Rodgers wants Suarez to be judged on quality
Suarez is far from the most popular player in the Barclays Premier League, and his admission earlier this season that he had dived in an attempt to win a penalty did little to enhance his reputation, which was tarnished by last season’s controversy which saw him banned for eight matches after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.
Suarez will face stiff competition from Tottenham’s Gareth Bale and Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, but Rodgers hopes the criteria which will be used to ascertain the player of the year will be based on football skills alone.
“I would hope it would be football and consistency,” Rodgers said.
“I can only look at Luis as a player. I have the great advantage of working with him and seeing the warrior spirit he has and I don’t think there is any club in the country that wouldn’t want him in their team.”
Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas hailed Bale’s “outstanding year” after the Spurs winger was named on the shortlists for both Player and Young Player of the Year. Bale appears in both categories with Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, while Juan Mata and Manchester United’s Michael Carrick joining the Welshman, Suarez and Van Persie in the senior category. In the Young Player shortlist, Bale is pitted against Hazard, United’s Danny Welbeck, Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere, Christian Benteke of Aston Villa and Romelu Lukaku, who has spent the season on loan from Chelsea at West Brom.
Villas-Boas said: “Obviously Gazza has had an outstanding year, along with other players. He’s such a young player and he’s had a tremendous impact on the league this year. He’s been in great goalscoring form, he’s played in so many different positions with such success.”
Meanwhile, Fulham manager Martin Jol thinks it is “remarkable” only three Englishmen have made the PFA Awards shortlist, with Welbeck and Wilshere being named in the Young Player category with Carrick on the senior list.
“That is remarkable,” the Fulham manager said. “I think 70% of the players are foreigners and I think that is why people say, especially outside of the Premier League, that it is the toughest league in the world.
“That must be one of the reasons for that statistic, but of course you have to look at your England team as well. How strong are they and how strong will they be in the future?”
Six nominations for the prestigious Player of the Year award were announced by the The Professional Footballers’ Association yesterday, winner to be announced in London on April 28.
(Tottenham) Age: 23. Appearances: 38. Goals: 22.
(Manchester United) Age: 31. Appearances: 42. Goals: 2.
(Chelsea). Age: 22. Appearances: 56. Goals: 12.
(Chelsea) Age: 24. Appearances: 55. Goals: 18.
(Liverpool) Age: 26. Appearances: 46. Goals 29.
(Manchester United) Age: 29. Appearances: 43. Goals: 25.
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