Matt Glaeser NASL Player of the Month for June
The North American Soccer League announced on Thursday that Fort Lauderdale Strikers goalkeeper Matt Glaeser was named NASL Player of the Month for June.
The Strikers were undefeated in the month of June with 2 wins and 3 draws. During the Strikers’ undefeated streak of five games, Glaeser recorded two shutouts. He currently has a 1.00 Goals Against Average, 3rd lowest in the league, and is tied in the NASL for 2nd in shutouts this season, at four.
The 26-year-old keeper played for Miami FC in 2010 and made 5 appearances. He was loaned to FC Tampa Bay last season but never played for the team.
Glaeser started the season as the backup keeper for Ft. Lauderdale but has held the spot since earning a draw against the Silverbacks in Atlanta on May 21. According to the NASL, the Strikers have only one loss this season, 2-6-1 (W-T-L), with Glaeser starting in goal.
“It’s a great honor for Matt and a great honor for our team,” said Strikers head coach Daryl Shore. “Matt had a terrific month of June and deserves the award.”
Eighteen media members from NASL markets cast ballots for Player of the Month, with a first-place vote worth two points and a second-place vote worth one. Glaeser appeared on 10 ballots and received four first place votes, for a total of 14 points. Two-time reigning Player of the Month Etienne Barbara of the Carolina RailHawks finished second with 12 points. Barbara’s RailHawks teammate Nick Zimmerman finished third with 11 points, while fellow Carolina players Brad Rusin and Jonny Steele finished 4th and 5th respectively. FC Edmonton’s Shaun Saiko also received votes.
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Glaeser had a really good month. He was definitely the MVP for his club in my mind. He was my second pick.
Barbara continued to demonstrate consistency and dominance. I wonder if some of the voters felt like it was time to put a different face with the award.
I’m not saying that Glaeser doesn’t deserve it; what I am saying is that no one in the league had a better month than Barbara. The guy’s light is still shining brighter than anyone else’s…
Maybe July will be different.
Totally agree, Jay. I really think Barbara deserved it but from the vote count it leads me to believe voters made their choice to give the award to someone other than Barbara.
Barbara scored three times in June and contributed two assists. No one else in the league could claim those number in June.
I also believe Rusin was a good candidate even though his voting numbers weren’t that strong. Here’s why I think Rusin should have gotten it if not Barbara. In the month of June his team was 4-0 scoring 11 goals but only giving up 3 goals. That’s a +8 goal differential. While 3 goals in 4 game is good but perhaps not great, 3 of 4 of those games for Carolina were on the road. So they had 1-shutout and a .75 goals against average in June.
it always looks bad when the employee of the month stays the same for too long
One quibble with no-one being able to contend with Barbara’s numbers in June, FC Tampa Bay’s Mike Ambersley had four goals in four games over the month.
FC Tampa Bay only went 1-2-1 in those games which probably caused him to get a bit overlooked, but he has been playing very well since the end of May.
While Glaeser has played well, it should be pointed out that he faced a fairly easy slate of games in the time of June. I think you have to go with Barbara for the player of the month again.
Nic, Ambersley was not even one of the options from NASL for voting, I’m guessing exactly for your stated reason. As you know, POTM voting is highly motivated by the players ability to help their team win games.
SR, your stated point about easier games is one of the reasons I voted for Rusin as second choice. The RailHawks defense was really excellent in a stretch of 3 of 4 games on the road.
Matt seems to have picked up some kind of jynx after receiving this award. His play has dipped the first two games of July……although, the poor play of his defense in front of him has been a factor as well……
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