Johannesburg — Pitso Mosimane and Khama Billiat celebrated their South African Premiership football championship triumph with Mamelodi Sundowns by winning the final Absa Premiership Coach and Player of the Month awards for the 2015/16 season.
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The Mamelodi Sundowns coach has now been honoured a record six times this season.
He accepted his award at Absa’s headquarters in Johannesburg when league winners Mamelodi Sundowns visited the Absa Premiership sponsors as part of their Champions’ Tour.
Victories over University of Pretoria, Bidvest Wits and Platinum Stars in May secured The Brazilians a new points-tally record of 71 in the Premier Soccer League era, during a season of complete dominance over their rivals, winning the title with a 14-point gap ahead of nearest rivals Wits.
An expanded judging panel once again praised Mosimane for the manner in which he has been able to keep his squad fresh, for selecting a consistent line-up, his man-management skills of a large squad and ensuring that his side continued to play an attractive brand of football even after having been confirmed as league champions.
Mosimane was also singled out for having a strong technical team, with all units collaborating extremely efficiently in the run-in to the title.
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Chippa United coach, Dan Malesela and Serame Letsoaka of Bloemfontein Celtic also received special mentions from the judges for their efforts during May.
Meanwhile, Billiat was an overwhelming winner from a strong seven-player shortlist, which included his teammates, Hlompo Kekana, Thabo Nthete and Dennis Onyango, Thami Sangweni from Chippa United, the Bloemfontein Celtic duo of Lyle Lakay and Thapelo Morenaas well as Gabadinho Mhango of Golden Arrows.
The skilful Zimbabwean attacking midfielder, a candidate for Footballer of the Season, provided three assists on the night Sundowns clinched the league title at AmaTuks on May 11, and scored two goals in the last two matches of the season in May.
The judges praised him for his consistent intelligent play and felt he was head and shoulders above his peers.
The Player and Coach of the Month were selected by a panel of judges made up of members of the media and football analysts.
The panel was convened by Farouk Khan.
