BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Last season, Jon Busch was a veteran backup, a safety net for the Chicago Fire. This season, he is the Major League Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year.
Busch, 32, was selected for the honor over Columbus Crew goalkeeper William Hesmer and Matt Reis of New England in balloting of MLS players, coaches, general managers, referees and the media.
Busch played every minute of the 2008 MLS season for the Fire, ranked first in the league in shutouts with 10, second in the league in wins with 13 and second in goals against average at 1.10.
"It's exciting to win this award and a little bit of a shock," Busch said in a team-released statement. "I have to give all the credit to the guys in front of me all season. They did a tremendous job and they deserve as much credit for this award as I do.
"I also want to thank my goalkeeper coach Daryl Shore and the rest of the coaching staff," he said. "Without their help and trust in me this award would not have been possible."
Busch came to the Fire from the Columbus Crew in a trade before the 2007 season. After suffering through two injury-plagued seasons with the Crew in 2005 and 2006, when he was able to make just 17 appearances total, he joined the Fire as a backup to developing goalkeeper Matt Pickens.
Pickens moved on to Europe at the end of the 2007 season and Busch ascended to the top job, facing questions about his health and his age.
He soon answered those questions as the Fire quickly developed into one of the league's top defensive teams. By season's end, Busch allowed only 33 goals in 30 games and led the league in save percentage at 78.2 percent. Those statistics not only earned him Goalkeeper of the Year honors, but he is also nominated for the league's Comeback Player of the Year award along with Kenny Cooper of FC Dallas and Santino Quaranta of D.C. United.
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