EPL: Suarez earns another honour

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been named
the Football Writers' Association Footballer of
the Year.
The award becomes the 27-year-old's second
personal honour of the season after he was
voted the Professional Footballers'
Association Player of the Year last month.
It continues an incredible turnaround for the
controversial Uruguay international, who at
the start of the season was midway through a
ten-match ban for biting Chelsea defender
Branislav Ivanovic.
Suarez, who lost out to Gareth Bale last year,
has scored 30 goals in 35 appearances this
season - a huge contribution to Liverpool's
on-going title challenge.
FWA chairman and journalist Andy Dunn told
Sky Sports : "Luis is a remarkably gifted
addition to the long and distinguished list of
winners of our award.
"There was a groundswell of support for him
last season but our voting opened 12 hours
after the biting incident at Anfield, so I think
that was taken into account then.
"I must stress that the football writers take
into account the player's behaviour - the
original citation for the FWA award back in
1947-48 mentioned 'precept and example', so
that is taken into account.
"While no-one would say Suarez is whiter
than white, you would have to say his
behaviour all throughout the season has been
very good and I think the football writers have
taken that into account - an element of
redemption if you like - and allied with those
30 goals, and the sensational talent he has
displayed all season, that made him a very,
very popular choice."
Suarez topped a poll conducted by over 300
journalists which included 10 different
players. The former Ajax forward collected 52
per cent of the overall vote ahead of his club
captain, Steven Gerrard, with Manchester City
midfielder Yaya Toure coming third.
The award, which has been going since 1948,
will be handed out at a ceremonial dinner at
the Lancaster London Hotel on May 15.