PFA Awards announced (Giggs and Young win)

PHB

JPA wrote: »

And Vidic hasn't done exactly that?
I have to stop posting because it's done and its ridiculous.

Not really to be honest. He's been up and down. Had an amazing run of games, but before that wans't great and was directly responsible for our concedded against Arsenal, and then did the same thing with Liverpool.

He's probably been one of the better defenders in the league, but he wasn't even as good as he was last year, let alone as good as Ferdinand was.

Gerrard's the same. He's played well. But for him, he's having a good season, but nowhere near a great one. He's been better, and probably would plan to be better next season.

No player really has excelled like Ronaldo last, or Gerrard/Terry/Henry the years before.

Denis Irwin

I don't know what all the moaning is about (although I'd suspect it's because Giggs plays for United :rolleyes:) a number of players have won the award in the past when they weren't the best player in the league that year. ie (Ginola in 99 who although had a good season) should'nt have got the award ahead of someone like Schmeichel.

JPA

adox wrote: »

Because the season starts in August, not January?

The voting is done way too early but has been like this for years. Its no biggie at this stage really and shouldnt be taken too seriously imo.

Whats your first line mean?

Anyway, just because something has been done for years doesn't make it right.
They could change the voting to 6 or 8 weeks later no problem.

Mitch Connor

thegen wrote: »

An absolute farce.

I agree there should have been some sort of recognition for Giggs. I had advocated a lifetime achievement award already in this thread. But to give him the PPOTY award is just plain stupid. It was down to Vidic and Gerrard IMO.

The team of the year I suppose has to have both the PPOTY and young one it it but again Lampard overlooked. And to have Anelka in ahead of Rooney?

Ah well its puts all the arguing on here in perspective. The lads though Ryan should get one before he hangs up the boots and made a few calls.

I don't know how Torres gets into the Team of the Year without anoyone bitching about that - by march had he played that many more minutes than Giggs? He has been injured for chunks of the season.

Denis Irwin

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I don't know how Torres gets into the Team of the Year without anoyone bitching about that - by march had he played that many more minutes than Giggs? He has been injured for chunks of the season.

That's because he's not a United player Mitch you should know that :rolleyes:

Headshot

Denis Irwin wrote: »

I don't know what all the moaning is about (although I'd suspect it's because Giggs plays for United :rolleyes:) a number of players have won the award in the past when they weren't the best player in the league that year. ie (Ginola in 99 who although had a good season) should'nt have got the award ahead of someone like Schmeichel.

Amen to that Denis

adox

JPA wrote: »

Whats your first line mean?

Sorry you said it should be voted for over the year, which I presumed you meant a calender year.

JPA wrote: »

Anyway, just because something has been done for years doesn't make it right.
They could change the voting to 6 or 8 weeks later no problem.

I`m not saying that it is right. All I`m saying that its been this way for years. You`d swear it was the first time it was voted for this way by a lot of the posts here.

pickarooney

Denis Irwin wrote: »

I don't know what all the moaning is about (although I'd suspect it's because Giggs barelyplays for United :rolleyes:)

Oh look, I use sarcasm.

JPA

Jaysus, it's not anti United. It's anti players who have played less than 50% of game time. Ya fair enough, he had a few good games, what player doesn't.
And because he's 35, you're thinking, 'wow, giggs is still awesome'.

Except it should be about consistency of performance, not a few stand out games.

Mitch Connor

JPA wrote: »

Jaysus, it's not anti United. It's anti players who have played less than 50% of game time. Ya fair enough, he had a few good games, what player doesn't.
And because he's 35, you're thinking, 'wow, giggs is still awesome'.

Except it should be about consistency of performance, not a few stand out games.

sort your argument out. you want quantity - Giggs HAS performed consistently well (much to my surprise) along with standout performances such as the Chelsea game.

Denis Irwin

pickarooney wrote: »

Oh look, I use sarcasm.

Bitter by any chance ?

JPA

Mitch Connor wrote: »

sort your argument out. you want quantity - Giggs HAS performed consistently well (much to my surprise) along with standout performances such as the Chelsea game.

Of course he can play well, he's been playing for 18 years.
What I'm saying is that a POTY winner should be putting in performances like Giggs did against Chelsea nigh on every week.

jank

In fairness. Giggs has never won a senior player of the year award. He won 2 junior awards when he was a teenager. Anyway, was this his best season in a United jersey? Not a chance. The only reason he got it is that this is his last season and players gave it to him out of nostalgic reasons.

