Stand by your ballot boxes – footballers up and down the country have been casting their votes for their player of the year and each division’s team of the season.
It’s only two years since I stopped playing, and old habits die hard, so I’ve been running the rule over this year’s main contenders.
For me, there are five outstanding candidates for the main PFA Player of the Year gong: Robin van Persie, Luis Suarez, Gareth Bale, Juan Mata and Michu.
And there are another five who deserve special mention as football’s equivalent of nominees for best supporting actor at the Oscars: Marouane Fellaini, Michael Carrick, Santi Cazorla, Christian Benteke and Leighton Baines.
Here are my top five players for 2012-13. Do you agree?
Robin van Persie
Playing for Manchester United is one of the hardest jobs in football because you are under worldwide scrutiny in every game. It’s like being in the first team at Barcelona. For RVP to go to Old Trafford last summer for £24million and perform as consistently as he has done has been incredible.
The title race is as good as over, and Van Persie is the man who made the difference between missing out on goal difference last year and enjoying a 12-point cushion with only two months to go. Ultimately, he could even be the key to United winning another Treble. My player of the year.
Luis Suarez
Liverpool are 8th in the Premier League, out of Europe and out of the cups – but their season would have been a total write-off without Suarez’s goals.
For much of the season he has carried Liverpool’s attack almost single-handedly – now the big concern must be whether they can hang on to him in the summer if they’re not in a position to offer him Champions League football.
Gareth Bale
In the last couple of months he has taken his game to another level – just behind Lionel Messi and
Cristiano Ronaldo for ‘wow’ factor.
Bale has been unbelievable for club and country, and although Tottenham are not third in the table by being a one-man band, in recent weeks it has often felt that way.
Michu
In an age when you can spend £50m on a striker and feel short-changed, it is remarkable to think Michu cost Swansea only £2m.
He is possibly the best bargain in the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson paid £1m to sign Eric Cantona from Leeds or Sunderland signed Kevin Phillips from Watford for £325,000. Now Swansea are in Europe as Capital One Cup winners – but will Michu still be at the Liberty next season to enjoy the ride?
Juan Mata
Chelsea’s season seems to be unravelling into a series of disappointments. If they come unstuck at Old Trafford in the FA Cup quarter-finals, they will go from champions of Europe to empty-handed in 12 months, which is astonishing.
However, if Mata, who has been their best source of creativity in a troubled campaign, had not been around, it could have been even worse.
My composite Premier League team of the year, in a 4-3-1-2 formation, would be:
Hart; Zabaleta, Rio Ferdinand, Evans, Baines; Cazorla, Carrick, Bale; Michu; Van Persie, Suarez
Now read Sav's hard-hitting take on Rafa Benitez's situation at Chelsea