Six Premier League icons CUT from 2023 Hall of Fame nominees list – including Evra and Le Tissier
Six Premier League icons have been dropped from this year’s Hall of Fame nominee list, including Matt Le Tissier and Patrice Evra, despite being named to last year’s list.
The top flight announced a group of 15 legends who could be selected to join its exclusive Hall of Fame club, which began in 2021, and now fans are invited to cast their votes to induct three players along with 16 stars. existing.
But there was a surprise after a bunch of notable names went absent following the reveal of a smaller-than-usual Premier League line-up.
Le Tissier, Evra, Teddy Sheringham, Edwin van der Sar, Robin van Persie and Ruud van Nistelrooy were all dropped from the shortlist, having made the cut in 2022.
Southampton legend Le Tissier has been criticized for his controversial views and conspiracy theories. The former Sky Sports expert, who was fired by the broadcaster in 2020, has consistently spread theories about Covid and vaccines, claiming that PCR tests were “the biggest fraud ever perpetrated on humanity”.
Matt Le Tissier and Patrice Evra are among the six players to be removed from the Premier League Hall of Fame nominees this year.
The top flight announced 15 nominees this year, up from 25 selected in 2022
He also said the images of destruction in Ukraine were “falsified” and reposted a tweet claiming the media had “lied” about a series of stories.
Also missing was Man United icon Evra, who was sentenced by a Paris court for making homophobic statements in 2019, in which he called PSG “queers”. He has since apologized and admitted that he has “a lot to learn.”
The six players removed from the shortlist come despite the fact that every player on the 2021 shortlist is nominated for the 2022 edition, when there were 25 nominees.
The absence of the Dutch trio of Van der Sar, Van Nistelrooy and Van Persie will come as a particular shock after their brilliant success in the Premier League and with Man United. Former goalkeeper Van der Sar made 186 appearances in the top flight and won the title four times, while Van Nistelrooy scored 95 goals in 150 league appearances.
Van Persie scored 144 goals in his spells with Arsenal and United and won the title in his first season with the Red Devils in 2012-13.
The Premier League said the number of nominees can vary each season, saying that because there were three nominees instead of six previously, the number of nominees has been adjusted accordingly.
Le Tissier has been criticized for controversial views on Covid, vaccines and the Ukraine conflict
Man United icons Ruud van Nistelrooy and Edwin van der Saar were also dropped from the list.
This year Jermain Defoe and Michael Carrick were nominated for the first time as part of 15 players who have been recognized for their ‘exceptional’ record of success.
A total of 16 English top flight icons have been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame since its inception in 2021, including Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer and David Beckham.
And earlier this week, Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger also became the first managers to join the esteemed club.
Several former players have been nominated for the third time this year, having missed out on a Hall of Fame spot on two previous occasions; with Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, Andy Cole, Ashley Cole, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, John Terry and Nemanja Vidic all hoping to get lucky for a third time in 2023.
Petr Cech, Gary Neville and Yaya Toure are also in the running again, having made the shortlist for the first time in 2022.
The shortlist takes into account the Premier League statistics of players who have retired as of January 1, 2023, as well as voting data from previous Hall of Fame shortlists.
Sir Alex Ferguson (left) and Arsene Wenger (right) were inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame, the first two managers to receive the honour.
Fans can vote for the Premier League legend they want to see join the Hall of Fame by clicking here or using the official Premier League app.
Voting is open until 6:00 pm on Monday, April 10, with the final three members to be announced on Wednesday, May 3.
Each member receives a personalized medallion along with a £10,000 donation made by the Premier League to the charity of their choice.
It comes after Ferguson and Wenger admitted their pride after becoming the first coaches to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“I am truly delighted to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame. It’s an honor when you get recognition like this,” said Ferguson, who won a record 13 titles in his storied career as United manager.
‘However, it’s not just about me as a person. It’s about the work at Manchester United and the bond we had over many years, so I’m also proud for the club, the staff and my players.
‘My job was to send the fans home happy. United’s history and my own expectations were the things that drove me, and then I had to try to develop all my players with the same expectations and make sure we could go out there and meet them.
Wenger added: “I am very grateful to have been selected for the Premier League Hall of Fame. We always wanted to give something special to the fans and when you have players capable of remarkable things, the most important thing for me is the obligation of perfection. .
“I would like to be known as someone who loved Arsenal, who respected the values of the club and put it in a position where it can grow and become even bigger.”