daniel chigunwe
THE best 11 footballers in the domestic Premiership were chosen by a panel of journalists, team captains and coaches yesterday.
We now know the 11 footballers who were selected.
They are Blessing Moyo, Donovan Bernard, Emmanuel Jalai, Godknows Murwira, Isheanesu Mauchi, Khama Billiat, Kingsley Mureremba, Lynoth Chikuhwa, Tymon Machope, Walter Musona and Webster Tanaka Tafa.
It was always going to be a controversial list because there will always be others who feel that certain players have been left out of the list even though they deserved to be there.
It’s something that is expected and even the Ballon d’Or choice of winner was heavily criticised this year with many feeling that Spanish midfielder Rodri did not deserve the award.
Instead, many felt that it should have gone to Brazilian forward Vini Junior and his Real Madrid team were so disappointed by the way their star was snubbed they even boycotted the ceremony.
Simba Bhora were the champions but they did not do enough to provide five of the 11 players on the Soccer Stars of the Year calendar.
At best, they should have provided three and, at worst, they should have provided two players.
Somehow, they provided three defenders — Moyo, Mauchi and Tafa — when they did not have the best defence in the league.
ZPC Kariba, who had the best defence in the league after conceding just 18 goals, six fewer than the number of goals which Simba Bhora let in, were ignored in the selection process.
No one among the selectors chose to remember that Bold Mutukure and Nyasha Gurende were outstanding for ZPC Kariba and helped their club survive relegation, thanks to their rock-solid defending.
It’s likely that the two players would have featured prominently if they played for bigger clubs like Dynamos and CAPS United where the exposure is guaranteed.
The two Harare giants provided three players —Murwira, Murembera and Jalai — even though both sides had a nightmarish campaign in the championship race.
The irony is that CAPS United, who had the third worst defence in the league this season, have somehow been rewarded with two slots, including Murwira, on the Soccer Stars of the Year calendar.
Herentals, who emerged as the best performing side of all the Harare teams in the domestic Premiership, were not even rewarded for their excellent campaign with, at least, one of their players making it onto the Soccer Stars of the Year calendar.
FC Platinum, who finished second in the championship race, were also ignored with none of their players making it onto the calendar.
Ngezi Platinum Stars, who finished third and have qualified for the Chibuku Super Cup final, did not provide even a single player onto the Stars calendar. These are some of the things which contribute to making selection for such awards a controversial task.
The selectors know that they could have done better by casting their net wider and they also know that the champions, Simba Bhora, did not deserve five players on the Stars calendar.
Online Reporter