NYCFC right back Anton Tinnerholm was not listed among MLS award finalists. (Photo courtesy of MLS)

NEW YORK – Well, that headline might have chased away some potential readers.

Come on, how many fans of the Red Bulls and New York City FC want to read about their teams not having one performer as a finalist for the Major League Soccer awards this season?

Several media members thought that NYCFC would have had one player among the finalists – right back Anton Tinnerholm, who was an offensive force while defending his passion at a high level.

Tinnerholm finished with four goals and four assists from his outside back position, playing in 2,001 minutes over 21 starts and 22 matches.

And to further add insult to injury for Red Bulls supporters, former RBNY great Bradley Wright-Phillips was listed among the three finalists for comeback player of the year Wednesday.

The Red Bulls jettisoned BWP after an injury-plagued 2019 season. Wright-Phillips bounced back with a stellar season for the Los Angeles Football Club in 2020, finishing with eight goals and six assists in 1,081 minutes, 14 starts over 18 matches.

Wright-Philips played as many minutes as last season for the Red Bulls. He tallied twice and dished out four assists in 1,098 minutes. He started nine games and played in 24.

2020 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)

Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists
Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Nicolás Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders FC)
Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC)
Alejandro Pozuelo (Toronto FC)
Diego Rossi (Los Angeles Football Club)

MLS Defender of the Year Finalists
Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union)
Jonathan Mensah (Columbus Crew SC)
Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)

MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Eloy Room (Columbus Crew SC)
Matt Turner (New England Revolution)

MLS Newcomer of the Year Finalists
For this award, “newcomer” is defined as a player with previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2020
Robert Berić (Chicago Fire FC)
Alan Pulido (Sporting Kansas City)
Lucas Zelarayan (Columbus Crew SC)

MLS Young Player of the Year Finalists
For this award, “young player” is defined as a player age 22 (born on or after Jan. 1, 1998)
Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia Union)
Daryl Dike (Orlando City SC)
Diego Rossi (Los Angeles Football Club)

Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year Finalists
Jim Curtin (Philadelphia Union)
Oscar Pareja (Orlando City SC)
Greg Vanney (Toronto FC)

MLS Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
Honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity in order to achieve success during the 2020 regular season
Kevin Molino (Minnesota United FC)
Milton Valenzuela (Columbus Crew SC)
Bradley Wright-Phillips (Los Angeles Football Club)

MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year
Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers)
Mark-Anthony Kaye (Los Angeles Football Club)
Justin Morrow (Toronto FC)

MLS Referee of the Year Finalists
Joe Dickerson
Ismail Elfath
Jair Marrufo

MLS Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists
Kathryn Nesbitt
Cory Richardson
Corey Rockwell

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.