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Michael Owen has revealed his picks for the PFA Team of the Year, which he voted for today, as well as his nominations for Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year.
The former England striker, who announced his plans to retire at the end of the current season last month, posted his chosen 'dream team' on Twitter.
He invited his followers to guess his line-up, before revealing all, including his picks for the individual awards.
Nominations: Stoke striker Michael Owen, retiring at the end of the season, revealed his team of the year
Players are not alowed to vote for team-mates, otherwise Asmir Begovic may have got the Stoke striker's vote between the sticks.
'I went for Mignolet in goal. It was a toss up between him and @D_DeGea. @asmir1 could win it but you are not allowed to vote for team mates,' Owen posted.
Owen let his boyhood support of Everton come to the fore when picking his defence.
Dream Team: Sunderland's Simon Mignolet (left) and Everton's Leighton Baines both got Owen's approval
NOT SO EASY PICKINGS...
Owen justified selections by saying: 'it's not necessarily the best players that get the vote. It's who has played consistently well for most of the season.'
He was going to offer his Twitter followers further insight by naming his starting XI based on pure talent, but clearly the task was too hard.
'I'm going to Tweet my current best Premier League XI in terms of pure ability,' he posted, before adding seven minutes later:
'In fact, no I'm not! Too tricky! Gerrard, Bale, Suarez, Mata, Baines all went in but then it got too difficult!!!'
'Zabaleta and Baines were my full backs. Pretty happy with those picks!' he posted.
'Centre Halves were tough to call. Loads of possibles. Went for Vertongen and Jagielka in the end. Happy to stand corrected. Distin maybe?'
The big names come out as the team reaches the attacking players, but Owen still had one more surprise up his sleeve, choosing Swansea winger Wayne Routledge.
Midfield was reasonably simple until it came to the right side. Carrick, Mata and Bale are in without hesitation,' he said.
'Routlage was my surprise pick on the right. Been very impressed every time I have seen him this season. Hazard was a possible too.'
The former Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Manchester United striker knows a thing or two about goalscorers and there was no surprise as he picked front men from two of his former clubs.
Midfield maestros: Owen plumped for United's Carrick (above) and Chelsea playmaker Juan Mata in midfield
Surprise choice: Swansea's Wayne Routledge (right) was a shock inclusion in Owen's line-up
'Suarez and Van Persie up top. Michu and Benteke were possibles too but could only pick 2,' he posted.
However, Liverpool talisman Suarez just missed out on the Player of the Year tip.
'Player of The Year was Bale. Closely followed by Suarez. Young Player of The Year was Benteke,' posted Owen, who later added: 'Loads saying Van Persie should win it and a few saying Suarez. I just sided with Bale but it was a toss up between him and Suarez for me.'
Top dog: Liverpool's Luis Suarez (right), with Owen's former team-mate Steven Gerrard, got the nod for the Team of the Year, but missed out on Owen's nod for the individual award to Gareth Bale (below)
Double winner: As well as starring in the team of the year, Bale also got Owen's nod for the top player
Young gun: Aston Villa's Christian Benteke has impressed Owen, who named him Young Player of the Year
Owen later admitted: 'I'd say posting my team on here was a mistake! Made myself an easy target for abuse. Funny thing is, virtually every one of the teams that everyone has sent me are different! The difference is mine isn't biased towards any particular team. Just shows you it's a game of opinions!'
Owen was voted in the PFA Team of the Year for the 1997-98 season, a year which also saw him scoop the Young Player of the Year award and finish third in the Player of the Year behind Dennis Bergkamp and Tony Adams.
No Santi Cazorla?? Much better than most those players, Routledge might make the Spain squad.....to clean their boots.
- jas singh , Uk, United Kingdom, 02/4/2013 18:57
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