The Toepoker SPL team of the year part 1

I told you I'd get round to it eventually. I'm about to be consumed by the wonderful illness called World Cup Fever, so if I don't manage my 3rd annual SPL Team of the year now, I never will. So here is part one - the keeper and the back four. The second part will come...well, when I can be bothered.

GOALKEEPER
Winner: JOHN RUDDY (Motherwell); mentions in dispatches: Allan McGregor (Rangers), Dusan Pernis (Dundee United)

Those who are aware of my anti-Old Firm leanings are well aware that I wouldn't give McGregor this award in a month of Sundays. But Ruddy's year-long loan from Everton went swimmingly both for Motherwell, who got a superb goalie, and for Ruddy himself, who has surely put himself in the window for a Championship club. His huge frame made him commanding in the box, yet he has the agility to produce some great stops.

RIGHT BACK
Winner: Steven WHITTAKER (Rangers); mentions in dispatches: Andreas Hinkel (Celtic), Jack Ross (St. Mirren)

Whittaker looked hopelessly out of his depth in the Champions League, but his marauding attacking play produced a goal total in double-figures, and his pace usually gets him out of trouble against SPL wingers, so he had to be in. Hinkel was let down by his Celtic teammates this season, while Ross, despite being in his twilight years, is likely to earn a move to a better side than St. Mirren this summer.

LEFT BACK
Winner: Sasa PAPAC (Rangers); mentions in dispatches: Lee Wallace (Hearts), Steven Hammell (Motherwell)

Rarely spectacular, Papac continues to be the outstanding left back in the SPL through hard work, solid defensive capabilities and the ability to, almost quietly, provide an overlapping threat on the left. He is simply the most consistent player around. Wallace is surely going to leave Hearts soon to further his career down south, while Hammell remains a useful left back with a sweet delivery from wide areas and dead balls.

CENTRE BACKS
Winners: David WEIR (Rangers), Andy WEBSTER (Dundee United); mentions in dispatches: Sol Bamba (Hibernian), Mark Reynolds (Motherwell), Marius Zaliukas (Hearts)

I think you have to have played more than half of all league games to be considered for this list, so that rules out Majdid Bougherra, and also Michael Duberry (brilliant for St. Johnstone after arriving in January). Weir may look like he's moving in slow motion all the time, but then pace was never his thing anyway. He's just turned forty, yet you could see him lasting another couple of years. Webster will surely return to Ibrox to be his partner next season - he is right back to his best and was critical to Dundee United's successful campaign.

As for the rest, I'm almost embarrassed to include Bamba, but he has shades of Bobo Balde about him. Reynolds is another one who will surely go on to better things, and, well, I've just always been a fan of Zaliukas.

Too many Rangers players so far, huh?

I'll finish off the rest of the team in my next post. You can bet your bottom dollar Kris Boyd will be in it, and you can bet another one that Michael flipping Stewart will not.

Regards,

L.