On Saturday the PFA announced their six-man shortlist for their young player of the year. In a star-studded list, one glaring omission was Crystal Palace star Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
This will feel like another kick in the teeth for the 21-year-old, who was also overlooked for Gareth Southgate’s England squad in March.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka Is Not Getting Deserved Recognition
Unsung Excellence
It has been a breakthrough season for Aaron Wan-Bissaka and his quality is undisputed. With two assists this season, 13 clean sheets and consistent defensive master-classes against top sides, he has more proven his credentials.
Recently he has been strongly linked with Manchester United, which is a measure of how highly he is rated.
Even so, the aforementioned omissions have been met with disbelief by the football community. Among those were Ian Wright and Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish, who both responded on Twitter.
Parish pondered: “Surely this category is about encouraging and rewarding emerging young players. It’s not a very consistent list in that regard”.
Many have found it unfair that Bernardo Silva and Raheem Sterling have been nominated. This is predominantly because both players turn 25 this year and also feature on the main ‘Players’ Player’ shortlist.
Ultimately, the overriding consensus is that Wan-Bissaka and James Maddison should have taken their place.
‘Born Too Late, in a World That Doesn’t Care’
Unfortunately for the Crystal Palace academy graduate, he is competing amid a golden-age of young English right-backs.
Aside from Kyle Walker and Kieran Tripper, he must outshine the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Max Aarons and Reece James in years to come.
There is an argument that he is overlooked for playing outside the top six and having no exposure at the highest domestic and European level. This, however, fails to explain why Bournemouth’s David Brooks and West Ham’s Declan Rice are on the shortlist.
Though they have been handed international call-ups for Wales and England respectively, Wan-Bissaka cannot help that he has not yet been given the chance.
It has also been suggested that Alexander-Arnold has already filled the right-back quota. Since his side are top of the Premier League and Champions League semi-finalists, perhaps this is why he’s been given the nod.
However, it should not be that there is a quota. Right-back is not traditionally the most glamorous position, admittedly, but if it is based on individual merit then he deserves to feature. The shortlist, realistically, should be determined position-blind.
What More Can He Do?
Fundamentally, at an individual level, there is not more that he could have done at a side like Crystal Palace.
This is a huge oversight by the PFA who on this occasion have not, as Steve Parish alluded to, encouraged and rewarded blossoming talent. Silva and Sterling are not only on the major shortlist already, but they need no extra incentive to perform at the highest level.
No one expected him to win the award, but a nomination was the very least he deserved. This view is overwhelming attested by the wide-scale disbelief by fans on social media. Not only by the Crystal Palace faithful but by football supporters universally.
Equally, even if he was selected for the England team he may not have started. Based on form and individual merit, however, he certainly deserved a call up over Trippier.
Wan-Bissaka ultimately has the potential to slot into any ‘top six’ side. If he does so in the future, perhaps then will he receive the formal recognition he deserves.
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