COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY
My Player of the Season
Comments (41) : Throughout the season until his untimely injury he has given wholesome, no-nonsense performances. OK, a couple of ricks here and there (Villa nightmare etc) also not being the most gifted distributor of the ball, he embodied the total commitment attitude craved by our manager and was always the embodyment of 'thou shalt not pass', which rubbed off on all those around him bringing out that 10% extra in all of his team-mates.
His honours are well deserved and I salute him. Voting for a player of the season is as always subjective and I have to say he wasn't my choice for one reason only ? Jack Rodwell.
Whilst Jags has made 42 starts and 1 subs appearance to young Jack's 11 starts and 13 subs appearances then I suppose no contest... but, having witnessed, I think, all of those games then I have to say it is Rodwell who thrilled me the most. Young ? yes. Inexperienced ? Yes... I am sure that a lad of his age needs nursing and will encounter dips in form. The manager has the duty of bringing him on at the pace his development deserves.
From my seat, I have seen something in that lad that lifts my spirit for the future of our club. In his short number of games he has tended to start a little apprehensively but in each one he has grown into the game and in some of his play I can almost hear him thinking, "I am as good or better than a lot of these..." and in a lot of his games he has ended up dictating play in midfield.
Whether this is his best or indeed ultimate position, I can only see a bourgeoning talent and, no matter if you are a top talent spotter or just a seasoned observer, there is something about his play that only comes along every once in a while and it's hard not to spot.
For a fan such as I who wants only the best for our club, I find myself both thrilled and delighted to watch his emergence and as such, he is the only player on our books that I feel may become a very big money target that the club may or may not be able to resist.
Having had similar feelings regarding Rooney and witnessing his removal from our ranks, I fervently hope the club have learned lessons to the extent of not just hoping he is a Blue but rather work quickly to the environment that keeps such talents at our club and use that talent to attract others.
As previously stated, Jags on appearances alone deserves his accolade this season, but in my book the emergence of Jack Rodwell and his displays have not only thrilled me but I believe I have been in on the very start of a BIG-BIG talent. I hope he has the luck that all players need to fulfill what I believe I have seen in him and the Blues have the foresight to ensure that it is with us he sees his future.
Player of the Season was a step to far for him this time in the popular vote but he is the player that has lit up my season and one I expect great things from.
Best of luck Jack Rodwell.
UP THE BLUES
Reader Comments
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
It will be more and more difficult to keep the slimey agents away for too long, so realistically the only way we can ever hope to hold onto the likes of this boy is with silverware and continuing to improve against the top 4.
That said, BK has just announced on the OS that no investment is pending because of the current climate, but then if we couldn?t get investment in the Boom, we are truly shafted in the Crunch..
However! I can see where the poster is coming from (although not from a Player of the Season vote) with J Rod. On more and more occasions this season he has dictated play in midfield - not least of which his cameo on Saturday when he just stole the field from David Noble (who is rated so, so highly) pinging passes around with no lack of confidence or ability.
I do honestly feel that we have got a true gem here and it’s nothing new. Ferguson has tried to snare him for United since he was 14 and I think it’s fair to say he knows one or two things about young footballers.
Personally I think if he can add shooting to his skills he can be every bit as good - if not better - than some of the media darlings playing right now. Ask yourself Jenas, Ballack, Barry or Rodwell???? He seems in a very similar mould to Carrick holding the centre mid together.
I’ve never met the guy but he looks and sounds well rounded and his parents deserve massive praise for that - hopefully that will keep his feet on the floor and not forget his background unlike some classless rat!!
Having been the first Englishman to score a winner at Wembley, how about the youngest Cup Winning goalscorer????
Go on my son!
But can I make a special mention of Tim "I’d play left back if the manager asked me to" Cahill as a very close second?
When we lost all of our strikers in November, he really stepped up to the plate leading the front line and chipping in with regular goals.
In the latter part of the season he has worked his socks off in a deeper position protecting the back four.
He is described by his team-mates as their ’warrior’ on the pitch. His influence on the side is palpable - we struggle when he doesn’t play.
And this is the season I think that Tiger Tim became an Everton legend.
So, Jags for Player of the Season, but I just thought a special mention for Tim Cahill was justified.
I think you summed up the attributes of a lot of our defenders when you described Jags "none shall pass" approach....
Other than that, Jags does deserve the award. Regarding Rodwell, his development, and long term future, time will tell.
I don’t think the club has any lessons to learn from Rooney. Ultimately until the finances change, available finance will largely dictate who is bought, who is sold, and when.
