In the sport of soccer, or football, whichever you prefer to call it, the number nine is synonymous with the guy whose main job is to put the ball in the back of the net.
He’s the finisher, the frontman, the catalyst. He’s the one who gets all the glory, the flashy stats, the adulation from the supporters. He’s watched by eyes on television, the eyes in the stands and the eyes behind him on the opposing defense.
And the No.9 deserves all of it.
The Seattle Sounders No.9, as the popular ECS chant has come to recognize more prominently, is one Obafemi Martins…and he should win the 2014 Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player Award.
Here are, wait for it, nine reasons why:
1. Undefeated - There are many interpretations of what ‘Most Valuable Player’ really means, but there can be none more telling than in Oba’s case with the Sounders: The club is an amazing 12-0-0 this season when Martins scores. If that’s not value, I’m not sure what is.
2. Records - Over the six-year history of the Sounders, the club has featured a number of goal scorers who know a thing or two about big numbers. Fredy Montero, Eddie Johnson, and Lamar Neagle to name a few. This year, Oba surpassed the lot in single-season scoring with 17 goals, breaking Johnson’s record of 14 tallies in 2012.
3. Complete Player - It’s not just the goals. The 29-year-old Nigerian is one assist away from tying the club’s single-season assists record that’s held by Mauro Rosales, who recorded 13 helpers in 2011 and 2012. Sharing is caring, after all.
4. Punches in Bunches - When Oba is hungry for goals…he is STARVING for goals. Martins leads Major League Soccer in multi-goal games with five. So our man has scored once and thought to himself, “That was nice, I’d like another.” From there, the Sounders go on to win as stated above in point No.1.
5. Obaflips - Not to besmirch the acrobatic ability of one of the other candidates for the MVP award, but Obafemi Martins backflip celebration is probably the best thing since sliced bread and when he does it our collective hearts melt. Straight 10s every time.
6. Coming Up Big - Over his career with the Sounders, Martins has been known to score in some key moments. This season it’s stretched from scoring goals to assisting them, as we saw last week in Los Angeles (Martins had two dimes on the way to the Sounders 2-2 come-from-behind draw). He’s registered points in big wins over Portland, Real Salt Lake and the Philadelphia Union in the U.S. Open Cup Final, among others. Our Oba is a big game player.
7. Style For Days - The man has it. This may not add to his overall value, but when Oba is on the pitch he makes it look good. When he’s off the pitch, it’s even better. Those shaggy, yet well-formed and perfectly floppy dreads may be his signature but he’s got one pair of rad, gold-plated sneakers for every day of the year and don’t even get me started on his dining room. His house was built to have awards in it.
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Aug 8, 2014 at 8:32am PDT
8. Work On Both Ends - One thing that Oba does that isn’t monitored with stats or hard evidence is the work he puts in on the defensive side of things. Oba ALWAYS tracks back, chases down defenders, hustles his tail off for every ball. The guy never stops running. Same can’t be said about some of the other candidates out there.
9. Best In MLS - If this doesn’t seal it, nothing will. Obafemi Martins has been the best player on the best team in MLS in 2014. He has been a massive part of why the Sounders are where they are and why they have been at the top of the table for the bulk of the season. Value in spades.
So that’s the case for Obafemi Martins to be named the 2014 Volkswagen MLS MVP. He does a little bit of everything and does everything better than most. He’s been a revelation since joining the club and could most definitely go down as one of the club’s best ever forwards.
However, to Oba, the personal accolades aren’t what matters, it’s the performance of the team…though I’m sure he’d be more than happy to adapt his signature catch phrase slightly:
“Score goals, win games…and MVP awards.”
