PFAI Player Of The Year Nominees

gimmick

Above are the nominations - Who will it be?

My bet is that it will go to Peter Hutton. he has played a near perfect season with Derry, being the rock behind Derrys revival.

George O Callaghan will come a close second, as he has been on fire pretty much all season for Cork City.

I see Jason Byrne is the obligatory Shels nominee. Okay, he is scoring goals in the last 3rd of the season, but did absolutely nothing for the first two-thirds.

Tony McDonnell is a surprise as UCD have nt done much all season, but that being said, he would be a good addition to most of the better clubs in the eL.

Joe Gamble has had a fantastic season with Cork City, and will only get better. A very calm defensive midfieder with a great eye for a pass. Could be a close contender here as well.

Mark Farren. I thought he would have been in the young player of the year category, but I suppose his record this season speaks for itself. Could be the surprise winner here.

20 Times 20 Times

Mark Farren (Derry City)

Peter Hutton , Mr Old reliable. He has been the rock in derry defences for years , he has seen the good times bad times and now is the time when a great leader will rise.

Derry to win the league in turners cross hutton to come up for a late corner

eirebhoy

Mark Farren (Derry City)

JP Kelly should be up for Young player of the year. I've been impressed with him whenever I seen him and will, imo, make it in the premiership soon.

Slash/ED

Joe Gamble (Cork City)

Jason Byrne was always one of the top scorers in the league Gimmick, not just in the last third. He also set the record for most goals scored in europe by an EL player in one season afaik, and up there with most goals scored in europe in a single season by any Irishman I'd say. He'll likely take home the golden boot

However, Wes Hoolahan has had a far, far better season then him and most on that list. His omission is absolutley baffling, he's a shoe in for Shels player of the year anyway.

_blank_

Tony McDonnell (UCD)

I voted for Jayo anyway:D

I would have voted for O'Callaghan from that list, but his antics in the Setanta Cup in Turners X against us was disgraceful. I was just thinking about that as I was on my way to work this morning actually, my anger at what happened.

eirebhoy

Mark Farren (Derry City)

I'd also vote for O'Callaghan but can't stand him.

Kingp35

Joe Gamble (Cork City)

O' Callaghan for me. He has been excellent all season. I would have Joe Gamble as a close second imo

MrJoeSoap

No Wes? Thats an absolute disgrace. I voted for Farren, his goals have Derry where they are today, but Jayo and Hutton weren't far behind. No disrespect to Cork at all though, Gamble and O'Callaghan are excellent players.

Official Team of the Season:

Michael Devine (Cork City)

Owen Heary (Shelbourne)
Peter Hutton (Derry City)
Dan Murray (Cork City)
Danny Murphy (Cork City)

Joe Gamble (Cork City)
George O’Callaghan (Cork City)
Pat McCourt (Derry City)
Liam Kearney (Cork City)

Jason Byrne (Shelbourne)
Mark Farren (Derry City)

First Division Team of the Season

John O’Hara (Sligo Rovers)

Ger O’Brien (Kildare County)
Michael McNamara (Sligo Rovers)
Aidan Price (Kilkenny City)
Kupono Low (Sligo Rovers)

Robbie Collins (Dublin City)
Tommy Barrett (Limerick)
Fahrudin (Faz) Kuduzovic (Sligo Rovers)
Conor O’Grady (Sligo Rovers)

Kieran O’Reilly (Cobh Ramblers)
Ger McCarthy (Dundalk)

---

Ger McCarthy there just to keep Sarge happy for another 12 months, .

[Jackass]

Tony McDonnell (UCD)

Has to be Jason Byrne.

20 Times 20 Times

Mark Farren (Derry City)

McCarthy makes PFAI Team of the season
Congratulations to Dundalk striker Ger McCarthy who has made the PFAI Team of the season for 2005.

Jonny Arson

I would have voted for Hutton but I'm at an absolute loss as to Wes Hoolahan hasn't made the team of the season. Talk about alienating the best talent your own league. Disgraceful.

blu_sonic

no wes pointless, a hollow victory for whoever gets it

gimmick

Mark Farren (Derry City)

Well tonight is the night. I think Joe Gamble will claim this.

blu_sonic

georgie boy must be odd's on?

applehunter

Its 50/50 between Gamble and George O'Callaghan.

The first 10/12 games of the season, George O'Callaghan was streets ahead of every other player in the league. He racked up 7/8 Man of the Match awards in close proximity. However he then went on a bit of a slump but came storming back near the end.

Joe Gamble meanwhile struggled to get a place in the starting line-up at the start of the season, but when he did get it back he was brilliant. Gamble came back from Reading and stated that he wanted to become the "Best player in the league" and I think he has shown that he is.

And the award goes to...George O'Callaghan.:v:

As for Young Player of the Year.

Gary Dicker
Pat McCourt
Liam Kearney

It will probably go to McCourt. 3 excellent players.

