Sports / Local
Mafu, Soma-Phiri excluded from Coach of the Year Award
02 Dec 2015 at 05:28hrs | Views
EX-HIGHLANDERS head coach Bongani Mafu and his Dynamos counterpart David Mandigora were excluded from a list of coaches that competed for the Coach of the Year award despite having been in charge of their former teams for 21 and 17 games respectively.
The minimum number of games for a coach or player to be eligible for selection onto the Soccer Stars' list is 10 Premier Soccer League matches and the rules do not stipulate that these have to be with a single club. Mafu went on to join Tsholotsho as assistant to Lizwe Sweswe after cutting short his Bosso stay.
Mafu's replacement Amini Soma-Phiri was also not eligible as he was only in charge of Highlanders for nine games during which he won five, lost three and drew once.
"We took into consideration the present situation in clubs and those who were fired couldn't be eligible," said the convenor of selection Steve Vickers when asked to explain why Mafu and Mandigora were excluded.
The 59 panellists that included 15 Premiership coaches and 16 club captains as well as 28 members of the media selected the 11 best players in the land. The top three are set to be unveiled at a banquet in Harare on Friday.
Triangle United's Kelvin Kaindu missed the selection process as he was out of the country.
The Goalkeeper of the Year, Most Promising Under-20 Player were also selected through a secret ballot. Dynamos' Tatenda Mukuruva, who is among the 11 best players, is a clear cut favourite to land the young player accolade while Chicken Inn's goalie Elvis Chipezeze could just pip the youngster for the Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Castle Lager Premiership champions Chicken Inn provided the bulk of the 11 players that saw skipper and Soccer Star of the Year favourite Danny "Deco" Phiri, Chipezeze, striker Edmore Chirambadare and roving midfielder Clemence Matawu all charming the panellists.
Bosso have Golden Boot winner and punters' favourite for the big one Knox Mutizwa while former champions, Dynamos have Mukuruva and left-back Ocean Mushure.
The minimum number of games for a coach or player to be eligible for selection onto the Soccer Stars' list is 10 Premier Soccer League matches and the rules do not stipulate that these have to be with a single club. Mafu went on to join Tsholotsho as assistant to Lizwe Sweswe after cutting short his Bosso stay.
Mafu's replacement Amini Soma-Phiri was also not eligible as he was only in charge of Highlanders for nine games during which he won five, lost three and drew once.
"We took into consideration the present situation in clubs and those who were fired couldn't be eligible," said the convenor of selection Steve Vickers when asked to explain why Mafu and Mandigora were excluded.
Triangle United's Kelvin Kaindu missed the selection process as he was out of the country.
The Goalkeeper of the Year, Most Promising Under-20 Player were also selected through a secret ballot. Dynamos' Tatenda Mukuruva, who is among the 11 best players, is a clear cut favourite to land the young player accolade while Chicken Inn's goalie Elvis Chipezeze could just pip the youngster for the Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Castle Lager Premiership champions Chicken Inn provided the bulk of the 11 players that saw skipper and Soccer Star of the Year favourite Danny "Deco" Phiri, Chipezeze, striker Edmore Chirambadare and roving midfielder Clemence Matawu all charming the panellists.
Bosso have Golden Boot winner and punters' favourite for the big one Knox Mutizwa while former champions, Dynamos have Mukuruva and left-back Ocean Mushure.
Source - chronicle
