To be Franck
Voting has started for the Blues player-of-the-season award.
And it has emerged that the early favourite is Franck Queudrue.
The fans' choice so far would not be my choice.
No disrespect to Queudrue, or a pop at the popular vote.
It's just that in my eyes the player-of-the-season is the person who maintains a level of consistency week in, week out, and is a mainstay of the side, integral to its welfare, and provides inspiration.
Queudrue never got a sniff until the end of October. And thereby hangs a tale in itself.
There was a case for his inclusion, true. David Murphy was not exactly setting the world alight.
Queudrue had been left out in the cold from pre-season, when he was axed from the trip to Austria and effectively told he could go if he got fixed up.
One of the reasons why Alex McLeish decided on that course of action was because he felt Queudrue was not in good shape. And he missed the report back date.
Granted, following David Sullivan's 'pile of rubbish' outburst, Queudrue had good reason to lack motivation. He could have totally tuned out.
He didn't, he worked hard in the background and when his chance came, he rose to the challenge.
He was a regular in Blues best sequence of the season in November and cemented his stature as a talismanic presence with the winning goal against Charlton Athletic.
He got the team going that day, and his skunk-style hair cut and Gallic swagger - and obvious quality in possession - endeared him.
But McLeish and his staff were concerned that sometimes Queudrue would lose concentration and do something rash. And whether he could last the pace for 90 minutes was also scrutinised.
Queudrue has been substituted in eight of the 19 games he has started at left-back (four times between the 60th and 70th minutes) and opposition teams did began to target him as he is not as mobile as he once once.
But, after another spell on the sidelines, Queudrue came again to lift Blues on the pitch, and those in the stands. Witness the way he came storming in to head that potentially season-turning goal against Bristol City.
Queudrue has had a fine season, and it is to his great credit and a tribute to his pride and professionalism that he has played a significant part, dipping in and out from the wilderness.
But for me, Queudrue is runner-up to Maik Taylor, who has also had a new lease of life this term.
He doesn't command his area, I hear you say. This season, he has. He has often relieved pressure by coming to take balls in crowded penalty boxes when it's got tense at the end of games.
Ahh, what about his kicking? Ever since the Cardiff City game, when he skewed three or four out of play, Taylor somehow became a poor goalkeeper in some eyes.
His kicking could be better, but it has not been terrible; the odd incident tends to stick in the mind. And would you like to have the ball rolling back to you on that St Andrew's pitch 10 or 15 times every other week?
Taylor, despite his advancing years, has lost non of his agility. If anything, he is in better shape and his reflexes have sharpened certainly since that period around 2005 - 2006 when his confidence just wasn't the same.
In plenty of games - and I've quickly skimmed through the list and came up with 15 when his contribution was vital in gaining Blues points - he has been a reliable presence.
Against Doncaster Rovers with Blues down to 10-men he excelled, he kept Nottingham Forest at bay at the City Ground, his saves earned Blues a 1-0 win at Plymouth Argyle. He stopped Swansea City and Burnley running away with matches during their early stages.
On many occasions, Taylor hasn't had that much to do. Shots are not peppered in on the Blues goal with relentless regularity. That tells you much about the defensive resilience and organisation of the unit, which is vital for any team to prevail in a 46-game competition.
But he has had to keep concentration levels high when Blues have backed off in second-halves, or started slowly. And when he has been called upon usually his positioning, his decision-making and saves have mattered. For example, Blues were very comfortable at Doncaster last Saturday, yet Taylor still made two fine stops low down.
If Taylor doesn't win the fan's player-of-the-season vote, then I bet he might well get the players' player honour.
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Colin Tattum - Mail man Colin Tattum’s view of what’s going on at Birmingham City FC.
Hi Tatts. Sorry but I cant agree with your suggestion of Maik Taylor for player of the year. Granted, he has made some good saves but how many of those would you expect him to make, most I feel. His distribution is poor, no very poor, not just from a rolling ball but also from a dead ball. Watch a good side and they rarely give the ball away unless necessary. Many of Taylor's saves have come from passages of opposition possesion originating from him (and others) giving the ball away in the first place. So, if Taylor is not player of the season, who is? Lets look at the defence - nobody has been consistent except Carr and he has come too late to be considerered for a season long award. In Midfield Carsley has been consistent but some would say consistently padestrian and not progressive enough for this league. Again, it is ball possesion and distribution that rules him out. Bowyer deserves a mention as he delivers what Carsley lacks but lack of matches again makes him a non starter. Up front the goals of Philips have arguable kept Blues in the position they are but really, over the course of the season the tally is no more than you would expect from your main goalscorer if not actually less. Jerome continues to try hard but lacks quality and composure and no other forward has played regularly enough. So, who should win? The real answer is nobody. The trouble with award ceromonies is they require an outstanding, above average contibution from an individual to justify themselves and I beleive this has not been the case at Blues this season. There are mitigating circumstances, mainly lengthy absences from expected contenders but unfortunately this year no one person actually deserves it, not the players, the manager, the coaches the board or even us the fans. Whatever the end of season position then I think this season is one we should write off as strange and one we should put in room 101 never to be mentioned again.
