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The best players of the 2019/20 season have yet to be recognized by PSL and journalists will be the first to honor the players.
The South African Association of Soccer Journalists (Safja) has named five nominees for their inaugural 2019/20 Safja Male Soccer Player of the Season award.
Three Mamelodi Sundowns players, Hlompho Kekana, Themba Zwane and Peter Shalulile, appear on the list, although the latter makes the selection based on their performances for his former club Highlands Park.
The Chiefs have provided Samir Nurkovic and Lebogang Manyama and the winner will be announced on Tuesday.
However, Manyama was criticized for losing his form after the season restart.
The season’s top scorer, Orlando Pirates’ Frank Mhango, is a surprise omission from the selection.
Also missing from the nominees is AmaZulu’s Bongi Ntuli, who was a huge influence on his team’s survival against relegation.
But the race for the gong seems to be between Zwane and Nurkovic. Zwane had 11 PSL goals and eight assists last season, while Nurkovic scored 13 league goals and six assists in his debut season in South Africa.
But the Downs man played more games than the Serbian, as the Brazilians reached the Telkom Knockout and Nedbank Cup final, as well as Caf Champions League football, where their campaign ended in the quarterfinals.
“The announcement of the winner of the 2019/20 Safja Men’s Footballer of the Season comes shortly after Safja’s historic first tribute to a South African Footballer of the Season in South Africa,” Safja said in a statement on Sowetan Live.
“Safja announced ex-Mamelodi Sundowns and current Dinamo-BSUPC [Belarus] forward Rhoda Mulaudzi as the 2019-20 Safja First Footballer of the Year in an online feature on September 1. The Banyana star received a trophy and R10’000 in awards.
“Safja’s male award winner will receive a trophy, a collage of photos from their 2019/0 season, and media training for an amateur club of their choice.”
Safja’s awards will come before the traditional Premier Soccer League Player of the Season selection.
Orlando Pirates star Thembinkosi Lorch won last season’s gong, making Zwane a strong contender.
