AGR's High Press: Diving into the CPL awards race at the halfway point of the 2024 campaign

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Quietly, seven of the eight Canadian Premier League teams have now reached the halfway point of their respective 2024 campaigns (sorry, Halifax), which is a key milestone for many reasons. 

Mainly, it’s a great chance for teams to regroup and see where they’re at now that they’ve completed 50% of their games (or roughly whereabout), giving an idea of what they need to improve and what they’ll want to maintain as they get set for the second half of the campaign. 

Yet, while it’s a good chance for teams to reflect on their performances, it’s also a good chance for outsiders to take a closer look at some of the individual players who have shone brightest for those teams this season. 

With some key individual awards to be handed out at the end of the year, it’s important to take stock of how some of those races for that silverware have shaped up over the past few months, giving an idea of who to watch over the next half of the season as they look to help push their teams forward. 

As seen over the past few years, a lot can change after the midway point, both from a team and individual perspective, so it’s not as if anyone not in contention can’t surprise with a late push, but you tend to know who the key favourites are by the halfway point. 

With that in mind, here’s a look at how the awards race looks to be shaping up at the halfway point of the CPL season, in this special edition of ‘High Press’. 

Player of the Year (so far): 

Rubén del Campo, Brian Wright, Tristan Borges

To begin, there’s no better place to start than with the league’s MVP award, voted on by the media, which has been the league’s most prestigious individual award since the league launched. 

Naturally, there’s always a tough debate about deciding what being an MVP actually means, as some might argue it’s more of an outstanding player, while others might suggest that it’s for a team’s most important player. In reality, an MVP’s true definition likely sits somewhere between the two, but regardless, it’s a good debate to have.

Interestingly, however, last year’s MVP race was dominated by a couple of defenders, before being eventually won by Cavalry centre back, Daan Klomp, who won after putting in an outstanding campaign on a dominant Cavalry side. 

Typically, however, this award tends to favour attackers, and that’s the case in this race. 

To begin, Atlético Ottawa’s Rubén del Campo leads the way, as he’s had an excellent campaign for the league leaders, who have been the story of the CPL to start the year. Sitting with just two losses on the year, putting them five points ahead of second-place York United, they’ve done well to pick up results thanks to a league-best 28 goals. 

Del Campo has been the big driving force behind that offence, too, scoring a league-leading eight goals and adding two assists, generating all of that without taking any penalties. Plus, as a bonus, he’s done well to spread his offence out over multiple games - all of his goals and assists have come across 10 separate games, in which Ottawa has a record of 7W-3D-0L. Ultimately, when Del Campo scores, Ottawa tends to do well, showing how important he is to his side - that makes him a strong MVP candidate for a reason. 

After that, however, another striker isn’t far behind him, and that’s Brian Wright, who has been on fire lately for York, sitting with seven goals and five assists, giving him a league-leading 12 goal contributions. For someone who had just two goals and two assists in 2023, and had never scored more than seven goals in a season in his professional career, it’s been a remarkable turnaround from him, yet it’s a sign of his importance to this York attack. 

Despite struggling to score last year, he still contributed to York’s attack with his hold-up and link-up play, which is pretty strong as his assist totals show. The big change, however, is that he’s finishing more chances, and that’s helped York’s attack massively. 

For a team that was worried after losing striker Osaze De Rosario, who had been a key source of offence for two years, Wright has stepped up massively, helping York in their recent title push. 

Lastly, the CPL’s 2019 POTY, Tristan Borges, rounds off this list, as he had an excellent start to the year, and has continued to put in some strong performances even if he slowed down statistically. To be fair, after generating three goals and four assists in his first seven games, that’s understandable, as he has since had just one assist in Forge’s next seven matches. 

At the same time, that’s a byproduct of playing for a loaded Forge team that has several players who could be in the mix for this award at the end of the year, such as Kwasi Poku and Béni Badibanga. When you’ve got several guys who can step up and score goals, quieter stretches can happen for players, as teams can tend to ride the hot hand. 

But given how incredible his start to the year was, it’s hard to leave Borges out of this list even if his pace has slowed. Now, the big challenge will be to return to that level of play, but given what he’s capable of at his best, no one would be surprised to see him do it. 