I'd go along with you on that Tatts, but I reckon Queudrue will get it from the fans simply because it will stick two fingers up to Mr Sullivan and I think that's why he will get most of the votes.
My vote goes to Carlos Costly
Player of the season to be means difference maker i.e who gets you the most points...
One player has managed this more than anyone Kevin Philips
Has to be Lee Bowyer for me, has proved to be so valuable in turning our season around, I know he only came January but his drive and energy has started to rub off on others. I think Eck will owe him a drink or two for keeping him in his job...
KP and Bowyer done well, Carso too. I go with Tatts , Taylor has been consistently good. Franck is hit and miss and fans like him because of his haircut and forget all the flicks the headers he misses and the fact his legs have gone
Quedudrue for me for hs sheer determination, desire, passion, which has sadly been lacking in the main from most players this season. He's the nearest to our ex-dearest Robbie Savage. I agree he can wander and seems to lose concentration (and his legs go all wobbly after 70 minutes) but his whole heartedness, commitment and influence when he plays is tremendous. I don't agree with Maik Taylor choice, yes his goal kicks are wayward when not under pressure, I would say Phillips the silent assassin should be no2 and had Fahey been here longer he may have even surpassed Sir Franck with his intelligent style, but he's been a bit quiet the last few games. Also Larssons woken up last few games, rolled up his sleeves and got more involved , earlier in the season his body language was all wrong, seemed many games passed him by.
For me when the fans pick there player of the season they want to pick some one who would echo their desire in the stands to on the pitch and for me thats Queudrue. For him to turn around his own season the way he has is amazing and shows he is prepared to give is all for the shirt on and off the pitch. he would have been an easy person to drop at any point of the season but he is the one when we've needed the big performance at the back both left and centre back who's come in and got it done no moaning no pri-madona attititude.fair play franck. KRO
Franck deserves it cause he is the fans favourite and and it would show sullivan that the fans think he is a toss-pot. I voted for Maik cause I think he has earned us most points.
its no contest,its got to be the 12th man,THE AWAY FANS,consistantly good,never give up,and are allways there,giving thier all for the cause.
be proud boys you get my vote.
I'd rather have a goalkeeper who commands his box and is a good shot stopper than one whose asset is his kicking. Maik Taylor is much improved since the new goalkeeping coach has joined and credit should go to both of them.
As no-one player sticks out I'm going to cast my vote for an unsung hero who has been an easy target at times - Liam Ridgewell. A defender's first job is to do exactly that - defend and in my opinion Ridgewell has been our most consistent defender in one of the league's better defences. His defending inside our penalty area is underrated and his commitment and leadership skills are what we need at the back. I think it says a lot for his character that we was willing to play last week with hardly any training since his injury.
In all his time at the Blues he hasn't had a consistent, Premiership quality centre half to play alongside. If he does I think he would be appreciated more
I'd vote for Queudrue just to get up Sullivan's nose!
if Maik Taylor looks unsure occasionally its because he works behind very dodgy centrebacks.
He is still to class and the sole reason that Blues have conceeded so few goals.
tbh not only has FQ shown a Robbie Savage mentality on the pitch driving the team forward he has in my opinion contribution plenty towards our promotion push.
The only time i've seen him struggle was against Gomez/Rangel Swansea away.
His tackling, distribution are excellent and he's popped up with a couple of important goals.
Taylor has been poor all season never mind his performances last season. He has made good saves and maybe won a few point for us but that's his job.
his inability to command his area and woeful distribution constantly put us under pressure needlessly. I would go as far to say the only 2 goalkeepers i've seen this season who are worse than him are Jensen (burnley) and Marshall (norwich)
other candidate's are limited. Phillips for his goals maybe. Bowyer has not been here long enough. if he has arrived at the start of the season he'd be my pick. Carsley started well but has tailled away alarmingly since xmas.