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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Zimbabwe Warriors midfielder Edzai Kasinauyo has criticized the selection criteria for the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Goalkeeper of the Year award.
According to the selection criteria introduced last year amid an outcry from stakeholders, the goalminder is no longer voted for by the panel of selectors who include PSL coaches and members of the media but the award goes to the goalkeeper who would have played the most number of games and conceded the least goals.
The award carries a cash prize of $2 000.
Speaking during a Premiership match between championship chasing sides Harare City and Highlanders at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday, the former Blackpool player expressed shock at the criteria and called for its immediate scrapping.
“Where have you heard that? Conceding goals or not comes with a lot of factors behind it. It does not necessarily mean that the goalkeeper could be the best in the league but there are factors like a good defence which need to be looked into,” said Kasinauyo, who played for a number of clubs in South Africa before hanging up his boots to form a sports management and sportswear company.
The 2013 selection process takes place this Saturday in Harare.
“Look at this match for instance, Highlanders goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya has already let in three goals with the match still on but he has had a good season so can we then honestly deny him the award because of this match? You need to look at contributory factors throughout the season per individual player,” said Kasinauyo.
Diya and Dynamos’ George Chigova are strong candidates for the best goalkeeper award and even being included in the 11 best players of the season.
Highlanders’ substitute goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda is the reigning Goalkeeper of the Year but is definitely out of consideration this year after being relegated to the bench following Bosso’s 0-4 drubbing by Dynamos in the second leg of the Bob Super Cup at Rufaro Stadium early this season.
Online Reporter