Otherwise, some honourable mentions can go out to Atlético Ottawa teammates and new arrivals Manny Aparicio and Amer Didić, the Forge duo of Poku and Badibanga, Vancouver FC’s Alejandro Díaz, Pacific’s Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, Cavalry’s Fraser Aird, Halifax’s Dan Nimick and Ryan Telfer, and Valour’s Jordi Swibel and Themi Antonoglou, who will look to push into this discussion by the end of the year (along with some other surprise names, as one would expect - Klomp’s strong second half of 2023 was massive in his POTY push).

Player’s Player of the Year (so far):

Manny Aparicio, Rubén del Campo, Brian Wright

But while there’s the CPL’s Player of the Year award, one can’t forget the Player’s Player of the Year award, one that is certainly quite valuable given that it’s voted on by those who see first-hand the sort of impact certain individuals can have - that being the players, of course. 

Often, there is no greater recognition for anyone than to receive an honour bestowed upon them by their peers, so this is certainly one the players enjoy. 

Plus, it offers a chance to see who catches the eye of players during games, giving some intriguing perspective on if someone is tough to defend or a pain to play against. 

In terms of this award, however, it’s tended to favour the attackers, leaning more towards the outstanding player side of the earlier POTY debate, as Ollie Bassett won in 2022, and Ali Musse claimed the honour in 2023. 

This year, however, that could shift, as one could imagine Manny Aparicio garners some votes after finishing 5th in PPOTY voting in 2022 and 7th in PPOTY voting in 2023, as he’s been excellent for Atlético Ottawa in 2024, scoring three goals and adding one assist while providing immense value to his team with the work he does on and off the ball. 

A tough player to play against, his tireless play on the league leaders won’t go unnoticed, making him a favourite here. And for what it’s worth, while the last two PPOTY’s were won by more offensive players, it’s not as if other positions were forgotten - the 2nd, 3rd and 4th highest-vote getters in 2023 were a box-to-box midfielder, a centre back and a defensive midfielder, respectively. 

After Aparicio, however, is where things could get interesting. Ultimately, however, it’s too hard to discount del Campo and Wright from the race, as they’ve got strong numbers and are also two players that would stick in the back of the heads of potential voters, given that both have scored plenty of difficult and clutch goals for their teams, which opponents will remember. 

Otherwise, Badibanga is a name to watch, as he’s a handful for defenders to deal with and handles a lot of the offensive load for Forge, while Mo Babouli could earn some votes based on how important he can be to York’s offence when healthy.

Defender of the Year (so far):

Amer Didić, Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, Fraser Aird

Next, that leaves the Defender of the Year, which has been an excellent addition to the awards list since it was introduced in 2022, giving some shine to those who do a lot of the dirty work for teams. 

Interestingly, however, the award has been one for the centre backs over wide defenders, and understandably so - they tend to do a lot of heavy lifting defensively, making it crucial to have a key marshall at the back. 

Naturally, the favourite to win this award is a centre back, as Amer Didić has been a rock for Ottawa since his arrival, playing all but one game for the league’s third-best defence, who has conceded just 15 goals in 15 games (and conceded two goals in the one game he missed). Despite being placed in an aggressive system with two attack-minded full backs, often paired with younger centre backs like Luke Singh or Tyr Walker, Didić has done well to keep his level high while offering key leadership to his partners, who have grown a lot under his tutelage. 

Plus, he brings a threat at the other end, scoring three goals, which while not important for an award like this, shows that the value he brings isn’t just in his box. There’s a reason why Ottawa were eager to poach Didić after some excellent seasons with Pacific and FC Edmonton, and he’s shown why with his performances. 

Interestingly, however, another name to watch is Didić’s former centre back partner at Pacific, Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, who has been excellent despite Didić’s departure. A key anchor on the side that has conceded a league-low 12 goals this season, he’s been massive for Pacific, doing so despite having a young backline around him, especially after the season-ending injury to Aly Ndom, bringing an important presence with his play.

Lastly, a name to watch isn’t a centre back, however, and that’s Cavalry’s Fraser Aird. A strong attacking full back, it might be strange to list him here, but it’s worth noting that it’s not a wild suggestion to make - he plays regular minutes on the second-best defence in the CPL (who has conceded just 14 goals in 15 games), is strong defensively, and helps keep opponents away from his team’s net with his ability to push the play forward. 

