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Rigged ? for Giggs?

The winner of the PFA Player of the Year award is voted for by his peers and 35-year-old Giggs topped the ballot despite only having started 12 games this season.

Does anyone else think that the so-called "peers" who voted on this have got it horribly wrong or its been rigged?

I do believe that Giggs should have won it some years ago when in his prime, but this "vote" smacks of correcting their own previously bad decisions ? and then again, who exactly are these "peers" (Sky 4 plus one or two others)?

It's not even difficult to think of quite a few Everton players (2 of whom had season ending injuries) that deserve this years award much, much, more than Giggs ever does!

What the...?
Gerry Quinn, Houston Posted 27/04/2009 at 15:28:24

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Lyndon Lloyd

I think you've got it right that this was a vote of sympathy for a player who should have won it years ago but never did. Makes a mockery of the whole process that a player can start just 12 times and be named "Player of the Year" by his peers, but there you go. That's football these days for you.

Paul Johnson
1 Posted 28/04/2009 at 06:42:24

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You also have to ask how 5 Man U players got on the shortlist! If their so-called peers vote then, I fail to see how this can happen? Surely if all the other premiership players get to vote then there would be a more even spread of teams represented.

Simon Skinner
2 Posted 28/04/2009 at 06:34:00

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Yeah, it?s kind of dumb, but this sort of thing always happens when the voting occurs in house (the Oscars also have a habit of finding a way to give awards to people who should have won one years ago).

I disagree that that they are correcting "past mistakes though" ? Giggs has been consistantly high class for nearly 20 years, but I don?t think you can point to any moment and say he was the best player in the country. He was probably in the top 10 for about 15 years, but never number 1. Think of Cantana around 96, Bergkamp around 99, Henry around 02, Ronaldo the last couple of years ? Giggs was never THAT good.

What Giggs deserves is a lifetime achievement award. If the PFA did a "team of the decade", Giggs would probably appear in two of them.

This award hardly ever goes to defenders (John Terry only won it because he scored about 15 that year), which is the only possible reason why Vidic didn?t win it. One sloppy mistake against the RS aside, he?s been stunning. Against us at Wembley he was staggeringly good ? I?ve not seen a more dominating defender in years.

Nigel Stanworth
3 Posted 28/04/2009 at 08:08:23

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There was a player from a lower league club on the Eamonn Holmes show on Radio 5 a few weeks ago and he said that all players down to League 3 can vote for the ?Player Of The Year? (and also their own divisional award) so I assume that must be correct.

How a player at for instance Accrington Stanley can judge who is playing well other than via the media probably sums up the award. What I don?t understand is why they didn?t just create a ?lifetime achievement? award and give that to Giggs.

James Boden
4 Posted 28/04/2009 at 08:52:58

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Are you actually suggesting that in the world of modern football anything would be corrupt? What an asinine thing to say. Now being serious as we all know it is a injustice and if they really wanted to reward him just hand him a lifetime award. At least then it may be genuine.

Iain Love
5 Posted 28/04/2009 at 08:57:56

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The PFA team has Johnson, Vidic, Gerrard and Torres who I can agree with but the rest? Lampard has had statisically his best season ever, Arteta was a revelation in CM... how can Giggs get in the team ahead of those players, never mind the top award?

In defense, Jags has had a BETTER season than Ferdinand and Hangerland at Fulham has been great; up front Cahill, Rooney both better than Le Sulk.

Media hype, sympathy vote etc etc turns the team into a farce ? none more so than Giggs winning Player of the Year, not his fault ? great player but nowhere near the best this season; Vidic would have had my vote.

Chris Fisher
6 Posted 28/04/2009 at 10:01:15

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If I was Giggs, I'd find this award completely patronising to be honest! Anyway it's all a joke, not one Everton Player in the team of the season?! How Jags is not in there over Ferdinand I?ll never know and I'm really not saying that just cos I'm an Everton fan.

