Collymore: Suarez deserved them
Stan Collymore believes Luis Suarez should have scooped the end-of-season player awards - not Gareth Bale.
Liverpool's former record signing reckons our No.7 has been the most consistent player in England's top flight this term - and thinks that should have been the only criteria when votes were cast.
"It is time to define exactly what makes someone footballer of the year," Collymore wrote in The People.
"Because while I congratulate Gareth Bale for the spectacular moments that have helped him land a hat-trick of prizes from fellow players and football writers, he has not been the best, most consistent player this term. Luis Suarez has.
"The Liverpool forward has been superb week in, week out. He carried the team through stages of the season and provided goals at a time when Fabio Borini was the only other front-man at the club.
"His performances and strike rate have been fantastic. But he won nothing.
"He was voted into the PFA Team of the Year so his peers clearly acknowledged his performances. But it seems most of them thought Bale had been better.
"When I was voting in my playing days I would simply judge people on how they had performed on the pitch. These days I'm not sure that's the case.
"I do not want to take anything away from Bale. He has produced some stunning moments this season.
"But there is also part of me that suspects that his golden-boy reputation and Clark Kent looks have helped him hoover up all these prizes.
"I don't want football to become a popularity contest. Sure, take personality into account, but what matters most, what should always matter most, is what happens inside those white lines.
"I want this to remain a sport in which technical brilliance and consistent top performances are rewarded, not overlooked.
"So, no matter what anyone else says, I believe Suarez is the true player of the year."