JOHN TERRY’S DECISION to vote for Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho for the PFA Player of the Year award was purely for political reasons, according to Jamie Carragher.
The Chelsea captain revealed he had given the Brazilian his vote for the accolade on Instagram earlier in the week but Carragher insists his decision was nothing more than a a tactical move.
“How do I know? I did exactly the same thing in 2006 when Steven Gerrard won,” the former Reds defender wrote in The Daily Mail. ”I was Liverpool’s PFA representative back then.”
Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, who alongside Coutinho is one of six nominees, is favourite to win the award and Carragher believes the reasoning behind Terry’s vote is to prevent Tottenham’s Harry Kane or David de Gea pipping his Blues team mate to the silverware.
“I’m sure Hazard and the other leading contenders – in my mind David de Gea and Harry Kane – will benefit from their team-mates being careful with who they vote for.
“John Terry recently revealed he had chosen Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho – who has been very good but not great – as his nomination,” Carragher continued.
“There’s no way Terry can seriously believe Coutinho has been better than De Gea and Kane this season! There is more to it than meets the eye.
“John, I am almost certain, will have gone around Chelsea’s dressing room when the ballot papers came in and told the squad – given that you cannot choose one of your team-mates – under no circumstances should they vote for De Gea or Kane, who are Hazard’s biggest challengers.
“You might think that’s unfair but it is the same in every dressing room.”
Belgian international Hazard has scored 12 goals in the Premier League this term as well as eight assists and has been central to Chelsea’s title charge.
He has also been nominated for the Young Player of the Year award alongside Thibaut Courtois, Raheem Sterling, Coutinho, de Gea and Kane.
The winners will be announced on 26 April 2015.
