some canadian guys writing about soccer

Yep, for the second year running, we’ll be giving you our super-educated guesses on who will take home the hardware (wait, is there even a trophy?) as Canadian Player of the Year from the men’s national team. Last year, all three of us picked guys who weren’t on Toronto FC, but now are, and who are all on this year’s nominee’s list, but probably shouldn’t be. Who will take it this year? We can’t handle the excitement. So here are the nominees, as provided by the CSA, along with our first-, second- and third-choice picks.

Julian de Guzman (Toronto FC), Dwayne DeRosario (Toronto FC), Ali Gerba (Toronto FC), Atiba Hutchinson (FC Copenhagen), Simeon Jackson (Gillingham FC, for now), Will Johnson (Real Salt Lake), Mike Klukowski (Club Brugge), Kevin McKenna (FC Koln), Nevio Pizzolitto (Montreal Impact)

And our choices…

Grant
#3: Ali Gerba. Because nobody else is going to nominate him. C’mon, he scored that goal against Jamaica in a tight game. And he looks identical to a guy I work with.
#2: Simeon Jackson. Summarized better below, but in short, in 2009 he gave us all hope, and the world – especially the world of Canadian soccer – turns on hope.
#1: Mike Klukowski. Canada’s most underrated player playing the game’s most underrated position. He was named to the All-Tournament team at last summer’s Gold Cup, and singled out by Stephen Hart as one of only two Canadian players (along with de Guzman) who could walk into the starting eleven of a top CONCACAF side. And I’m relying on observations by others here, but Kluk also stood out in this fall’s two disastrous friendlies.

Jamie
#3: Nana Attakora. I don’t care if he’s not on the list, or that for some reason Paul Stalteri keeps getting selected ahead of him at right back. He had one hell of a year at TFC and deserves some credit. (I’m sure his heart will be warmed by my half-assed endorsement.)
#2: Atiba Hutchinson. He was great in the Gold Cup, showing huge amounts of energy and dedication. He’s doing well in Denmark, I think – my Danish isn’t as good as it was when Aqua was more popular: Copenhagen took the Superliga title in 2008-2009, and when a Canadian logs some Champions League minutes, we gotta give him credit.
#1: Simeon Jackson. Sure it’s only League One, but Gillingham FC would still be in League Two were it not for our man Simeon’s crucial promotion playoff goals. Better still, he’s kept up a feisty goal-scoring pace that has a few Premiership sides licking their chops – and he’s doubled his valuation from £1.5 to £3 million, according to a guy who wrote a thing on the internet. Granted, it’s a bit rich to praise Jackson for getting Premiership interest when David Hoilett has Sam Allardyce offering his mother in exchange for his continued service at Rovers. But I’ll wait for when (if?) Junior does what Simeon did – spurn Jamaican eligibility to suit up for the good guys – before I become a true Hoilett fan. For now, Simeon is the striker of the future, and I’m happy to have him top my list.

Squizz
#3: Dwayne DeRosario. It’s tough not to give DeRo some love in the voting here. He came home and had one of his best years ever as a pro, pretty much single-handedly winning TFC the Voyageurs’ Cup and almost providing enough of a spark to get them into the playoffs. Plus, having a gregarious hometown fella as a poster boy for the squad is certainly good news for Toronto FC and the domestic game in this city.
#2: Will Johnson. He’s a champion. Sure, it’s MLS, but beggars can’t be choosers. The Real Salt Lake prodigy built on his breakout 2008 campaign by becoming an integral part of RSL’s strong and multi-faceted attack in 2009. Plus, he impressed most Canadian fans (that is, the ones who had their eyes open) with his work at the Gold Cup and will likely be a key contributor on the flanks for the national team in the years ahead. Could a move to Toronto FC also be in the cards? (Well, probably not — the only person calling for it right now is me. But it’d be nice, don’t you think?)
#1: Simeon Jackson. Canada’s new golden boy, and a perennial favourite here at Some Canadian Guys. He’s cap-tied and committed to Canada, and continued tearing things up in League One in 2009, making himself an apple in the eyes of several Premiership clubs, if the musings we’ve been hearing for the past few months are accurate. Here’s hoping that when next month’s transfer window opens, Jacko strikes while the iron is hot, makes a move up to a first division (in England or elsewhere) and blazes new trails for Canadian forwards.