Simon Dawkins arrived back in San Jose ahead of last season with much fanfare and a Designated Player contract. A key contributor to the Earthquakes 2012 Supporters’ Shield squad and a favorite of supporters back at Buck Shaw Stadium, the midfielder was expected to transform an offense that had struggled in recent years. Unfortunately, 2016 didn’t go exactly as planned.
The San Jose Earthquakes scored only 32 goals in 34 league matches — the lowest goals against average in MLS — and they didn’t look all that entertaining in the process. The slump cost long-time general manager John Doyle his job in August, and a fourth straight season without a trip to the MLS Cup playoffs was the result.