Castle Lager Premier Soccer League coaches were generally satisfied with the 11 Soccer Star of the Year finalists, but Highlanders coach, Erol Akbay felt Rahman Kutsanzira deserved to be among them.
BY MUKUDZEI CHINGWERE
“It was a good selection and the players, who were voted for, are all very good players, they deserve recognition,” he said.
“But, I also think some of my players like Rahman (Kutsanzira) deserved to be on the list. For me, he was the best midfielder in the league.”
Kutsanzira and ZPC Kariba’s Talent Chawapihwa are some of the players that fell narrowly short in the voting process.
There was debate yesterday after the finalists were announced, where some felt that former Highlanders utility player, Bruce Kangwa should have made it.
Kangwa played half of the season before he left for Tanzania, but Akbay made a case for Kutsanzira, whom he said was the best midfielder this season.
Chapungu head coach, John Nyikadzino was happy with the selection, as well, but felt that there were some few glaring omissions, although he declined to name those he felt should not have been on the list.
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“The selection was fine and most players deserve to be on the list. But there are players like Chawapiwa, Gerald Takwara, Kudakwashe Gurure, Phineas Bamusi and Marshall Mudehwe, these players did very well and they deserve to be on the list as well,” he said.
Other coaches interviewed after the selection was done were happy with the list.
Harare City head coach and former Soccer Star of the Year, Moses Chunga was satisfied with the selection.
“That is the decision of the panellists and I think it is fair, there is no complaint,” he said.
Chicken Inn head coach, Rahman Gumbo concurred with his former Warriors team-mate, saying: “It was a fair selection and most of the players, who are on the list, deserve to be there.”
Tsholotsho head coach, Lizwe Sweswe was also pleased.
“It was a fair selection, there is no one you can say does not deserve to be on the list. Most players again did very well this season considering the nature of competition we had in the league,” he said Sweswe. Border Strikers coach, Luke Masomere was happy with the selection, but was critical of the media for disparaging the current crop of players.
“I think it is a good selection, all those players deserve to be there. Actually, it was a very difficult decision to come up with the 11 best players because most of them are doing very well.
“But the media often criticises these players when the problem is that we do not have continuity, as our best players are going out of the country each year, but those who are replacing them continue to do very well and I am happy with that,” he said.
