The selection panel for the Soccer Stars of the Year will have a tough task of choosing the 11 outstanding players for the season after a tough and competitive 2015 season.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
A panel of football writers, coaches and team captains meet in Harare this morning to select the players who stood out for their respective clubs the entire campaign.
Apart from the 11 Soccer Stars of the Year, the Rookie and Goalkeeper of the Year will also be selected today, so will be the Most Disciplined Team. The Coach of the Year award will obviously be between Joey Antipas and Norman Mapeza.
It will be a challenge for the panel though to come up with a list of players who distinguished themselves this season.
The top three sides on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) table Chicken Inn, Dynamos and FC Platinum are likely to provide the bulk of the players on the calendar.
The country’s big three teams Dynamos, Highlanders and Caps United have traditionally provided the bulk of the soccer stars, but this time around it looks highly unlikely.
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Dynamos, though, had the best defence in the premiership which conceded 20 goals, three less than Chicken Inn, FC Platinum and rivals Caps United who all conceded 23.
This could see the Glamour Boys’ goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva who managed the defence and fullback Ocean Mushure making it on the calendar.
Highlanders might have had a miserable campaign, but in Knox Mutizwa, they have a player who can even win the top gong on the back of his goal-scoring exploits and influence in the team.
Without the power, leadership and influence in attack of the 21-year-old, Bosso had looked very ordinary this term.
Mutizwa scored 14 goals — the highest number in the PSL, which has won him the Golden Boot award.
Caps United too might not have mounted a serious challenge on the championship, but they can provide some players who shone brightly this season with midfielder Dominic Mukandi, defender Stephen Makatuka and to some extent Phineas Bhamus — one of the quickest wingers in the country at the moment being some of the outstanding players.
The champions Chicken Inn had skipper Danny Phiri, free scoring striker Edmore Chirambadare and goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze doing very well for their team this term.
They are all heavily tipped to make among the 11 finest footballers of the season.
From FC Platinum striker Brian Muzondiwa, speedy winger Marshall Mudehwe and combative midfielder Gerald Takwara also shone like beacons. There is also Lameck Nhamo from Triangle who was one of the top performers for the Chiredzi outfit.
ZPC Kariba’s Raphael Manuvire and William Manondo of Harare City are also some of the names that can come up during the selection process.
