A lot of end-of-season awards in Major League Soccer are just as tight as the playoff race. I’ve been tracking the Rookie of the Year and MVP races for some time now but I figured I would weigh in on all the awards for once since we are in the final few weeks of the season.

MLS MVP Award:

1. Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Columbus Crew: His club may be playing well without him but his numbers still make a serious case for MVP this season. He should be back soon, which can only mean his soccer IQ on the field will enhance the Crew even more here.
2. Landon Donovan, LA Galaxy: 19 goals in just 21 games. I think that may be all I need to say here. Earlier I thought his production wasn’t enough for the MVP this year but I am thinking otherwise now.
3. Shalrie Joseph, New England Revolution: He and his club may be stumbling but that should all work itself out once the Revs clinch a playoff spot.
4. Darren Huckerby, San Jose Earthquakes: If this were a half-season MVP I would probably have a tough time picking between Schelotto and Huckerby. Both have been stellar in the second half of the season. Huckerby has only been here for a half season, just think what he can do for a full year.
5. Juan Pablo Angel, New York Red Bulls: He’s forth in goals this season in the league but I don’t think that will be enough to get him this award this year.

Others in the discussion:

Javier Morales, RSL; Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Chicago; Kenny Cooper, FC Dallas; Jamie Moreno, DC United; and Sacha Kljestan, Chivas USA.

Newcomer of the Year:

1. Darren Huckerby, San Jose Earthquakes: No doubt that Huckerby will win this one. In nine games with the Quakes, he has scored six goals. Not to shabby.
2. Andre Rocha, FC Dallas: A bit of a homer pick for me but I’ve loved Rocha’s play on the field this season. At times it’s been tough to watch but most of the time he has been a solid addition to the Hoop’s midfield.
3. Rohan Ricketts, Toronto FC: There has to be a bright spot in a dark season for the Reds, that bright spot is Ricketts.
4. Jorge Rojas, New York Red Bulls: Let’s face it, since the addition of Rojas the Red Bulls have looked like a whole new club. He’s a big reason for that.
5. Emmanuel Ekpo, Columbus Crew: This Olympian has given Sigi Schmid a nice addition on the wings.

Others in the discussion:

Jamison Olave, RSL; Louis Crayton, DC United; and Francisco Lima, San Jose Earthquakes.

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Rookie of the Year:

1. Kheli Dube, New England Revolution: Some think that Dube isn’t the front-runner anymore, I think otherwise. Then again, this year’s award may be anyone’s guess at this point.
2. Andy Iro, Columbus Crew: I still like Iro could sneek in and win this award. But will the voters feel the same way?
3. Geoff Cameron, Houston Dynamo: Expect to see more of him in the final weeks of the season.
4. Justin Braun, Chivas USA: He’ll get more minutes as well which could really help him out in this award race.
5. Sean Franklin, LA Galaxy: Some have him as the front-runner but I think he played himself out of that a while back. Could he sneak up again though is the question?

Others in the discussion:

Roger Espinoza, KC Wizards; Stephen King, Chicago Fire; and Steven Lenhart, Columbus Crew.

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Goalkeeper of the Year:

1. Jon Busch, Chicago Fire: Best stats in the league, to his credit though his defense in front of him is pretty darn good too.
2. Joe Cannon, San Jose Earthquakes: Cannon is a very close second right now for me in this race. Should the Quakes get in the playoffs he will earn a bunch of votes for this in the process. And rightfully so.
3. William Hesmer, Columbus Crew: Hey his club is still top dog in the league, and he is a reason for it.
4. Matt Reis, New England Revolution: I still think Reis is one of the best keepers in the league. From time to time he isn’t able to show it because of faulty defense.
5. Pat Onstad, Houston Dynamo: Onstad is in that same category as Reis. Solid every year.

Others in the discussion:

None, really outside of Busch and Cannon there isn’t much of a race going on here.

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Defender of the Year:

1. Gonzalo Segaras, Chicago Fire: There’s little doubt in my mind he will win this award this season.
2. Michael Parkhurst, New England Revolution: We know what Parkhurst can, but can he work his way to the top of this list?
3. Wilham Conde, Chicago Fire: People love Segares and hate Conde at the same time. Its a shame too because Conde is a beast.
4. Chad Marshall, Columbus Crew: Speaking of a beast, Marshall is one of those guys that probably is due for a National team call-up.
5. Bobby Boswell, Houston Dynamo: Think DC is wishing they hadn’t traded Boswell before the season?

Others in the discussion:

Jimmy Conrad, KC Wizards; Bakary Soumare, Chicago Fire; Jamison Olave, RSL; and Wade Barrett, Houston Dynamo.