Cahill has been untouchable this season as well. Surely it should be players who have obviously made a real difference to their team ? not just the ones who the FA want to suck off?

Gareth Humphreys
7 Posted 28/04/2009 at 10:26:06

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The PFA award is over the calender year of 2008 and is voted for in Feb 09. As such you can take anything after Christmas out of the equation.

I personally think he was a worthy winner although Ronaldo could have scooped it quite easily also. Either way, he was voted for by his fellow players.

With regards to how many games he started, ask yourselves this ? how many did Rooney start for us when he won the Young Player award? No one was complaining then.

Gerry Quinn
8 Posted 28/04/2009 at 10:32:14

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Gareth,
I would imagine that most Everton fans - and football fans in general - would agree that Rooney made quite a significant impact in the short time he started - which would certainly make him a contender. Giggs - 12 starts? Uh? Even Davies of Bolton made more impact!

Si Kirwan
9 Posted 28/04/2009 at 10:35:31

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I was Stunned too see the "Team of the year" ? Ferdinand, Evra? Both fuckin wank, Jags and Baines have been immense all season and had they been at a Sky 4 club, would full-time England internationals. Can't remember if Van der Sar is in there but I assume he is being a United player. He?s the most overrated player in the league. Dogshite. Shay Given should have gotten it. Sad Sad.

Gareth Humphreys
10 Posted 28/04/2009 at 10:37:53

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Gerry, I?m not disputing that in the season Rooney won Young Player he made an impact ? my point is that the large majority of his games that season were from the bench and this is exactly the same stick that Ryan Giggs is being beaten with. Like it or not, he was voted for by the people he plays against.

Dan Brierley
11 Posted 28/04/2009 at 10:08:43

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I’m not too sure of the criteria for voting selection, but I think its unfair to Giggs to suggest it has been rigged.

Personally, I think Lampard has been the player of the season. However, I can understand why the have voted for Giggs. To still play at that level (which is the highest level of football in the world) at the age of 35 has to be recognised as simply amazing? I dont think Giggs was selected by his peers based on pure ability and consistency. I think its a recognition that he deserves it for showing true commitment, and dedication in keeping himself at his peak condition.

If the award is given based on who all footballers should aspire to be, then I think Giggs is one of the ultimate examples. He chose to play for his home country of Wales, even though he could have played for England. And to stay with United for his whole career is simply the highest level of commitment, and deserves to be recognised.

I dont begrudge him winning the award at all. I doubt that he will figure much next year, so I think it is a fitting tribute to his career, that his fellow professionals have afforded him something that eluded him for so long. Hats off to the guy.

Andrew Fair
12 Posted 28/04/2009 at 10:55:33

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Every player in the Prem, Champ, League One and Two gets to vote. There was a Walsall player on 5live the other day who voted for Vidic. I think on what he has done in his career good on the lad well done.

We also have to remember it's not done on stats, it's basically just a big popularity contest. The football writers is done on performance; now Jags is injured though they will forget him and I don't think Everton will be represented at all.

Tommy Coleman
13 Posted 28/04/2009 at 11:04:39

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I hear AVDM nearly won it.

You can hear the clinks of previous winner?s trophies hitting the bottom of bins.

On another note, why wasn?t Ronaldo booked for taking his top off after scoring Utds 3rd goal against Spurs? This would have been his 2nd yellow. Cahill got sent off for this remember?

Gerry Quinn
14 Posted 28/04/2009 at 11:09:25

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Tommy,
Ronaldo saw "over-hairy chest/armpit" Giggs take his shirt off a season or two ago in celebration - Giggs has now won the Player of the Year! I’d have thought it is now plainly obvious why Ronaldo took off his shirt!

Tom Bowers
15 Posted 28/04/2009 at 11:18:21

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This PFA award was just shambolic. Echoes of Man Utd pulling power again. If Giggsy was playing for any other club this season and played 12 games he wouldn?t have had a snowball in hell?s chance. For other long career professionals how about the likes of David James or Dean Windass? So why the sentimental vote here? You?ve guessed it ? Manure.

