Zimpapers Sports Hub
A PANEL of selectors is this morning set to pick the 11 players who stood head and shoulders above the rest in the just-ended Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
The individuals who include selected football journalists all 18 club captains and their coaches will also vote for the Coach of the Year, the Best U-20 player, Goalkeeper of the Season along with the Soccer Star of the Year as well as his two runners-up.
The winner of these outstanding prizes will be announced during the banquet to be held in Harare on December 6.
Highlanders striker Lynoth Chikuhwa has already bagged the Golden Boot award after scoring 17 goals for the Bulawayo giants, four better than his closest pursuer Khama Billiat of Yadah.
Both Chikuhwa and Billiat are tipped to make a huge shout not only for places on the calendar but for the big one.
Champions Simba Bhora are expected, as is usually the case with winners, to dominate the nominations after a dream season in which they won the title in only their second term in the elite class.
Walter Musona, who won the 2022 Soccer Star of the Year award was the most influential figure for the Tonderai Ndiraya charges after scoring 10 goals and providing 13 assists.
He could become the first player in the history of the Soccer Stars to win the big one twice with two different teams as he is the overwhelming favourite to claim the gong.
He will however, face stiff competition from everywhere including his own teammate Tymon Machope who, like him, was involved in 23 direct goals for Simba Bhora after netting 11 times while getting 12 assists in only his first full season in the Premiership.
The pair will, without any doubt, battle for the top prize with Chikuhwa who has defied the odds to hit 17 goals, just a year after ending with a disappointing tally of three last season.
Billiat has turned negativity into positivity after opting to return home from South Africa where he had failed to get a team, months after dropping a renewal offer from Kaizer Chiefs.
The pint-sized forward who also returned to national team duties three years after retiring illuminated the scene with his nimbleness which drew huge crowds to Yadah's matches.
The 34-year-old scored 13 goals and got as many assists for the Thomas Ruzive side who for the first time in many seasons managed to survive relegation well before the last day of the season.
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Ndiraya is likely to win the Coach of the Year accolade quite easily although he can face some competition from Telo-ne's Herbert Maruwa whose magical hand was the difference between the WiFi Boys' demotion and staying afloat.
It is a two-horse race for the Goalkeeper of the Year prize between favourite Nelson Chadya of Ngezi Platinum and Chicken Inn's Donovan Bernard.
Chadya kept 19 clean sheets, faced three penalties saved two, and also provided three assists, a record for a goalkeeper.
Bernard, on the other hand, managed 20 clean sheets saved one penalty out of the three he faced, and did not have any assist.
Both goalkeepers could make the calendar as well and mark the third year running to see two goalkeepers on the calendar.
In 2022, Chadya who also won the Goalkeeper of the Year accolade the same year and FC Platinum's Wallace Magalane were in the Best 11 roster and Chadya returned once again along with Highlanders' Ariel Sibanda last season.
The other players expected to be popular among voters are Boid Mutukure of ZPC Kariba, Manica Diamonds' Farai Banda, William Manondo and Kingsley Mureremba of CAPS United, Tino Benza, Zibusiso Ruguchu (Herentals), McKinnon Mushore (Highlanders), Valentine Kadonzvo (Dynamos), Tashinga Pfende (GreenFuel), Isheanesu Mauchi and Webster Tafa (Simba Bhora).
