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Langton Nyakwenda
A panel of journalists, club coaches and captains are set to select the 11 best players of the season soon after the 2024 Castle Lager Premier League concludes with the crowning of champions Simba Bhora at Nyamhunga Stadium next weekend.
Although the selection date has not been made public, Zimpapers Sports Hub has been told the panellists will vote virtually on November 26.
History-making Simba Bhora are expected to provide the bulk of the players on the soccer stars calendar, as has been the trend in recent seasons.
League champions have provided three players on the calendar in the last two seasons.
When FC Platinum won the 2021/2022 title, their fourth in a row, they had Walter Musona, Gift Bello and Wallace Magalane.
Ngezi Platinum Stars were the 2023 champions and they provided Qadr Amini, Takunda Benhura and Nelson Chadya.
The trend could spill into 2024, with Simba Bhora expected to provide at least three players. Their back-three of Blessing “Bisto” Moyo, Webster Tafa and Isheanesu Mauchi was the backbone of their historic campaign.
The 29-year-old Moyo has never been on the soccer stars calendar since 2012 when he made his Premiership bow with Dynamos, but that jinx could be broken this year, as he is one of the hot favourites.
Tafa played in all of Simba Bhora’s 33 league matches and the former Mushowani Stars man has a strong chance of challenging teammate Walter Musona for the Soccer Star of the Year award.
The 21-year-old Mauchi, a former national team volleyball player, was a revelation for Simba Bhora in the season and has caught the eye of national team selectors.
Standing at 195cm, Mauchi is the tallest player in the Premiership and his height was key at the back for Simba Bhora, who lost just once at home this season.
With 11 goals and several assists, lanky striker Tymon Machope also has a chance.
Just like Simba Bhora’s Moyo, Dynamos’ vice captain Emmanuel Jalai has been unlucky with the calendar and so has been FC Platinum’s Mr Consistency — Brian Banda.
But the duo of Jalai and Banda are heavily tipped to make it onto this year’s calendar.
ZPC Kariba have the best defence in the league so far, having conceded 18 times in 33 matches.
It would not be a surprise if the Mashonaland West side provide a defender on the calendar, with long-serving centre-back Boid Mutukure being the favourite.
The league’s top scorer and Highlanders’ talisman Lynoth Chikuhwa could be among the top three after a stellar season for Bosso.
Chikuhwa leads the Golden Boot race with 16 goals, three ahead of Yadah Stars’ Khama Billiat, who is also heavily tipped to be among the top three.
Juan Mutudza (FC Platinum), Farai Banda (Manica Diamonds), Godknows Murwira and Kingsley Mureremba (CAPS United) have done remarkably well to deserve recognition.
Makepekepe’s youthful winger Junior Bunjira was a major highlight of the season.
The race for the Golden Glove has narrowed down to a two-horse tussle between Chicken Inn’s Donovan Bernard and Nelson Chadya of Ngezi Platinum Stars.
Bernard has 19 clean sheets, two more than Chadya, but the two keepers could make it among the Best XI.
Should Chadya make it, he will have done so three times in a row.
Allan Chapinduka (TelOne), Carlos Makambira (Bikita Minerals), Blessed Ndereki (Yadah Stars) and Green Fuel’s defender Tashinga Pfende are some of the contenders.
Online Reporter