Boab 73 Posted April 18, 2011 Author Share Posted April 18, 2011 Tottenham's Gareth Bale has been voted player of the year by the Professional Footballers' Association.The 21-year-old has scored 11 goals in 36 games for Spurs this season.Bale, who is the fourth Welshman to win after Ian Rush, Mark Hughes and Ryan Giggs, said: "It is a honour really when you look at the names that have won it before and it just makes you go 'wow' really."The young player of the year award went to Arsenal's Jack Wilshere.In winning the player of the year award Bale beat competition from Charlie Adam, Samir Nasri, Scott Parker, Carlos Tevez, Rafael van der Vaart and Nemanja Vidic."I am more than delighted really," he said. "It is a massive award and it is a great honour to receive, especially from other fellow professionals.GARTEH BALE SPURS BIOContinue reading the main story Gareth Bale * Born: 16 July 1989 * Debut: 26 August 2007 * 112 Appearances * 17 Goals * Previous club: SouthamptonThe award completes a remarkable turnaround for a player who at the start of 2010 was only on the fringes of the Spurs team.At that point in his career he had yet to start a game for Spurs that they had gone on to win, and there was speculation about a move away, but the left-sided attacking midfielder never doubted his abilities."At the beginning I wasn't really playing much and I always believed in myself that if I did get a run in the team - which I eventually did - that I would be able to prove what I can do," he added."That did happen and I kind of never really looked back from there. Playing in a good team with good players definitely helped me a lot and all the boys have been fantastic, the manager has been fantastic, giving me my chance, and it is something I want to improve on."There is now transfer gossip of a different kind, with Bale being linked to some of the biggest clubs in Europe. Although, the player did sign a new contract last month which, unless Spurs decide to sell him, will keep him at the club until 2015.Bale's remarkable run of form began towards the end of last season when an injury to Benoit Assou-Ekotto meant he was given a run of games in the first team.In keeping with his attacking style, the only way was forward from there. Before the season was over he had scored winning goals against London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea and helped Spurs to fourth place and Champions League qualification.It was his perfomances in Spurs' Champions League campaign, though, that really caught the eye. In particular a second half hat-trick against Inter Milan.Ultimately it was to be in a losing cause, but it was the nature of his finishing and direct running that impressed so many. He then followed it up with a man of the match display in the return fixture at White Hart Lane.But despite the acclaim and the awards coming at such a young age the Welshman is famously down to earth.He said: "There haven't been too many Welshman to have won the trophy but it is great and it is great for me personally. And it is not just for me, it is for all my team-mates that have helped me through the season and it is kind of for everyone really."He already has 27 caps for Wales and on n making his debut against Trinidad and Tobago in June 2006 as a substitute, he became their youngest ever full-international at just 16 years 315 days.Bale had also been nominated for the young player of the year award too but that went elsewhere in North London.JACK WILSHERE PFA YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEARThe Arsenal and England midfielder has had an astonishing season, securing a place in the Gunners' first team and making his full international debut for England too.He said: "It is my first full season and it is a massive award, especially from my fellow players, it is amazing.Continue reading the main story Jack Wilshere I am delighted just to be in the team to win an award, so I have to keep it up now and hopefully we can win something this year.Jack Wilshere Arsenal"I am very proud to be the fifth recipient from Arsenal, it is good to keep this history going. Arsenal is a good club for bringing youngsters through and they keep proving it so I would like to thank the manager as well."Wilshere proves that more than most, having signed for Arsenal at just nine years old, making an impression among the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie and Andrey Arshavin can not have been easy, but Wilshere has begun to look more and more like one of manager Arsene Wenger's first names on the team sheet.Like Bale, part of the reason for the acclaim has been his performances in Europe and, also like the Spurs player, they came in what proved a losing cause.In the two legs of Arsenal's Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona the central midfielder was arguably Arsenal's best player and looked more than at home in the company of Spain's world champions Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta."I am a bit surprised," he added. "I always knew I could do but still it was a surprise how early it came. I am delighted just to be in the team to win an award, so I have to keep it up now and hopefully we can win something this year."PFA TEAMS OF THE YEARPremier League:Van Der Sar (Man Utd), Sagna (Arsenal), Cole (Chelsea), Vidic (Man Utd), Kompany (Man City), Nani (Man Utd), Nasri (Arsenal), Wilshere (Arsenal), Bale (Tottenham), Tevez (Man City), Berbatov (Man Utd).Championship:Kenny (QPR), Naughton (Leicester), Harte (Reading), Williams (Swansea), Morgan (Nottm Forest), Taarabt (QPR), Sinclair (Swansea), King (Leicester), Hoolahan (Norwich), Graham (Watford), Holt (Norwich).League One:Davis (Southampton), Calderon (Brighton), Harding (Southampton), Greer (Brighton), Fonte (Southampton), Pilkington (Huddersfield), Bennett (Brighton), Lallana (Southampton), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Southampton), Mackail-Smith (Peterborough), Wright-Phillips (Charlton).League Two:Lee (Chesterfield), Batt (Oxford), Skarz (Bury), Sharps (Shrewsbury), Branston (Torquay), Whitaker (Chesterfield), Ainsworth (Wycombe), Ryan (Accrington), Lowe (Bury), Law (Rotherham), Davies (Chesterfield). 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Boab 73 Posted April 18, 2011 Author Share Posted April 18, 2011 Should be Parker instead of Nasri, had a wee spell and that was that, but glad Adam not there in the team. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSuedeSambas 53,786 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Should be Parker instead of Nasri, had a wee spell and that was that, but glad Adam not there in the team.Really Boab?Like him or not, it's impossible to even ignore the fact that Adam has been one of the best midfield players in the Premiership this season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boab 73 Posted April 18, 2011 Author Share Posted April 18, 2011 Really Boab?Like him or not, it's impossible to even ignore the fact that Adam has been one of the best midfield players in the Premiership this season.Bale, Parker, Wilshere, Nani or Valencia seems fine to me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zimmerman 40 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 How can you be up for the award, yet not make it into the team? Especially when people who weren't up for it are... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
broxibear87 129 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Bale, Parker, Wilshere, Nani or Valencia seems fine to me.Valencia is just returning from an injury he sustained against Rangers in September Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSuedeSambas 53,786 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Bale, Parker, Wilshere, Nani or Valencia seems fine to me.Valencia Your obviously trolling with that suggestion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplythebest 11,453 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 There's been over hype about Bale as is standard with the British media, but the guy is still clearly a very talented young footballer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue_Stu 1 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Bale is clearly a talented boy but surely in terms of what one man brings to a team, Charlie Adam, Tevez, or Scott Parker would have been more deserving. And Van der Vaart has been more influential in more games for spurs than Bale has. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zimmerman 40 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 There's been over hype about Bale as is standard with the British media, but the guy is still clearly a very talented young footballer.I'd go along with this.He clearly has the potential to be a marvelous player, but he has only put in a handful of top performances.Imagine what the hype would be like if he was English... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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