AS the dust settles after a raging debate on the outcome of the 2016 Soccer Stars of the Year selection, it has been revealed that Caps United captain, Moses Muchenje voted for FC Platinum goalkeeper, Petros Mhari ahead of teammate and Golden Boot winner, Leonard Tsipa.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
The voting patterns were revealed in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) statement yesterday.
Unlike in previous years, the PSL, in a bid to ensure transparency in the selection process and also keep up with international standards, opted to make public how the panellists voted.
There were 52 panellists, who were allowed to pick their final three best players for the Soccer Star of the Year award.
Each picked a first (5 points), second (3 points), and third choice (1 point).
Muchenje, in his top three players of the season, put Hardlife Zvirekwi first, Mhari in second and Tsipa third. Mhari, who is the FC Platinum captain, voted himself in first place, and chose teammate Winston Mhango in second and in third place he picked Tsipa.
Interestingly, former Caps United captain, Tapiwa Khumbuyani thought Tsipa went beyond the call of duty after scoring 11 goals to beat Hwange forward Gift Mbweti and FC Platinum’s Walter Musona for the Golden Boot award and deserved the main award.
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He opted for Musona, who scored nine goals, the same as Mbweti, as the second best player in the league and Zvirekwi as the third best.
Caps United coach, Lloyd Chitembwe, who won his maiden championship with Caps United beating closest challengers FC Platinum to the finishing line in a very close race decided on the last day of the league programme, voted Zvirekwi in first place, Tsipa in second place and Mhari in third.
FC Platinum coach, Norman Mapeza thought his midfielder Mhango was the best player last season, followed by his goalkeeper Mhari and Tsipa in third place.
Veteran coach, Sunday Chidzambwa put Tsipa above everyone else, followed by Musona and Mhari.
Former Harare City coach, Moses Chunga also voted Tsipa in first place, Mhari second and thought Ngezi Platinum defender, Liberty Chakoroma was the third best player in the league in the just-ended campaign.
Dynamos coach, Lloyd Mutasa felt Zvirekwi was the best player this season, followed by Mhari and Tsipa in first and second runner-up positions, respectively.
Ngezi Platinum coach, Tonderai Ndiraya had Zvirekwi in first place, Walter Musona and Tsipa in second and third positions, respectively.
Rahman Gumbo had Zvirekwi, Mhari and Clemence Matawu in his top three, while Highlanders coach, Erol Akbay had Peter Mudhuwa, Zvirekwi and Matawu, respectively.
While the Soccer Star of the Year award was a close call, it was not the case with the Coach of the Year award, with Chitembwe getting a landslide victory.
Chitembwe received 43 of the 52 votes cast, and Mapeza was the closest with five votes. Ndiraya, who led his charges to Chibuku Super Cup victory, got three votes while Akbay garnered just one.
Mhari also proved an overwhelming choice for the Goalkeeper of the Year award, polling 48 of the 52 votes, with Ariel Sibanda (voted by Akbay), Tatenda Mukuruva (journalist Tawanda Tafirenyika) and Nelson Chadya (David Mandigora) sharing the spoils.
The awards are voted for by head coaches from all the 16 Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs, team captains and a selected panel of football writers.
The biggest individual accolade in the domestic Premiership was won by Caps United full-back, Zvirekwi, who topped the poll by garnering 151 points, while Tsipa finished second with 108 points.
Mhari, who also won the Goalkeeper of the Year award, settled for third position with an accumulative tally of 86 points.
