Players play for trophies and a by-product of winning silverware is individual awards. The two gongs that are most treasured by professionals in England are the Football Writers and Player’s Player awards.
The writer’s is awarded by members of the press while the players player is voted by their peers. It is rare that one player wins both awards.
The front-runners this year are Tottenham’s welsh wizard, Gareth Bale, Liverpool’s mercurial Luis Suarez and Manchester United’s goal machine, Robin van Persie.
The case for all three is compelling and there wouldn’t be a great deal of surprise if the awards were split or if one player made off with the lot.
If asked, RVP would probably say he deserved the award as he’s the one player guaranteed to win something. The Premiership title is all but locked up thanks to his 19 league goals.
The difference he has made to the United attack has been sensational and without him the Red Devils would not be 15 points clear. Three matching winning goals translates into nine extra points and the title race would be far different.
Liverpool won’t be winning anything this year however the fact that they remain in contention for a place in Europe next season is solely down to the Uruguayan, Luis Suarez.
Simply put, he has carried the Reds to the tune of 22 goals however it’s more than goals that have caught the eye. He is playing in a team that is a work in progress and barely functions unless Suarez is producing his usual box-of-tricks. At times he has been unplayable and a defenders nightmare.
A defenders nightmare perfectly sums up Gareth Bale who has been transformed from a left back, a left wing-back, a left winger to a marauding center forward capable of popping up anywhere.
His pace, dynamism, aerial ability and all-round game have made him one of Europe’s most sort-after targets in the summer transfer market.
I see Bale getting the Writers award and RVP the players.
