My Kevin should have Mo gongs than super Salah
Belgium boss Roberto Martinez sti l l can’ t believe Mo Salah beat Kevin De Bruyne to the Player of the Year gongs.
Egyptian superstar Salah is fighting to be fit for the World Cup finals in Russia after sustaining a shoulder injury in Liverpool’s Champions League Final defeat by Real Madrid.
He struck 45 goals in a record-breaking season for the Reds, including 32 in the Premier League.
That saw him land the Golden Boot – as well as the PFA and Football Writers’ prizes for Player of the Year.
But midfield marvel De Bruyne was the ring master in Manchester City’s march to the League Cup and title, as they became the first t e am to re a ch a century of points in an English top-flight season.
Mar t inez has no hesitation in saying he would have given the individual accolades to his player, whom he hopes will pull the strings for Belgium at the World Cup.
The former Mothewell midfielder said: “I was surprised De Bruyne didn’t beat Salah to the Player of the Year.
“Yes, Mo has had an incredible season, the best in his career.
“But Kevin almost came into a new way of working with Pep Guardiola, who has a really strong connection with him, and he influenced a lot of things.
“This is a team that has broken all the records in the Premier League, they won the title.
“Individual awards are, of course, given for individual performances but those individual performances come as part of a team in what is a team sport. Kevin, in the early part of the season, was magnificent.
“I understand what Mo did but, out of the two, Kevin had a bigger effect over the season.”
De Bruyne, 26, and fellow City star Vincent Kompany will come up against club-mate John Stones when Belgium and England clash in Group G this month.
As will Martinez, who was Stones’ manager at Everton for three seasons until 2016 – and the Belgium gaffer remains a big fan.
Martinez added: “I was scouting John for Wigan and we missed him on deadline day. Then he signed for Everton in January 2013.
“He hadn’t made his debut when I joined Everton that summer.
“But, from day one, I knew John had to be a centre-half and that he had the composure on the ball to play there.
“It was an interesting journey to see him grow and take responsibility, getting to the level he has got to. He has a big future before him.”
Stones is the only member of the England squad Martinez worked with during his time in charge of Swansea, Wigan and Everton, although he admits there was one more he admired.
He said: “We followed Kieran Trippier for a while – my chief scout loved him, absolutely loved him.”