Tag: PFA

Steve Gerrard Gerrard…

gerrard1Surprise. An award was presented today and it didn’t go to a Manchester United player!

Steven Gerrard was voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writer’s Association. Congratulations. You deserve the accolade. Gerrard played a lot more than 13 games this season. 29 in the Premier League and 40 total for the season. He would have played more if it wasn’t for injuries. What then? Would he have been the PFA Player of the Year? And would Liverpool have been crowned Premier League Champions by now?

Whatever the outcome this season, Steven Gerrard is one of those football players we’ve just loved to watch. I think he’s also one of those players every fan would love in their team. He’d be captain of my team. He’s got balls and spirit. He deserves to win a title with Liverpool. It’s the trophy that’s eluded him thus far. Gerrard wants to win the Premier League as bad as Roger Federer wants to win the French Open. But will it happen for them? Will this be their year?

And the PFA award goes to…

giggsyRyan Giggs was named the PFA’s Player of the Year today. It’s the icing on the 20 year career cake for Giggsy. He’s twice been named as the Young Player of the Year, but he never won the big one. A lot of people in the media think he didn’t deserve to win as he only started 12 games for Manchester United in the Premier League this season. Most people think it should have gone to his United team mate Nemanja Vidic and that this was a heart string vote by his fellow professionals. One thing you can’t deny is his contribution to football and Manchester United. But that’s not what this award is about is it?

Not knowing if Giggs would return for more football next season, the PFA seem to have pulled an Academy Award type move by rewarding the great Welshman in a season that was definitely influential, but not necessarily his best. It’s a bit like the year when Paul Newman won Best Actor for the Colour Of Money. He’d been nominated so many times before for great movies and he’d never won. But in 1996, the Academy were bitten by the nostalgia bug and before anyone could say “and the award goes to…”, the statuette was already on proud display in Paul Newman’s downstairs bathroom.

Is Ryan Giggs the Paul Newman of football? Do you thinks Giggs deserved it this year? Was he named PFA Player of the Year because of his legend? It’s undeniable he’s one of the best talents the Premier League has seen. But should this have been Steven Gerrard’s year?