Ultimately, Cavalry’s defence is better because of him, so it’ll be intriguing to see if he earns consideration for this award even if he’s seen as more of an offensive-minded player. 

Otherwise, some names to watch are York’s Noah Abatneh, Forge’s Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson, Vancouver’s Rocco Romeo, Pacific’s Juan Quintana and Eric Lajeunesse, Cavalry’s Daan Klomp, Halifax’s Dan Nimick and Valour’s Tass Mourdoukoutas, who have all been key pieces at the back for their teams this year.

Best U21 Canadian of the Year (so far):

Kwasi Poku, Emil Gazdov, Noah Abatneh

In a league where developing young Canadian talent is a key priority, this award is always an exciting one to follow, and for good reason. 

And this year, a strong race is brewing, as a couple of young Canadians have stepped up and played a key role for their respective teams. 

To begin, Kwasi Poku leads the way, as he’s been a revelation for Forge lately… as a striker, after playing mostly as a left back and a winger for Forge through his first two seasons with the club. Asked to step in as a striker on an emergency basis after a rash of injuries, he’s only gone on to score six goals and add two assists in the nine games he’s played at the position. 

Thanks to that, he’s been a massive piece on a dangerous Forge side, and doesn’t look to be moving from this position anytime soon, even as Forge’s attacking corps beefs up as key players return from injuries. 

After that, however, Pacific’s Emil Gazdov deserves a shout, as he’s been the main man in goal for the league’s top defensive side, when healthy. His numbers reflect that - in the 10 games he’s played, he has as many clean sheets (six) as he does goals conceded (six) - for context, Pacific has conceded just as many goals (six) in the four games he’s missed, which came due to illness. 

Despite playing at a position that isn’t always kind to youngsters, as Gazdov learned last year, he’s done well to take some huge strides forward this year, and Pacific is reaping the benefit. 

Lastly, that leaves Noah Abatneh, who has been crucial at centre back for a York side that has pushed up the table as of late, doing so thanks to their defensive play. Second on his team in minutes, he’s been a rock defensively, hardly ever looking like the youngster he is, rarely making any big mistakes, which is not easy. 

Elsewhere, a key name to watch is Pacific’s Eric Lajeuensse, who could very well be on this list given how crucial he’s been to Pacific’s defence, while Vancouver feels like a team to watch when looking at their list of U21s, as all it’ll take is a strong handful of games from someone like Grady McDonnell, James Cameron or TJ Tahid to get in this mix.

Golden Glove (so far):

Emil Gazdov, Nathan Ingham, Thomas Vincensini

Of course, it’s important to also look at those holding it down in goal, as it’s never easy to shine in such a pressure-filled position. 

Despite that, a couple of names have done quite well to shine amid the pressure. 

Leading the way, interestingly, is Gazdov, who hasn’t just been one of the best youngsters in the league, but one of the best at his position, period. While he’s been helped to be deployed behind the top defensive team in the league, he’s certainly done his work to help Pacific concede as few goals as they have, preventing nearly four goals per WyScout’s prevented goals model, which takes a goalkeeper’s xG they face and substracts the goals they’ve conceded from it. 

Given that no other goalkeeper with more than 500 minutes played has more than 1 prevented goal, that’s a strong sign of what Gazdov is doing, as he’s made a lot of key saves even if he isn’t getting as peppered as often as his peers. 

Otherwise, Ingham has done a good job of holding down the fort for Ottawa, doing so despite facing competition from 2023 GKOTY nominee Rayane Yesli, as Ingham has prevented a solid 0.52 goals for Ottawa, which is third among those with 500+ minutes. 

Lastly, Vincensini has done some key work for York, even as they struggled a bit defensively in front of him before Mora’s arrival, and has thrived since his new manager’s arrival. In particular, he has a knack for making big saves, of which he’s made many over their recent hot streak, which is hard to ignore. 

In terms of names to watch, Forge’s Chris Kalongo has had a strong first full season as a Forge starter and could climb these rankings if Forge finishes the campaign strongly, while Vancouver’s Callum Irving continues to put in a big shift for Vancouver even if they can make him work more than they’d like at times.

Coach of the Year (so far):

Carlos González, Benjamín Mora, Bobby Smyrniotis

There’s the age-old debate with the coach of the year award - should the coach of the team who overperforms their expectations the most win it, or the team who does the best? In reality, the answer is circumstantial, although it can lead to awkward situations such as the one Bobby Smyrniotis is in - he’s yet to win the award despite winning one regular season title and four playoff crowns and being regarded as one of the best in the CPL (if not the best). 

