Now that the footys over for another year - well apart from the small issue of Guardie v Fergie this Wednesday – it’s high time to take a helicopter view of the season that was, via some made-up obscure award titles!!
Best Goal Scored Under Pressure…
Robbie Keane for Liverpool v Arsenal – thrown into the starting XI for a rare start in place of the injured Torres, Keane stepped up to the mark by scoring an instinctively clinical drop-volley on the run to prove his worth to Rafa Benitez. Unfortunately for Robbie, it wasn’t enough to impress Rafa in the long-term. Given that Benitez was at home recovering from his kidney stones operation when the goal was scored, one wonders if Rafa ever saw the goal that impressed many of Robbie’s potential in a red jersey…
Worst Best Signing of the Season…
Jimmy Bullard (Fulham to Hull) – Having totted up a mightily impressive 74 Fantasy Football points by January for Fulham, Phil Brown pulled off what seemed to be the transfer coup of the transfer window in snapping up the boisterous Bullard for £5million. However, a knee injury sustained after only 38 minutes of his first appearance for The Tigers ruled him out for the season. What might have been… Still, at least he’ll be returning to action with a Premiership team next season.
Most Ironic Shirt Sponsor of the Season…
Given their soon-to-be-terminated position as sponsor of the world’s most successful and financially healthy football club, never has the term “appearance versus reality” been more accurate in the case of AIG. Even the insurance giants’ advertising ubiquity at every visible moment of United’s season couldn’t save them from reporting a fourth quarter loss of $61.7bn (£43bn) for the final three months of 2008 - the largest quarterly loss in corporate history. Not everything Ronaldo touches turns to gold…
Worst Pundit of the Season…
You would think that a striker who was a central figure in Manchester United’s treble-winning 98-99 season - as well being part of 5 title-winning squads – would prove to be an insightful voice on the complexities of Alex Ferguson’s tactical and man-management style, as well as having strong views on the all-round strikers’ drought as witnessed in the Premier League this season. Alas, Andy Cole’s appearances on Sky Sports this year proved to be monosyllabic, brief, inarticulate, and even gave Jamie Redknapp a John Giles-like aura. In Cole’s defence, he’s only been retired since November so maybe he hasn’t adapted to life off the pitch enough to take an analytical step back from it yet. Here’s hoping he can put his vast experience to use next season.
What did Avram Grant do wrong at 
Anelka/Terry penalty slip-up away from winning the Champions League was deemed not good enough, whilst less is more with Hiddink?
Although it was Kevin Keegan who released Stephen Carr from the Newcastle United squad last December, it’s been speculated that it was actually Mike Ashley who showed Carr the door. Given Carr’s solid and regular performances for Birmingham City since Alex McLeish coaxed him out of retirement in February, Carr must be thanking his lucky stars for the sequence of events that have led to him being catapulted back into the Premiership and with the reward of a 2year contract at what looks like a steady Birmingham side who can hold their own next season. At least Mike Ashley has done right by one
And finally…
The “Why Didn’t You Pick Up The Phone” Award…
.. goes to Rafa Benitez for his indifference at out-on-loan striker Andrei Voronin’s prolific season at Hertha
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