EPL, England, Europe, Fantasy EPL, Features, Ian John, Leagues, Regions POSTS
The Plays For Alex Footballer of the Year
Published by Ian John on April 27, 2009
Are you a soccer fanatic? Do you have strong opinions about the game? Think you have the chops to write about it? Contact Us then...
Ryan Giggs is the P.F.A Footballer of the Year.
Have you ever heard anything so faintly ridiculous in all your life?
Almost all of the Manchester United players nominated with Giggs were far more deserving of the accolade, as was Steven Gerrard who was the only non-Manchester United player nominated in the final six.
Let me make clear, I think Ryan Giggs is a fantastic player, a superb ambassador to the game and as loyal a player as will be found anywhere in the modern game. He seens a genuinely nice guy with his head screwed on the right way. He hasn’t let the hype surrounding his career affect him and as a player, he remains a useful asset to Manchester United. He is aware of his limitations these days, as is his manager Sir Alex Ferguson who has only asked him to start twelve (Yes, twelve) games this season. He has adapted his game from a pacy winger, in the Cristiano Ronaldo mould, to playing a more supporting striking advanced midfield role and he has done it well. I’ve no doubt he has done a decent job for Manchester United when selected.
But that is the salient point. When selected.
To suggest that a player who has played 15-20 mins a game in all but 12 games this season is worthy of the gong makes a mockery of the award.
I understand that players may wished to have recognised Giggs fantastic achievement. I heartily agree with that notion and as Grimsby’s John McDermott was awarded for achieving 20 years service with Grimsby Town, Giggs too should have received a fitting award for his efforts. A mark of special recognition for what he has achieved in a glittering career.
However to suggest that Giggs has been the best player in the Premiership this season is a complete joke. Has he really played a bigger and more important role in Manchester United’s success this year that Nemanja Vidic or Wayne Rooney for example or even Cristiano Ronaldo who while not at the form he was last season, is still the Premierships top scorer? Has he really inspired Manchester United in a way that Steven Gerrard has done for Liverpool time and time again this season? When you consider out of the 50+ United have played Giggs has been sat in the stand or on the bench for around 40 of them, how can this decision be justified? It would be akin giving the young player of the year award to someone like Ryan Babel or Danny Welbeck.
I wonder if Giggs, a likeable figure, has been the subject of a kind of Premiership Footballer solidarity case, where it has been decided that he needs recognising by the players for his achievements and votes have been cast accordingly. Sounds far fetched doesn’t it? But can you think of a better explanation? Factor in the Sir Alex factor of ex-Manchester United players and staff across the Premiership from this season (Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane, Ricky Sbragia, Paul Ince) and you have the seeds of a conspiracy theory!
Ryan Giggs should definitely have won an award on Sunday night. The problem is, he won the wrong one and it makes a mockery of the decision. he may have the respect of his peers and many fans alike, myself one, but this decision is just wrong. An award for special achievement would have been just as deserved and far more fitting.
Image courtesy of **prince*siujoe** on Flickr.com
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ...998 views
2 so far
Nabyl Charania on Mon, 27th Apr 2009 8:53 am
It’s more of a lifetime award for Giggsy, I agree, so in essence you are right, they made a mockery of the PFA Player of the year award…
Hussein Ebrahim on Mon, 27th Apr 2009 4:15 pm
The PFA is a big fat joke!!! This is just another example of Brit sentimentality gone wrong. If they wanted to be bias the PFA should have given the award to Gerrard. That would be logical and at least he deserves it. Imagine how Ronaldo, Rio, and Vidic feel and now they have to play and train with Giggs…Unreal!!!