Gaba, Ng’ambi in nominations galore
The South Africa Premier Soccer League (PSL) has nominated midfielder Robert Ng’ambi for two awards whereas Frank ‘Gabadinho’ Mhango has been shortlisted for PSL Young Player of the Season accolade.
It is the first time in a decade that Malawians have made their presence felt in the awards which they have never won. The awards enhance the players’ stature and carries prize money, according to www.psl.co.za.
Ng’ambi, who South Africa’s authoritative Kick-Off magazine has also nominated for its own Player of the Year Award, was yesterday nominated for MTN8 Last Man Standing Award worth R80 000 (K3.2 million) and Telkom Knockout Player of the Tournament Award worth R200 000 (K8 million).
Ng’ambi was the top scorer for Platinum Stars as they lifted the MTN8 and Telkom Knockout trophies. The Flames midfielder has 11 goals in all competitions, including eight in the league.
Fellow PSL players and the league’s 16 coaches vote in the several categories that include PSL footballer of the season best player (different from footballer of the season), best coach, goalkeeper and goal of the season.
On the other hand, Mhango has, alongside Abbubaker Mobara and Keagan Dolly of Ajax Cape Town, also been vouched among PSL best youngsters having scored nine goals on all fronts for Bloemfontein Celtic including eight in the league.
Mhango is Celtic’s leading goal scorer despite that he has finished just three games and switched from Big Bullets to the South African side when the league had already started. The best young player award is worth R50 000 or K2 million.
“It has been a dream start to my career. Here my team mates now call me CR7 (Cristiano Ronaldo), but I am not getting carried away,” the 22-year-old Flames forward said in a recent interview.
Ernest Mtawali, currently Malawi Under-20 coach, is the only Malawian to have won South Africa Player of the Year Award in 1985. That was before PSL was born.
