Gareth Bale would have woken up this morning next to his roommate Peter Crouch to discover that not only are the striker’s feet sticking out of the end of the bed but that last night wasn’t a bad dream. Stepping off the plane at Stansted should lift his mood ever so slightly.
The Welshman has capped off an excellent season by being installed as the early favorite to land this year’s PFA Player of the Year award. This year’s gong is one that has some surprising omissions.
The final shortlist is made up of Bale, West Ham’s Scott Parker, Man City’s Carlos Tevez, Arsenal’s Samir Nasri, Man Utd’s Nemanja Vidic, and lastly Blackpool’s Charlie Adam. Nominations for these awards are always likely to court controversy and we should probably celebrate the fact that two of the players have been recognized for single handedly carrying their team through a fight against relegation. One man will be aggrieved more than most at not being included on the list though.
Nani’s performances this season have at times, drawn comparison with former United winger Cristiano Ronaldo and yet he still doesn’t find himself on the shortlist. Granted the others have been good. You could have seen Nani walking away with the award though. Instead, he may have to console himself as runner up in the Young Player of the Year award to either Jack Wilshere or Bale.
Of the other candidates the two who could be relegated come the end of the season are the two most deserving of the award.
Parker’s efforts for West Ham have meant that the side has never looked doomed so far this season. It would now surprise pundits and fans alike if they were to be demoted and it’s down in no small part to his contribution.
On the other hand, Adam is Blackpool FC all over. It’s quite simple; they wouldn’t have reached the top half of the league were the Scottish playmaker not there and still, he continues to confound anyone doubting the team he plays for.
In terms of the early betting Bale is odds-on favorite at 4/11 with Paddy Power. Tevez and Nasri are both fancied at 6/1, Parker at 8/1, Vidic at 10/1, and bringing up the rear is Adam at 12/1.
It might be worth waiting for the Football Writers awards to see who the real player of the year is. From this reckoning, you can certainly see who fellow professionals think is the man.
The winner will be announced in a ceremony on April 17.