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Coach of the Year:

1. Sigi Schmid, Columbus Crew: Once the Crew wrap up the Supporter’s Shield so does Sigi wrapping this award up. Or has he already done so? Maybe.
2. Preki, Chivas USA: His club may have had a rough year but you cannot deny how well Preki has handled it all this year.
3. Frank Yallop, San Jose Earthquakes: Can Yallop get his club to be the first expansion club to reach the playoffs since Chicago did so back in 1998?
4. Dominic Kinnear, Houston Dynamo: Two MLS Cups and possibly one more on the way? Simply remarkable if you ask me.
5. Steve Nicol, New England Revolution: Nicol has navigated his club through a heavy schedule.

I will start out in the Windy City. It looks as though things are as rosy as we though between the Chicago Fire and defender Wilmam Conde. Last night during MLS PrimeTime Thursday, ESPN2 reporter Pedro Gomez (I love that he is doing soccer these days, so much better than Alan Hopkins) talked about how Conde is still unhappy in Chicago.

Apparently he still isn’t happy with the Fire and after seeing how he didn’t even dress last night, things are probably going back to the way they were before the season. Right now the Fire are playing some of the best soccer that MLS has seen in some time in terms of defense and Conde hasn’t been apart of it. He’s one of the highest paid players on the Fire roster and so far he hasn’t played a full game this season.

Gomez stated that the Fire are still trying to patch things up with him in an effort to keep him in the Windy City. Also he said there was no way that the Fire would even consider trading him to an eastern conference club.

So a trade to New York still remains out of the question.

So what should the Fire do with him? Keep him on the bench until he comes to his senses? Or trade him away to a western conference club that could use his defense and that has some space to do something with him? You have to figure one of the western club has to take a serious look at him (hello LA!!) even with his personal distractions.

Or maybe they wait until the summer transfer window and try to ship him off elsewhere.

Who knows. Either way its still a sticky mess.

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Switching to the club that Conde would like to be with right now, New York. Apparently when they signed defender Andrew Boyen’s last week to a contract things weren’t as good as they had hoped. They moved one player (who’s name is escaping me) to the IR and bumped rookie Eric Brunner to the developmental roster. A move that Brunner didn’t like in the least bit.

There had been reports that Brunner threw a fit over the move and now as Ives is reporting, Brunner may no longer be with the club.

The Red Bulls dropped Brunner from its senior roster, and voided his contract, in order to make room for newly-acquired defender Andrew Boyens. Rather than accept the new developmental contract offered by the Red Bulls, Brunner has turned it down and is now weighing possibilities outside of MLS.

“Eric has decided to pass on the developmental offer, and we’re currently exploring both USL and European options,” said Leo Cullen, Brunner’s agent. “He wished something could have worked out with NY, and is hopeful that there will be an opportunity there down the road, but is now exploring alternatives.”

Tough break to get the bump down but honestly I thought the kid had some talent to do well in this league. As Ives reported, the Red Bulls basically ripped up his contract that wasn’t guaranteed and tried to hand him a cheaper contract. You can’t blame the kid for getting upset over a cheap developmental contract after having a decent contract that he got when he was drafted.

My bet he will end up in the USL but you never know he could find some play in Europe in one of the lower level leagues.

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Now out to San Jose.

The Quakes are finally going out to get some offense. Right now the Quakes have two Brazilian forwards on trial. Marcinho and Wanderson are currently on trial with the expansion club.

Some may remember Marcinho from last year’s SuperLiga game against Houston Dynamo. Other than that there really isn’t a whole lot out on this pair right now.

Frank Yallop and GM John Doyle said they were impressed with both players, but that they would not be offering them a contract immediately. Also the club would be bringing in a bunch of players until the summer transfer window opens up.

One player they hope to bring in is former Norwich City player Darren Huckerby.

Yallop recently did an interview with Ipswich Town about the 32-year-old winger.

Huckerby may well be a Toronto player by then, although long-term admirer Yallop is still hoping he can sign him for San Jose.

Yallop, who won the Player of the Year accolade from the Portman Road fans 20 years ago, said: “The league rules say that Toronto have first refusal on Darren but I am sure he will be aware of our interest via his agent.

“I must stress, however, that we will only be able to do something if Toronto decide, for whatever reason, not to pursue their interest in signing him or if Darren turns down the chance to go there.

“We are next in line and I can’t deny I would love to have Darren here. He is a player I have admired for a number of years and I have always liked the way he plays the game.

I don’t think they actually are next in line in terms of Allocation in MLS because of the recent signing of Peguero Jean Phillippe.

Honestly, San Jose could use the talents of Huckerby on the wings and at the striker position. But I think there are a number of teams in line to sign him.