April 13, 2009 MLS PLAYER OF THE WEEK Ricketts wins rare honor for GK
The Galaxy's Donovan Ricketts earned a rare MLS honor for a goalkeeper-Playe of the Week. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images
CARSON, Calif. – LA Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts has been named the Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters. The 31-year old Jamaican international had five saves in the 0-0 draw with Chivas USA, which was his Galaxy and MLS debut.
Ricketts had missed the Galaxy’s first two games because of a groin strain but was called upon to make his debut in the SuperClasico against Chivas USA. He made three saves in the first half of that game, including a diving save off a Paulo Nagamura shot from outside the box and a save off of Jesse Marsch’s shot from close range late in the half. After the break, the Galaxy had two players sent off, leaving them to play with nine men, but Ricketts was able to keep the clean sheet, saving shots from Carey Talley and Sacha Kljestan in the final 10 minutes.
Ricketts, who has been capped 72 times by the Jamaican National Team, joined the Galaxy in December after spending four years playing in England with Bradford City. He joins Kevin Hartman and Joe Cannon as the only goalkeepers in Galaxy history to keep a clean sheet in their first-ever start for the club. Additionally, he is the third Galaxy goalkeeper to be named the MLS Player of the Week, joining Jorge Campos (Week 7, 1996) and Kevin Hartman (Week 22, 1999 and Week 27, 2002).
In all of MLS history, goalkeepers have been named the league’s Player of the Week just 37 times, with Kasey Keller also taking the award earlier this season. Prior to Keller and Ricketts this season, the last goalkeeper to win the Player of the Week award was Joe Cannon who did so in Week 25 of the 2006 season.
