June 3, 2003
By Jonews Reporter
THE Premier Soccer League, whose season ended last week with Orlando Pirates clinching the 2002/2003 championship title, will on Wednesday award the best performers in a glittering ceremony at Caesar's Palace just outside Johannesburg.
The awards will be given to players, coaches and match officials for their dedication, commitment and hard work throughout the season. The awards will include Top Goalscorer, Players' Player of the Year, Best Coach of the Season as well as Match Official of the Season.
The top goalscorer award will undoubtedly go to Lesley Manyathela, Orlando Pirates' marksman. The man whose admirers call Slow Poison has scored 18 times in the league this season, five more than his closest rivals, SuperSport United's Abram Raselemane and Kaizer Chiefs' David Radebe. Manyathela stands to walk away with R45 000 as well as Golden Boot award.
Four players have been nominated for the Players' Player of the Year award. These include Chiefs' goalie and captain Brian Baloyi, Ajax Cape Town's acrobatic goalminder Moeneeb Josephs, Pirates' duo of Manyathela and captain Mbulelo Mabizela.
This might prove a difficult award to give to one player, judging by the quartet's contributions to their teams' performances during the season. Josephs, for example, has played an important role in Ajax's continued stay in the league with his brave and acrobatic saves when it mattered most.
Baloyi, on the other hand, has conceded the second least number of goals in the 30-game season. While Orlando Pirates had 16 games scored against them, Baloyi conceded only 26, helping his team make the top eight position that they failed to qualify for the previous season.
Mabizela, the 22-year-old Pirates captain, has gallantly steered the Buccaneers ship to calmer waters throughout the season. His timely defensive interventions and skilfull marshalling of his fellow defenders has seen Pirates concede the least number of goals - 16 - in the 30 games.
