Three Chelsea players have been nominated for this season’s Professional Footballers’ Association Footballer of the Year Award.
Last year’s winner John Terry is joined on the shortlist by England team-mates Frank Lampard and Joe Cole.
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney have also been nominated, while Arsenal’s Thierry Henry is the only foreigner in the running.
PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor believes Terry has a good chance of winning the award fpr a second year running.
“He has been the cornerstone, not just of the Chelsea defence, but the whole foundations on which their success over the last couple of years has been built,” said Taylor.
“John is the one person you would want alongside you in the trenches because he is strong, dependable, reliable and fearless.
“If things are not going well he will come up front and get a goal for you at a corner or free-kick.”
Rooney, who was voted PFA Younbg Player of the Year last season, is named in both categories this year.
“Wayne is special and his development under Sir Alex Ferguson has been great to see,” he added.
“For a young man he has got such strength and it is all allied to great skill and perception and he is starting to show a lot more maturity too, which I am really pleased about.”
Rooney, along with Old Trafford team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, Tottenham’s Aaron Lennon, West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand, Charlton striker Darren Bent and Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, have all been nominted for the Young Player award.
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