It?s easy to forget he?s just 18, there was a defining moment against West Ham, when he chased back and retrieved the ball from an opposition player with a great tackle (can?t recall who the player was but he got a bit upset) and I thought, wow, we could have something special here.
He reminds me a little of Gerrard in his early days, before he filled out and added strength to his guile.
If he?s half the player Gerrard turned out to be, I will be well pleased.
As usual, the ?Sky four? will have noted his development and will be preparing a bid, make no doubt about that. The lure of regular Champions League football and £60k a week is a pretty strong incentive for anyone.
I really hope he stays around long enough to develop his own game and Everton?s stature in the Premier League before the inevitable happens. Meanwhile, credit to the club for nurturing and developing a truly great prospect.
I think we?re all excited about Jack Rodwell. I also have hopes about one or two other young starlets, such as Kieran Agaard. I also yearn to see James Vaughan have a full pre-season and strike it lucky with an injury-free season to show us all what we?ve been missing. Even big Victor showed some very promising signs before he was assassinated by Nolan. So in terms of young players we are better placed than almost anyone apart from perhaps ManU.
As for player of the season, well I certainly wouldn't quibble with Jagielka's selection. There is a notable uncertainty about our central defensive pairing when Jags is away. And he has blossomed into a sensational defender and reader of the game. One extraordinary fact which is often overlooked is how few fouls he gives away, nevermind yellow cards. Contrast that with Nemanya Vidic.
But my player of the year goes to our captain. Phil Nevilla has been inspirational on and off the pitch. He arguably transformed our season that was rapidly going nowhere with his tackle on Ronaldo. He masters, cajoles and motivates the team in every single game. He has shown authority and flexibility for the sake of the team, playing wherever he is asked to. He is the antithesis of Ronaldo & simply a model professional and, in the context of his role as a footballer and Everton captain, a model gentleman.
I think everyone knows what Jags has done for us this season. But for me a vote for Phil Neville would be both hugely deserving and widely welcome.
Whatever happens in the Cup Final, I?m already feeling good about next season. We have 4 top players back from serious injury, fantastic youngsters coming through and a few more arrived or arriving, and perhaps 1 (maybe 2) quality players to launch our assault on the Sky4 next season.
Good time to be blue.
I?d like also to make an honourable mention to Joseph Yobo. Like JR he hasn?t played too many games and yes he does make the odd clanger. Did he moan when he lost him place to Jags through injury? Has he ever moaned during all his years at the club? A true professional and the embodiment of what it means to be a Blue.
Also seems to be forgotten that Jags was rather crap at the start of the season and making mistakes left, right and centre.
I mean, has he really been any better than Lescott in centre half, has he made less blunders?
I certainly don?t think he?s made the contribution that Baines has made, in terms of consistency and importance..
Jags has performed admirably since Christmas... but he has a lot to learn still.
I think it’s more like 1 talisman, in amongst a prolific striker, a good right winger and right back, a world class central midfielder and a couple of squad players.
While Jack is a great prospect and he made a decent contribution this season I cannot agree with putting him on top of the pile.
I voted for Leighton Baines (with Jagielka 2nd). While Jags more than deserved PotS award, when I casted my vote I took everything into consideration. Including which EFC player improved the team most during [still] current season. And here Bainesy is in class of its own. Baines was a missing link for Pienaar. With Leighton as a LB our left flank clicked nicely.
Unfortunately PotS award is only for one player. If I had it my way I would award it to Baines-Cahil-Jagielka Triumvirate.
This year we’ve ended up with a number of worthy contenders (and what if Mikel hadn’t been injured?), which is great. Let’s hope the competition gets harder season on season.
Baines was my man for the award, as he’s improved just as much as Jagielka and is now someone you couldn’t really leave out.
Rodwell is a fantastic talent and I take Ken’s article as very much tongue-in-cheek. If he stays and continues on his current trajectory then he will be winning PotS awards year after year.
One game as sub in the derby he did ok, but thats it, he is not a midfielder, does not ask for the ball from his defence and in the main has lokked lost in midfield.
He won shareholder young player of the year, to be honest it was a two horse race between him and Gosling I thinkk he won that on more appearances, the club young player went to Fellaini, so they did not see it either.
He has prospects but to date I have seen nothing that suggests what Kens post was portraying and it is almost disrepectful to Neville, Lescott, Howard, Baines, Cahill, Arteta,Osman for that mattter to suggest anything else as all of these would be ahead of Rodwell for the POY award even Hibbert,Yobo would be ahead of Jack.
