Below is a list of five nominees in no particular order. I then cast my vote at the bottom, before leaving it you, the fans, to have your say.
1) Julio Cesar: The Brazilian has really established himself as one of the top goalkeepers in Serie A, and is now surely fighting it out with Sebastien Frey for the status as second best shot-stopper after Gianluigi Buffon. While Inter started to crumble from around February onwards, Cesar stood firm, and produced a string of man-of-the-match performances to ensure that defeats became draws, and draws became wins. He has kept 14 clean sheets in 31 Serie A games this campaign.
2) Ivan Cordoba: The Colombian was undoubtedly this season’s best defender in Serie A until his campaign was ended after suffering an injury in the Champions League clash with Liverpool at Anfield on February 19. The importance of Cordoba to the Inter cause was evident as they then only managed to keep one clean sheet in their next eight league games, which threatened to derail their championship dominance. An absolute rock of a stopper, he deserves to make this list, despite missing the final three months of the term.
3) Douglas Maicon: Legend has it that Maicon’s father wanted to name his son Michael Douglas, after the American actor, but was misunderstood at the register office, hence you have ‘Maicon’ instead. Catherine Zeta-Jones’ other half once starred in a film called ‘Running’ where he plays an American marathon runner. The Inter full back’s energy levels certainly befit that of a marathoner, as he has bombed up and down the right flank all season. Defensively the Brazilian can still be a little suspect, but going forward he has been like a tank.
4) Esteban Cambiasso: Up until February, Cambiasso was well on course to win my vote as Inter’s player of the season. I even wrote a Calcio Debate article around January time where I asked if he was the best defensive midfielder in the world. What has happened since he was outplayed by his compatriot Javier Mascherano in the Liverpool tie is a mystery. The likes of Angelo Palombo, Daniele De Rossi and Momo Sissoko have all dominated him over the past couple of months, even if just recently he has started to find his feet again. Nevertheless Cambiasso clearly deserves to be nominated due to his sensational form in the first five months of the season.
5) Javier Zanetti: Now in his thirteenth season at the club, it is quite conceivable that Zanetti has been in the running for Inter’s best player in every single one of these years. The quantity and quality of the Argentine, who will turn 35 in August, is quite remarkable. Il Capitano has driven his team forward, and has led by example as always, and there still seems to be no sign of him slowing down. Zanetti has missed just one Serie A game this term, and is the leading appearance maker. He also scored a crucial late equaliser against Roma in week 25, a goal that many feel clinched the Scudetto for Inter.
My Vote: Javier Zanetti – It was a straight clash out of Julio Cesar and Zanetti, who unlike the other three nominees have remained consistent throughout the season. Zanetti just wins my vote as he has been the leader and driving force behind the Inter machine. Quite simply a legend of the modern game.
原文地址:http://www.goal.com/EN/articolo.aspx?contenutoid=671264