Pots 2019; Teemu Pukki

Sometimes in life, the obvious option is the right one.

Yes, it’s cool to be different, it pays to have an open progressive mind. Try soya or almond milk with your cereal, enjoy a bit of line dancing of a weekend, perhaps watch one of them foreign dramas with words on the screen.

But occasionally you just have to acknowledge that the right choice is the most traditional, straight forward and blatant one, and there’s nothing to gain by over thinking it or resisting the way it’s longingly staring you in the face.

We’re allowed up to 800 words to sum up our Player Of The Season contender, I only really need 6;
Teemu Pukki was a FREE TRANSFER.

This season has been a team effort, with crucial goals coming from all areas of the pitch, timely saves and blocks keeping us in games when we were on the ropes. I applaud the squad’s total contribution.

But Teemu has scored 28 league goals and is in double figures for assists.

No other single player has contributed more to the promotion (and hopefully title) push than this unassuming Finn.

When you bear in mind none of those 28 goals are penalties, which traditionally bolster even the most legendary striker’s stats, it’s an even more impressive feat. Then, too, consider how many of those goals have been winners, equalisers and nerve settlers. He senses the big occasion and delivers with aplomb in a calm gentlemanly fashion.

And wages aside, HE DIDN’T COST US ANYTHING.

He has kept himself fit, he has only earned 3 bookings all season, so hasn’t come close to missing game time. And despite being almost ever present, the energy levels he brings to every game are exemplary. The discipline in keeping the press ongoing is crucial to Farkeball, and starts from the front. As soon as the ball is back in play, he’s closing down keepers, defenders, and regularly will charge back deep into our own defensive third to retrieve a ball he feels responsible for giving away.

At the start of the season, we didn’t dream of Jordan Rhodes, with all his goal scoring and 2nd flight pedigree being a fully fit bit-part player. He can’t get a look in, despite scoring regularly from the bench when given a longer cameo, because Pukki this season, gives you everything. Which of these characteristics would you not want in a striker;

• Goal scoring
• Hold up play (from 5 foot ish downwards)
• A first touch his colleagues can trust and make runs beyond
• Unselfish (look at all those assists)
• Disciplined (3 bookings)
• Fair (not a diver, no histrionics, plays hard and to the whistle)
• A joyous celebrator (could do with going a bit more ‘limbs’ here for my liking)
• Plays with a smile on his face (in keeping with most of this squad, except big Ben, he is angry, so angry, and we’re all sorry for whatever we’ve done).
• Attractive (I like that he looks like Andrew Lawn, one of my prettier friends)

In a team synonymous with its overseas influence it is so fitting that the leading light is someone from a country whose anthem few could hum, nor name many of its towns (it was a round on Taskmaster once, I have it on good authority Finnish place names aren’t well known).

Yes I’ve fallen for Zimbo, I’m over the moon that one our “own” (ahem, Luton) is the EFL Young Player of the Season, Trybull seems to be getting better with every kick of the ball, Mario has done the biggest turnaround in form in the history of association football, and Jamal would make the top 3 in most seasons.

However if you’re setting aside a “team” award and going to give it to one player, who has done more for the yellow and green cause this season than Teemu Pukki? If we are holding up a trophy and/or “We are going up” banners in early May, that man will forever be a hero, his goal scoring exploits will be remembered around the water coolers, taverns and old people’s homes of this fine city far longer than this phenomenal ensemble cast.

It’s been Teemu’s season, and he’s been epic.