Slipperduke
The Camden Cad
For the second year in a row, the PFA have managed to take a really simple concept and get it really wrong. Last year’s decision to make Ryan Giggs ‘Player of the Year’ instead of Steven Gerrard made as much sense as giving ‘Star Wars’ an Oscar instead of ‘The Hurt Locker’. Just because it was good in its time, it doesn’t necessarily hold that it’s the best today. It’s supposed to be ‘Player of the Year’, not ‘Player Of The Last 18 Years Who Should Have Won Ages Ago, But We Forgot And You Know How Things Are, Eh?’
This year, they’ve screwed it up again, giving the ‘Young Player of the Year’ award to James Milner, a baffling decision that makes a mockery of the whole ceremony. I bow to few people in my admiration for the Aston Villa midfielder. He’s skilful, he’s driven and he’s versatile, but he’s not exactly young, is he? He’s 24. He made his Premier League debut in 2002, just a few months after David Seaman had been lobbed in Japan by Ronaldinho and some six months before the Allies invaded Iraq. He’s made over 250 Premier League appearances, more than many players manage in their entire career and, if he’d stayed at Leeds United he’d only be a couple of seasons away from a testimonial! Who came second? Paul Scholes?
There have been suggestions that Cesc Fabrgeas should have won instead, but that rather misses the point. Fabregas is weeks away from his 23rd birthday, he’s the captain of Arsenal and one of his club’s more senior players. This is his sixth season in the first team. If you haven’t heard of him by now, you’re reading the wrong section of this newspaper.
Surely the ‘Young Player of the Year’ award should go to a breakthrough player who deserves the recognition? Alex Song perhaps, a young man who has improved immeasurably over the course of the campaign and is still six months away from his 23rd birthday. Jack Rodwell, a magnificent footballer who could be the mainstay of England’s midfield for the next decade? Adam Johnson? Joe Hart? You know, people who haven’t been playing first team football since John Kerry ran for the US Presidency.
The PFA are a tremendous institution, but if they don’t start taking this ceremony and their own not-exactly-complicated criteria seriously, their credibility is going to suffer. Time to start putting some thought into your choices, chaps.
This year, they’ve screwed it up again, giving the ‘Young Player of the Year’ award to James Milner, a baffling decision that makes a mockery of the whole ceremony. I bow to few people in my admiration for the Aston Villa midfielder. He’s skilful, he’s driven and he’s versatile, but he’s not exactly young, is he? He’s 24. He made his Premier League debut in 2002, just a few months after David Seaman had been lobbed in Japan by Ronaldinho and some six months before the Allies invaded Iraq. He’s made over 250 Premier League appearances, more than many players manage in their entire career and, if he’d stayed at Leeds United he’d only be a couple of seasons away from a testimonial! Who came second? Paul Scholes?
There have been suggestions that Cesc Fabrgeas should have won instead, but that rather misses the point. Fabregas is weeks away from his 23rd birthday, he’s the captain of Arsenal and one of his club’s more senior players. This is his sixth season in the first team. If you haven’t heard of him by now, you’re reading the wrong section of this newspaper.
Surely the ‘Young Player of the Year’ award should go to a breakthrough player who deserves the recognition? Alex Song perhaps, a young man who has improved immeasurably over the course of the campaign and is still six months away from his 23rd birthday. Jack Rodwell, a magnificent footballer who could be the mainstay of England’s midfield for the next decade? Adam Johnson? Joe Hart? You know, people who haven’t been playing first team football since John Kerry ran for the US Presidency.
The PFA are a tremendous institution, but if they don’t start taking this ceremony and their own not-exactly-complicated criteria seriously, their credibility is going to suffer. Time to start putting some thought into your choices, chaps.
