Martin Wickham says “Vote Papy!” for Chelsea Player of the Year – it’s not as daft as it sounds…honest!
Ordinarily my only involvement with Chelsea’s Player of the Year awards is moaning at the exorbitant price of the tickets to attend. These are not ordinary times however. That said, the ticket price is still a rip off.
Aston Villa this week announced they were not going to have a Player of the Year award. Having seen their disgrace of a performance against us a few weeks back it is probably for the best, but it was done, I suspect, because they realised a protest vote was forming that would make a mockery of the whole thing (unconfirmed reports had Gabby Agbonlahor’s shisha pipe leading the voting, narrowly ahead of Joleon Lescott’s new car).
Thankfully, and not for the first time this year, Chelsea have had no such foresight or self-awareness. Now you may ask why anything looking back on the 2015-16 season from a Chelsea perspective should be considered a good thing. My answer is, when it allows us as fans the chance to take the piss out of the whole process! Oh and let off steam at the various ways the club have taken their eye of the ball.
Are you are sick of a club that conducts transfer negotiations with high-handed arrogance and expects to be able to wave money at a club days before the window closes?
Are you are sick of a club that failed to replace the spine of a team with adequate replacements, and changed their style of football to one that does not work in the Premier League?
Are you are sick of a club that can organise week long plugs for a Thai energy drink partner, yet cannot organise the wearing of black armbands to mark the passing of Ian Britton?
Are you sick of insipid, spineless performances on the pitch, and of having that lingering thought in the back of your mind that these players haven’t tried their hardest to win, in case it lands them with an unwanted Europa League qualifier when there’s money to be made Stateside in the pre-season?
If you can answer any of the questions above in the affirmative, then join with me in voting for Papy Djilobodji as Chelsea’s Player of the Year.
Through no fault of his own, my vote for Chelsea’s 2015-16 Player of the Year has become emblematic of the hubris, arrogance and self-interest that permeates the board of Chelsea Football Club. Now is the time to bring him front and centre at a time when the club would probably like to hide him away in Bremen for the rest of his contract.
It is also worth noting that, unlike many players in a Chelsea shirt this season, he didn’t put a foot wrong when he played. Also, his 3 game ban in Germany for a ‘throat slitting’ gesture towards an opposition player means he showed more fire than some more decorated colleagues at his parent club. At the very least he should be brought back in time to try and do a number on Harry Kane!
So there you have it, a vote for Papy is a vote for protest. Apologies to Willian of course, but he strikes me as professional enough to get over it. I even thought of nominating Eden Hazard in a similar act of sabotage, but that would just be plain silly.
Of course, if Chelsea spoil the fun by using a shortlist for the nominations, there is an alternative protest vote. Someone else who the club want to quietly shunt to the sidelines whilst hoping no one is looking. They wouldn’t dare stop us voting for John Terry surely?
