PF EH?

So, the big news of last week (if you ignore the Champions League) was the announcement of the nominees for the PFA Player of the Year gongs.

Every year, the members of the Professional Footballer's Association - that's basically the professional footballers of this fair country - nominate for a Player and Young Player of the Year. There are also divisional teams of the year, and it cannot be denied that these prizes always cause plenty of debate.

The problem is that the system seems a bit outdated. The players make their votes in January - halfway through the season - and that is why there is such a Manchester United bias in this year's nominees.

When the votes were made, United were in the process of not conceding a goal for months on end in the Premier League, and Edwin van der Sar was God between the posts. No-one would be able to deny that around then, he was one of the top six players in the country.

But who could have forseen United getting tanked 4-1 at home to Liverpool, losing at Fulham and then needing a 17-year-old debutant to see off Aston Villa?

In truth, in January, United looked like they would run away with the title. They were flying, Liverpool were stuttering and Chelsea (still under Big Phil) and Arsenal were nowhere (oh, what's that? Oh, some things don't change!).

Normally, the PFA prize is a fair reflection of who has been the best player. Normally - like last year - it is cut and dried in January. There was no way Cristiano Ronaldo wouldn't rightfully be crowned Player of the Year in 2008.

But in this season where individuals have not shone out like the Portuguese wizard did last year, it is hard enough to pick a winner now, let alone from three months ago.

As it is, the winner will be one of Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard, Ryan Giggs, Ronaldo, Van der Sar or Nemanja Vidic.

But, the truth is, if Fernando Torres - undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the world - fires Liverpool to the title their fans have longed for since 1990, then the joke will be on the PFA.

And that, my friends, is a real shame.

* Have your say - and vote for your winner - at http://www.big-football-forum.co.uk/bff/viewtopic.php?t=7638