Ryan Giggs doesn’t deserve to win the PFA Player of the Year
The Welshman has started less league games than John O’Shea
Sir Alex Ferguson, Alan Hansen and Robbie Savage have all taken turns this week to talk up Ryan Giggs as the most deserving winner of the PFA Player of the Year but The Spoiler does not believe that he should win it this season.
The Welsh midfielder is arguably the greatest footballer in the Premier League’s history and probably deserves some kind of award recognising his overall contribution to English football but it wouldn’t be right for someone who has started just nine of Manchester United’s 24 league games (37.5%) to date this season to be crowned the year’s standout performer.
Giggs played a starring role in the recent wins over West Ham and Derby but it is the fact those games are so fresh in the memory, while many view it as an injustice that he never won the award in the 1990s, that has led to the calls for him to be given it, rather than because he has been the season’s best player.
Who deserves to win it though? Defenders rarely triumph but it’s been a strange season where Manchester United’s defence have made a greater impact than top-scorer Nicolas Anelka, which is why Nemanja Vidic is 5/4 favourite with Paddy Power. In 2004-05, both Thierry Henry and Andy Johnson scored over twenty goals but John Terry won after Chelsea’s back four broke the top-flight record for the least goals (15) conceded in a season.
Let us know who you think deserves to win with a comment below.
4 responses so far
Steph // February 17, 2009 at 11:06 pm
I think Vidic has been playing really well this season and Tim Cahill……. but id have to disagree with you…..Giggs has been playing amazing this season.
I remember Utds first game of the season against Newcastle, Giggs played left wing and played great! Then he got injured (Hamstring) and Utd went to pieces and drew the match.
When Giggs came back from injury, he had to fight for his place…. which he has been winning ever since. Giggs has played Centre Midfield, Support Striker and Left/Right Wing…. even Left Back a few times when needed. And done them superb.
Yeah, he doesnt play many games these days. But he has been playing great! He has the highest Assist rate so far… he does much more than scoring (he has only 3 this season) but he dominates games and creates for his team mates.
Giggs for me.
Sam // February 18, 2009 at 11:28 am
Giggs for me too, he thoroughly deserves it.
DAN // February 18, 2009 at 12:22 pm
when it comes to individual awards, it doesn’t always have to be about the performance for that particular year. If, like this season, there is no real outstanding individual performer (aka ronaldo last season), then why shouldn’t football/ers finally recognise the one player who has never shamed their profession, his club, or himself, and on top of that has given year after year of brilliant trophy-winning performances and crudely be ignored in the past seasons when he was the best player around.
Carlton Goal // February 18, 2009 at 12:52 pm
But Dan, the whole point of the award is to crown the best player of that season, not fill a slot for someone that has been a great player that maybe deserved it five/ten years ago.
It’s Stephen Ireland for me but I don’t see someone from a struggling team winning it unfortunately.
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