He has been a brilliant servant over the years but the award is for the player of the year. It is not a lifetime achievement award. It will be interesting who the writers give it to.

adox

SSN are saying the award wont be announced for another hour. Hope the Guardian werent jumping the gun.

JPA

adox wrote: »

SSN are saying the award wont be announced for another hour. Hope the Guardian werent jumping the gun.

The ceremony was already on though. You think they made up those quotes.

Headshot

how is it his last season

carlop

Personally, I feel it should have been between Lampard, Gerrard and Vidic, however I feel people in this thread need to give Giggs some of the credit he deserves.

At the end of last season, myself along with many other United fans felt it was time for Giggsy to hang up his boots. His appearance on the team-sheet would be met with derision in match threads. Indeed, I remember thinking SAF was insane for starting him against Chelsea earlier this season.

The fact that he was even considered for this award by his fellow professionals shows that Giggs has truly proved the doubters wrong. He has managed to reinvent himself as a player and still plays a vital role for the best club in the world.

Should he have won it? Probably not, but he did, and I for one congratulate him.

If I were a professional footballer I would view Ryan Giggs as one of the ultimate benchmarks for what I want to achieve in the game. 35 years old and still playing regular football for a top team and playing on merit. He's been at the top of the game since he was 17. That's 18 years of playing for Manchester United. He's done everything and yet he's still one of the most driven players out there. He defines professionalism, really looks after himself, conducts himself like a professional, stays out of the media and is one player you hope kids take on as a role model. A real gentleman. And with that said I can imagine that the respect he holds among his fellow professionals is huge.You look at Rooney and Rio in interviews only recently saying that they can't think of themselves as successful when they compare what they have done to what Ryan Giggs has done and that's what keeps them driven. As such I'd say that he is noticed by his peers.

To be fair, it's easy to forget just how bloody good he was in his prime, he literally would make any full back out there fear him. His dribbling and close control is comparable with Lionel Messi and Maradona and I don't feel in the least bit stupid saying that. He may not have thee overall game that Maradona had (if Giggs was a clinical finisher he'd probably have been worth £100 million back in the mid 90's!) and the fact that he hasn't won this before is a bit of a joke so in that regard I'm delighted for him.

As for his contributions on the field this season, and what was voted for, I must say that I feel most people (experts of course ) in here are being far too harsh on him. He's no longer a winger. He now plays central midfield for Manchester United. Anyone who watches United a lot has to understand that the role of central midfielder at United has changed since Keano left. No longer do you see a central midfielder at United taking the game by the reigns and going box to box. fergie instructs them otherwise. The system requires the CM to be a holding player/distributer. When Giggs plays he holds onto the ball, dribbles it forward and offloads to one of the front 4. And he does a fantastic job of this. It's not an easy job to do either. Now because he's holding he's not scoring a bundle of goals. And because he's not on the wing he's not running around 8 players either, so his job goes a bit more unnoticed than players like Ronaldo, Rooney etc. But without him doing this United don't function as well. If you look at the important wins this season (the Inter games, the Chelsea home game) SAF has picked him and he'ss been brilliant. He hasn't played in every big game, and he has been part of the squad rotation system but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be considered. He has played a lot this season and his contributions have been important.


The other big consideration is that this season, nobody has really been a cut above the rest. There has been no stand out candidate the way there was last year. Ronaldo was always going to win it last year. Gerrard has been very good, but he hasn't been as good as he can be. This is hardly his best ever season. Vidic has had a great season and yet he's fu.c.ked up in both Liverpool hames this year and gotten himself sent off for stupid things (he's been sent off 3 times this season in total) and I think that could have cost him. the voting was around the time of the Liverpool game at OT and that could have cost him. Lets be frank, VDS was never gonna win it. Ronaldo had too much of an early season dip and is only coming into form now after the voting happened. And Giggs was A) playing well, and playing regularly when the voting happened. So really, it's not that outrageous a decision.


I for one am delighted he's got it. Football has a way of rewarding the good guys sometimes. And for me, call me a sentimentalist, but this really caps off a wonderful career of a guy who a lot of people will need hindsight before they realise what a truly superb player he is and was. One of the all time greats of football in my opinion.


Class act. Congratulations Giggsy.

eagle eye

PFA player of the year award = Farce

thegen

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I don't know how Torres gets into the Team of the Year without anoyone bitching about that - by march had he played that many more minutes than Giggs? He has been injured for chunks of the season.

Look contrary to the utd fans posting, everyone is not against Giggsa getting this award because he is a utd player. It is simply because he does not deserve it. The paranoia has to stop. And yes I would have have Torres and Rooney in the league team. Who are your choices?

adox

eagle eye wrote: »

PFA player of the year award = Giggs

pickarooney

Denis Irwin wrote: »

Bitter by any chance ?

