KING KANTE LANDS ANOTHER TOP PRIZE
He scoops writers’ award... but who did our reporters go for?
IT is an honour previously won by, among others, Stanleynley Matthews, Tom Finney, ney, George Best, Kenny Dalglish lish and Cristiano Ronaldo since nce 1948. Yesterday, N’Golo Kante, Chelsea’sea’s 26-year- old midfield powerhouse, beat team-mate Eden Hazard and Tottentenham’s Dele Alli to win the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year ar award for this season. He will collect t his trophy at a gala dinner in London n next Thursday.
Every member of the Football Writ- ers’ Association gets a single vote and d here is how Sportsmail’s team voted.
IAN LADYMAN: Zlatan Ibrahimovic ovic
It’s one thing playing a starring role in a team that’s doing well, quite anotherer to prop up a side struggling for attackingking potency under a new manager. It is unlikely we will see Ibra in a United shirt again but he only needed one seasonon to prove his point. He is a world star,ar, a phenomenon and he gets my vote without hout so much as a pause for thought.
MATT BARLOW: N’Golo Kante te
The smiling battery pack who powered ered Chelsea’s return to form. Stamina, energyergy and ball- winning skills in midfield. ield. A champion for the second successive ssive season at different clubs hints at his influnfluence. For me it came down to himm or Harry Kane. Kane suffered two injuriesuries and missed two chunks of the season.n.
CRAIG HOPE: Zlatan Ibrahimovic ovic
My reasoning was: which player haveave I enjoyed watching more than any other this season? He has been brilliant forr the Premier League and is a credit to hiss profession. It will be a real shame if thathat is the last we see of him on these shores.es.
RIATH AL-SAMARRAI: Eden Hazard
Hazard wins matches and gets you excited. Essential as Kante is, you don’t get off your seat watching a midfielder cover improbable amounts of ground. If Chelsea didn’t have both of them I think Spurs would have won the league, so it’s hard to rule on one over the other, but Hazard edges it.
LAURIE WHITWELL: LAURIE WHITWELL: N’Golo Kante
He may not excite like Hazard but for operating in a role that affects defence and attack so much he is the definition of player of the year.
JOE BERNSTEIN: Diego Costa
Chelsea would not have won the title without Costa’s leadership and goals. He scored nine times during a crucial 13-match winning run. Without his warrior work at the sharp end, Hazard and Kante would have had half the impact.
SAM CUCUNNINGHAM: Dele Alli
TottenhamTott have been unlikely title challengers and reached the FAF Cup semi-finals. Alli has been central to everything that is g good about them. It’s not onlyon about his goals and assists,a it’s the exciting way he plays the game.
ROB DRAPER: N’Golo Kante
It was a hard choice between Hazard and Kante. UsuallyU I’d go for the player who is the bestb in terms of skill and creativity andan who has delivered this season.
Hazard ticks the first box emphatically and compare compared to his rivals, such as Alexis Sanchez,Sanche he has done far more. But occasionallyoccasiona the work done by a less skilful but st still extraordinary player deserves acknowledgement.ackn
Kante is thatth man. His contribution has been immenseimm and he has propelled the title charge.charg
LEE CLAYTON: CLAN’ Golo Kante
Kante is unique.uniqu Not an edge-of-your-seat player like Hazard,Ha or even Alli, but an absolute force,force like a midfield Yoda: small and all-powerful.all-power And he doesn’t need a lightsaber.