Dynamos goalkeeper Washington Arubi scooped double gold last night when he was named the 2011 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) Footballer and Goalkeeper of the Year.
He claimed $5 000 for that award and an additional $3 000 for the second accolade after an outstanding season when he started 28 matches, kept 17 clean sheets and conceded 13 goals as Dynamos romped to the League and Cup double.
FC Platinum number one, Tafadzwa Dube, was named the second best player in the league, completing a remarkable season for goalkeepers.
This is only the third time in the country’s history that a goalkeeper has won the top award after Japhet Muparutsa in 1982 and Energy Murambadoro in 2003. This is even historical as the top two positions were taken by goalkeepers this season.
Dube, after 21 starts and conceding 12 times, scooped $3 000 while Motor Action’s Allan Gahadzikwa took home $2 000 after coming third in the sportswriters’ poll. Each of the eight finalists got $1 000 each.
Favourite Hwange’s Tennant Chilumba was named the Coach of the Year after leading a modest side, with mostly average players, to fourth position on the log and a Caf Confederation Cup spot. He walked away with $3 500.
Denver Mukamba, who could not garner enough votes to be in the top 11, was named Rookie of the Year, beating Chicken Inn’s Morris Kadzola and Cliff Sekete of Gunners to the $2 000 first prize.
Mukamba’s teammate Rodreck Mutuma took home the Golden Boot Award after his 14 strikes helped Dynamos to the League and Cup double. Mutuma was disqualified from the finalists after accruing six yellow cards during the season— four of them from incidents he could easily have avoided.
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PSL chairman Twine Phiri said in his remarks at the colourful event: “The Castle Lager Premier Soccer League would like to express his gratitude to Delta Beverages for sponsoring the league championship.
Your sponsorship opened doors for more sponsors to come on board and the league will endevour to jealously guard this partnership.
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
“We encourage all the players who won the awards to be good ambassadors for the game.
“We would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Dynamos for winning the 2011 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League and the inaugural Mbada Diamonds Cup and all 16 teams in the PSL for playing fairly.
“We also take this opportunity to thank the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture for successfully lobbying for the removal of import duty on sports equipment with effect from January 1 2012.
“We are also confident that our parent ministry and the government will assist football clubs and sponsors in trying to resolve the issues of touchline advertising rights and high stadium rentals.”
Awards List Footballer of the Year — Washington Arubi (Dynamos) — $5 000 1st runner up-Tafadzwa Dube (FC Platinum) — $3 000 2nd Runner-up — Allan Gahadzikwa (Motor Action) — $2 000 Eight finalists ($1 000 each) Cliff Sekete (Gunners), Nkosana Siwela (Hwange), Graham Ncube (Highlanders), George Magariro (Dynamos), Donald Ngoma (FC Platinum), Rahman Kutsanzira (Highlanders), Abbas Amidu (Black Mambas), Tapiwa Khumbuyani (Caps United) Rookie of the Year ($2 000) Denver Mukamba (Dynamos) Coach of the Year ($3 500) Tennant Chilumba (Hwange) Referee of the Year Winner Batsirai Muchenje ($2 000) 1st Runner-up Tione Kacheche ($1 500) 2nd Runner-up Bongani Gadzikwa ($1 000) Most Disciplined Team ($10 000) Hwange Top Goalscorer Rodreck Mutuma (Dynamos) $3 000 Goalkeeper of the Year ($2 000) Washington Arubi
