PFA Player of the Year Nominees

Six wrote:If there was any doubt about the media bias, surely the Man U fans will admit it now? Van Der Sar hasn't even been in the top 5 keepers this season and Giggs has played a handful of games. I still don't get why they have these awards, all they are for is boosting egos and sponsorship deals.

It ain't that cut and dry though - these awards are voted for by other players.

Who knows what goes through their heads when they vote. Maybe there's a lot of peer pressure to honour someone like Giggs for example. Or maybe a lot of the votes are based on one player's own experience of playing against (or with) these fellas. Or indeed, it might be simply because most footballers are so stupid that they believe everything they read in the papers, so are ultimately influenced.

The fact is, it's not actually a concrete example of Media Bias

kas wrote:Vidic
Ferdinand
Giggs
Van der Sar
Ronaldo
Gerrard




I think the Premier League's footballers are collectively taking the piss.

Ronaldo is the strangest one. The rest can be attributed to Andy Gray and the sky machine but Ronaldo has been criticised by most this season.

I'm hoping the papers rightfully make a mockery of this list tomorrow

I would guess that (apart from the games he's directly involved in) your average EPL player sees even fewer matches than Batman, so is almost certainly going to be swayed by media bias and popular opinion. Players can become legends this way just because people don't want to appear stupid or unknowledgeable. I'm sure there's a better word than unknowledgeable but fuck it.

TPFEG wrote:

Six wrote:If there was any doubt about the media bias, surely the Man U fans will admit it now? Van Der Sar hasn't even been in the top 5 keepers this season and Giggs has played a handful of games. I still don't get why they have these awards, all they are for is boosting egos and sponsorship deals.

It ain't that cut and dry though - these awards are voted for by other players.

Who knows what goes through their heads when they vote. Maybe there's a lot of peer pressure to honour someone like Giggs for example. Or maybe a lot of the votes are based on one player's own experience of playing against (or with) these fellas. Or indeed, it might be simply because most footballers are so stupid that they believe everything they read in the papers, so are ultimately influenced.

The fact is, it's not actually a concrete example of Media Bias

But the peer pressure to honour Giggs has been heavily pushed by the likes of Gray and mentioned by every other pundit in favourable terms. I also can't see why all these players would be raving about Van Der Sar when he has hardly had to make any saves. In the case of Giggs a lot of players havent even played against him this season. Ferdinand and Vidic fair enough - Ronaldo is there because of last season.. But I can't believe all these players have gone for Van Der Sar and Giggs for any other reason than the media coverage they have gotten.

Parks lives wrote:

Six wrote:If there was any doubt about the media bias, surely the Man U fans will admit it now? Van Der Sar hasn't even been in the top 5 keepers this season and Giggs has played a handful of games. I still don't get why they have these awards, all they are for is boosting egos and sponsorship deals.

Even though these awards are voted by players (who can be swayed by media like most people of course) I think it's more a top 4 bias than a Man United one. Plus when these where voted on we looked nailed on for the league and with great shots of winning all the other titles.

That's without mentioning the fact there's not really that many outstanding contenders besides Gerrard from the rest of the league.
Lampard, Alonso even Fellani have all been good but hardly outstanding. Not like previous seasons when you had a Ronaldo or a Henry playing out of their skins.

I wouldn't say the top 4 are equal in terms of bias. United and Liverpool certainly get the most articles written about them and out of them United will get more favourable/positive ones. Partly due to their success, partly to do with them disliking Rafa, but mostly because United are the biggest brand and will get the most attention.

This pretty well sums it up:

PFA Award Is Worthless In Current Format...

When I wrote a piece bemoaning the fact that Ryan Giggs was being
touted as a possible PFA Player of the Year award winner - based purely
on sentiment rather than consistency of performance - the ignorant
amongst you pointed out that awards were not handed out in February, so
this evidently silly woman was jumping the gun somewhat.

Of course, the reality is that PFA voting does take place in
February and March, with the nation's professional footballers asked
for their choice of the season's best player with up to three months of
the campaign still to play. That explains why David Ginola won the gong
in the season United won the Treble and why five of six nominees (for
'nominees', read top six in the voting) for this year's award play for
a United side currently unconvincing and porous.

United could still prove to be the best and most successful team
of 08/09, but to argue that five of the six most impressive players in
the Premier League this season play for the Old Trafford side is plain
ridiculous. Where's Frank Lampard? Where's Xabi Alonso? We'd ask where
Phil Jagielka or Brede Hangeland are but we know better about the
intelligence of footballers.

As it is, the list of nominees looks like one put together by a
group of six-year-olds in Manchester asked to name their favourite
player. Giggs is clearly a vote for sentiment, but voting for a keeper
who has barely made a memorable save all season tells you all you need
to know about the attention span of footballers - they cast their vote
at a time when VDS was all over the newspapers as the clean sheet
record-breaking goalkeeper. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic deserve any
accolades they receive, but it's barely even conceivable that Ronaldo
could win a third consecutive award despite a season of stroppery and
precious little else.

