I’m pretty sure Players’ Player of the Year rules oblige nominees to come from more than one club, allowing players the opportunity to vote for at least one opponent, instead of a team-mate. That being the case, we will probably see a token Aberdeen player on the list alongside the Celtic nominees.
This award, voted by the professionals, has been dominated by Celtic players for a lot longer than the league title itself. Di Canio, McNamara, Larsson (twice), Viduka, Sutton, Hartson, Maloney, Namakura, McGeady, Brown, Izaguirre, Mulgrew, Commons, Johansen and Griffiths make an incredible 16 Celtic winners in the last 20 years.
The current holder missed the chance of defending his title after an early season injury kept him out of the team, then the irrepressible form of Moussa Dembele made Leigh’s chances of a sustained run unlikely.
Moussa, alongside Kieran Tierney, are likely to be nominated for both Player and Young Player of the Year. Stuart Armstrong’s late season form may see him nominated, while Tom Rogic’s early season form deserves a shout, but all electorates have notoriously short memories, so Stuart stands a better chance than Tom.
Scott Sinclair has been the transformational element in Scottish football this season. His speed of thought and control are exceptional. He was the player who Celtic battered defences into submission early in the season as Celtic picked up from some nervy European qualification performances, and transformed into a well-oiled machine.
Scott’s performances in his debut season in Scottish football reminds me of a former PotY winner’s debut season. Both arrived as support forwards in their mid 20s. They share the same speed of thought. This instant the ball arrives(d) in their vicinity, the next phase is already underway.
I remember commenting during the season that stopped the 10 that Henrik Larsson was “precious” to Celtic. It was clear he was having a huge impact on the team, but Jackie McNamara and Craig Burley outshone him for many as they picked up the Players’ and Writers’ trophies respectively that season. Henrik’s true talent was still unfolding.
Scott Sinclair’s impact this season has been no less precious. For me he is the stand out Player of the Year. Oh, and the nomination from Aberdeen, I suppose it has to be Ryan Christie, who steadied a stuttering Dons team and helped secure what will surely be second place.
Join prodigious Celtic writer, Paul John Dykes, at the launch of Tom Campbell’s new book, Bobby Evans, Celtic’s forgotten hero, at the Admiral Bar, this Thursday, 6 April, at 7pm. You get register and find all details here.
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What’s up with Lee Wallace?
Grasstroenteritis?
Scott Sinclair will win all of the Player of the Year awards available to him, and deservedly so.
When he first arrived i wasn’t sure what to expect. Villa fans labelled him and dud and a coward. Given that Brendan knew him well and went out of his way to get him there was a fair chance he would be a good signing. Of course his initial impact at Tynecastle was well documented and that showed how much faith Brendan had in him by playing him only 24 hours after he signed. But it was the next match that got me excited, against Motherwell in the League Cup at home. He was playing in front of me in the first half, a pass was played into him with pace, he killed it, spun and drove at the defender in a manner that made you say wow in you’re on head. Having spent the last few years watching the ball bounce off other players in a similar scenario, it was a moment when i thought to myself, we’ve really signed a player here.
This is an extract from Evening Times Rag Today,
CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers last night refused to rule out a sensational move to sign Patrick Roberts on a permanent deal.
And the winger, who will return to Manchester City when his 18 month load deal, admitted he has LOVED his time in Glasgow and he too could see a way for him to extend his stay.
Roberts, 20, cost City £12m last summer when he moved from Fulham and while they would struggle to recoup that kind of money for the Englishman, their fee might well be out of Rodgers’s price range.
” Brendan goes onto to say that maybe Patrick could come back for next season on another loan deal , if things don’t go his way pre season after talking with City manger.
HH
Back early from my trip to Manchester and even sorted a ticket from the print at home Celtic site for tomorrow night. Time for cup of tea, maybe when I come back the site will be about football again. It has been informative though. HH
Hot smoked.
Both are still injured.
I wouldn’t bet against Sevco winning tomorrow.
Killies interim manager spoke more about Sevco and their manager, rather than his team, at his presser. The one thing he did say about Killie was how few fit players he had.
BARNEY67 on 4TH APRIL 2017 4:52 PM
BIG JIMMY, and anyone else interested, just found out there is a Breaking Bad movie just released. Its a 2 hour condensed version of the whole show, apparently its pretty good but ive not seen it yet. Its available on Kodi Movie apps. How they’ve managed to squeeze 62 episodes into 2 hours i dont know.
………………………………………….
Barney my old son, if the huns can squeeze 54 league titles into 4 years then anything is possible ?
HH
What i think the Player of the Year shortlist should be and deserving order,
1, Scott Sinclair
2, Scott Brown
3, Craig Gordon
4, Moussa Dembele
5, Stuart Armstrong
6, James Forrest
7, Kieran Tierney
BEATBHOY 5.34pm
I like that, very good !
