Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie has been named the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year.
Van Persie, 28, has scored 27 Premier League goals this season for the Gunners his most fruitful campaign for the club – and was humbled to be recognized by his peers.
”If other people are saying it, it is special, but it is even more special if your opponents are saying it,” he said. ”It is very special because you are playing against them week in week out and every single player does everything to win and in the end if they make up their minds that I’m the best player it is a big honour.”
Van Persie may have picked up the top individual honour but he was quick to point out it would not have been possible without his Arsenal team-mates.
”Without them I could not have achieved it,” he said. ”For example Theo Walcott, he has given me more than 12 assists and I do really appreciate that.”
Van Persie was utilized mainly as a second striker, and occasionally out on the wing, in the early stages of his Gunners career after being signed by manager Arsene Wenger from Feyenoord in 2004. But he has flourished since switching to the center-forward role – despite initially not having been convinced he could make the transition.
He said: ”Now I am (confident). To be fair, when I first went there I wasn’t really as confident and I wasn’t really sure I could do it. It took a bit of time but after a couple of months a slowly realized I could do a good job there.”
The Young Player of the Year award went to Tottenham and England full-back Kyle Walker. The 21-year-old Spurs defender beat the likes of Sergio Aguero and Danny Welbeck to win the trophy and it came as quite a surprise to the former Sheffield United man.
”I was a bit surprised because defenders don’t normally get these awards and get the limelight as much as the centre-forwards,” he said. ”If you look at the people I was in with then it is a great honour to get the award and hopefully there is more to come.
”It is always an honour to be selected by the people you play against and, like I say, hopefully I can get a few more of these and some medals with Tottenham along the way.”
Both players were also selected in the Premier League’s Team of the Year. Van Persie was the only Arsenal player present whereas Walker was one of three Spurs men, with Scott Parkerand Gareth Balealso included.
The PFA Merit award was presented to Preston defender Graham Alexander in recognition of his services to the game, dating back to his debut as a Scunthorpe player in 1991.
The Scotland international went on to play for Luton, Preston and Burnley before returning to Deepdale in 2011 and was humbled with the award of the trophy.
”To get recognition for what you have done in your career at any stage is great,” he said. ”I’m coming towards the end of my playing career and I’m privileged to be recognised by the people who I have played against for the last 20-odd years.”
Premier League team of the year: Joe Hart (Man City), Kyle Walker (Tottenham), Vincent Kompany (Man City), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle), LeightonBaines (Everton), David Silva (Man City), Yaya Toure (Man City), Gareth Bale (Tottenham), Scott Parker (Tottenham), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd).
Championship team: Kelvin Davis (Southampton), Nathaniel Clyne (Crystal Palace), James Tomkins (West Ham), Curtis Davies (Birmingham), Ian Harte (Reading), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Peter Whittingham (Cardiff), Mark Noble (West Ham), Matt Phillips (Blackpool), Rickie Lambert (Southampton), Jay Rodriguez (Burnley).
League One team: Ben Hamer (Charlton), Jack Hunt (Huddersfield), Michael Morrison (Charlton), Harry Maguire (Sheff Utd), Rhoys Wiggins (Charlton), Johnnie Jackson (Charlton), Stephen Quinn (Sheff Utd), Stephen Gleeson (MK Dons), Darren Potter (MK Dons), Jordan Rhodes (Huddersfield), Ched Evans (Sheff Utd).
League Two team: Robert Olejnik (Torquay), Paul Caddis (Swindon), Kyle McFadzean (Crawley), Ian Sharps (Shrewsbury), Kevin Nicholson (Torquay), Matt Ritchie (Swindon), Marlon Pack (Cheltenham), Eunan O’Kane (Torquay), Lee Mansell (Torquay), Izale McLeod (Barnet), Tyrone Barnett (Crawley).
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