The 2008 Columbus Crew season was the club's 13th season of existence and their 13th consecutive season in Major League Soccer, the top flight of soccer in the United States and Canada. The first match of the season was on March 29 against Toronto FC. It was the third season under head coach Sigi Schmid. Columbus also competed in the U.S. Open Cup and the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Background The Crew's rebuilding under Sigi Schmid paid immense dividends in 2008, as the team won the Supporters' Shield and their first MLS Cup championship. Argentine midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto won the league MVP award, capping an incredible season with his three-assist performance in the championship game.
Roster
Technical Staff
Non-competitive
The Crew started preseason in Columbus and played games in Florida, California and England before returning to Ohio. The Crew brought in the following trialists during training camp: Osvaldo Alonso, Mamadou Bah, Sandro, Álvaro Pires, Lars Ricken, Roman Friedli and Michael Ricketts.
Unsigned draft picks Ryan Miller, Zola Short, Ricardo Pierre-Louis, Lukasz Tumicz, Cory Elenio, Steven Lenhart and George Josten also joined the team for preseason.
Preseason
Midseason
Competitive Overview
MLS
Standings Eastern Conference
Overall table
Results summary
Results by round
Match results
MLS Cup Playoffs
Conference Semifinals
Conference Finals
MLS Cup
U.S. Open Cup
Reserve League Overall table Pos Club Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts1Houston Dynamo Reserves (C)129123315 +18292Kansas City Wizards Reserves118123113 +18263Real Salt Lake Reserves127323124 +7234Chicago Fire Reserves125522522 +3175D.C. United Reserves105411921−2165Toronto FC Reserves105411219−7167Chivas USA Reserves124531921−2157San Jose Earthquakes Reserves124531822−4157FC Dallas Reserves124531924−51510Columbus Crew Reserves11452131301411Colorado Rapids Reserves124621621−51412New York Red Bulls Reserves123721623−71113New England Revolution Reserves102621116−5814Los Angeles Galaxy Reserves121831523−86
Match results
Statistics Appearances and goals Under "Apps" for each section, the first number represents the number of starts, and the second number represents appearances as a substitute.
|colspan=12 align=center|Players who left Columbus during the season:
Disciplinary record No. Pos. Name MLS MLS Playoffs U.S. Open Cup Total 1 GK William Hesmer30100040 2 DF Frankie Hejduk911000101 3 MF Brad Evans31100041 4 DF Gino Padula20200040 5 DF Danny O'Rourke51100061 6 DF Andy Iro40000040 7 FW Guillermo Barros Schelotto30000030 8 DF Duncan Oughton10000010 9 FW Jason Garey10000010 10 FW Alejandro Moreno10000010 11 FW Pat Noonan10000010 12 MF Eddie Gaven20000020 13 MF Andrew Peterson00000000 14 DF Chad Marshall20000020 15 MF Stefani Miglioranzi10000010 16 MF Brian Carroll50100060 17 MF Emmanuel Ekpo10101030 18 GK Kenny Schoeni00000000 19 MF Robbie Rogers20101040 20 MF Brian Plotkin00000000 22 MF Adam Moffat30001040 23 DF Ezra Hendrickson30000030 24 DF Jed Zayner00002020 25 FW George Josten00000000 26 MF Cory Elenio00000000 27 DF Ryan Junge00000000 29 FW Ricardo Pierre-Louis00000000 30 GK Andy Gruenebaum00000000 31 MF Kevin Burns00000000 32 FW Steven Lenhart01000001 37 MF Stanley Nyazamba00000000Players who left Columbus during the season: 4 DF Leonard Griffin00000000 11 FW Guilherme Só00000000 20 FW Nicolás Hernández00000000 21 DF Ryan Miller00000000
Clean sheets No. Name MLS MLS Playoffs U.S. Open Cup Total Games Played 1 William Hesmer10101134 18 Kenny Schoeni00000 30 Andy Gruenebaum00112
Reserve League Statistics Appearances and goals Under "Apps" for each section, the first number represents the number of starts, and the second number represents appearances as a substitute.
