It is coming up to our first birthday here at The Rondo. Since January 2020, we have been writing about all things football. Looking back, we have brought you a wealth of childhood nostalgia, footballing history and life lessons, book reviews, and updates upon the latest crises in and around the world of sport.
Certainly, no one can deny that it has been a bonkers year; with virtual crowds, volatile team “bubbles”, postponements, VAR and a handball law that seems to have been changed more times than Messi has scored for Barcelona (644 goals), football has never looked quite so different. But it is not all doom and gloom, as 2020 would suggest at first glance. At a time whereby fans are being drip-fed back into stadiums across the globe, together with our regular readers and contributors, we have agreed upon twenty awards to celebrate the footballing successes that have been achieved this year. (Note: all awards are hypothetical, of course, as we do not have the budget to offer anything more substantial, nor do we have access to some of the world’s finest sporting talents – not just yet anyway).
So, sit back, enjoy the fireworks – or lack thereof – and let’s reminisce as we lead you into a more hopeful and healthier 2021…
The Annual Awards
Our first ten awards go to a number of stars, in both the men and women’s game, from across the globe. Without further ado, massive congratulations to the following…
1. Manager(s) of the Year:
- Hansi Flick of Bayern Munich
- Emma Hayes of Chelsea Women
2. Player(s) of the Year:
- Erling Haaland of Borussia Dortmund (Young Player of the Year)
- Robert LewanGOALski of Bayern Munich (Men’s Player of the Year)
- Vivianne Miedema of Arsenal Women (Women’s Player of the Year)
3. Team(s) of the Year:
- Bayern Munich as European Champions
(winning five substantial trophies and breaking multiple records) - Liverpool and Manchester United Women
(both are current league-leaders in England’s top-flight divisions)
4. Best Goal:
- Jordan Flores of Dundalk versus Shamrock Rovers (28 February)
- Sophie Ingle of Chelsea versus Arsenal (19 January)
5. Most Influential Transfer:
- Bruno Fernandes (£67m from Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United)
- Lucy Bronze (free agent from European Champions Lyon to Manchester City)
6. Best Freekick:
- Anything James Ward-Prowse (clip includes some additional pre-2020 pings)
7. Worst Penalty:
- Ademola Lookman’s panenka for Fulham against West Ham (07 September)
8. Greatest Act of Shithousery:
- Danny Drinkwater attacking a child in an Under 23s match (15 December)
9. Most Entertaining Press Conference:
- Scott Parker’s emotive rendition of Dry Your Eyes by The Streets (04 August)
10. Biggest Blunder:
- VAR / Hawkeye during Sheffield United’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa (18 June)
The Rondo Round-up
Now to finish up with ten highlights from our work and writing this year…
1. Best Managerial Insight:
- “The Joy of Roy” by Alexander Palmer-Wales (10 February)
2. Best Player Profile:
- “The Man, The Myth, The Legend” by Lewis Allan (30 November)
3. Most Prophetic Journalism:
- “The Patient Saints” by Jack Pearce (17 February)
4. Best European Coverage:
- “Villains of the Bundesliga” by Charlie Chambers (05 October)
5. Best Championship Coverage:
- “El Loco” by Oliver Smith (14 September)
6. Most Creative Piece:
- “A Comic History of Football” a review by Sophie Mills (28 September)
7. Most Impactful Piece:
- “Football, Depression and Me” by Lowell Crisford (12 October)
8. Greatest Throwback:
- “West Brom and The Three Degrees” by Shaun Mills (23 March)
9. Greatest Analysis of the Women’s Game:
- “This is a Man’s World” by Charlie Mills (18 May)
10. First Complete Feature:
- “The Forgotten XI” by Lowell Crisford (03 February
And that concludes this year’s annual awards ceremony. Thank you for all of your support this year. Remember to keep safe and keep reading.
Happy New Year from all at The Rondo.
