Why statistic and performance awards may be misleading
In my youth I played Sunday league football. In our league there was one team everyone beat. After each game the players identified the man of the match from the opposition. In the team that got thrashed every week the opposition always nominated the losing goal keeper, the sympathy vote. At the end of the season the league held a formal ceremony for the league winners, cup winners and the player of the season. The later was determined by the player with the most man of the match awards. The goal keeper won with twice as many nominations as their nearest rival. You might have assumed that the player of the season award would go to the best player in the league or the most consistent high performer.
Of course if the award was for perseverance and determination, turning up in all weathers every week despite the forgone conclusion of another high scoring defeat, then the award was well deserved.
Blair Mcpherson former director author and blogger www.blairmcpherson.co.uk
