Colm Cooper has been excluded from the Opel Gaelic Players Association (GPA) nominations for football team of the year.

A temporary captain of All-Ireland champions Kerry, when Declan O'Sullivan was dropped after the Munster final, Cooper was criticised for failing to reach his normally high-scoring standards during the Munster championship but the move of Kieran Donaghy to full forward saw Cooper register 2-12 in the four knockout games. This included a timely 1-2 in the All-Ireland final and 1-3 in Kerry's watershed fourth-round defeat of Longford.

However, the selection committee of John O'Mahony (chairman), Kevin O'Brien, Martin McHugh and Tony Davis deemed nine players more deserving of being put to the GPA members' vote. Fellow Kerry corner forward Mike Frank Russell and captain O'Sullivan were also excluded.

In what can be seen as a genuine competitor to the established All Star awards, the GPA announced a shortlist of 45 players, three in each position, from 12 counties. Kerry lead the nominations with eight, while Dublin and Mayo received seven each. Munster champions Cork and Ulster champions Armagh received five nominations each.

The players will also choose a footballer of the year from Kieran Donaghy, Darragh Ó Sé (both Kerry), Ciarán McDonald (Mayo) and Ronan Clarke (Armagh), with the Kerry pair the favourites to scoop the top prize at a ceremony on November 10th.

O'Mahony said: "This is a subjective consideration of who our committee believe are the best players in the 15 on-field positions during the course of the year. No doubt it will generate plenty of debate as regards who's in and who's not but the players now have the chance and the honour of selecting who are the best among their peers in 2006."

The financial benefits from the awards and that they are voted on by GPA members and not, as in the case of the All Stars, the media, may give more credence to the awards, at least from the players' perspective.

The footballer and hurler of the year will receive an Opel car, valued at €25,000, while the players voted on to the team of the season will receive €2,500. A selection committee, chaired by former Cork manager Donal O'Grady, will announce the hurling nominations tomorrow.

"With an Opel car valued at €25,000 for the individual players' of the year in both codes, and a €2,500 incentive for players voted on to the respective teams of the year by GPA members, the Opel Gaelic players awards is now the most lucrative awards scheme in Gaelic games," noted GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell.

A notable difference between the GPA awards, in their seventh year, and the All Star awards, is RTÉ will show deferred viewing of the GPA ceremony, while they televise the All Stars live.