21 Dec 2006(Thu)

December 19, 2006: It is about time a defender won a top individual award.

Too often these awards go to the forwards, to the flair players and goal scorers, and the valuable contributions of defenders go unrewarded.

Their job is not as glamorous as the role of the fantasistas, and they do not grab the headlines as much, but this does not mean they do not deserve equal recognition.

This is why I was delighted with the outcome of two awards this week: Fabio Cannavaro winning the FIFA World Player of the Year, and our own Tulio being named MVP of the J.League.

For me, both were natural and obvious choices.

In a World Cup dominated by defence, Cannavaro was simply outstanding for Italy. He is a player I have admired for several seasons, and one any manager in the world would want in his team. He is tough, inspirational, a natural leader, strong in the air and rugged on the ground.

Critics may say Cannavaro has not settled well at Real Madrid, but personally I don’t care too much about this. After all, 2006 was World Cup year, and whatever happened – or whatever did not happen – in Germany should dictate the whole year.

This is why Cannavaro was the logical choice, ahead of Zidane and Ronaldinho.

Is Cannavaro a better football player than Zidane or Ronaldinho? Of course he is not, but he is magnificent in his own position and was at his best when it really mattered.

And so to Tulio.

As I wrote in this column recently, he is the life and soul of any team in which he plays, and has been the symbol of Urawa Reds this season.

I will never forget an evening with Guido Buchwald at the Foreign Sportswriters Association of Japan shortly before the World Cup in Germany. Buchwald, the guest speaker, said Tulio was the best defender in Japan, but Zico had not spoken to the German coach about his Reds players for two years.

I still wonder what might have been if Tulio had been on the plane to Germany, battling against the Aussies and the Croatians.

That is ancient history now, though, and Tulio can look forward to a long career with the national team under Ivica Osim. I still think he should be appointed captain of Japan, and am a little surprised Osim has not done so already.

Overall, the awards to Cannavaro and to Tulio are good for the game.

ends