Prior to opening day, MLSsoccer.com polled the head coaches of each MLS club, who were provided with an anonymous survey featuring an array of questions that many fans have always wanted to ask about the upcoming season.
This week, we’ll tell you how they answered (13 of 19 managers completed the survey). In this final installment, managers pick their Supporters Shield winner, most entertaining team, and best offseason acquisition.
Excluding your team, who's your preseason pick to win the 2014 Supporters' Shield?
Two teams emerged from the pack in this category. Last year’s MLS Cup winner Sporting Kansas City and the LA Galaxy, who have collected three trophies in the past three years, each received five votes from the managers. They've been two of the most consistent teams in MLS over the past few years and managers feel their streaks will continue.
Seattle and Toronto, with their high payrolls, each received one vote. Last year’s Supporters' Shield winners, the New York Red Bulls, did not receive a single vote. One manager abstained from the voting.
Excluding your team, which is the most entertaining team to watch in MLS?
This one was a tough one for the managers, with eight different teams receiving a vote. It was so hard for one manager that he decided to name five different teams. However, in the end, LA collected the most votes of any team with four. Portland was the only other team with more than one vote with two.
Other teams to receive a single vote were Chivas USA, New York, Philadelphia, RSL, Seattle, and San Jose.
Excluding your own signings, what was the best 2014 preseason acquisition by an MLS club?
To no one’s surprise, a couple Toronto FC moves received the most votes in this category. Michael Bradley collected five votes from the MLS managers with Toronto FC’s other major acquisition of the offseason, Jermain Defoe, receiving three.
A couple of Designated Players received a single vote, with D.C. United’s Eddie Johnson and the Whitecaps Matías Laba both named by the managers. Samuel, one of LA’s two new strikers, also collected a single vote.
Do you agree with the managers? Let us know in the comments below.
2014 MLS Managers Survey: Who will come away with the MVP and Golden Boot awards?
2014 MLS Managers Survey: Managers pick their Rookies of the Year and Most Underrated
2014 MLS Managers Survey: MLS bosses on how far the USMNT will go in the World Cup
2014 MLS Managers Survey: Can MLS come away with CONCACAF Champions League Crown?
2014 MLS Managers Survey: The toughest stadium to visit in MLS? It's not in the Pacific Northwest