Disciplinary record No. Pos. Name MLS Reserve League Total - DF Eric Brunner1010 17 MF Emmanuel Ekpo0000 26 MF Cory Elenio0000 3 MF Brad Evans2020 9 FW Jason Garey0000 12 MF Eddie Gaven0000 - MF Steve Gillespie0000 30 GK Andy Gruenebaum0000 23 DF Ezra Hendrickson0000 20 FW Nicolás Hernández1010 - MF Eddie Hertsenberg0000 - FW Jason Hotchkin0000 6 DF Andy Iro0000 25 FW George Josten0000 27 DF Ryan Junge0000 - FW Ryan Kustos0000 - GK Casey Latchem0000 32 FW Steven Lenhart0000 28 DF Devon McKenney0000 15 MF Stefani Miglioranzi1010 21 DF Ryan Miller0000 22 MF Adam Moffat0000 34 MF Craig Neal0000 37 MF Stanley Nyazamba0000 8 DF Duncan Oughton1010 4 DF Gino Padula0000 13 MF Andrew Peterson0000 29 FW Ricardo Pierre-Louis0000 20 MF Brian Plotkin0000 18 GK Kenny Schoeni0000 11 FW Guilherme Só0000 - MF Steve Traeger0000 24 DF Jed Zayner2020
Clean sheets
No. Name MLS Reserve League Total Games Played 30 Andy Gruenebaum007 - Casey Latchem000 18 Kenny Schoeni226
Transfers
In Pos.PlayerTransferred fromFee/notesDateSource DF Andy Iro UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Drafted in round 1 of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft January 18, 2008 FW Nicolás Hernández Colorado Rapids Traded for Tim Ward and a third round draft pick in the 2009 MLS Supplemental Draft February 27, 2008 MF Kevin Burns Rochester Raging Rhinos Drafted in round 4 of the 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft. Signed to a developmental contract. March 20, 2008 FW George Josten Michigan Bucks Drafted in round 2 of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. Signed to a developmental contract. March 27, 2008 DF Ryan Miller Indiana Invaders Drafted in round 3 of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. Signed to a developmental contract. March 27, 2008 FW Steven Lenhart Southern California Seahorses Drafted in round 4 of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. Signed to a developmental contract. March 27, 2008 GK Kenny Schoeni MLS Pool Signed to a developmental contract. March 20, 2008 DF Gino Padula Montpellier HSC Signed via discovery March 24, 2008 FW Guilherme Só Brasil de Pelotas Signed via discovery March 28, 2008 FW Emmanuel Ekpo Enyimba International Signed via discovery April 15, 2008 MF Cory Elenio Evansville Purple Aces Drafted in round 2 of the 2008 MLS Supplemental Draft. Signed to a developmental contract. May 23, 2008 FW Ricardo Pierre-Louis Cape Cod Crusaders Drafted in round 2 of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft June 5, 2008 FW Pat Noonan New England Revolution Traded for allocation money, a first round draft pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, and allocation order August 7, 2008 MF Brian Plotkin Chicago Fire Signed to a developmental contract. August 22, 2008 MF Stanley Nyazamba Richmond Kickers Signed via discovery. Signed to a developmental contract. September 16, 2008
Out Pos.PlayerTransferred toFee/notesDateSource DF Marcos González Club Deportivo Universidad Católica Transfer, terms undisclosed January 24, 2008 MF Brandon Moss Retired January 25, 2008 FW Tim Ward Colorado Rapids Traded with a third round draft pick in the 2009 MLS Supplemental Draft for Nicolás Hernández February 27, 2008 DF Andrei Pacheco W Connection Contract expired March 3, 2008 DF Rusty Pierce Wilmington Hammerheads Contract expired March 3, 2008 MF Jacob Thomas Retired Contract expired March 3, 2008 DF Ricardo Virtuoso SC Zofingen Contract expired March 3, 2008 DF Leonard Griffin Portland Timbers Placed on waivers April 2, 2008 FW Nicolás Hernández Liga Deportiva Alajuelense Placed on waivers June 28, 2008 FW Guilherme Só Retired Placed on waivers June 28, 2008 DF Ryan Miller D.C. United Placed on waivers September 12, 2008 DF Brad Evans Seattle Sounders FC Drafted 10th in the 2008 MLS Expansion Draft November 26, 2008 FW George Josten Portland Timbers Placed on waivers November 26, 2008 DF Ryan Junge Omaha Vipers Placed on waivers November 26, 2008 DF Andrew Peterson Minnesota Thunder Placed on waivers November 26, 2008 FW Ricardo Pierre-Louis Cleveland City Stars Placed on waivers November 26, 2008 MF Brian Plotkin Carolina RailHawks Placed on waivers November 26, 2008 MF Kevin Burns Columbus Crew Placed on waivers November 26, 2008
Loans out Pos.PlayerLoanee clubLength/NotesBeginningEndSource DF Ryan Miller Cleveland City Stars FW George Josten Cleveland City Stars DF Jed Zayner Cleveland City Stars
MLS Draft picks
Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. Only those who are signed to a contract will be listed as transfers in. The picks for the Columbus Crew are listed below: Round Pick Player Position College 16 Andy IroDFUC Santa Barbara220 George JostenFWGonzaga222 Ricardo Pierre-LouisFWLee331 Ryan MillerDFNotre Dame448 Steven LenhartFWAzusa Pacific
Round Pick Player Position College 16 Billy ChilesGKTowson220 Cory ElenioFWEvansville334 Lukasz TumiczFWRhode Island338 Zola ShortDFVirginia
Awards
MLS Player of the Week WeekPlayerOpponentLink 3 Guillermo Barros Schelotto Chivas USA 7 Robbie Rogers San Jose Earthquakes 17 Guillermo Barros Schelotto Kansas City Wizards 22 Guillermo Barros Schelotto Real Salt Lake 24 Guillermo Barros Schelotto New England Revolution Playoff Week 3 Guillermo Barros Schelotto Chicago Fire MLS Cup 2008 Guillermo Barros Schelotto New York Red Bulls
MLS Player of the Month MonthPlayerStatsLink August Guillermo Barros Schelotto 6 assists, 1 goal
2008 MLS All-Star Game Starters DF Frankie Hejduk DF Robbie Rogers Reserves FW Guillermo Barros Schelotto
Postseason MLS Most Valuable Player FW Guillermo Barros Schelotto MLS Defender of the Year DF Chad Marshall MLS Coach of the Year Sigi Schmid MLS Best XI DF Chad Marshall DF Robbie Rogers FW Guillermo Barros Schelotto
Crew Team Awards Most Valuable Player – Guillermo Barros Schelotto Defensive Player of the Year – Chad Marshall Scoring Champion – Alejandro Moreno Man of the Year – Frankie Hejduk Coach's Award – Brian Carroll & Alejandro Moreno Newcomer of the Year – Gino Padula Goal of the Year – Robbie Rogers Humanitarian of the Year – Eddie Gaven Hardest Working Man of the Year – Brian Carroll Comeback Player of the Year – Chad Marshall Fan of the Year – Nordecke
References