The Rational Ref | Referees should have a say in player of the year selection
If journalists' votes are counted in awards, then referees deserve just as much input in selection
Eden Hazard and Harry Kane were chosen by their fellow counterparts for the Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards, respectively. But just how credible are rating systems for choosing the best in soccer?
To be voted as the best by one's peers is regarded by those in the field as highly prestigious. Chelsea's John Terry, who won the Professional Footballers' Association Players' honour in 2005, said it was "the ultimate accolade".
Others, like managers Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger, pay scant attention to individual honours since to them the beautiful game is all about the team.
"For me, football is collective," said Chelsea manager Mourinho. Arsenal manager Wenger even called for Fifa's Ballon d'Or annual contest to be scrapped. "I'm totally against it. I'm a team lover and a specialist of somebody who loves team work. I would not vote for anybody," he has said.
But there will always be individuals who naturally stand out from the pack. In the ratings game, various systems are used.