Sorry, I'm a bit late this year, since I've been distracted by Real Life. I know that the PFA and most of the media have already selected their best XI of the season, but leaving it late has meant that I could make one or two slightly different picks. As ever, I'm going to get a slagging for the lack of Celtic players, but I can deal with that. I've selected more than I did last season, anyway.
For your amusement, here are the previous six selections. It's a blast from the past, this...
2007/08: Allan McGregor, Alan Hutton, Carlos Cuellar, Lee Wilkie, Lee Naylor, Barry Robson, Stephen Hughes, Barry Ferguson, Aiden McGeady, Scott McDonald, Steven Fletcher
2008/09: Lukasz Zaluska, Andreas Hinkel, Gary Caldwell, Lee Wilkie, Sasa Papac, Scott Brown, Bruno Aguiar, Pedro Mendes, Andrew Driver, Scott McDonald, Kris Boyd
2009/10: John Ruddy, Steven Whittaker, David Weir, Andy Webster, Sasa Papac, Steven Davis, Morgaro Gomis, James McArthur, Anthony Stokes, Kris Boyd, David Goodwillie
2010/11: Marian Kello, Steven Whittaker, Daniel Majstorovic, Michael Duberry, Emilio Izaguirre, Steven Naismith, Beram Kayal, Alexei Eremenko, David Templeton, Nikica Jelavic, David Goodwillie
2011/12: Cammy Bell, Adam Matthews, Carlos Bocanegra, Charlie Mulgrew, Paul Dixon, James Forrest, Victor Wanyama, Ian Black, Dean Shiels, Jon Daly, Gary Hooper
2012/13: Fraser Forster, Mihael Kovacevic, Gary Warren, Mark Reynolds, Stevie Hammell, Victor Wanyama, Nicky Law, Murray Davidson, Leigh Griffiths, Michael Higdon, Billy Mckay
So, without further ado, here is the Seventh Annual Narey's Toepoker Team Of The Year. As always, it's split into two parts. Surprisingly, I couldn't find a place for Jamie Hamill, Eric Djemba Djemba or Jordan Slew.
GOALKEEPER: Jamie MACDONALD (Hearts)
Honourable mentions: Fraser Forster (Celtic), Alan Mannus (St. Johnstone)
Forster is the fashionable pick, of course, having set a new record for minutes without conceding and earned his first England cap. But he had a back four of international players in front of him, whereas Jamie MacDonald spent all season being 'protected' by a bunch who spent most of the week preparing for their Standard Grades. The Jambos suffered from the odd heavy defeat, but that wasn't down to their goalkeeper, who was for me the best shotstopper in the country in 2013/14.
RIGHT-BACK: Dave MACKAY (St. Johnstone)
Honourable mentions: Adam Matthews (Celtic), Jason Naismith (St. Mirren)
This was really difficult, because the best right-back in the league is Mikael Lustig, but injury prevented the Swede from starting more than a handful of domestic games. It doesn't seem right to pick Adam Matthews, when he isn't even his team's best player in that position. I liked Shaleum Logan as well, but the Aberdeen loanee has only been up here for just over three months. So the veteran Mackay gets the nod. The Perth Saint is hardly spectacular, but he's so reliable that you can set your watch by him.
LEFT-BACK: Andrew ROBERTSON (Dundee United)
Honourable mentions: Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic), Graeme Shinnie (Inverness CT)
If there weren't too many worthy candidates at right-back, there were a plethora on the opposite flank. Shinnie, who impressed at right-back and central midfield at times as well, would probably have a Scotland cap but for the revelation that is young Robertson; the Dundee United defender is the real deal and is going to go on to become a hell of a special player in the next few years.
CENTRE-BACKS: Virgil VAN DIJK (Celtic), Mark REYNOLDS (Aberdeen)
Honourable mentions: Efe Ambrose (Celtic), Gavin Gunning (Dundee United), Steven Anderson (St. Johnstone)
Van Dijk is the sort of foreign talent that is all too rare in Scottish football now. I can't see him playing for Celtic next season, especially as it's likely that he'll miss out on Holland's World Cup squad for no other reason than that he plays in a diddy league. He's good enough to be at a mid-table English Premier League team at least. I picked Reynolds last year too, but I think he's been even better this time round. It's his comfort in possession which always impresses me, and Aberdeen have utilized his ability to step out of defence with the ball to good effect. In other seasons, Ambrose and Anderson would have been picked - both have largely flown under the radar this season, with the former having cut out the mistakes but been overshadowed by Van Dijk, while the latter has had an excellent campaign and deserves to be in just for that backheel goal he scored.
Part two to come in a few days, if life doesn't get in the way...
L.
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