Footballer Of The Year Odds & Betting Favourites 2023

We have the latest footballer of the year odds and betting favourites for 2023 as it looks like a two horse race for this big prize.

What Is The Footballer Of The Year Award

The Gaelic Athletic Association & Gaelic Player’s Association All Stars Footballer of the Year is an award presented annually to the player deemed the outstanding in gaelic football. Created in 1995, the award is part of the All-Stars Awards and is voted by a group of journalists from television and the print media.

Two players have won the award more than once Trevor Giles of Meath in 1996 and 1999 and Brian Fenton of Dublin in 2018 and 2020. Furthermore, two sets of brothers have won the award Bernard Brogan (2010) and Alan Brogan (2011) for Dublin and Tomás Ó Sé (2004) and Marc Ó Sé (2007) for Kerry.

Footballer of the Year Odds 2023

Footballer of the Year Betting Favourites

James McCarthy – Dublin (Footballer Of The Year Favourite)

The Ballymun Kickhams man and Dublin Captain James McCarthy is the 4/9 favourite to win the 2023 Footballer of the Year award.

The Last Dance?

McCarthy has been excellent for Dublin throughout the year and indeed throughout his career. At 33-years-old he is aging like a fine wine and somehow plaed some of his best football in the sky blue colours this season.

The Dublin wing-back is arguably the greatest half-back to ever play the game and was a critical part of the best gaelic football team we’ve ever seen, Dublin’s six-in-a-row squad. While the Dubs transition into a new era McCarthy still remains as a key player, driving the team forward and knocking over vital scores when his team needs him most.

There had been some chatter in the media of McCarthy dropping back into the full-back line to mark David Clifford. That ultimately never materialised as Mick Fitzsimons was given that task and did an excellent job at it.

Why McCarthy Is The Footballer of the Year Favourite

To be fair, McCarthy didn’t have his best game of the year in the final against Kerry. However, he has probably been Dublin’s best performer throughout the course of the year.

Just as importantly, McCarthy’s main rival for the footballer of the year award, David Clifford, probably had his worst performance in a Kerry jersey in the final. This should see James McCarthy take home this award and potentially be the first ever Footballer of the Year to retire after winning the award.

GOAL DUBLIN
55mins Dublin 2-16 Louth 0-10
Captain James McCarthy with Dublin’s second goal of the game.
📺 https://t.co/5y76j90rz3
📱 Updates https://t.co/6wadkb1iGY
📻 https://t.co/6cgNc6x1xs pic.twitter.com/ufaLy59IEk

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 14, 2023

David Clifford – Kerry

Kerry star David Clifford is the second favourite to win the 2023 Footballer of the Year award at odds of 13/8 in the betting.

A Growing Legacy

Clifford has been widely regarded as one of the best footballers in the country since making his debut in the 2018 National League. He ended the year with an All-Star that year and as the GAA/GPA Young Footballer of the Year.

The four-time All-Star Footballer 18, 19, 21 and 22 won Footballer of the Year for the first time last year for the 2022 season as Kerry were crowned All-Ireland Champions. Clifford also won the National League, Munster Championship to go with an All-Ireland Junior title with his club Fossa.

If the talented Kerry forward can win Footballer of the Year in 2023 he will become only the third man to win the award multiple times after Trevor Giles and Brian Fenton. He would also be the first player to win the award in back-to-back years.

Clifford’s Case For 2023 Footballer of the Year

Since his debut for Kerry Clifford has been a power scorer for his county. The Fossa man finished this year as the second highest scorer in the Championship with a tally of 5-42 while he was also the second highest scorer from play with 3-21.

Why Clifford Probably Won’t Win 2023 Footballer of the Year

I would be very surprised if David Clifford wins this year’s Footballer of the Year award although it wouldn’t be undeserved. The problem for Clifford is that he had one of his worst performances in a Kerry jersey (perhaps his worst) against Dublin in this year’s All-Ireland Final.

You typically don’t win Footballer of the Year unless you are on the All-Ireland winning team (only 3 players have done that this century) and you never win Footballer of the Year when playing that poorly in the All-Ireland Final.

David Clifford was born OTD in 1999 🗓️

Here are some of his best moments for Kerry so far #GAA pic.twitter.com/pEpa3DErli

— Adam Moynihan (@AdamMoynihan) January 22, 2023

Brian Fenton – Dublin

At odds of 20/1 to win 2023 Gaelic Footballer of the Year is Dublin legend Brian Fenton. The Raheny man has arguably been Dublin’s best player over the last decade and a constant driving force from midfield.

Fenton made his debut for the Dubs in 2015 and Dublin went onto to win their 6-in-a-row began their march to a historic 6-in-a-row from there which is no coincidence.

History Maker

The Raheny clubman has two Footballer of the Year awards to show for his contributions, the first of those coming in 2018 and the next in 2020.

That award in 2020 made Fenton only the second ever man to win the award twice. Meath’s Trevor Giles being the first. If he were to win this year’s award he would become the first player ever to win the Footballer of the Year award three times.

If you were to make a team of the century then Fenton is a no-brainer pick at midfield and you could also argue that he deserves a spot in an all-time gaelic football XV.

Fenton’s Case To Win 2023 Footballer of the Year

You could talk forever about how good Fenton is; but what about his performances this year? The Dublin midfielder has been typically brilliant for his county this season and recently earned himself a spot on the GAA Team of the Week for his performance against Monaghan in the semi-final.

You could argue that Fenton was deserving of Man of the Match in that Monaghan game too.

In the All-Ireland Final the Raheny man showed his class once again as he was one of the Dubs standout players. Fenton popped up with two crucial scores from midfield including a point to put Dublin ahead in the 64th minute of the game which was the first time they took the lead after half-time.

While definitely an underdog I think Brian Fenton makes for a very interesting dark horse bet at odds of 20/1 to become 2023 Footballer of the Year.

Click Below For All Our Footballer of the Year Odds 2023

Footballer of the Year Roll of Honour

2022 David Clifford – Kerry

2021 Kieran McGeary – Tyrone

2020 Brian Fenton (2) – Dublin

2019 Stephen Cluxton – Dublin

2018 Brian Fenton – Dublin

2017 Andy Moran – Mayo

2016 Lee Keegan – Mayo

2015 Jack McCaffrey – Dublin

2014 James O’Donoghue – Kerry

2013 Michael Darragh MacAuley – Dublin

2012 Karl Lacey – Donegal

2011 Alan Brogan – Dublin

2010 Bernard Brogan – Dublin

2009 Paul Galvin – Kerry

2008 Seán Cavanagh -Tyrone

2007 Marc Ó Sé – Kerry

2006 Kieran Donaghy – Kerry

2005 Stephen O’Neill – Tyrone

2004 Tomás Ó Sé – Kerry

2003 Steven McDonnell – Armagh

2002 Kieran McGeeney – Armagh

2001 Declan Meehan – Galway

2000 Seamus Moynihan – Kerry

1999 Trevor Giles (2) – Meath

1998 Jarlath Fallon – Galway

1997 Maurice Fitzgerald – Kerry

1996 Trevor Giles – Meath

1995 Peter Canavan – Tyrone

Footballer of The Year Winners by Province

Leinster (9) 96, 99, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 19, 20

Munster (8) 97, 00, 04, 06, 07, 09, 14, 22

Ulster (7) 95, 02, 03, 05, 08, 12, 21

Connacht (4) 98, 01, 16, 17

*Prices subject to fluctuation

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