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Football365


Barclays Premiership leaders Chelsea dominate the nominations for the 2006 Professional Footballers' Association Footballer of the Year Award.

The PFA's 33rd annual awards dinner, to be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, will take place on Sunday, April 23, with the six nominees in each of the two categories now confirmed.

Chelsea trio Frank Lampard and Joe Cole and last year's winner John Terry all make the shortlist for the main accolade. Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard, Arsenal captain Thierry Henry - winner in 2003 & 2004 - and Manchester United's Wayne Rooney are also nominated.

PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor is not surprised to see Terry, 25, again among the contenders for player of the year.

"He has been the cornerstone, not just of the Chelsea defence, but the whole foundations on which their success over the last couple of years has been built," said Taylor.

"John is the one person you would want alongside you in the trenches because he is strong, dependable, reliable and fearless.

"If things are not going well he will come up front and get a goal for you at a corner or free-kick - and from that point of view he was a worthy winner of Players' Player of the Year award last year.

"A rock at the back for Chelsea, he will be the same for England at the World Cup, I am sure."

England striker Rooney, still only 20, picked up the 2005 Young Player of the Year award, and features again in that category.

"Wayne is special," Taylor added.

"His development under Sir Alex Ferguson has been great to see and he has been such a key part of a United side which has won the Carling Cup and, of late, has mounted a belated challenge to Chelsea in the race for the Premiership title.

"For a young man he has got such strength and it is all allied to great skill and perception.

"He is starting to show a lot more maturity too, which I am really pleased about.

"When you think he might be wound up by opponents, he has learned to count to 10 and control that side of his temperament while maintaining his total commitment.

"All of which bodes really well for Manchester United, and particularly for England.

"If he can stay clear of injury and he continues to develop the way he has, there is no end to what he can achieve.

"We must all remember though, he is still a young man and we should not have too high expectations of him because he has got a long way to go - but he will get there if he is looked after properly."

Rooney's Old Trafford team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, 21, also makes the shortlist, along with Darren Bent of Charlton.

The England striker, 22, has bagged 20 goals for the Addicks this season, and is hopeful of making the World Cup squad.

West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand, 21, Cesc Fabregas of Arsenal, 18, and Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon, who turns 19 later this week, also feature.

2006 PFA Player of the Year contenders:

Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Thierry Henry (Arsenal), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), John Terry (Chelsea).

2006 PFA Young Player of the Year contenders:

Darren Bent (Charlton), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Anton Ferdinand (West Ham), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

[stmichael]

Pathetic - utterly unbelievable that Sissoko isn't nominated in the young player category.

And as for Lampard being nominated for player of the year, don't even get me started on that one.

[2520years]

I agree, Lampard seems to be there on reputation.  He's not had a great season by his own high standards.  The others I more or less agree with, and I reckon Rooney should get it.

As for the Young Player, by my reckoning they'd have to go for Rooney in that one too.

Maybe, they'll insist on a token Londoner and go for Terry and Rooney.

[stmichael]

also, where's arteta? absolutely scandalous

[laza]

media hype awards 

[2520years]

media hype awards 

These are the "Union Members back-scratching awards".  The media ones are yet to come!
 

[laza]

media hype awards 

These are the "Union Members back-scratching awards".  The media ones are yet to come!
 

LOL


I always get those two mixed up for some reason

[2520years]

There's so many different awards it's not surprising.  Mind you, I've been working hard for decades and still haven't won anything!

[RichardLFC1]

Cant believe carragher isnt in the running for pfa and agree sissoko should be in for young pfa

[RUSHIE#9]

Gollum will be doing his feckin' nut that ugly Neville number 2 hasn't been nominated seeing as how he's been bumming off of him for the past few months - absolutely scandalous

[stmichael]

I always felt it would be between Rooney and Gerrard, and I reluctantly think Rooney will win it. The PFA vote horribly early on this though (February, I think) so Rooney's current excellent form may have come a touch too late. I think the early voting is also what's done for Sissoko in terms of not being nominated in the young players category, that and the fact that everyone probably assumes he's in his mid 20s from the number of consistent big match performances he's put in this season.

It's still astounding to think he's only 21

[fivecups]

Even being biased against him, I think that Rooney has been the best player in the Premiership this season. He is a hugely exciting footballer, with innate brilliance - Im looking forward to seeing what he does in the World Cup - even if he is a Manc.

[RUSHIE#9]

The timing of the PFA awards has always confused me. It's the player of the year awards but what feckin' year, it's april for gods sake. Is it an award for the past calendar year which is rediculosly late or is it for the current season which means it's way too early with still a month of the season to go. IMO it's too early to be rewarding anybody yet for the current season as there's stll time for somebody who has maybe just missed out on a nomination to change things and jump to the head of the list. Complete waste of time as it's very rarely awarded to many deserving players over the past few years.

[stmichael]

Even being biased against him, I think that Rooney has been the best player in the Premiership this season. He is a hugely exciting footballer, with innate brilliance - Im looking forward to seeing what he does in the World Cup - even if he is a Manc.

Agree. I can't stand the guy but he's f#cking quality. He also produces in the massive games when it really matters..

Don't get me wrong he can go quite a few games without scoring like all strikers do but he still contributes a lot to the mancs team, even more so as they've got virtually no midfield at the moment.

If we had a player of his stature in our side then we'd go from a very good team to an awesome team.

[NiftyNeil]

I can't believe that Carragher hasn't been nominated for PFA player of the year. The guy hasn't had one bad game this year.
The nominees: 
Joe Cole - couldn't get a game for the first few months of the season.
John Terry - not at the same level he was last year
Terry Henry - disappears in away fixtures
Frank Lampard - can't argue with his nomination
Wayne Rooney - ditto
Steven Gerrard - a good season, but not Liverpool's player of the season IMO

I think when these players must be voting, most of them go for the easy choice, instead of really thinking about it. It's the same with the media voting too, you'll probably get the same nominees.