2012 Columbus Crew season

Columbus Crew
2012 season
Owner Clark Hunt
Head Coach Robert Warzycha
Major League Soccer Conference: 6th
Overall: 10th
MLS Cup DNQ
U.S. Open Cup Third round
Trillium Cup Winners (5 - 2)
Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup Winners (2 - 1)
Carolina Challenge Cup Third Place
Highest home attendance 19,674 vs. Real Salt Lake
(30 June 2012, Major League Soccer)
Lowest home attendance 10,049 vs. Toronto FC
(22 August 2012, Major League Soccer)
Average home league attendance 14,397 [1]
Home colours
Away colours
← 2011 2013 →

The 2012 Columbus Crew season is the club's nineteenth year of existence, as well as their seventeenth season in Major League Soccer, and their seventeenth consecutive season in the top-flight of American soccer.

Columbus opened its 2012 campaign against the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on March 10, 2012.[2]

Background

Review[3]

The Crew missed the playoffs in 2012 for the first time since 2007, marking a further step backwards from the height of 2008. The roster moves which took place leading into the season were ultimately unsuccessful, with both high-profile signings - Milovan Mirosevic and Olman Vargas - playing only a single season for the club.

The lackluster performance of Vargas and Mirosevic led the team to a series of midseason signings, which nearly salvaged the season. Costa Rican forward Jairo Arrieta joined the team in June, while Argentine midfielder Federico Higuain signed a Designated Player contract a month later. The tandem revitalized the Crew's offense, leading to a 4-game winning streak and thoughts of post-season glory. After this initial honeymoon, however, the team's performance declined; the team just missed out on a playoff berth.

After the season, coach Robert Warzycha began yet another rebuilding effort, jettisoning several veteran players including William Hesmer, Sebastian Miranda and Emilio Renteria.

The year's most significant event, however, had nothing to do with on-field performance. Rookie midfielder Kirk Urso collapsed and died on August 5th from a genetic heart defect (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy), providing an emotional rallying cry for the remainder of the season and beyond.

Roster

Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth. Squad correct as of March 23, 2012.[4]

No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Hesmer, WilliamWilliam Hesmer  United States
2 Defender Balchan, RichRich Balchan  United States
3 Defender Williams, JoshJosh Williams  United States
4 Defender Mendes, CarlosCarlos Mendes  United States
5 Defender O'Rourke, DannyDanny O'Rourke  United States
6 Midfielder Tchani, TonyTony Tchani  Cameroon
7 Midfielder Anor, BernardoBernardo Anor  Venezuela
9 Forward Meram, JustinJustin Meram  United States
10 Midfielder Mirošević, MilovanMilovan Mirošević  Chile
11 Midfielder Duka, DillyDilly Duka  United States
12 Midfielder Gaven, EddieEddie Gaven  United States
13 Midfielder Finlay, EthanEthan Finlay  United States
14 Defender Marshall, ChadChad Marshall (Captain)  United States
15 Midfielder Urso, KirkKirk Urso  United States
16 Defender Gehrig, EricEric Gehrig  United States
17 Forward Vargas, OlmanOlman Vargas  Costa Rica
18 Forward Speas, BenBen Speas (HGP)  United States
19 Forward Heinemann, TomTom Heinemann  United States
20 Forward Rentería, EmilioEmilio Rentería  Venezuela
21 Defender Miranda, SebastiánSebastián Miranda  Chile
22 Midfielder Grossman, ColeCole Grossman  United States
23 Defender Veeder, KoreyKorey Veeder  United States
26 Defender James, JuliusJulius James  Trinidad and Tobago
27 Forward Horton, AaronAaron Horton (HGP)  United States
28 Goalkeeper Lampson, MattMatt Lampson (HGP)  United States
29 Defender Francis, ShaunShaun Francis  Jamaica
30 Goalkeeper Gruenebaum, AndyAndy Gruenebaum  United States
32 Defender Vuković, NemanjaNemanja Vuković  Montenegro
34 Forward Schoenfeld, AaronAaron Schoenfeld  United States
36 Defender Perry, AubreyAubrey Perry  United States
37 Midfielder George, KevanKevan George  Trinidad and Tobago
— Forward Arrieta, JairoJairo Arrieta  Costa Rica
Position Staff
Head Coach Poland Robert Warzycha
Assistant Coach Argentina Ricardo Iribarren
Assistant Coach United States Mike Lapper
Goalkeeper Coach United States Scoop Stanisic
General Manager United States Mark McCullers
Technical Director United States Brian Bliss
Director of Team Operations United States Tucker Walther
Strength/Fitness Coach United States Mike Tremble
Athletic Trainer United States David Lagow
Equipment Manager United States Rusty Wummel

