Ronaldo Leads Players' Player List
After a fantastic season Cristiano Ronaldo is favorite to retain the PFA player of the year award
It is no surprise that Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United is the hottest of favourites to retain the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year crown he won last spring after scoring 37 club goals to date in a season that has seen him bewitch fans and bewilder opponents in equal measure.
The other nominees are Liverpool's Spanish striker Fernando Torres, Arsenal's Cesc Fábregas and Emmanuel Adebayor, Portsmouth's renascent England goalkeeper David James and Liverpool's Steven Gerrard.
Along with Fábregas and Torres Ronaldo has also been nominated for the young player of the year award and is, once again, defending his title. Further competition for this year's junior prize comes from Manchester City's Micah Richards and Aston Villa's Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor.
Ronaldo is also being strongly tipped to be named Fifa world player of the year after finishing behind Milan's Kaka and Barcelona's Lionel Messi last season.
Gordon Taylor, the PFA chief executive, yesterday paid tribute to each nominee in his association's two categories. Of Ronaldo he said: "The debate about whether he's as good as George Best will go on and on but for him to have broken George's goalscoring record from a wide position is phenomenal."
Taylor also had unstinting praise for Torres: "There have been many great Liverpool No9s down the years and he has carried on the tradition this season, responding brilliantly to what was a massive challenge. All of which speaks volumes about his strength of character as well as his ability."
On the subject of James, Taylor said: "It is a tribute to David that goalkeepers are rarely nominated but he fully deserves to join the elite list because he continues to be a top-class keeper - the most consistent in the Premier League this season - and an excellent role model." The winners will be announced on Sunday April 27.
Player of the year
Cristiano Ronaldo Man Utd
Fernando Torres Liverpool
Steven Gerrard Liverpool
Emmanual Adebayor Arsenal
Cesc Fábregas Arsenal
David James Portsmouth
Young player
Ronaldo
Torres
Adebayor
Gabriel Agbonlahor Aston Villa
Ashley Young Aston Villa
Micah Richards Manchester City
Winners to be announced on April 27
The other nominees are Liverpool's Spanish striker Fernando Torres, Arsenal's Cesc Fábregas and Emmanuel Adebayor, Portsmouth's renascent England goalkeeper David James and Liverpool's Steven Gerrard.
Along with Fábregas and Torres Ronaldo has also been nominated for the young player of the year award and is, once again, defending his title. Further competition for this year's junior prize comes from Manchester City's Micah Richards and Aston Villa's Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor.
Ronaldo is also being strongly tipped to be named Fifa world player of the year after finishing behind Milan's Kaka and Barcelona's Lionel Messi last season.
Gordon Taylor, the PFA chief executive, yesterday paid tribute to each nominee in his association's two categories. Of Ronaldo he said: "The debate about whether he's as good as George Best will go on and on but for him to have broken George's goalscoring record from a wide position is phenomenal."
Taylor also had unstinting praise for Torres: "There have been many great Liverpool No9s down the years and he has carried on the tradition this season, responding brilliantly to what was a massive challenge. All of which speaks volumes about his strength of character as well as his ability."
On the subject of James, Taylor said: "It is a tribute to David that goalkeepers are rarely nominated but he fully deserves to join the elite list because he continues to be a top-class keeper - the most consistent in the Premier League this season - and an excellent role model." The winners will be announced on Sunday April 27.
Player of the year
Cristiano Ronaldo Man Utd
Fernando Torres Liverpool
Steven Gerrard Liverpool
Emmanual Adebayor Arsenal
Cesc Fábregas Arsenal
David James Portsmouth
Young player
Ronaldo
Torres
Adebayor
Gabriel Agbonlahor Aston Villa
Ashley Young Aston Villa
Micah Richards Manchester City
Winners to be announced on April 27
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