19 May 2014
Sibusiso Vilakazi of Bidvest Wits walked away with the big awards at the annual Premier Soccer League (PSL) Awards Gala at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Sunday evening.
Vilakazi departed the event R550 000 richer after banking the Footballer of the Season Award, voted on by the coaches of the PSL clubs, as well as the Players’ Player of the Season and Nedbank Cup Player of the Tournament awards.
With Vilakazi pulling the strings, Bidvest Wits equalled their best ever finish in the PSL when they matched the squad of 2002/03, by ending third in the recently concluded season.
Coach of the Season
Pitso Mosimane, coach of the PSL champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, was named the Coach of the Season after leading the Brazilians to their first title since 2006/07.
Sundowns made a massive improvement under the former Bafana Bafana coach. He took over as coach of the team in December 2012 and they finished that season in a lowly tenth place, with 39 points to their name. In the past season, Mosimane guided them to the the title with 65 points, a huge 26 points better than the previous season.
The Young Player of the Season Award went the way of Keagan Dolly, while Bafana Bafana captain Itumeleng Khune picked up the Goalkeeper of the Season Award.
Platinum Stars’ award winners
While Sibusiso Vilakazi was named the Nedbank Cup Player of the Tournament, Platinum Stars produced the players of the tournament in the other two knockout cups.
Mogakolodi Ngele won the Telkom Knockout Player of the Tournament, while his team-mate Robert Ng’ambi was selected as the MTN8 Player of the Tournament.
Hlompho Kekana’s outstanding long range rocket strike for Sundowns against Orlando Pirates in February was named the Absa-lutely Awesome Goal of the Season.
Consolation
After finishing bottom of the PSL standings, Lamontville Golden Arrows were relegated to the First Division for next season, but there was some form of consolation for the club’s chairwoman Mato Madlala, who received the Chairman’s Award.
WINNERS
PSL Footballer of the Season</br/> Sibusiso Vilakazi (Bidvest Wits) – R250 000
The Chairman’s Award</br/> Mato Madlala (Lamontville Golden Arrows)
PSL Players’ Player of the Season</br/> Sibusiso Vilakazi (Bidvest Wits) – R150 000
PSL Top Goalscorer</br/> Bernard Parker (Kaizer Chiefs) 10 goals – R25 000
PSL Coach of the Season</br/> Pitso Mosimane (Mamelodi Sundowns) – R75 000
PSL Young Player of the Season</br/> Keegan Dolly (Ajax Cape Town) – R50 000
Absa-lutely Awesome Goal of the Season</br/> Hlompho Kekana (Mamelodi Sundowns) – R50 000
PSL Goalkeeper of the Season</br/> Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs) – R50 000
Referee of the Season</br/> Zolile Mthetho – R50 000
Assistant Referee of the Season</br/> Edward Madidilane – R40 000
National First Division top scorer</br/> David Zulu (Black Leoards) 16 goals
Nedbank Cup Player of the Tournament</br/> Sibusiso Vilakazi (Bidvest Wits) – R150 000
Nedbank Cup Most Promising Player of the Tournament</br/> Kwanda Mngonyama (Bidvest Wits) – R50 000
Telkom Knockout Player of the Tournament</br/> Mogakolodi Ngele (Platinum Stars) – R200 000
MTN8 Player of the Tournament</br/> Robert Ng’ambi (Platinum Stars) – R80 000
