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Fungai Muderere
WITH the 2018 Premier Soccer League season ending on Saturday and FC Platinum having been confirmed champions, attention will next week on Thursday shift to the Soccer Star of the Year Awards.
The selection panel convenes in Harare to short-list the outstanding players and officials.
As has become the standard, the process will be conducted via an electronic vote. The panel is likely to crack heads to come up with the final XI, let alone the overall Soccer Star of the Year.
A number of names have been brought to the fore with the likes of Rodwell Chinyengetere, Kelvin Moyo and Winston Mhango who won their second title with FC Platinum dominating the discussions on various fora.
Other names that have featured prominently include Highlanders’ Ariel “Mangoye” Sibanda and Chicken Inn’s attacking midfielder Innocent Muchaneka.
Ngezi Platinum Stars had a great start to the season but fizzled out in the second half but utility player Godknows Murwira was a shining beacon and is a strong contender to make it to the calendar.
Harare City duo of Tatenda Tumba and Moses Muchenje had a good season for the Sunshine Boys and stand a good chance to make it on the calendar.
David Temwanjira did fairly well for Shabanie Mine before joining ZPC Kariba where he also chipped in with some important goals for the club in their fight for survival while the same can be said of CAPS United’s Joel Ngodzo.
Triangle’s Nhamo Lameck and Phineas Bamusi were also outstanding for the Sugar Sugar Boys and stand a good chance to make it to the calendar.
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza looks set to retain the Coach of the Year award after guiding the Zvishavane-based side to their second title on the trot.
The selection process will be overseen by the PSL and Delta Beverages including their associated partners.
A selected panel of experts, which comprises of sports editors, representatives of the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe (FUZ) and football experts, will be led by a convenor in observing the voting process.
To get fair results, the panel of selectors is encouraged to nominate deserving footballers.
Chinyengetere is the holder of the Soccer Star crown and it looks like he will return the gong following another stellar campaign with the Pure Platinum Play. Chinyengetere netted 16 goals in which he has already claimed the Golden Boot award.
In 2016, the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League relaxed conditions of eligibility for selection in the Soccer Stars of the Year award as well as the other finalists who make the calendar. League management said disciplinary issues will be dealt with under a points system.
A red card is worth two points while a yellow card carries a one-point penalty.
This means that for a player to be disqualified based on disciplinary issues, he would have picked 10 yellow cards or five reds during one season. Two seasons ago, a player who accumulated six yellow cards or more or two red cards or more was deemed ineligible for selection for the awards.
A coach who is expelled from the technical area at least five times in the season will be deemed ineligible for the Coach of the Year award.
In all, Delta Beverages will reward Soccer Star of the Year, first runner-up, second runner-up and the other eight finalists. There will also be prizes for Coach of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Most Promising Under-20 Player of the Year, Referee of the Year, his first runner-up and second runner-up.
The Most Disciplined Team award will be given to the team with the least cumulative points at the end of the season.
The Referee of the Year category will be selected independently by the Zifa Referees Committee.
The awards gala will be held on 6 December in Harare.
Online Reporter