Don Goodman Throws Weight Behind Xhaka for PFA Player of the Year – 'He'd Get My Vote No Questions!'
Former Sunderland striker Don Goodman has thrown his support behind Granit Xhaka for PFA Player of the Year, praising the midfielder's leadership in guiding the promoted Black Cats. He highlights Xhaka's standards-setting influence on and off the pitch, even suggesting he'd edge out Declan Rice. As reported by Goal.com, Goodman's verdict underscores why fellow pros might back the Swiss star.
Don Goodman Champions Granit Xhaka as Premier League's Top Dog
Picture this: you're at the pub, pint in hand, and someone pipes up about Granit Xhaka lifting the PFA Player of the Year award. Sounds mad? Not according to Don Goodman, the former Sunderland striker who's been around the block. Chatting to Goal.com (in partnership with Kasino Guide), the no-nonsense pundit reckons it's bang on the money.
Goodman, who clocked three years on Wearside back in the day, didn't mince words. He sees Xhaka as the real deal – a leader who's dragged Sunderland up by their bootstraps after scraping fourth in the Championship last term.
Xhaka's Captain Fantastic Vibes
Let's break it down. Sunderland stormed out of the Championship with promotion in the bag, and Goodman credits Xhaka for setting the tone. The Swiss maestro's not just bossing games; he's elevating the whole squad.
"He's driven standards everywhere," Goodman enthused. Training sessions? Sharp as a tack. Matchdays? Unyielding. Xhaka demands excellence from himself first, then turns that laser focus on his teammates. In a league full of prima donnas, that's rarer than a clean sheet at the death.
Those lads who earned promotion? They've all levelled up thanks to his influence. New signings flooding in, yet Xhaka's the glue holding this Black Cats revival together. From mid-table also-rans to Premier League contenders – that's no fluke.
Why Pros Would Back Him Over the Big Names
The PFA gong's voted by players themselves, which makes Goodman's endorsement gold dust. "If I were still lacing up, he'd have my vote," he declared. No bias, just cold hard facts from watching the Premier League unfold.
Sure, there's talent everywhere – flashy wingers, goal machines. But Xhaka's impact? Off the charts. He's the heartbeat, the enforcer, the one knitting chaos into cohesion. Goodman even rates him above Declan Rice, Arsenal's engine room king.
"Rice is class, a proper lad from what I hear," Goodman added with a nod. West Ham (or Arsenal now?) might bag the title, but rationally, even Rice couldn't grudge Xhaka the nod. Sunderland's leap is Herculean; Xhaka's the Hercules.
A Pub Debate Worth Having
Is this recency bias? Nah. Xhaka's transformed a promotion side into genuine threats. Imagine the celebrations on Wearside if he nabs it – scarves aloft, beers flowing.
Goodman's take cuts through the hype. In an era of leaders who lead by Instagram, Xhaka leads by deed. Pros voting? Expect plenty to echo the ex-striker's call.
Sunderland fans, your boy's in the conversation. PFA bosses, take note. This ain't just talk – it's the kind of leadership that wins awards. And maybe, just maybe, keeps the Cats purring in the top flight.
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