A good night’s work for United at the PFA!

A good night’s work for United at the PFA!

I came to the conclusion many years ago at work that you can?t bullshit your peers. Bosses often think they know how a person performs by having in place some very complex employee appraisal systems. Don?t believe it. Just ask peers if you want to get the real picture.

So it is wonderful to see the report of last nights PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) Awards.

Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United has been voted Young Player of the Year and Player of the Year - by his fellow Professional Footballers. This is the first time in 30 years one player has won both awards in the same year. Just to cap a wonderful evening Manchester United had 8 of the 11 players in the Premiership Team of the Season. Again these players were voted for by fellow professionals.

I will continue to ignore the BBC Radio critics who complain of the poor quality of the Manchester United squad and I will take due notice of the thousands of top class professional footballers who rate Ronaldo and Manchester United the tops.

This is the Premiership 11 voted by fellow professionals:

PFA Premier League Team of the Year:

Edwin van der Sar, Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra (all Man Utd); Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo (all Man Utd) Steven Gerrard (Liverpool); Didier Drogba (Chelsea) Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham)

Cristiano Ronaldo won double PFA Awards 2007

Cristiano Ronaldo won double PFA Awards 2007

Cristiano Ronaldo won both the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year Award 2007.

Ronaldo became the first player to win both awards in the same year since Andy Gray in 1977; Ronaldo received his awards at a gala dinner in London on Sunday night (April 22).

Ronaldo has always been the favourite; his only real competitor for Player of the Year was Chelsea’s Didier Drogba, who is 2nd on the list, while Ronaldo’s Manchester United team mate Paul Scholes in 3rd.

The 2nd place for young players is Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas; Tottenham’s Aaron Lennon 3rd.

Manchester United also have a strong hold for PFA Premier League Team of the Year, filling 8 out of 11 spots. It will be quite an irony if Chelsea wins the Premier League and FA Cup in the end, with only one player in the Team of the Year… touch wood.

Edwin van der Sar, Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Didier Drogba (Chelsea) and Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham)

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson received a Special Merit Award.

Drogba and Ronaldo in list PFA on the premium of ” the best player of year “

Drogba and Ronaldo in list PFA on the premium of ” the best player of year “

The forward “CHelsi” Dide Drogba and the halfback “MU” Krishtianu Ronaldu have headed the list of Association of Professional Football players (PFA) for the right to become(begin) the best player of year.

Besides two most zabivnykh football players Prime-minister-league, in the list of applicants for a prestigious nomination are present Rajan Giggz, Floor Skoulz, Stephen Dzherrard (the winner of 2006) and TSesk Fabregas.

19-years Fabregas on pair with Wayne Runi and Ronaldu also it can be overcome for ” the best young player “. If the forward “mankuniantsev” will manage to receive the premium in it(this) to year Runi will set up a record, having taken this rank three times successively.
Also attacking “Reading” Kevin Doil, the halfback “Tottenkhema” Aaron Lennon and oboronets “City” Mika Richards also can become the best among young players on results of the last season.
Results of voting will be declared(announced) during a solemn dinner in London on April, 22nd

Ronaldo heads PFA award nominees

Ronaldo heads PFA award nominees

By Martin Smith

Ronaldo is one of six players nominated for the PFA award. Reflecting Manchester United's marauding season to date, elder statesmen Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are also nominated. Representatives of the other members of the Premiership elite - Chelsea's Didier Drogba, Steven Gerrard of Liverpool and Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas -complete the list.
Ronaldo, who is the outstanding favourite, returned to Old Trafford in July to the displeasure of the nation, fuelled by a rabid media campaign, after he was accused of playing a significant part in the sending-off of Wayne Rooney as England departed the World Cup at the quarter-final stage against Portugal. It looked at one stage as if Ronaldo would be forced to leave the Premiership.

Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the PFA, said: "This season was a big test for him, both of his temperament and his ability to rise above the abuse he received after the incident with Wayne Rooney, and he has passed with flying colours in every department. I was not sure after the World Cup if things would get back to normal at Old Trafford, but Cristiano has shown great maturity and proved himself to be a top, top player."

Much of the credit must go to Sir Alex Ferguson, his manager, who had managed to get Eric Cantona back on track a decade earlier, and who persuaded Ronaldo not only to stay but also to become one of the game's biggest draws. The showboating show pony of the past has transformed into a thoroughbred who can harness his box of tricks within a team ethic.

advertisement"He has still got the tricks," Taylor said, "and, if he was to perform them on the stage at the London Palladium, you would have to stand up and applaud. For him to be able to perform them on a football field, at full speed with everything going on around him, makes it all the more remarkable."

Drogba also came back from Germany last summer with something to prove. He had struggled to impose himself on Premiership defences in his first two seasons at Chelsea, only showing occasional flashes of what was to come. This season, however, he has scored 30 goals to keep Chelsea challenging for Premiership, FA Cup and Champions League honours, as well as winning the Carling Cup in February.

"What I have liked about Didier this season is the way he has committed himself to the Chelsea cause and how he has maintained such excellent form, even when Chelsea have been going through a sticky time," Taylor said.

Like Ronaldo, Fabregas has also been nominated for the Young Player of the Year award alongside Rooney, Kevin Doyle, of Reading, Tottenham's Aaron Lennon and Micah Richards, of Manchester City.

"Fabregas is usually at the heart of every [Arsenal] move," Taylor said. "He is going to be a player for all seasons if he keeps going the way he is."


PFA Player of the Year Nominees:
Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes (all Manchester United)

Young player nominees:
Kevin Doyle (Reading), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), Micah Richards (Manchester City), Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)