Rooney named player of the year

Wayne Rooney has been named the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year.

Rooney's selection ahead of fellow nominees Cesc Fabregas, Carlos Tevez and Didier Drogba means Manchester United have supplied the winner of the prestigious award for a fourth successive year.

The 24-year-old has been in sensational form this season, scoring 34 goals for United and eight for England, and is key to the nation's World Cup hopes.

"It's a great feeling to win the player of the year award because it's voted for by the players," said Rooney.

"It's something I'm really proud of and it's a great honour.

"I remember coming here in 2005 and 2006 to win the young player of the year.

"I saw the players winning the main one and it's something I've aimed for since."

Rooney, who has only just returned from an ankle problem, missed the weekend's 3-1 victory over Tottenham with a groin injury sustained in training.

The Barclays Premier League's top scorer with 26 strikes hopes to return for United's campaign finale against Stoke next month and promised he will be fit for the World Cup.

"The groin will be fine for the World Cup, there are no worries about that,2 he said.

"I'm hoping to play for United in the last game of the season."

Rooney, the first Englishman to win the award since Steven Gerrard in 2006, paid tribute to the influence United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has had on his career.

"Sir Alex is a great manager who has really brought me on as a player since I joined United," he said.

"His hunger passes through to the players. It's great to see that he's pushing 70 and hasn't changed a bit.

"I'm sure he'll be here for a long time yet."

Rooney was also nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year, but that award went to James Milner of Aston Villa.

Milner appears to have played himself into Fabio Capello's World Cup squad with a string of stellar performances and the 24-year-old midfielder credited a change in position for his success this season.

"I've been moved into the middle and that suits me as it helps me influence the game a bit more," said Milner.

"Maybe sometimes wide right you want to influence the game but you just can't get yourself into it."

Leeds legend and former South Africa captain Lucas Radebe, 41, won the PFA Merit award.

"I'm very proud to get such a great award. Sport can change the world - football has played such a big part in lifting my community," said Radebe.

The PFA divisional team of the year contains four United players, spearheaded by Rooney.

Arsenal, whose title challenge fell away in the final rounds, supply Fabregas and Thomas Vermaelen and there are also two from Chelsea in Drogba and Branislav Ivanovic.

The inclusion of Milner and Richard Dunne means Aston Villa are represented twice as well.

Premier League team of the year: Hart, Ivanovic, Vermaelen, Dunne, Evra, Fabregas, Milner, Fletcher, Valencia, Rooney, Drogba.

Source: Sporting Life
Date Published: 28 April 2010

Latest Forum Comments

Have your say on Rooney named player of the year in the United Online forum

When asked about the upcoming Liverpoo/Chelsea game he gave a graet dig like "well liverpool are still fighting for the...europa league!"

- birchy

He said in his acceptance speech that he hopes to be fit for the Stoke game. I wouldn't be altogether surprised if we see him lining up at Sunderland next Sunday either. Those four have undoubtedly been our best players this year; I was a bit surprised at the omission of Lampard, and possibly Malouda, and the inclusion of Dunne/Vermaelen as the centre-backs - surely Michael Dawson has been better than either of those two. It's all meaningless, as Zain says, but it does create a talking point at least.

- Neil

i think it's great to see wayne awarded with a trophy (it might be the only one - the carling cup aside - he gets this season).

- Shaun

Id prefer if they were voted for at the end of the season but i do think its good for the stand out players to have thier personal achievements and performances during the season recognised in some way.

- Munsterman

am i the only one who really finds all these individual awards, be it PFA, FA, Writers, all just utterly meaningless? Despite a United player winning or not, never bothered me one bit really. Maybe it's just me.

- Zain

Had it been voted for at a later date Frank Lampard would definitely have made the team of the year 20 league goals from midfield is an outstanding return. Good to see 4 United players in there though.

- Munsterman

Well chuffed for all those 4 especially fletch very deserved..........

- Gary Norris

They've been our four best players this season so that is about right.

- Shaun

Evra, Fletcher, Rooney, Valencia all in Premier League XI too.

- Oli

Well done to Wayne Rooney picking up the PFA player of the year award it was much deserved.

- Munsterman