Scott Parker: Player of the Year by far

You can't have a Player of the Year who is relegated that same season. That is the opinion of several people, who are frankly wrong. It is about time that these awards were actually given to the players that deserve them and not the player who's respective team is highest in the league.

There were calls for the gong to go be given to Nani. Here's why they're wrong, The award is for the Player of the year NOT the Team of the year, it is supposed to be recognition for the single player that has made the most difference to their team's performances. There can't be any argument that Parker hasn't done that for West Ham this year. You may say "well he hasn't made that much difference, they are still bottom of the League". 

That is where you're wrong again, the 12th February at the Hawthorns, the Hammers trail 3-0 at the break, Avram Grant is helpless, the players are dejected, step forward Scott Parker, It is not clear what exactly was said, but sources said that Parker's half time speech reduced some of the players to tears. Sure enough, West Ham come out in the second half, guns blazing and they salvage a 3-3 draw, a result which could be vital in the Hammer's survival hopes this season.


And that is something that Nani or any of the other nominees don't posses, the ability without even touching the ball to affect their teams performance's. But take nothing away from Parker's ability on the ball, he has a kind of aurora about him, something that gives him so much more time on the ball than other players, but that's just the start, he can tackle, he can dribble and he's got a decent shot on him aswell.


Parker has been the only consistent player nominated this season, the others have either been out injured or have hit low form during the campaign, of course these players have their high-profile moments, Berbatov's over-head kick against Liverpool and Bale's stunning performance at the San Siro to name a few. But what about the tackles, the defensive displays that have kept teams in games, there is no recognition for them, mainly because people don't want to see that, they want the exciting and the skillful side of football.


The only reason Gareth Bale won the PFA player of the year award was because of his hat-trick against Inter, fair enough it was a great effort by Bale, but he has been injured for half of the season and has been ineffective after that night in Milan anyway. A player who is kept out of a game by Phil Neville needs to take a  long, hard look at themselves. 


The nominations for the FWA Player of the Year are as listed:


Carlos Tevez
Nemanja Vidic
Samir Nasri 
Gareth Bale
Dimitar Berbatov
Jack Wilshere
Florent Malouda
Scott Parker
Robin van Persie
John Terry


The 3 players that lead their players by example are Terry, Tevez and Parker. The problem I have with who these awards are given to is that it is often not taken into account the 'What If' factor, what if Arsenal didn't have Wilshire, what if Chelsea hadn't had Malouda for the season, it probably wouldn't have made much difference. But if West Ham didn't have Parker, I think they would have been consigned to relegation already.


The difference that these players can make is vital and I think that they need to be based on their value to their team aswell as their individual performances, after all it is a team game.