Australia NewsPFA Reveal Award Shortlists |
PFA PRESIDENT Simon Colosimo says it's a tough task to choose their inaugural player of the year from a shortlist boasting both overseas and A-League performers.
At a press conference at Sydney Football Stadium today, the PFA revealed the shortlist for both the Footballer of the Year and PFA Harry Kewell Medal (for a player under 23).
The 12 nominees for the PFA Footballer Of The Year are: Tim Cahill, Travis Dodd, Eugene Galekovic, Mile Jedinak, Harry Kewell, Scott McDonald, Craig Moore, Kevin Muscat, Lucas Neill, Sasa Ognenovski, Mark Schwarzer and Shane Smeltz.
The Harry Kewell Medal nominees are: Billy Celeski, Bruce Djite, Tarek Elrich, Adam Federici, Scott Jamieson, Mitch Nichols, Nikita Rukavytsya, Matt Simon, Matthew Spiranovic, James Troisi and Michael Zullo.
More than 300 PFA members both in Australia and abroad will now vote with the winners to be announced in Sydney on June 11.
The lists have been formulated throughout 2008/9 by the PFA's awards committee.
Colosimo told au.fourfourtwo.com: "A lot of thought and many hours of discussion has gone into this. We have guys playing in Europe and players from the A-League who have been recognised for excellent seasons.
"I think PFA members have a really difficult decision to make here. Being recognised by your peers is the ultimate. This is a great initiative."
Despite the list being almost a half and half split between overseas and A-League players, Colosimo said there had been no deliberate strategy to have a certain percentage of either.
He added: "No-one on the committee said we have to make it as even as possible, it's just panned out that way.
"The meetings went over by hours every single time. Football is all about opinions at the end of the day. There have been a lot of outstanding performances and I'm confident PFA members will think about this before voting.
"They won't just tick a box."
When told of his nomination, Kewell said: "It's a great honour to be nominated.
"The English PFA award is the most valued individual honour for footballers playing in the Premier League. It is fantastic that Australian footballers also have the opportunity to be recognised by their peers in this way."
Queensland Roar winger Michael Zullo, one of those shortlisted for the Under 23 award said: "To be mentioned with such a high level of young Australian football talent playing all over the world is a tremendous feeling."
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