you think should be the 2014 MLS MCP, but let’s hear the case for each.
Lee Nguyen could have been a USMNT mainstay but something happened and for some reason he vanished off of the USMNT radar. He has only been called up 3 times and is not cap-tied, remaining eligible to play for Vietnam. His age, 27, likely inhibits a chance for a World Cup, but he is one of the more talented American midfielders in Major League Soccer. He is indispensable for the Revolution in the middle, a tireless worker capable of providing magic. His passing is top notch, and his ability to glide through tight spaces as a box to box midfielder is underappreciated. It will be fascinating to see how him and Jermaine Jones play together, but if New England goes deep into this year’s playoffs- a definitive possibility in a messy Eastern Conference– it will be based on the success of Lee Nguyen. Lee is truly the captain of his team and demands your attention. Most of the goals and plays created by the Revs this year have been due in large part to this maestro’s abilities. He has been on a tear recently, scoring 4 goals and making 2 assists in the past 4 games, making him even more beloved in Foxboro. Goals like this beauty don’t hurt either…
Fabian Castillo is my favorite player in the MLS right now. He is 22, Colombian and is electricity personified. A concern held by more than a few is that he will bolt from the MLS for Europe. He probably will. Until then, enjoy him. His touch, inventiveness and peskiness make him a nightmare to mark and a delight to see on the pitch. Thankfully his cleats are so bright it never takes long to find him on the field. Dallas has been on a tear the past 2 months and he is without a doubt one of the most dangerous wingers / forwards in the league. Check out the two times he has won goal of the week to catch a glimpse of the wonder he provides.
Dom Dwyer is my last pick and it is likely a contentious one. Many will argue that there have been other prolific scorers not listed. People like Brandon Wright-Phillips, Cubo Torres, Joao Plata and Sebastian Le Toux. But no one does it with the flare of Dwyer. Henry recently criticized BWP for not already having 50 goals and he is right. Torres is clinical in finishing but like Le Toux, vanilla in how he scores. I considered Plata long and hard for the MCP but don’t know if he would be as good as he is without the team behind him.
Dom Dwyer’s game and personal story are equally compelling.
Dwyer is a perfect example of the MCP. He will charge at attackers, attempt bicycle kicks, scissor kicks and diving headers, and he is feisty. He is a British native but hopes to be eligible to play for the US. His goal celebrations are fun and you can see he just simply enjoys playing. Makes sense since his path to the MLS was a circuitous one. Dwyer came from England, went to Junior College and then to the University of South Florida, and played half of last year in the USL Pro league. He has worked hard to get where he is, and his ambition greatly outreaches his 5’9 frame.
These MCP candidates demand our attention. They evoke interest, attention and admiration in a powerfully irresistible way. Nguyen can enable magic to happen or make it happen himself. Castillo will make runs or plays that make you pray you recorded the game so you could rewind it back. And Dwyer brings the joy of playing to your home with a bicycle to boot.
There are so many players viable for the award, but hopefully one day the MCP is an award as sought after as the MLS Cup, MVP or a transfer deal to Barcelona. When the style of play is tantamount to any other factor, the fans are the ones who win.
There are players who are right on the brink of consideration for MCP. We will call them MCP Next. Luis Gil, Diego Fagundez, Kelyn Rowe, Dillon Powers, Dillon Serna, Harry Shipp and Will Trapp–your time is coming. For the 3 finalists for MCP, their time is now.
Agree with my choices? Disagree strongly with me? Please share your opinion below!
Ned Joyce is a contributing writer for The Yanks Are Coming. He can be reached at nedjoyce@gmail.com and you can follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nedjoyce.