Yeah, Drogba swore he'd voted for me, the swine.

adox

JPA wrote: »

The ceremony was already on though. You think they made up those quotes.

Of course not, especially as SSN have just confirmed it.:D

~Rebel~

Well done to Giggs I guess, though personally i think its a retarded decision.

I wouldn't have expected much more though, i dont really rate footballers opinions on many things, even football. I honestly wonder how much they actually follow the sport considering how much time they spend playing it. I'm sure they look at reports etc, but I would say i spend far more time watching matches then your average premiership footballer. Id say the max they ever really see on the average weekend are highlights on MotD and the occasional game a close rival is playing where the outcome is important (and even then, probably only some rather then all of them), which is understandable given they're actually playing on the weekends, but it also means they're largely really only basing their opinions on the 2 games they play against any particularly team, and the snippets they see on highlight shows.

(obviously there are exceptions to this, like Carra who tapes and watches matches from all over europe every weekend)

Mitch Connor

thegen wrote: »

Look contrary to the utd fans posting, everyone is not against Giggsa getting this award because he is a utd player. It is simply because he does not deserve it. The paranoia has to stop. And yes I would have have Torres and Rooney in the league team. Who are your choices?

well if torres deserves to be recognised, why not Giggs - torres has missed chunks of the season through injury - is their game time up to march really that different?

SlickRic

Deleted User wrote: »

If I were a professional footballer I would view Ryan Giggs as one of the ultimate benchmarks for what I want to achieve in the game. 35 years old and still playing regular football for a top team and playing on merit. He's been at the top of the game since he was 17. That's 18 years of playing for Manchester United. He's done everything and yet he's still one of the most driven players out there. He defines professionalism, really looks after himself, conducts himself like a professional, stays out of the media and is one player you hope kids take on as a role model. A real gentleman. And with that said I can imagine that the respect he holds among his fellow professionals is huge.You look at Rooney and Rio in interviews only recently saying that they can't think of themselves as successful when they compare what they have done to what Ryan Giggs has done and that's what keeps them driven. As such I'd say that he is noticed by his peers.

To be fair, it's easy to forget just how bloody good he was in his prime, he literally would make any full back out there fear him. His dribbling and close control is comparable with Lionel Messi and Maradona and I don't feel in the least bit stupid saying that. He may not have thee overall game that Maradona had (if Giggs was a clinical finisher he'd probably have been worth £100 million back in the mid 90's!) and the fact that he hasn't won this before is a bit of a joke so in that regard I'm delighted for him.

As for his contributions on the field this season, and what was voted for, I must say that I feel most people (experts of course ) in here are being far too harsh on him. He's no longer a winger. He now plays central midfield for Manchester United. Anyone who watches United a lot has to understand that the role of central midfielder at United has changed since Keano left. No longer do you see a central midfielder at United taking the game by the reigns and going box to box. fergie instructs them otherwise. The system requires the CM to be a holding player/distributer. When Giggs plays he holds onto the ball, dribbles it forward and offloads to one of the front 4. And he does a fantastic job of this. It's not an easy job to do either. Now because he's holding he's not scoring a bundle of goals. And because he's not on the wing he's not running around 8 players either, so his job goes a bit more unnoticed than players like Ronaldo, Rooney etc. But without him doing this United don't function as well. If you look at the important wins this season (the Inter games, the Chelsea home game) SAF has picked him and he'ss been brilliant. He hasn't played in every big game, and he has been part of the squad rotation system but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be considered. He has played a lot this season and his contributions have been important.


The other big consideration is that this season, nobody has really been a cut above the rest. There has been no stand out candidate the way there was last year. Ronaldo was always going to win it last year. Gerrard has been very good, but he hasn't been as good as he can be. This is hardly his best ever season. Vidic has had a great season and yet he's fu.c.ked up in both Liverpool hames this year and gotten himself sent off for stupid things (he's been sent off 3 times this season in total) and I think that could have cost him. the voting was around the time of the Liverpool game at OT and that could have cost him. Lets be frank, VDS was never gonna win it. Ronaldo had too much of an early season dip and is only coming into form now after the voting happened. And Giggs was A) playing well, and playing regularly when the voting happened. So really, it's not that outrageous a decision.


I for one am delighted he's got it. Football has a way of rewarding the good guys sometimes. And for me, call me a sentimentalist, but this really caps off a wonderful career of a guy who a lot of people will need hindsight before they realise what a truly superb player he is and was. One of the all time greats of football in my opinion.