HH
JIMMYNOTPAUL 5.17,
Cheers mate, respect !
HH
The spin off series of the excellent ‘Breaking Bad’, ‘ Better Call Saul’, a prequel about the lawyer Saul Goodman aka Jimmy McGill, starts its 3rd series next week on Netflix.
Also very good, Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks outstanding performances again.
JIMMYNOTPAUL on 4TH APRIL 2017 5:48 PM
I thought that too. That thug McCullough might as well have turned up waving a white flag. With red and blue trim.
Sod them.
Cannae wait to see the Champions run out at Paradise.
Big Jimmy
Cheers!
BEATBHOY on 4TH APRIL 2017 5:25 PM
Big Jimmy
Who’s this “Rangers” you’re talking about??
……………….
Tell you what BEATBHOY, NEXT time your chatting to Brendan Rodgers, ask him the same feckin question ?
Why haven’t you posted today complaining about Brendan calling Sevco “Rangers” ?
Don’t bother replying I’ve made my point.
‘Big baw face blue tie Mackay’ wearing the bluest blue tie in the history of blue ties.
Fanny baws!
HH!!
Big Jimmy
Calm down, it was tongue-in-cheek, hence the double question mark.
After the previous few pages, I wasn’t seriously going to get started on THAT!
Again!
POTY- Scott Sinclair.
YPOTY- Kieran Tierney, with some sort of acknowledgement for Moussa Dembele too.
With Dembele and Griffiths still injured, tomorrow night would be the ideal opportunity to give Jack Aitchison his first start.
Earlier this season in a game we toiling, lots of passes across the middle of the pitch going nowhere. SS runs from the box takes the ball from Broonie(?) turns and runs at the opposition defence. Celtic lift their game and a few minutes later we score…. POTY for me
POTY – Sinclair
YPOTY – Dembele
As far as the politics go.
Do you believe democracy = freedom?
Do you believe competition = prosperity?
Do you believe currency = money?
Do you believe war brings peace?
Do you believe any form of debt leads to financial success?
Important points to be pondered.
Due to social media, the most profitable item in the world today is your attention. Those that have it will prosper. Either unplug, or select your focus wisely.
Just like our own political troll on someone’s payroll, Ernie Lynch.
As long as he directs the blogs conversation away from Celtic, he’s got you by the short and curlies.
Think about that.
Aff oot.
WINNING CAPTAINS
What size chest is the XL tee shirt please?
SIN CITY BHOY
Good post!
YPOTY KT
POTY
SCOTT BROWN
YPOTY
KEIREN AND MOUSSA (I can’t split them)
Real Player of the Year
Kenny Miller
Youngest most expensive ever POTY
BARRIE RED BULL
MWD
beatbhoy on 4th April 2017 5:34 pm
What’s up with Lee Wallace?
=====================================
He’s not got the stomach for a couple of games against the Champions…
Off to see if York can get out of the relegation zone with a win tonight against Bromley…
My POTY (by some distance): Stuart Armstrong.
Good evening, friends.
Goals For Shay 2 – Round 2 – starts tonight. The following 6 competitors have still to email their pick to cqnpredictor@gmail.com so if you’re lurkin’ get emailin’ ;-)
Marrakesh
speyside lhad
Fraz
John Bhoy
BigRailroadblues
The VictorZulus
I hope to issue a ‘who has picked whom message within the hour….
Sin City Bhoy
As usual, Ernie Lynch did not start the political posts. He was responding to one in particular, and was then following up with other posters.
Settingfreethebears posted recently about the pattern of Ernie being blamed for politics appearing on the blog when he is very often not the instigator.
Surely anyone posting on politics should expect a response from other posters?
West End of East End
He must think his team is about to go belly-up again!
And he’s right on the button.
Beatbhoy
Would help if Ernie answered a direct question!
My only issue with him. Something he has mastered in whatever career path he has followed.
MWD
What pisses me off most about Ernie is his blog name, how can anyone espouse the political stuff he does and think it a good idea to take the name of such a revolutionary icon.
He opposes the Independence of his Country because “it might” affect his standard of living.
FFS Lads starved themselves to death here for the cause.
Brill
Beatbhoy,
Agreed 100% ernie gets the blame and the trolls walk away job done
I think KT missed a few weeks therefore big Moussa for TPOTY
Politics on Cqn bore me but real life heartbreaking incidents as VFR posted should render point scoring null and void…
Corky,
Big difference between being occupied and a negotiated union
Canamalar
Ernie gets the blame! What is this P1 classroom. He always seems happy enough to put his tuppence worth in, and more importantly question others without the will to answer a single question himself. He is a political master at trolling himself.
MWD