"Finally to Alan Shearer. Largely responsible for hauling Newcastle United FC into the Champions League, 2002 was a year to remember for the former golden boy of English football - scoring his 200th Premiership goal in April; his 300th career goal in October; and becoming the first man to score 100 Premiership goals for two clubs. A true totem in my select eleven."
It might be a bit of a simplistic view to say Shearer was largely responsible for our fourth place last year, but it’s good to see there at least some journalists prepared to give him some credit – perhaps Ian Ridley of the Observer might want to reconsider his views.
Voting for the team of the year begins on January 6 on UEFA’s website.