DERRY CITY: Shiels reckons City should have at least FOUR players in Team of the Year

While Shiels was delighted with his goalkeeper, Gerard Doherty for being named in the 2016 team, he felt the club’s leading striker, Rory Patterson, Barry McNamee and Niclas Vemmelund should have been included.

And he claims Derry City are often overlooked when it comes to the handing out of awards during the course of the season, given the club has received just TWO ‘Player of the Month’ awards from a possible 87 in the past 10 years.

“What a fantastic achievement for Gerard,” said Shiels. “I said to Gerard in front of the players that what he’s achieved is a great honour because it’s from the players.

“There’s players that are in that team that haven’t played half the games that Gerard’s played.

“But in the last 10 years, there’s been 87 player of the month awards and Derry City have got two so that tells you something about the media. So the players’ awards is so more pleasurable to be involved in the team of the year - voted by your peers. There was a player of the month award given to a player this season and he played two games that month. Somebody tell me how that can happen! We’ve had two from 87 months - two! Derry is overlooked and the players know that.”