Top 5 Revs Stories of 2015
- Updated: December 28, 2015
Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com
It would be hyperbole to say that it was the best and worst of times for the Revolution in 2015, though there were times in which it felt each way during different points of the season.
With the 2015 calendar destined for the trash can before week’s end, we look back at the top 5 stories surrounding the Foxboro outfit.
1. The Jermaine Jones Saga. Hope springs eternal at the start of each season, and that sentiment seemed to extend to the thought of the club’s biggest star sticking around beyond 2015. At first, both sides said all the right things. Jones reiterated that he enjoyed playing in New England, even bringing his family to Boston during the summer. Revolution general manager Michael Burns said that re-signing the superstar midfielder was the club’s top priority. But the backdrop was impossible to ignore. At 33 (now 34), Jones required two sports hernia surgeries within a five-month span, causing him to miss significant time. And with a salary north of $3 million, it became clear that the Revolution were playing hardball with Jones the longer the negotiations went. The latest, and perhaps most dramatic development came two weeks ago when Jones tweeted that he’d only been offered 20 percent of his 2015 salary to stay.
2. Juan Agudelo returns. After a successful, albeit short, stint with the Revolution, it appeared that local supporters had seen the last of Agudelo when he signed a pre-contract with Stoke City during the summer of 2013. Of course, few could’ve predicted what the future held for the physical forward. Agudelo was never able to secure the required work permit to play in the EPL, and after a loan spell with Dutch side Utrecht, Agudelo was left with few options. With Burns staying in touch with Agudelo’s agent throughout, the Revolution brought back their prodigal son in February, inking him to a four-year deal that will keep him in Foxboro through 2018.
3. The front office fails to make a move during summer window. There was no question that the Revolution had holes to fill even before the summer months approached. With A.J. Soares gone, Jones’ health a huge question mark, and a noticeable lack of depth in the rear, it was up to the front office to address those concerns during the season. Those concerns became even more glaring when fellow conference foes started to shore up their rosters during the summer, as Montreal, Columbus, Orlando City, and Toronto all made moves. While Burns often likes to say that the team doesn’t make a move just to make a move, that sentiment wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy a fanbase that grew impatient with the club’s inability to strengthen its roster down the stretch, a time, it should be noted, when the Revolution dropped from first to fifth place on the conference table.
4. Chris Tierney earns All-Star Game bid. Not all that long ago, the thought that Chris Tierney would somehow make the Revolution roster would’ve been an accomplishment in and of itself. As a 2008 supplemental draft pick (who, interestingly, actually had to try out for then-manager Steve Nicol before he was selected), Tierney was initially viewed as an Open Cup player, at best. What a difference a few years and plenty of hard work can make. Not only did the Wellesley, Mass. native make the roster, he earned a full-time starting gig in 2011, and before long, was considered the best accurate free kick taker in the league. And in 2015, Tierney’s became the first Revolution player to earn a trip to the MLS All-Star Game in four years. While Tierney sat out the match due injury, the honor itself is a testament to the veteran defender’s tireless efforts to improve his game with each passing season.
5. Charlie Davies stays healthy, hits double-digit goal total. While the 2015 season certainly didn’t end the way the players, coaches, and supporters originally envisioned, the campaign itself was a compelling one for Davies. At the start of the season, it looked like Davies, whose battle with injuries and setbacks since his 2009 car accident has been well-documented, was in danger of losing the starting striker’s spot to Agudelo. Davies, to his credit, ignored the noise, and not only stayed healthy, but was largely productive throughout. He played in a career-best 33 games, scored a team-high 10 goals, and added four assists for good measure. Following the season, the Boston College alum said that 2015 was the healthiest he felt “in a long time,” and is hoping to return to the U.S. Men’s National Team picture in 2016.
Honorable mention: Andrew Farrell transitions to center back. When Soares decided to pursue an opportunity overseas last winter instead of staying local, the Revolution were suddenly left without one of their defensive anchors. With preseason camp right around the corner, the coaching staff tapped Farrell, a right back by trade, to fill the void left by Soares’ departure. While Farrell overcame some early struggles to make himself a MLS Player of the Month finalist for April, he told the media that the entire year was a learning process, even though he’d seen time at center back a handful of times in 2014.
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