Darkhorse Gary Dicker was excellent early in the season. Hes big, can tackle and a good passer.

mchurl

jayo byrne all the way

applehunter

Winners

Player of the Year....Mark Farren(Derry)
Young POTY...Paddy McCourt(Derry/Shamrock Rovers)
1st division POTY...Kieren O'Reilly(Cobh)

At least one corkman won an award. well done Kieren.

Mark Farren had a terrific season, but he didnt do in Europe...etc. Cup Final is more important anyway.

This will be no doubt be as big a talking point as Donal Og not getting an all-star.:D

Id say a lot of players are jealous of Cork City tbh.

OK, so ~George didnt win this, but with Liam Mackey and the lads , he is sure to pick up the Football Writers award. Now that a cert.

envy is an awful thing.

MrJoeSoap

Wahay! I got it right!

gimmick

Mark Farren (Derry City)

This is disgraceful. Bitter grapes from all the small teams in the country, who are simply jealous of Citys success this season.

How could Farren win this over Gamble or George? How many competitions did Farren play in? How many big games did he score in?

Jealousy is an awful thing, but i dont expect anything else from the fellow 'professionals' in this country.

Töpher

Dunno tbh, they haven't really done it in porevious years. So maybe its another Cork conspiracy thing?

Honestly, I would imagine it was down to the fact that there's not been one consistently great player all season, and the voting was probably quite close - but we'll never know.

Farren probably was the most consistant of the lot - in terms of scoring at least, as you said yourself Gamble not playing alot at the start, and Georgie having a pretty poor spell mid season. Also, alot of people voting would have been on the end of O'Callaghans play-acting/diving/attempting to get them sent off/cheating and that may have pushed more votes to Gamble or Farren.

gimmick

Mark Farren (Derry City)

^ True enough, however, Farren only scored 4 goals in the last 16 games. Hardly consistent. The fact that he was missing for the run in should be enough to say he wasnt consistent enough for the award.

Anyways, after thinking about this properly, who cares? The PFAI award is a popularity contest. Its the soccer writers award which actually means anything.

Töpher

gimmick wrote:

^ True enough, however, Farren only scored 4 goals in the last 16 games. Hardly consistent. The fact that he was missing for the run in should be enough to say he wasnt consistent enough for the award.

Anyways, after thinking about this properly, who cares? The PFAI award is a popularity contest. Its the soccer writers award which actually means anything.

But nor were the two City lads Didn't your mother ever tell you, popularity means everything!

MrJoeSoap

Gimmick I find it hard to believe that if O'Callaghan or Gamble had won you would be calling it a mere "popularity contest".

I only really based my decision on the performances against Shels but even then Farren looked a class act. I probably would have voted O'Callaghan but for his shameful antics with David Crawley at the Cross.

gimmick

Mark Farren (Derry City)

^ Obviously not, but isnt that the nature of being a football fan - selective decision making, and selective wants and needs?

Roar

Joe Gamble (Cork City)

MrJoeSoap wrote:

I probably would have voted O'Callaghan but for his shameful antics with David Crawley at the Cross.

What, when georgie was viciously assaulted in a vicious, pre-meditated attack?

erra tbh they're only popularity awards, at the end of the day the award that matters most is in turners cross, the eircom league title

MrJoeSoap

Roar wrote:

What, when georgie was viciously assaulted in a vicious, pre-meditated attack?

Thats the one, yup.

Water under the bridge at this stage, still not a big O'Callaghan fan though. Part jealousy, part dislike I guess... a lethal combination.

Töpher

I don't like his attitude, even in the last game trying to get Heary sent off for a "foul" on a Cork lad (forget who!) which even the commentators said the only way he hurt himself was when he kicked Heary! It's just unsporting. Before anyone has a go at me over Shels etc, I don't like or condone any unsporting behaviour, regardless of who its from.

All that matters at the end of the day is that you won the league, at home, in front of thousands of fans, enjoy it (while it lasts!)

Slash/ED

Joe Gamble (Cork City)

How on earth can an out and out goal scorer who does nothing but score goals win player of the year award when they weren't even the leagues top scorer? And their were more deserving winners than Byrne even. A joke of a decision.

O'Callaghan would be my pick, doubley so for his servies to Shels, ie getting that clown Crawley suspended. Georgie, we at Shels salute you. Fake a broken leg next time.

Steve_o

Jason Byrne, John O'Flynn or George O'Callaghan

gimmick

Mark Farren (Derry City)

Slash/ED wrote:

How on earth can an out and out goal scorer who does nothing but score goals win player of the year award when they weren't even the leagues top scorer? And their were more deserving winners than Byrne even. A joke of a decision.

O'Callaghan would be my pick, doubley so for his servies to Shels, ie getting that clown Crawley suspended. Georgie, we at Shels salute you. Fake a broken leg next time.

And the sarcastic post of the month gores to.................^^^

KdjaCL

Fans player of the year are far more important.

Ryan got it for Pats.


kdjac

gimmick

Mark Farren (Derry City)

Gamble got Cork Citys award.

Slash/ED

Joe Gamble (Cork City)

Shels hasn't been announced yet afaik. There is a 0% chance of anyone not called Wes Hoolahan winning it however.

MrJoeSoap

Very true.^