The nominees for the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year awards were announced yesterday and despite lying 5th in the Premier League table, there were no Newcastle United players to be seen. Just in case you missed the lists, Manchester City’s trio of Silva, Aguero and Hart were shortlisted alongside Parker, Rooney and Van Persie for the main award, while Bale, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sturridge, Walker, Welbeck and Aguero again were nominated for the young player award. There might not be any Newcastle players in either shortlist, but Magpies manager Alan Pardew should view that as a positive not a negative and here’s why.
There are a number of players you think could have made the PFA Player of the Year shortlist. The likes of Fabricio Coloccini, Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba and more recently Hatem Ben Arfa could all have been considered, while goalkeeper Tim Krul could have made the main list and the Young Player of the Year list of nominees too. It’s no great surprise that a Newcastle star hasn’t been nominated, although I’m not sure that Hart and Oxlade-Chamberlain have done enough to be included in their respective lists, and it just shows that the Magpies are a team rather than a couple of individuals.
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Throughout this season, a lot of different players have stood up to be counted at different times. Ba started the season on fire and Papiss Cisse and Ben Arfa have impressed recently, while Krul, Coloccini and Cabaye have been excellent throughout. Never has Pardew had to rely on one player coming good, which Arsenal have done through much of the season, and instead has seen his squad share the load. Ba won’t score in every game and eventually Cisse won’t either, but as long as one of them does then that’s all that matters.
Newcastle are the only team in the top six without a player nominated, but it is team achievements that matter, not personal accolades. That’s what Pardew should be telling his players and it might be a cliché but if there was an award for team spirit then Newcastle would be sure to get it. Pardew himself may end up being named Manager of the Year if he can guide Newcastle into the top four, but that won’t matter a jot to him. Neither should Newcastle’s stars being snubbed by the PFA, as they can favour the ‘big clubs’ but the Premier League table can’t!
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Why the good times are back on Tyneside…