We cannot expect footballers to think outside the box - or even
understand the phrase - but they should at least be given every chance
of making a more informed decision on an award that is held in such
high esteem. Will Giggs or Ronaldo or whoever not feel slightly daft looking
at a picture of themselves holding up a Player of the Year award in
late April if Liverpool go on to to win the Premier League with a raft
of goals from Fernando Torres, or Chelsea win the Champions League
thanks to a series of dominating performances from Frank Lampard?
As it is, the award should be renamed the PFA Player Who Was In The News In February/March.
Sarah Winterburn

debaser wrote:This pretty well sums it up:

PFA Award Is Worthless In Current Format...

When I wrote a piece bemoaning the fact that Ryan Giggs was being
touted as a possible PFA Player of the Year award winner - based purely
on sentiment rather than consistency of performance - the ignorant
amongst you pointed out that awards were not handed out in February, so
this evidently silly woman was jumping the gun somewhat.

Of course, the reality is that PFA voting does take place in
February and March, with the nation's professional footballers asked
for their choice of the season's best player with up to three months of
the campaign still to play. That explains why David Ginola won the gong
in the season United won the Treble and why five of six nominees (for
'nominees', read top six in the voting) for this year's award play for
a United side currently unconvincing and porous.

United could still prove to be the best and most successful team
of 08/09, but to argue that five of the six most impressive players in
the Premier League this season play for the Old Trafford side is plain
ridiculous. Where's Frank Lampard? Where's Xabi Alonso? We'd ask where
Phil Jagielka or Brede Hangeland are but we know better about the
intelligence of footballers.

As it is, the list of nominees looks like one put together by a
group of six-year-olds in Manchester asked to name their favourite
player. Giggs is clearly a vote for sentiment, but voting for a keeper
who has barely made a memorable save all season tells you all you need
to know about the attention span of footballers - they cast their vote
at a time when VDS was all over the newspapers as the clean sheet
record-breaking goalkeeper. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic deserve any
accolades they receive, but it's barely even conceivable that Ronaldo
could win a third consecutive award despite a season of stroppery and
precious little else.

We cannot expect footballers to think outside the box - or even
understand the phrase - but they should at least be given every chance
of making a more informed decision on an award that is held in such
high esteem. Will Giggs or Ronaldo or whoever not feel slightly daft looking
at a picture of themselves holding up a Player of the Year award in
late April if Liverpool go on to to win the Premier League with a raft
of goals from Fernando Torres, or Chelsea win the Champions League
thanks to a series of dominating performances from Frank Lampard?
As it is, the award should be renamed the PFA Player Who Was In The News In February/March.
Sarah Winterburn

These people have careers just from reading our forum, I'm telling you.

So they claim Ronaldo hasn't been that great and deserves nothing (fair play), then claims Rio deserves any accolade he recieves, when he's been just as bad, probably worse recently. So in having a go at one agenda, they go with another.

Bollocks.

kas wrote:Vidic
Ferdinand
Giggs
Van der Sar
Ronaldo
Gerrard

kas wrote:Young Player of the Year nominees are a bit more sensible:

Evans
Rafael
Agbonlahor
Ashley Young
Ireland
Aaron Lennon

Im not surprised. Man Utd have won the League Cup and Club World Cup this season in which Evans and Rafael played a key part.




Evans is a class Premiership and international player.

Hlebagone wrote:I think Lampard and Alonso have been better than Giggs and Ronaldo, who where hardly outstanding whilst you racked up your continuous 1-0 wins.

They probably have been, however like I said they haven't been that outstanding either. Good? No doubt about it.
Maybe it's a case of players just seeing who's doing well this season and picking players from that side. It's hardly like they've been brainwashed into picking all Man United players.

Branislav Ivanovic wrote:Im not surprised. Man Utd have won the League Cup and Club World Cup this season in which Evans and Rafael played a key part.

Oh well in that case.

Evans is a class Premiership and international player.

He's ok, that's all. Bassong is better.

Parks lives wrote:

Hlebagone wrote:I think Lampard and Alonso have been better than Giggs and Ronaldo, who where hardly outstanding whilst you racked up your continuous 1-0 wins.

They probably have been, however like I said they haven't been that outstanding either. Good? No doubt about it.
Maybe it's a case of players just seeing who's doing well this season and picking players from that side. It's hardly like they've been brainwashed into picking all Man United players.

They were brainwashed into picking Giggs and VDS as the article is suggesting spank. There is no case for their inclusion

Ronaldo is living off last season and with players still in fear of him then it's quite reasonable that a player picks him. He has still made a reasonable enough contribution this year, but surely has no chance of winning

United's run of clean sheets is probably the reason rio is in there. Vidic deserves to be despite the horrors he has suffered recently.

Only gerrard or vidic are realistic winners

Obviously this is a laughable list.

The one thing that caught my attention though, normally players aren't allowed to vote for someone who plays for the same club. Does this mean every single Man Utd player now has to vote for Gerrard?

kas wrote:Young Player of the Year nominees are a bit more sensible:

Evans
Rafael
Agbonlahor
Ashley Young
Ireland
Aaron Lennon

Denilson should have made this list.

