MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER certainly likes to keep its fans in the loop.
Mirroring the All-Star antics of its baseball, basketball and ice hockey cousins, the MLS encourages fans to vote for the players they would most like to see in the league’s showpiece game.
In three weeks’ time, Chelsea, newly minted European champions, will play the cream of the MLS in an All-Star game in Philadelphia.
Robbie Keane may have scored two goals for the LA Galaxy at the weekend but the Irish striker has missed out on the fan-voted dream team to face the English side.
Keane lost out in the popularity stakes to Thierry Henry, now with the New York Red Bulls, and Chris Wondolowski of the San Jose Earthquakes, who are now likely to take up roles up front.
The ‘Wheat State’ of Kansas is the best represented in the supporter voting, with Aurelien Collin, Graham Zusi and goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen of Sporting Kansas City all on the fan’s wish-list.
Becks and Landon
The players that make the top 11, as voted for by MLS supporters, will automatically be included in the All-Star roster but coach Ben Olsen, of D.C United, and MLS Commissioner Don Garber will round out the squad with seven more selections.
Olsen will be given free rein to chose the starting line-up of his choosing from the 18 players so Keane still have a chance to face Chelsea.
His colleagues at LA Galaxy, David Beckham and Landon Donovan, have once again been chosen by fans to represent the league against a Chelsea side that may well include new signing Eden Hazard.
The official 18-man roster will be announced next Sunday during the broadcast of the New York Red Bulls’ game against the Seattle Sounders.
Jimmy Nielsen (Sporting Kansas City); Steven Beitashour (San Jose Earthquakes), Aurelien Collin (Sporting Kansas City), Jay DeMerit (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Heath Pearce (New York Red Bulls); David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City); Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes).
