James Riley Wins Prost Amerika Player of the Year Award

Prost Amerika is very proud to announce that its editor’s choice for Sounders FC Player of the Year is right -back James Riley. James received the award today at the side’s farewell media press conference. James started 28 regular season games for Sounders FC amassing 2334 minutes, exactly the same as fellow defender John Kennedy Hurtado–strangely enough, another contender for the award. The two of them were Sounders’ most prolific outfielders and only goalkeeper Kasey Keller played more minutes.

After accepting the prize, James revealed himself to be a reader and was very gracious in his acceptance.

“It definitely means a lot. To be recognised for my contributions on and off the field is definitely a pleasure, especially from Prost Amerika which is something that I read after every game. It’s a pleasure for sure.”

James was selected by our editor for several factors but foremost amongst them was an incredible level of consistency. For a player who started so many games, there were very few bad ones. James was so consistent he became a nightmare when doing our player ratings as he did his job so well, week after week, so that we began to run out of different ways to say the same thing.

We were not surprised to find out this aspect was something the player too, took seriously.

“I definitely take pride in being consistent on and off the field. I come into training, put in my bit there, being someone guys can look up to and rely on, on game day. So it’s definitely something I take very seriously. To be recognised for it is fantastic.”

His consistency is all the more remarkable because James is asked to both attack and defend for the side and is expected to be, and has been, proficient in both. A testament to his dual purpose is that he has been fouled as often as he has committed fouls, both standing at 24 in the regular season. There were points in the season when James’ crossing of a moving ball was every bit as effective as any set piece ball Sounders were providing.

Riley chuckled as he considered that somewhat unusual statistic for a defender, perhaps recalling some of those 24 fouls.

“Hopefully it says I’m getting forward a bit and not fouling a lot. Obviously to be an attacking right back in this team is definitely a pleasure. I have so many fantastic players around us and around me. Having the confidence to be able to go forward and help the attack is definitely something that excites me and I look forward to it when I suit up for this team.”

James has also formed a unique bond with the Sounders fanbase, and for Prost Amerika, that was another factor. Players get paid for playing but James like many others Sounders players has gone out of his way to make himself available for fan functions. We can testify that it is not a cosmetic exercise, as he approached us at training last week, having met our proofreader the day before and remembered the connection. Attendees at other events have reported similar stories back to us. James has been a very visible fixture in the City of Seattle outside of game day.

Those were the three major factors in our choice. Perhaps the last factor and maybe the least influential was that James has exceeded all expectations. Had fans been polled at the start of the season, who would be stand out players for Sounders FC, it is not likely James’ name would have come up too often. He was, relatively speaking, an unknown quantity to many of us. We know better now. James has come to almost embody the spirit of this club both on and off the field as much as any other player.

So what now for the first ever Prost Amerika Sounders Player of the Year?

Take a little break. It’s really up in the air at the moment. Just going to go home visit some family in Colorado Springs, go stay at my mum’s for a little bit and get some Korean food. She’ll probably try and fatten me up a little bit. I have some weddings to go to as well. Just kind of relax and see family and friends, people that I really don’t get to see during the season.

So many congratulations to James Riley on a great first season in Seattle. A US Open Cup Winners’ Medal will now sit neatly alongside a 15″ by 12″ Walnut finished and engraved writer’s award, courtesy of North Star Fine Coffee creators of KICK Coffeeâ„¢, the coffee created especially for soccer fans on a busier mantelpiece than James may have anticipated.

Prost Amerika has two further awards to come. Our readers will be invited to vote for their Sounders FC Player of the Year. Polls have just opened. There will also be an award for an MLS Player who in our opinion had made the most impact on our first year of watching this league.

Prost Amerika Sounders FC Player of the Year to be Announced Today