Class act. Congratulations Giggsy.

mostly excellent points...if you're arguing for him to get a lifetime achievement award. which nobody anywhere would have any qualms about.

vidic, lampard, gerrard, rooney, ireland and jagielka have all been a cut above the rest this season, and consistently, having played pretty much every game from august-march.

so imo, your argument about nobody being outstanding doesn't hold water. they've ALL been a class above.

SlickRic

SlickRic wrote: »

mostly excellent points...if you're arguing for him to get a lifetime achievement award. which nobody anywhere would have any qualms about.

vidic, lampard, gerrard, rooney, ireland and jagielka have all been a cut above the rest this season, and consistently, having played pretty much every game from august-march.

so imo, your argument about nobody being outstanding doesn't hold water. they've ALL been a class above.

Em, did you read when I said:

"As for his contributions on the field this season, and what was voted for, I must say that I feel most people (experts of course ) in here are being far too harsh on him. He's no longer a winger. He now plays central midfield for Manchester United. Anyone who watches United a lot has to understand that the role of central midfielder at United has changed since Keano left. No longer do you see a central midfielder at United taking the game by the reigns and going box to box. fergie instructs them otherwise. The system requires the CM to be a holding player/distributer. When Giggs plays he holds onto the ball, dribbles it forward and offloads to one of the front 4. And he does a fantastic job of this. It's not an easy job to do either. Now because he's holding he's not scoring a bundle of goals. And because he's not on the wing he's not running around 8 players either, so his job goes a bit more unnoticed than players like Ronaldo, Rooney etc. But without him doing this United don't function as well. If you look at the important wins this season (the Inter games, the Chelsea home game) SAF has picked him and he'ss been brilliant. He hasn't played in every big game, and he has been part of the squad rotation system but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be considered. He has played a lot this season and his contributions have been important."

thegen

Mitch Connor wrote: »

well if torres deserves to be recognised, why not Giggs - torres has missed chunks of the season through injury - is their game time up to march really that different?

Mitch, apologies I was unaware that the team was picked at the same time. I am just saying from watching for the season that Rooney and Torres would be my picks.

eZe^

I disagree with this decision also. As good as Giggs has been this year, the reason he is winning is mainly to do with how much better he is playing this year in comparison to the last few. That's no way to give an award really, it should be voted from a stand alone season point of view, but I guess when it's your peers voting for you, there will of course be the nostalgic 'turned it around even at the age of 35' present in alot of their minds.

Skud

thegen wrote: »

Mitch, apologies I was unaware that the team was picked at the same time. I am just saying from watching for the season that Rooney and Torres would be my picks.

Rooney didnt even make the team. Can't take it away from giggs though. He deserved one! Maybe not this season but it worked out like that no matter how much people complain

Liam O

It's an award based on the player's votes. It is not a farcical decision as somebody above said. The players voted on who they saw as the most deserving recipient and they chose Giggs. Get over it, it's not the end of the world, he wont get World or European player of the year so no point in making a big deal about the greatest player to play in the modern format of the premier league getting an award

JPA

Liam O wrote: »

It's an award based on the player's votes. It is not a farcical decision as somebody above said. The players voted on who they saw as the most deserving recipient and they chose Giggs. Get over it, it's not the end of the world, he wont get World or European player of the year so no point in making a big deal about the greatest player to play in the modern format of the premier league getting an award

Shearer and Henry have 2 each.

Liam O

JPA wrote: »

Shearer and Henry have 2 each.

JPA

Liam O wrote: »

no point in making a big deal about the greatest player to play in the modern format of the premier league getting an award

eZe^

Liam O wrote: »

Get over it, it's not the end of the world, he wont get World or European player of the year so no point in making a big deal about the greatest player to play in the modern format of the premier league getting an award

I'd say that belongs to Henry tbh...

Plus, that's a retarded way of looking at things, why not give the equivalent PFA award in Serie A to Maldini, sher he was amazing a few years ago, and is still pretty good. It should go to the most deserving player, and in alot of peoples opinions Gerrard was a better candidate. It's a bit unfair that Giggs is getting it because of past glory rather than how excellent he was this season.

event

jaysus some of ye will get worked up over nothing

its a bigger disgrace that ireland didnt get young player of the year

Mr Alan

see the thread title Event

thegen

event wrote: »

jaysus some of ye will get worked up over nothing

its a bigger disgrace that ireland didnt get young player of the year

Have to agree with you on the Ireland front. He was robbed.

It is just funny to watch the utd fans get all hot and bothered as people view their opinion on the award to Giggs. "you know its only because he's a utd player" that their all giving out:rolleyes:

Liam O

eZe^ wrote: »

I'd say that belongs to Henry tbh...

