Everton’s Player of the Season awards have severely regressed in recent years, with the club seemingly petrified to celebrate the mediocrity they have put out over the last few seasons.
Relegation battles have fast become the norm on Merseyside, and as such there have seldom been many standout players anyway.
A lack of form, confidence and quality has all combined to see them finish 16th and 17th respectively, with only Sean Dyche’s unwavering leadership enough to finally alter that for the better this campaign.
However, despite a much-improved year, in which they would have finished an admirable 12th were it not for their points deductions, again no frills were made of the awards ceremony.
There was no big night to celebrate such success, but instead, the squad stood at Finch Farm whilst Dyche and Seamus Coleman gave their speeches in front of a small microphone. How glamorous.
Alan Myers gives thoughts on Everton’s Player of the Season
It seems that the 52-year-old manager is still not content with where the club is, which could explain his apprehension towards organising a big event.
However, this group of players is different from the past two, as they proved that they actually cared and were willing to dig deep for Everton. That deserves some credit.
Not only that, but there were actually a number of standout performers too, thus making the Player of the Season award a tough one to call.
Unsurprisingly, Jarrad Branthwaite would collect the Players’ Player Award, but journalist Alan Myers was left surprised.
He proposed an alternative winner, writing: ‘He’s had a great season and will win awards galore going forward, getting the accolade from your peers is the ultimate compliment. (For me Jordan Pickford is POTS, has kept us in the PL for two or three years now!) but well done Jarrad.’
Jordan Pickford or Jarrad Branthwaite would have been a worthy winner
When picking between Jordan Pickford and Branthwaite, it really is splitting hairs.
Both have been integral parts of what Everton have done well this season, which is to remain solid at the back and build from that foundation.
As such, this duo have been ever-present as the Toffees finished the year as the fourth-best defence in the Premier League, behind only the top three, and with the second-most clean sheets.
Not bad for a side that used to leak goals for fun whilst failing to score many themselves.
They now at least excel in one area, and that is in part due to Branthwaite’s pace and physicality which often bails the backline out, but also due to Pickford’s heroic saves that he has no right to make.
Both are match-winners in their own right, and despite being 21 and 30 years old respectively, they are leaders too with their performances.
Whoever had been handed the award would have deserved it, such was their shared brilliance. Let’s just hope the club can now keep ahold of them, with Branthwaite’s transfer away one already being hotly tipped.