By Chris Wright
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Liverpool players have swamped the PFA’s Player of the Year award shortlists this year, with Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge, Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling all included in the running for either the full award or its younger counterpart.
The full nominations are as follows…
PFA Player of the Year: Steven Gerrard, Eden Hazard, Adam Lallana, Daniel Sturridge, Luis Suarez, Yaya Toure.
PFA Young Player of the Year: Ross Barkley, Eden Hazard, Aaron Ramsey, Luke Shaw, Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge.
Again, the innate silliness of the Young Player of the Year being a 24-and-under affair is highlighted by its nominees, with several of the candidates coming close to being seasoned campaigners in footballing terms.
Of course, James Milner won it in his eighth season as a professional back in 2009/10, which is just…well, silly.
As for our picks, we’d have Luis Suarez taking home the big one. Let’s face it, he’d be dead last in a personality contest, but, despite a delayed start, Suarez has managed 29 goals and dozens of match-winning performances. You just can’t sniff at that.
As for the junior award; of the candidates, we’d begrudgingly give it to Eden Hazard – though, in all honesty, we’d rather see a more “rookie”-orientated award being handed out in the future.
Pray tell who’s got your vote this year, Pies fans?