I must say though that I agree with Alan Kirwin on this one. Pip has gone from a hate figure amongst some fans (I admit that criticism was deserved at times) to a vital part of the team and club. Say what you like about his limited footballing ability, but you cannot fail to respect the man’s attitude to the game and professionalism. He drives us on, lifting spirits, organising and talking all the time. Not to mention the impeccable way he conducts himself off the pitch. Who’d have thought a player from Man Utd would become such a fantastic ambassador for Everton. Respect to you Pip, you sum up so much of what we fans think is the Everton way.
Also special mention to Baines. As Ciaran pointed out, if your looking for a player who not only has played really well, but also massively improved the team’s performances, then look no further than Leighton Baines. He may have a name that sounds more like a 1950s private detective from one of those black and white movies, but he has finally started to show the skills that led Moyes to bring him to Goodison. Excellent to see so many names popping up for this award, shows how well we’ve done this season.
All in all it’s been an excellent effort from the entire squad (let’s face it we’ve needed pretty much all of them at some point), but special mentions to Cahill, Jags, Baines, Pip and Rodwell.
Just a couple more bits of unfinished business now. 5th and FA Cup winners would feel really warm and cosy come June.
COYB!!
Rodwell has shown good ball skills, cool head and is clearly an athlete.
But the main thing he has shown is he is not a natural midfielder and I would suggest confirm Moyes supicions that if he is to make it then it will be at centre half.
Jagielka is the obvious choice for an overall tremendous season. Followed by, 2: Neville 3: Cahill 4: Baines 5: Arteta.
With regard to Rodwell, we all know that both Chelsea and The Arse have been looking at him, personally I think it is only a matter of time before he moves to pastures bigger, especially the 'double your money' deal that keeps coming up. We all know until we get investment Moyes will have to sell to buy until the TV money comes in which is the last week of the transfer window. Therefore he has his targets but Blue Bill is skint...
Personally I don't think Jack will move this season, I think it will be Joleon, probably to City, this will give Moyes the money to bring in his targets, enhance the team and hopefully still move forward.
There have been comments regarding City and Ireland coming to us as part of the deal, personally again it is easier to replace a defender than a midfielder I would welcome that we still have Jags and Joey with Jack to cover in his natural position plus Macienne from Chelsea if that comes off.
Just my thoughts and opinions, hopefully I won't get shot.
Here in Oz we are lucky to have ?Viewers Choice? which means I have seen the whole of all Everton games on live TV. One must be willing though (as I always am) to leave your bed at god awful hours. I tape the games and watch all the highlight shows plus I scour many internet sites for blues news.
I am and have for many years been based in Australia but I sincerely hope that does not work against me when I say that, leaving aside any sympathy vote for Jags, of whom I hold the highest esteem, there really is only one genuine candidate for POY.
We are in 5th place and the final of the FA Cup, a fantastic effort from a numerically small squad further depleted by a long term injury list. Week after week it was every man to the pumps as David Moyes plugged the latest gap in his team of battlers. Players were used in positions different to their normal ones. For example, Neville from FB to MF, Lescott to FB then back to CB, Yobo to FB then CB. Those lads accepted such moves without complaint and did a good job in their temporary positions.
There was however one player who above all others did most to keep our hopes alive. You want a top class defensive midfielder, I give you Tim Cahill. You want a holding midfielder, again it's Tim Cahill, an attacking midfielder, yes it's Tim Cahill again. Perhaps you want someone to do a good job leading from the front? It?s that flaming aussie bloke again. You want someone who never says die, works his socks off for every minute of every game and is a proven world class goal scorer? My bloody oath! It?s not that Tiger Tim fellow again is it? On many occasions Tim has done all of the above in a single game.
Everyone knows that, of all our players at Wembley, there is one who without doubt will give a very good account of himself. Need I say who that is? Guus Hiddink knows better than anyone about Cahill?s impact and you can rest assured that he will be more wary of Tiger Tim than any others in our team. Guus knows full well that with a flash of pure uncoachable goal scoring genius our Tim is capable of turning any game on its head.
Jags is unsighted but under no preasure, Yobo lifts his left hand and points to Howard with the Villa striker behind him. Jags takes the advice of his colleague and the rest, as they say, is Villa in sixth place :^)
Jags so clearly the Player of the Season. That?s from an Aussie. Of course if Tim scores a Cup Final hat-trick ...
