Kante claims writers’ best player award
LONDON: N’Golo Kante’s impact in guiding Chelsea to the brink of the Premier League title was rewarded yesterday when he was voted the 2017 Footballer of the Year by football writers.
The France international topped the poll of journalists just weeks after being voted Player of the Year by his fellow professionals.
A strong defensive shield and driving force in midfield since his arrival from 2016 champions Leicester, Kante has been a standout performer for Chelsea who have also reached the FA Cup final.
Chelsea winger Eden Hazard was second in the voting, with Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli in third.
Kante and Hazard received more than 65 percent of the vote.
Kante said: “It is a fantastic honour to win this award. With so many great players in this Chelsea squad and in the Premier League, for the Football Writers’ Association to name me their Footballer of the Year is a very proud moment in my career.”
FWA chairman Patrick Barclay said: “N’Golo Kante could not be a more deserving winner of English football’s most prestigious individual award.
“In the view of some FWA members, he would have been a worthy recipient last season for his contribution to Leicester’s title success, but the almost unbroken excellent form of Chelsea since he changed clubs has left little room for further debate.
“Considering the competition of Eden Hazard and other players from Chelsea in particular, this is a great achievement.”
Earlier, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said he was more concerned with winning trophies than with attempting to keep all of his players happy.
The likes of Cesc Fabregas and Brazil international Willian have spent a large part of the season on the bench, and Conte said the players’ happiness was not his primary concern.
“I’d like to underline a concept, that I mustn’t keep the players happy. We must win,” he said.
“You speak about ‘happy.’ I speak about ‘to win’ and to work very hard.
“My target is to put a winning mentality in my players’ heads, and that doesn’t exist to keep players happy ... I want players ready to fight and put themselves in the team to win together. If you are happy, or unhappy, I don’t care.”