Plus, that's a retarded way of looking at things, why not give the equivalent PFA award in Serie A to Maldini, sher he was amazing a few years ago, and is still pretty good. It should go to the most deserving player, and in alot of peoples opinions Gerrard was a better candidate. It's a bit unfair that Giggs is getting it because of past glory rather than how excellent he was this season.

obviously not the players :rolleyes: It's an opinion poll so no point in saying that. Vidic was more deserving than Gerrard imo, but defenders don't get the same credit as attacking players.

event

achh i know, but how it has got this large, i dont know

if i was arsed, id start a thread about ireland, but in fairness, has anyone ever paid any heed to these awards?

they have never really mattered, so why start being bothered now?

i doubt gerrard or vidic will lose any sleep tbh

colly10

Joke of an award made worse, Giggs served united well in his time but the player of the year award is supposed to go to the player of the year, giggs is certainly not that

colly10

event wrote: »

achh i know, but how it has got this large, i dont know

if i was arsed, id start a thread about ireland, but in fairness, has anyone ever paid any heed to these awards?

they have never really mattered, so why start being bothered now?

i doubt gerrard or vidic will lose any sleep tbh

True enough, noone really bothers, its the same as the world player, I don't think Ronaldo should be for many reasons but I can see why they picked him. Picking Giggs though cannot be defended (even Giggs himself would know this) and thats why theres debate on it.

SlickRic

Deleted User wrote: »

Em, did you read when I said:

"As for his contributions on the field this season, and what was voted for, I must say that I feel most people (experts of course ) in here are being far too harsh on him. He's no longer a winger. He now plays central midfield for Manchester United. Anyone who watches United a lot has to understand that the role of central midfielder at United has changed since Keano left. No longer do you see a central midfielder at United taking the game by the reigns and going box to box. fergie instructs them otherwise. The system requires the CM to be a holding player/distributer. When Giggs plays he holds onto the ball, dribbles it forward and offloads to one of the front 4. And he does a fantastic job of this. It's not an easy job to do either. Now because he's holding he's not scoring a bundle of goals. And because he's not on the wing he's not running around 8 players either, so his job goes a bit more unnoticed than players like Ronaldo, Rooney etc. But without him doing this United don't function as well. If you look at the important wins this season (the Inter games, the Chelsea home game) SAF has picked him and he'ss been brilliant. He hasn't played in every big game, and he has been part of the squad rotation system but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be considered. He has played a lot this season and his contributions have been important."

apologies, i should have made it clearer.

i thought this was covered with my point that the 6 i listed (at least) have played pretty much every game and been consistent, which should put them in a higher bracket.

no player whose started 12 games, no matter how well he's played (and he hasn't been head and shoulders above other people), should win any player of the season award.

as i say, give him the lifetime achievement award or something if you have to.

Liam O

colly10 wrote: »

True enough, noone really bothers, its the same as the world player, I don't think Ronaldo should be for many reasons but I can see why they picked him. Picking Giggs though cannot be defended (even Giggs himself would know this) and thats why theres debate on it.

So was it the 42 goals or the goal in the CL final that make Ronaldo not worthy of World player of the year?

SlickRic

Liam O wrote: »

So was it the 42 goals or the goal in the CL final that make Ronaldo not worthy of World player of the year?

whoever said he didn't deserve it, just ignore it.

i'd love to be able to say he didn't deserve it myself, but i'd look stupid as a football fan.

jesus_thats_gre

Liam O wrote: »

It's an award based on the player's votes. It is not a farcical decision as somebody above said. The players voted on who they saw as the most deserving recipient and they chose Giggs. Get over it, it's not the end of the world, he wont get World or European player of the year so no point in making a big deal about the greatest player to play in the modern format of the premier league getting an award

The fact that Giggs could win the UK award yet probably won't be even considered for the European or World award, despite the PL being possibly the strongest league in the world and United being both European and World champions, sums up how much of a travesty Giggs winning this award would be.

jesus_thats_gre

Create a player of the decade award and give it to him. You couldn't really argue with that. Player of the season is just nonsense though. Makes a complete mockery of the award.

Jam-Fly

No young player of the year, or team of the year for Stephen Ireland? ridiculous


I love Giggs, but honestly, this whole thing puts me on life tilt

CHD

Young lol, English will do anything to make themselves look good.

DSB

CHD wrote: »

Young lol, English will do anything to make themselves look good.

Or perhaps Irish people have completely blown out of proportion the only half decent footballing prospect we have? Young is and has been miles better.