When Arteta got injured, I told my son it was "season over". We would be forced to play hoofball and that would be the end. But Cahill slotted into the central midfield role, always made himself available for the ball. From the second half of the cup tie against Middlesbrough onwards, he has been the oil in the wheels we need to pass the ball ? which we now do most of the time.
For a player labeled as "not the best technically" this is an amazing achievement. He is our KEY man.
Jags has been great, as has Baines. I agree with Keith Buckley about the potential of Rodwell. Hard to judge a player's positional play from watching on TV (I live overseas) but time seems to slow down when he has the ball ? a sign of a great player. He can also tackle, head, pass and shoot. Some shots may be wayward, but if you don?t have a go then none will go in. It shows confidence. He also has decent pace for that position and tracks back well.
I can?t understand those who say he is not a central midfielder. I think he needs to learn more about reading the game and where to position himself, but he has all the skills needed to do the job (unlike say Jags). Fortunately experience will cure his defects, and he has already stepped up a whole level this season.
He is the Carsley replacement (and much, much more).
I can?t remember the year let alone the actual date but what I do remember is this fair haired kid played for Man United and his name was Bobby Charlton.
Rodwell is a great prospect ... but Moyes has managed him well and next season may be his break through. He is good enough on the ball to command a midfield slot but will most likely end up in the middle of the back four.
Still ... great to have the youth coming through ... just don’t compare him to Beckenbauer just yet ... a couple of League titles, European and World Cups to go just yet!
I rated Jags and Pienaar with 5 stars so should push him up the rankings.
Prior to the Man City home game Jags had been enjoying almost unbroken top form since the beginning of the season. He had broken into the England squad. The gossip pages were linking him with moves to the Sky Four. He was even being suggested as a viable nomination for the PFA and FWA Player Of The Year. Jags is not Franz Beckenbauer - he does occasionally hit the rather hopeful long-ball - but we all know how he dealt with Torres (and how Yobo couldn’t) and in basic defensive terms, he is a fantastic footballer.
When Rooney broke into the first team, the impact he made was immediate and eye-catchingly brilliant. The world could see that a new world-class footballer had arrived. With Rodwell, I think that people are so keen for him to be a big player - and have heard a few whispers that he might have the ability to get himself there - that people are believing the hype. Rooney blew hype out of the water within months. I think it might take Rodwell a good while longer. And if (and when) he manages to do it, then maybe then we can talk about him as a realistic recipient of the Everton Player Of The Season Award.
Jags was magnificent, and he will only get better, but I choose Cahill because, of the two, he?s the more irreplaceable.
The talented Rodwell, the rapidly maturing Baines and the confident new Pienaar are the excitement for next season... the transformation in the Pocket Rocket since Arteta went down is amazing, and we?ll surely have two dynamic playmakers on the field this fall, not just one.
To be honest I think the guy has potential, but I have to say - all the talk about how he has "dominated matches" this season is rubbish. He’s had a couple of decent games, some shaky ones and generally done ok.
I can’t believe how no one on here has mentioned Fellaini. Yes, I agree he shouldn’t be in the running for POTS as others have done better. But the guy is our top scorer, has had to play out of position, has scored and assisted some crucial goals, has an excellent touch and technique and in my opinion is only a bit of power, toughening up, tactical discipline and concentration away from becoming a top Premiership midfielder. Hats off to Marouane!
Oh, and finally, people on here make out as though Jags is loads better than Yobo. Rubbish. Jags has had a better season by far. But form is temporary and class is permanent and for me Yobo is a class act, who is at least on a par in terms of overall quality with Jags.
Add Your Comments
In order to post a comment to Column articles, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.
Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and MailBag submissions across the site.
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
1 Posted 20/05/2009 at 07:42:40
Report abuse
Jags has been far and away our player of the season. I don’t think you can realistically argue otherwise and while I understand that you’re not trying necessarily to undermine Jag’s season, I think that the player of the year award is far from "on appearances alone". The guy has been utterly fantastic for most of the season.
I think we’re looking good with the likes of Rodwell, Fellaini and Gosling coming through. They could all go on to be good Premiership players, but I agree that Rodwell has something special about him.
I am still undecided about whether he should be coached into the holding midfield or the cultured, ball-playing centre half role. I guess we’ll see how he develops, but with the experience of playing in centre-mid at this early stage of his career, he could really develop the skills to be a world class centre-half. He could also develop into a top class defensive midfielder. Wherever he plays, I just hope his development continues and continues at Everton for the next 15 years.