It gets harder and harder to accept Alan Judge’s injury.
Alright, he probably wasn’t given much of a chance anyway in the Ireland friendlies in March – stuck on the wing in a dull 4-4-2 formation against Switzerland – but he was setting the place alight for Brentford all season and he could’ve come in bloody handy at some stage in France.
But the Irishman’s broken leg rules him out of a trip to Euro 2016 and the Championship Team of the Year announcement only makes that tougher.
Alan Judge is selected at central midfield of a 12-man team. 12, yep.
Despite Brentford sitting in 13th in the table, the Dubliner was recognised by the PFA as one of the outstanding footballers of the season and he takes his place alongside Joey Barton in the middle.
The PFA Sky Bet Championship Team of the Year 2016 #PFAawards: pic.twitter.com/mjGnaa1FNa
— Professional Footballers’ Association (@PFA) April 21, 2016
Former Ireland underage defender, Michael Keane, also makes the line-up at centre back alongside a combination of Daniel Ayala and Michael Dawson.
The old Liverpool and Spurs players had to share a place on the team for the first time ever after the vote was tied but really we should be bemoaning the loss of Keane who is starring with Burnley.
The defender represented Ireland at both under-17 and under-19 level before switching allegiance to his native country England at under-19s. Now he’s ahead of Ayala and Dawson and the rest of the Championship players at 23.
For the first time in our voting history we had a tied vote! Daniel Ayala and Michael Dawson share the centre-back position.
— Professional Footballers’ Association (@PFA) April 21, 2016
