He said: "Thierry has had an outstanding performance again and an outstanding week. He should certainly be footballer of the year in this country, as for footballer of the season, we will have to be patient and see.
"European footballer of the year? I'd say he's in contention certainly. Ronaldo was the player of the World Cup but has not played much before or after. The World Cup is three weeks and the year is 52 weeks.
"When you want to see a good player, you ask how many games did you play in the season and how many titles did you win. They are the real champions."
"Thierry was leading scorer in the Premiership last season and now he has scored five times in two big games. He is physically extremely strong and recovers so well. You need a special strength to deliver that kind of performance."