As the fat lady sits in her dressing room, warming up the voice for the final chorus of the 2010-2011 Premier League campaign - the footballing world have already decided on their leading duet.
Gareth Bale & Scott Parker became the title-holders of the PFA and Football Writer’s awards with more accolade due to follow in the coming weeks as leagues and cups are finally decided.
Although the players have voted on their fellow professionals and the journalists have had their say, the Manager of the Year award is yet to be decided.
In a season with no outstanding candidate, much like the player awards in which it’s been claimed Scott Parker won by two votes, it could well be a very close call.
It’s been a season of the unexpected and because of this there would be no better time to recognise the wonderful work of Tony Pulis.
The Other Guys
However as Manchester United approach their record 19th league title it would take a brave man to bet against Sir Alex Ferguson picking up this award for the ninth time and what would be the fourth time in the last five years. Yet is Fergie truly deserving this year? Or is it more a case of United profiting from other’s inconsistencies.
Prior to the Birmingham and Barcelona games Arsene Wenger could well of been the victor and if it was voted at the end of November, Ancelotti would have scooped the prize. Were it to be awarded on entertainment value then Holloway would win hands down and Alex McLeish should be a strong contender after guiding Birmingham to Carling Cup success.
Nevertheless, if Pulis were to win the FA Cup it would eclipse all other achievements and even if Manchester City did pinch it ahead of them, the job he’s done is nothing short of miraculous.
Mick McCarthy threw his weight behind Pulis this week saying:
“You get to vote for three of them [Manager of the Year] and Tony has got a vote of mine."
"It was a great semi-final victory, but just the job he has done - he has improved the club year-in year- out and they've got better as a team.
"They get much maligned, but never from me because there is more than one way to win a game of football and what he does is get the best out of people,"
Style of Play
Unfortunately for the Stoke gaffer the fact that the thought of praising himself and his footballing philosophy is allegedly blaspheming against the beautiful game often means that he is overlooked. This altered perception, created by Mr Wenger’s Arsenal, would have us believe that there’s only one way of playing football.
This way, which Wenger has been nurturing for the last six years, has proved fruitless so far despite some wonderfully talented footballers to have donned the red jersey.
And forgetting the skill, the flair and intricacies infused through the philosophy, the one thing missing from the theory and ultimately the biggest flaw in Wegner’s side is backbone; something which undeniably the Potters have in abundance.
Arsenal would love the backbone and fighting spirit of Stoke and could do a lot worse than having Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcorss in their side. And this is not an attack on the Gunners but when you recall the games against Newcastle away, Liverpool at home and both derbies against Spurs - you see what difference that grit and determination could have made.
The Barcelona-esque football that the world’s clubs are all apparently trying to emulate is the exact reason the antidote has been employed at Real Madrid; to win trophies and stifle the undoubted creativity of the Catalan side by outmuscling and overpowering them.
Nobody argues with the way Mourinho goes about the things and so why not Pulis? Especially as he can not call on the likes of Ronaldo, Di Maria and Kaka.
Myth Busting
Furthermore in the style criticism, many claim that Rory Delap is the source of the majority of Stoke’s goals this season. However Kenwyne Jones’ header at the weekend was only the third goal this campaign that the Delap throw in has assisted in.
The Potters have also only scored two less goals than Tottenham on their home turf and as many as Bolton away from the Britannia. And staying with Owen Coyle’s men; Stoke’s 5-0 demolition of them in the FA Cup Semi Final was the biggest ever winning margin in an FA Cup tie as Pulis guided the club to their first ever FA Cup final. It’s often easy to forget in football but it was that long ago that Pulis was saving the club from relegation to the third tier of English Football.
Player Rejuvenation
There are a few players plying their trade at the Britannia that are indebted to Pulis for resurrecting and kick starting their careers. Matthew Etherington had practically been written off after spells at Tottenham and West Ham - yet Pulis has reinvigorated him, and his wonder goal at White Hart Lane is evidence of that. Kenwyne Jones and Robert Huth had both gone stale in the North East and yet Jones now looks back to his best and the German defender has been transformed into to one of the most prolific centre halves in the league. However the biggest success story of the current campaign has to be Jonathon Walters. The former Ipswich forward arrived in fairly modest fashion but his consistent performances reached a pinnacle with two fine strikes at Wembley and it backs up McCarthy’s belief that he knows how to get the best out of all his players.
Decisions Decisions
It does seem that it all hinges on the result on May 14th at Wembley; if Stoke beat the City millions then the Welshman should be a shoe in for the title. It may prove a lot trickier if it’s a reverse result in the final but either way his capped head can leave held high.
There’s no stand out candidate in the list, and yet regardless of that he still merits his potential nomination. Much like the fat lady at the opera, he may not be to everyone’s taste but looking past personal preferences - both are giving great performances and hitting all the right notes.