Source: Columbus Crew Official Website

Competitions

Preseason

Carolina Challenge Cup

MLS

Standings

Eastern Conference
Pos
Team
 Pts
 GP
 W
 L
 T
 GF
 GA
 GD
Qualification or relegation
1 Sporting Kansas City (E1) 63 34 18 7 9 42 27+15 2012 MLS Cup Conference Semifinals
2 D.C. United 58 34 17 10 7 53 43+10
3 New York Red Bulls 57 34 16 9 9 57 46+11
4 Chicago Fire 57 34 17 11 6 46 41+5 2012 MLS Cup Knockout Round
5 Houston Dynamo 53 34 14 9 11 48 41+7
6 Columbus Crew 52 34 15 12 7 44 440
7 Montreal Impact 42 34 12 16 6 45 51−6
8 Philadelphia Union 36 34 10 18 6 37 45−8
9 New England Revolution 35 34 9 17 8 39 44−5
10 Toronto FC 23 34 5 21 8 36 62−26

Updated to matches played on 18:04 EDT October 28, 2012. Source: MLSSoccer.com
Notation Key:

(E1) = Eastern Conference champion
Overall table

Pos
Team
 Pts
 GP
 W
 L
 T
 GF
 GA
 GD
Qualification or relegation
1 San Jose Earthquakes (SS) 66 34 19 6 9 72 43+29 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League 1
2 Sporting Kansas City 63 34 18 7 9 42 27+15
3 D.C. United 58 34 17 10 7 53 43+10
4 New York Red Bulls 57 34 16 9 9 57 46+11
5 Real Salt Lake 57 34 17 11 6 46 35+11
6 Chicago Fire 57 34 17 11 6 46 41+5
7 Seattle Sounders FC 56 34 15 8 11 51 33+18
8 LA Galaxy 54 34 16 12 6 59 47+12 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League 1
9 Houston Dynamo 53 34 14 9 11 48 41+7
10 Columbus Crew 52 34 15 12 7 44 440
11 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 43 34 11 13 10 35 41−6
12 Montreal Impact 42 34 12 16 6 45 51−6
13 FC Dallas 39 34 9 13 12 42 47−5
14 Colorado Rapids 37 34 11 19 4 44 50−6
15 Philadelphia Union 36 34 10 18 6 37 45−8
16 New England Revolution 35 34 9 17 8 39 44−5
17 Portland Timbers 34 34 8 16 10 34 56−22
18 Chivas USA 30 34 7 18 9 24 58−34
19 Toronto FC 23 34 5 21 8 36 62−26 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League 2

Updated to matches played on October 28, 2012. Source: MLSSoccer.com
Notation Key:

(SS) = Supporters Shield winner

1The highest ranked U.S.-based MLS club qualifies to the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League (placed in Pot A). The other U.S. representatives in the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League are:

2Toronto FC qualified for the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League as winners of the 2012 Canadian Championship.

Results summary

OverallHomeAway
PldPtsWL TGFGAGDWL TGFGAGDWL TGFGAGD
34 52 15 12 7 44 44  0 11 3 3 28 21  +7 4 9 4 16 23  −7

Last updated: 28 October 2012
Source: Columbus Crew
Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference

Results by round

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
GroundAHAHAHHAHAAHAAHAHHAAHHAHAHAAHAHHAH
Result L W W L L T L T W T W W T L W L L W W L T T W W W W L L W L W D L W
Position 18 13 8 11 16 16 17 17 16 17 16 15 16 16 11 13 13 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

Last updated: October 28, 2012.
Source: MLS
Ground: A = Away; H = Home. Result: T = Tie; L = Loss; W = Win; P = Postponed.

Match results

U.S. Open Cup

MLS Cup Playoffs

The Columbus Crew failed to qualify for the playoffs in this season.

Friendlies

Transfers

Miscellaneous

Allocation ranking

Columbus is in the #10 position in the MLS Allocation Ranking. The allocation ranking is the mechanism used to determine which MLS club has first priority to acquire a U.S. National Team player who signs with MLS after playing abroad, or a former MLS player who returns to the league after having gone to a club abroad for a transfer fee. A ranking can be traded, provided that part of the compensation received in return is another club’s ranking.[5]

International roster spots

Columbus has 8 MLS International Roster Slots for use in the 2012 season. Each club in Major League Soccer is allocated 8 international roster spots and no Columbus trades have been reported.

Future draft pick trades

Future picks acquired: *2015 MLS SuperDraft Round 4 pick from Houston Dynamo.
Future picks traded: *2013 MLS Supplemental Draft conditional pick to Montreal Impact.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.columbuscrewsc.com/media/all-time-attendance
  2. ↑ "Columbus Crew Schedule".
  3. ↑ http://massivereportdata.com/season/2012
  4. ↑ "Players | Columbus Crew". TheCrew.com. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  5. ↑ 2011 MLS Roster Rules | Major League Soccer Archived 2011-04-30 at the Wayback Machine.
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