Tony says the FIFA World Footballer of the Year award is sewn up – but reckons he’s found value in the Champions League betting
I’m not really one for individual player awards – mainly because I’ve never won one in my life.
That’s not strictly true. I was Young Player of the Year at Gillingham in 1982. I had to jog from one side of the pitch to the other during a pre-game warm-up, shake hands and run off. That was it. I think I may have been given an ornament as well.
When I played at Nancy in France, I wasn’t exactly given a prize, but I was awarded freedom of the city. The only other sportsman to have been granted those rights was Michel Platini, who also played there. That makes me proud – it’s quite something to be listed alongside Platini.
I mention this because it’s end-of-year awards time, and there’s no doubt players love to get individual prizes. You hear them say how team awards and trophies matter a lot more, and that’s true, but a footballer still appreciates being recognised for his personal achievements.
When I go round to my mate Teddy Sheringham’s house, I see his trophy for being Footballer of the Year in 2001. What a prize! Imagine being voted the best player in the country bar none during a season. It’s a terrific tribute.
The people’s hero
The FIFA World Footballer of the Year award is the major headline-grabber in December, when national team coaches and captains around the world vote for the planet’s best footballer. The 30-man shortlist has already been announced, and Ronaldinho is the runaway favourite at 2/5. Can anybody truly deserve such a short price in a large field? For me Thierry Henry has been as impressive week in, week out as Ronaldinho. Henry’s every bit as capable of scoring outstanding goals and inspiring his teammates. But Ronaldinho is ahead of his peers because he’s part of a wonderful Barcelona team, who have played entertaining football all year and won the Spanish Liga. He’s scored big goals in big matches – remember the toe-poke against Chelsea in the Champions League? It was awesome, a goal that really captured the imagination.
It also helps that he plays for a highprofi le club. Normally these awards go to players at Barcelona, Real Madrid or AC Milan. There’s a lot of favouritism towards Brazilians in these votes, too, because they can do the unexpected.
Behind ‘Ronnie’, Frank Lampard (12/1) and Steven Gerrard (20/1) lead the English contenders, and both thoroughly deserve a place high up among the contenders. I think the question you have to ask is: how much would they fetch if they went on the transfer market? Lampard and Gerrard would cost around £25-£30 million, which shows exactly how good they are. There aren’t many midfielders in Europe who can be considered as valuable as the English pair. Michael Essien belongs in the same category – the man they nicknamed ‘The Bison’ in France is a terrific player. Michael Ballack, too, is a great player – he’s very similar to Lampard because he will get ten to 15 goals a season, but he doesn’t have the same workrate. Yet neither Lampard or Gerrard will get their hands on the trophy. If you were awarding the prize for the single most inspirational performance of the year it would have to go to Gerrard for how he played in the Champions League final, but I think Liverpool’s struggles in every other competition this year will count against him.
Blaze of glory
Speaking of Ballack, I’ve been watching the opening rounds of this season’s Champions League closely and I make Bayern one of the teams to follow. They looked impressive in beating Juventus 2-1 in October and I think the Germans are good enough to win the trophy. Ballack is in the last year of his contract at Bayern and it would be wonderful for him to leave by lifting the European Cup next May. You can get Bayern at 12/1, which is tempting.
Many people are tipping Juve because of their winning streak at the start of the Serie A season, but I saw them play Sampdoria in October and they looked an average side. They’re efficient, wellorganised and defensively very good, but one-paced all over the park. With their limited attacking options, I cannot see how Juve can become European champions. The 8/1 has no appeal.
Chelsea are the best team in Europe right now. No other side has their strength, organisation, pace, power and attacking flair. The price of 4/1 about them winning the Champions League is about right. Barcelona (13/2) are my second pick, despite their defensive weaknesses. They can score against anybody on their day and are so entertaining to watch. In fact, in September I decided to watch Barcelona-Udinese instead of Manchester United-Benfica. A few years ago that would have been unthinkable. That’s how enjoyable the Spaniards are. And I guess that’s why Ronaldinho is odds-on to win FIFA’s prize.
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