This year, however, he doesn’t lead the way in the hunt for that elusive trophy at the moment - that’s Atlético Ottawa’s Carlos González, whose work amid Ottawa’s dominance cannot be ignored, as he’s had to navigate keeping a deep squad happy and humming, which while easy in theory, can sometimes be harder than it looks. 

But given that his team were regarded as favourites on paper heading into the season, and that his lead at the top has slowly narrowed, it feels like this award is quite wide-open, as a few names could step up and overtake González in the next few weeks. 

For example, despite being on the job for just seven games after being hired partway into the season, Benjamín Mora’s work with York United has been remarkable, as he’s pushed them right into the title race. He keeps that up and he’ll certainly be a top candidate for this award at the end of the year. 

Otherwise, one can’t count out Smyrniotis, as this seems like a pretty good year for him to break that Coach of the Year duck. Given that he still has Forge in the title mix despite dealing with a deep Canadian Championship run and several key injuries is quite impressive, a strong end to the season could easily make him a favourite. 

Yet, that goes for several names across the league. With the table being quite tight, there’s room for teams to win a couple of games and vault up the table, which could quickly increase some managers' stock.

Golden Boot (so far):

Rubén del Campo (8), Brian Wright (7), Tobias Warschewski (7), Kwasi Poku (6), Alejandro Díaz (6)

Last, but certainly not least, is the Golden Boot, which rounds off the list of official awards. 

Of course, no one votes for this award, but it’s still a fun race to follow, especially in a year like this one.

With the top five all sitting within two goals of each other, it puts all of them one good weekend away from taking the lead, meaning that this race could be set for several lead changes over the next few weeks after del Campo, Wright and Warschewski have mainly jostled for positioning at the top. 

In particular, the two wildcards to watch are Poku and Díaz, as Poku has been on fire as of late, while Díaz is a past Golden Boot winner (2022), so keep an eye on them even if del Campo, Wright and Warschewski have stolen most of the spotlight in this race so far.  

Best Newcomer (so far):

Daniel Parra, Josué Martínez, Kris Twardek

Of course, with this being ‘High Press’, we had to have an unofficial award, and I’ve decided to go with the ‘Newcomer of the Year’, giving a closer look to some who have shone despite being new arrivals to the league. 

Leading the way has to be Forge’s Daniel Parra, who has fit into Forge’s system perfectly this season, looking like an experienced veteran with how well he’s adapted to his new team. A versatile player who can impact the game in many ways, he’s quickly become a pillar on this Forge team and will be expected to play a huge role in the second half of the season.

Then, York’s got a few interesting new names to keep an eye on in their team, but Josué Martínez has been a fun player to watch in midfield, bringing a unique mix of skill and tenacity that has instantly made him a key part of this York side. 

Lastly, Kris Twardek has become a fixture at right back for Ottawa, slotting into the position seamlessly despite arriving as more of a winger, and he’s become a fan-favourite with how he can excite with his runs forward while never backing down from a tackle defensively. 

Other than that, Halifax’s Giorgio Probo has been a revelation with his play in midfield for his new team, while Pacific’s Aly Ndom was certain to be included here if not for his injury.

Best XI (so far):

Emil Gazdov

Fraser Aird-Amer Didić-Thomas Meilleur-Giguère-Daniel Parra 

Manny Aparicio-Tristan Borges-Vasco Fry

Tobias Warschewski-Brian Wright-Rubén Del Campo

What I’m watching: York United vs Atlético Ottawa

The CPL rolls on this weekend with another busy slate, and there are several key clashes on the schedule, with this match between York United and Atlético Ottawa leading the way. 

Not only is it a derby match between two sides who have built up some intriguing history, but it’s a battle of #1 vs #2 in the table, one that could see Ottawa open up their lead atop the table to as many as eight points, or see York climb to within two points of first. 

Safe to say, it’ll put a lot on the line between these two teams, making it a clash to watch. 

Especially after York beat Ottawa in Ottawa to snap their undefeated streak to begin the year in the last meeting between these two, that’ll be fresh in both teams' memories, which could add another layer to an already intriguing matchup.