Ten Best: Metro midfielders
September 6, 2006
Selecting the top ten midfielders in Metro history is easier than selecting the top ten defenders because we've actually seen relative quality at that position in the team's 11 seasons, it makes the last few picks just so much harder. So with all apologies to Manny Lagos, Mike Sorber, Brian Kelly, Paul Dougherty, Billy Walsh, Richie Williams, Brad Davis, and Michael Bradley, here are the top ten:
10) Miles Joseph, 1996-2000
The original Metro rookie hope, his career slumped towards its latter stages, but when he left the team in 2000, he was the second to last original Metro left. Miles scored 11 goals and added 22 assists for Metro, and was even capped for the US after his strong rookie season.
9) Petter Villegas, 1996, 1999-2002
Sarcastically nicknamed "The Greatest Metro Ever", he had a cup of coffee with the team in 1996, before coming back in a full-time role in 1999. Incredibly erratic but also versatile, he did score 15 goals and 24 assists. Villegas' game-winning blast against Tampa Bay in 2000 marked one of the best comebacks in team history.
8) Jim Rooney, 1998-99
One of the most idiotic moves in the idiotic tenure of Bora Milutnivoic was cutting Jim Rooney after just one game in 1999, after and nine goal, five assist season the previous year, when the former construction worker won the hearts of many Metro fans with his work ethic and nose for the net. He went on to have a stellar MLS career in Miami and New England.
7) Ricardo Clark, 2003-04
Traded to San Jose for an allocation that allowed Metro to sign Youri Djorkaeff, Clark's career has taken off since leaving Metro. His two years with the club were often brilliant, often indifferent, as he scored four goals and three assists from a deep-lying position. If only the league threw Metro a bone like they did for so many other teams and not force this trade...
6) Mark Chung, 1999-2001
Forever doomed by Octavio Zambrano's system in which Chung called himself the "idiot left wing", his three-year numbers of 13 goals and 28 assists pale in comparison to the ones he achieved prior to Metro with Kansas City and after Metro with Colorado. But even with the idiocy, he was easily the best left winger in Metro history. Now why did Bora sometimes play him at forward?
5) Mark Lisi, 2002-
How amazing is that after all these coaches and regime changes, Lisi stands tall as the real Metro survivor. Dubbed "the cockroach" by the local media for sticking around so long, he lost his scoring touch a long time ago, but has become an assist machine, with 26 (he is still tied for the lead this season, even though he only played in nine games). If he could only wasn't so fragile.
4) Eddie Gaven, 2003-05
It hurts us, watching Eddie struggling in the puke yellow of Columbus, when just two years ago he was on top of the world with his seven goal, seven assist season earning him a deserved selection to the MLS Best XI at the age of 17. And who will ever forget his overtime winner in DC in just his second game? 16 goals make Gaven the second highest scoring midfielder in team history, and he added 12 assists.
3) Tab Ramos, 1996-2002
The first Metro -- and then the last original -- Tab's career with the club was never what it was supposed to be. Failing to put in a healthy season in his last six years with the club, he is still Metro's all-time leader with assists with 39 in all competitions, and added 10 goals. But we still wonder what could have happened if the best on-the-ball American player ever was healthy during his Metro days.
2) Roberto Donadoni, 1996-97
The brilliance of the Italian maestro was often lost among his bungling teammates, and Metro's first two years will forever be highlighted by Donadoni's class. He went back to AC Milan after scoring six goals and 21 assists in all competitions and is currently the head coach of the Italian national team.
1) Amado Guevara, 2003-
Amado's Metro career has been turbulent, to say the least. On his best day, no other Metro midfielder, past or present, comes close to his skill and vision. On his worst, no other Metro midfielder, past or present, comes close to his whining and bitching. Still, his 33 goals and 37 assists (as of this writing), his MLS MVP trophy, and the sheer joy the shows during his best moments put Amado on the top of this list.
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