The Best Metro Bull Ever: Juan Pablo Angel

By: Dave Martinez | March 4th, 2009

We recently conducted a poll on who the greatest All Time Red Bull/Metrostars player is. The choices included:

JPA
Mathis
Savarese
Guevara
Howard
Ramos
Donadoni
Jozy
Other (Djorkaeff as it turned out)

Hands down, Juan Pablo Angel destroyed the field with over 60% of unique readers believing he is the greatest of all time. And the argument is hard to combat. But is this result justifiable?

Johnny Come Latelys?

Onionsack made a great comment in the previous post; one that, in many ways, I emotionally echoed:

“MAN, what a bunch of johnny come latelys’
Mathis was better in 2000 than Angel has been in either year.
Savarese is still the man.
On skill and reputation Donadoni, Djorkeaff are tops.”

This was actually my first reaction as the numbers began to come in. Especially in regards to Clint Mathis. When Mathis and Howard first broke out on the team, I became a fan. They were both so unique and talented, and that, along with my love for the USMNT, is what hooked me to the team.

On top of that, Mathis in 2000 really was unreal; a complete wrecking machine that showed his passion for the team LITERALLY on his chest. I mean, the goals he had that season were of the highlight reel variety, game in and game out. This got me to thinking; how can a player that has been here less than two years be regarded as the best player in franchise history?

The answer, quite frankly is “easily.”

- Juan Pablo Angel lead an underwhelming Red Bulls team to the MLS Cup; a first for this franchise.
- He has scored 35 goals in 47 games – not counting the goals he has assisted on or chances he has created by creating space for other players, or his playoff appearances.
- He is a perennial MLS All Star
- He is the face of the current Red Bull ownership
- He is, hands down, the absolute best DP signing when taking performance into account, amongst all DP players (Becks draws more merch sales)

What RB or Metro player can claim any of this? Difficult to rebuke the facts. And though I grew up with different heroes, it is almost unmistakable to crown JPA as the teams best ever.

Savarese, I still love you.

So what are your thoughts on the poll? Fair? Biased? Fair weather or just plain truth?

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Comments  

• Smith |  March 4th, 2009 at 3:13 pm

  
  
  

  Season ticket holder since 1996. JPA is the best. Mathis had one and 1/3 great years. Gio was clutch but the league was poorer then in overall quality. Donadoni was a working mid cast as an A-mid. Youri loses points for skipping off to see France in his 2nd year. Amado had great skills but we never made it past the first round with him running the midfield. If anyone gives JPA a run, it’s Timmy or Meola, who would single handedly keep the team in games in 1996-1997 when they had people like Matt Knowles on the team.

  JPA has put up the numbers, been the consumate pro and carried the team on his back at times.

  #9 is #1.

  If we want to argue “pure skill,” then maybe Lothar is the best player we ever had so, no, I don’t think pure skill is enough.

  JPA all the way.

  Posted from United States

  

• Almedin |  March 4th, 2009 at 3:57 pm

  
  
  

  Definitely Juan Pablo Angel.. No doubt about it.. I’ve been a fan since 2000 but I have never seen one player turn the team around and take them to their first ever MLS cup like Angel did.. He scored 14 goals last season and 19 the year before.. That’s a combined 33 goals.. Not bad at all and I expect him to challenge for the Golden Boot again this year..

  Posted from United States

  

• Chris |  March 4th, 2009 at 5:56 pm

  
  
  

  Question: Is that roster on the club website accurate? If so are we not keeping any of the draft picks other than Hall. No Baba?

  Posted from United States

  

• Joseph |  March 4th, 2009 at 8:55 pm

  
  
  

  You guys are all on massive amounts of drugs.

  Tim Howard is by FAR the the best player to have ever played for the NY MS/RB.

  Tim Howard is on a shortlist of best goalkeepers in THE WORLD. Frankly there’s only a handful of keepers WORLDWIDE I would take over Howard. (Iker, Buffon, Vandersar, maybe Reina and Llorris) JPA while great, never reached those levels. Mathis had heart, but was never in the same league as Howard or even JPA.

  You’ll all see, Howard will single-handedly put the USMNT into the quarterfinals of the 2010 WC.

  To not see Howard as the best player to play in new york is to have an extremely myopic view of the game.

  Posted from United States

  

• Almedin |  March 4th, 2009 at 9:22 pm

  
  
  

  YESS!!!! We have officially signed Alfredo Pacheco! DONE DEAL!! FINALLY!!!!

  GO RED BULLS!!!

  http://www.mls-rumors.net/2009/03/incoming-red-bull-new-york-sign-alfedo.html

  Posted from United States

  

• Carlos |  March 5th, 2009 at 4:59 am

  
  
  

  I’ve followed the Metros since day one so this was a really hard choice. I think it’s too soon to call JPA the best ever because he hasn’t been with us that long and I also think that people are underestimating how important Dave VandenBergh was last year. JPA didn’t carry the team. Dave did especially during the stretch JPA was injured. I think it should go to Mathis or Guevara. They did alot with bad defenses and mediocre coaching. I would give Howard some consideration.

  Posted from United States

  

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