It is a truth universally acknowledged that 2010 was a year to forget for England’s footballers. Having crashed out of the World Cup at the hands of a slicker, swifter, smarter Germany, Fabio Capello’s annus horribilis finished with defeat by France at Wembley - an abject performance that provided a painful reminder of England’s shortcomings.
But that has not stopped the FA from asking the public to vote for their England Player of the Year. All 44 players that made an appearance for the national team are included in the poll, despite some of them gaining only one cap.
Perhaps that reflects the lack of an outstanding (or half decent) candidate. After all, fans can vote for established names such as Robert Green, Wayne Rooney