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Friday, April 24, 2009

Fletcher - Giggs deserves gong


Darren Fletcher has backed his Manchester United team-mate Ryan Giggs to take the PFA Player of the Year award.

The Welsh winger is among a quintet of United stars in the running for the prestigious prize, with Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Edwin van der Sar and Cristiano Ronaldo joining Liverpool's Steven Gerrard on the six-man shortlist.

All those in the running are fully deserving of the accolade, with outstanding 2008/09 campaigns enjoyed by one and all.

However, Fletcher believes that Giggs is the stand-out candidate as he continues to belie his age by churning out eye-catching displays on a consistent basis.

He has been at the heartbeat of United's 10 Premier League titles to date and has notched up almost 800 appearances for the club.

Few then would begrudge him the honour of taking a prize this weekend that has so far eluded him during his glittering career.

"Ryan Giggs is arguably one of the best players, if not the best player in the country," said Fletcher.

"The PFA awards are coming up and I think he is the favourite."

Fletcher is also full of praise for another United stalwart, Paul Scholes.

The combative midfielder racked up his 600th appearance for Sir Alex Ferguson's side against Portsmouth on Wednesday but is showing no signs of allowing his standards to drop.

"Paul Scholes has been the best Premier League midfielder of his generation - and he probably still is," said Fletcher.

"He doesn't go box-to-box anymore. He sits there and orchestrates the play. He just controls the game.

"He is great to play alongside because if you are ever in a bit of trouble, he will always make an angle to get himself free and he is always available to take the ball.

"He is a great professional. He doesn't like the limelight or the accolades. He gets pretty embarrassed by the whole thing.

"But what a servant and what a player."

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