The Professor wrote:

kas wrote:Young Player of the Year nominees are a bit more sensible:

Evans
Rafael
Agbonlahor
Ashley Young
Ireland
Aaron Lennon

Denilson should have made this list.

No. These lists are bad enough without him being in them

COTR wrote:

The Professor wrote:

kas wrote:Young Player of the Year nominees are a bit more sensible:

Evans
Rafael
Agbonlahor
Ashley Young
Ireland
Aaron Lennon

Denilson should have made this list.

No. These lists are bad enough without him being in them

Sheffield gunner wrote:Obviously this is a laughable list.

The one thing that caught my attention though, normally players aren't allowed to vote for someone who plays for the same club. Does this mean every single Man Utd player now has to vote for Gerrard?

Highly amusing as that would be, I don't think it's the case because the votes are already in, and this shortlist is effectively the top 6 candidates in the voting.

What has Lennon done to be included?

Bassong should be in the list.

The Professor wrote:

COTR wrote:

The Professor wrote:

kas wrote:Young Player of the Year nominees are a bit more sensible:

Evans
Rafael
Agbonlahor
Ashley Young
Ireland
Aaron Lennon

Denilson should have made this list.

No. These lists are bad enough without him being in them

Well I was hardly expecting you to agree

Denilson is one of the key reasons arsenal have had a poor season

COTR wrote:

The Professor wrote:

COTR wrote:

The Professor wrote:

kas wrote:Young Player of the Year nominees are a bit more sensible:

Evans
Rafael
Agbonlahor
Ashley Young
Ireland
Aaron Lennon

Denilson should have made this list.

No. These lists are bad enough without him being in them

Well I was hardly expecting you to agree

Denilson is one of the key reasons arsenal have had a poor season

No he's not.

Young player should be changed to breakthrough of the year.

Who would you pick as a shortlist of the best young players breaking into the first team this season?

The Professor wrote:

COTR wrote:

The Professor wrote:

COTR wrote:

The Professor wrote:

kas wrote:Young Player of the Year nominees are a bit more sensible:

Evans
Rafael
Agbonlahor
Ashley Young
Ireland
Aaron Lennon

Denilson should have made this list.

No. These lists are bad enough without him being in them

Well I was hardly expecting you to agree

Denilson is one of the key reasons arsenal have had a poor season

No he's not.

I think he is

Stop lying COTR.

You probably believe that "Arsenal are in a desperate need of DM" myth, that's why u are saying that.

Six wrote:Young player should be changed to breakthrough of the year.

Who would you pick as a shortlist of the best young players breaking into the first team this season?

How much of a breakthrough would you have to be though? There's degrees of breakthrough. For us, I'd say Song - but he had played a few games before for us so its not really a true breakthrough.

The Professor wrote:Stop lying COTR.

You probably believe that "Arsenal are in a desperate need of DM" myth, that's why u are saying that.

Wasn't aware it was a myth. I thought it was an accepted reality that arsenal were weak in centre mid

Silly me

Six wrote:Young player should be changed to breakthrough of the year.

Who would you pick as a shortlist of the best young players breaking into the first team this season?

Collinson
Evans
Rafael
Rodwell
Tomkins

Something like that.

Tweedle wrote:

Six wrote:Young player should be changed to breakthrough of the year.

Who would you pick as a shortlist of the best young players breaking into the first team this season?

How much of a breakthrough would you have to be though? There's degrees of breakthrough. For us, I'd say Song - but he had played a few games before for us so its not really a true breakthrough.

I would say a proper run in the team, like say rafael had before he was injured. Not just a few substitute appearances in already finished games. But just people who are new really, because the young player list is full of players who have been around for ages.

COTR wrote:

The Professor wrote:Stop lying COTR.

You probably believe that "Arsenal are in a desperate need of DM" myth, that's why u are saying that.

Wasn't aware it was a myth. I thought it was an accepted reality that arsenal were weak in centre mid

Silly me

Happy to break it to you COTR

Six wrote:

Tweedle wrote:

Six wrote:Young player should be changed to breakthrough of the year.

Who would you pick as a shortlist of the best young players breaking into the first team this season?

How much of a breakthrough would you have to be though? There's degrees of breakthrough. For us, I'd say Song - but he had played a few games before for us so its not really a true breakthrough.

I would say a proper run in the team, like say rafael had before he was injured. Not just a few substitute appearances in already finished games. But just people who are new really, because the young player list is full of players who have been around for ages.

I'd say Jack Collison then. He was really impressive before his injury.

Branislav Ivanovic wrote:

kas wrote:Vidic
Ferdinand
Giggs
Van der Sar
Ronaldo
Gerrard

kas wrote:Young Player of the Year nominees are a bit more sensible:

Evans
Rafael
Agbonlahor
Ashley Young
Ireland
Aaron Lennon

Im not surprised. Man Utd have won the League Cup and Club World Cup this season in which Evans and Rafael played a key part.




Evans is a class Premiership and international player.

Plus he raped a lass and got away with it.