Patty Beesley
16 Posted 28/04/2009 at 11:58:31

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Good point about Ronaldo taking off his shirt and should have been red carded but wasn?t!! There is no refereeing consistency in the game at all.

When Shay Given slapped Gosling on the face in last Saturday?s game, why wasn?t he red-carded? If he had been an out-field player it would have been a straight red. Imagine Fellaini getting away with that!!

Norman Merrill
17 Posted 28/04/2009 at 14:02:24

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There were many dubious decisions made during the United-Spurs game last Saturday by the very over-rated Howard Webb. Who, as we all know, will be in charge at Wembley. Besides the United game, he is the one that found 6 extra minutes for the Shite v Arsenal match last week, and earlier in the month, had the audacity to book Messi for diving, when it was a blatant penalty, and sent the Barca coach to the stand for complaining.

The game at Wembley will be tough enough without having Mr Wonderful in charge. God help the players because it will be all about him.

Mike Allison
18 Posted 28/04/2009 at 18:46:02

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Ronaldo WAS booked for that celebration according to the highlights I watched.

The Giggs decision is a shambles, but is really just a ’body of work’ award, like when they gave Scorsese Best Director at the Oscars for a shit film because they hadn’t given it to him for any of his good ones.

And Ferdinand has led the (hopefully, otherwise Liverpool will win) title winning defence in setting an all-time defensive record this season, so give him a break. (Before you say Vidic back at that, their defence misses Ferdinand a lot more than it does Vidic).

I also disagree that Howard Webb is overrated, he’s easily England’s best referee, but that doesn’t make him immune to bad decisions, and Saturday’s was awful.

Paul Walsh
19 Posted 28/04/2009 at 23:54:06

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Simon Skinner’s appraisal is exactly how I felt about it. You have to laugh at it all really. Gordon Taylor coming on tv to defend the voting process took the biscuit. They must think we’re a right bunch of idiots to believe the vote wasn’t molested. Stevie Me la’ and the Lamp were probably the best candidates in my view. jagielka would have deserved to have been in in front of Ferdinand in the Select xl.

Steve Carter
20 Posted 29/04/2009 at 01:24:39

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Van der Sar is in there, Si. Statistically, Mark Schwarzer is the best keeper in the PL. I wish we’d got him on that free at the start of the season. Howard is generally quality, but Schwarzer is better. His arrival and Fulham’s best ever PL season are no coincidence.

John Meredith
21 Posted 29/04/2009 at 02:15:32

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PFA COMPASSION PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD 2009

I think Giggsy getting it this year is worse than Martin Scorcese winning an Oscar for Departed ? after missing out on ’Goodfellas’

Even the likes of Michael Barrymore got awarded by his peers with numerous BAFA’s when at his brilliant best - " Aw-wight at the back/Aw-wight at the front " and who could forget classics like - " What is a Hot spot Not ?

Jeff Stelling - " Well we we’ve come to tonight’s main event ladies and gentleman. So of course after ’starting just 15 league games’, being well past his peak, and having about his 11th best season at United, the player of the year in 2009 goes to RYAN GIGGS !! "

Ryan Giggs - ( head bowed-monotone voice ) - " this is great thank you, thanks to everyone player who voted, it means alot "

Jeff Stelling - " Where’s Sir Alex, can we grab a quick word ?

Sir Alex Ferguson - " I the boy deserves it, he’s bin brilliant, not just this yar but throughout his careeeer, noooobody deserves at moore than ham "

Jeff Stelling - "Sir Alex, it’s that squeky bum time for you again ? "

Sir Alex Ferguson - " I fighting on all fronts, bin a great season. Don’t forget we are the World Champions, beating Gamba Osaka and LDU Quito was noooooo easy "