PSL Awards: Tau crowned king and could Siphesihle Ndlovu follow his footsteps?
Inarguably the name that has dominated the South African football media throughout the 2017/18 campaign is at it again, this time with a few accolades besides it. Rightfully so, if you ask me. Percy Tau was the biggest winner on Tuesday night at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg where the ABSA Premiership Awards Gala was held. The 24-year-old was received the top two awards in South African football, the prestigious Footballer Of The Season Award and the Players’ Player Of The Season. He also shared the money with Polokwane City’s Rodney Ramagelela for the Top Scorer Award after banging striking eleven times for the PSL Champions, Mamelodi Sundowns. The Sundowns talisman will most likely be nominated for the CAF awards at the end of the year and rumors linking him to European clubs might not be far off now. The Mesut Ozil-like assist that he dished out to Sibusiso Vilakazi in their friendly against Barcelona shows glimpses of his quality and El Hadji Diouf’s praises and prophecy might come true after all.
On the contrary, not much has been said about Maritzburg United’s young playmaker, Siphesihle Ndlovu. The 21-year-old midfielder capped off his breakthrough the season by also getting a brace on the night, winning the ABSA Premiership Young Player Of The Season and the Midfielder Of The Season Awards. Ever since he joined the Team of Choice as the child, graduating from the ball-boy role, he has been on the up. At the time, they actually nicknamed him “Mbesuma,” after the former PSL Top Goal Scorer, Collins Mbesuma. Ndlovu became the first Maritzburg United player to win the ABSA Premiership Player Of The Month in January 2018 and went on to steer the team to a fourth-place finish. Leading up to the awards night, the youngster opened up on the reason behind his success:
I've never thought I could be nominated so soon, but also I think that anything is possible in this world‚ and that if you perform when you give 100 percent in every game‚ you're always focused‚ then anything can happen to you. From last season I was trying to make my way into Maritzburg‚ then when this season started the coach made me believe that I'm one of the best players in the world.” - Siphesihle Ndlovu, Maritzburg United
He received his first call to the Bafana Bafana camp in March 2018 for the Four Nations Tournament. Young Ndlovu is an exciting prospect that will surely turn heads in a few months time.
Here is the full list of all winners for the 2017/18 ABSA Premiership Season:
FOOTBALLER OF THE SEASON:
Percy Tau (Mamelodi Sundowns) — (USD)$ 19,960
ABSA Premiership Player’s Player of the Season:
Percy Tau (Mamelodi Sundowns) — (USD)$ 15,970
ABSA Premiership Coach of the Season:
Pitso Mosimane (Mamelodi Sundowns) — (USD)$ 5,990
ABSA Premiership Young Player of the Season:
Siphesihle Ndlovu (Maritzburg United) — (USD) $ 4,000
ABSA Premiership Goalkeeper of the Season:
Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs) — (USD) $ 4,000
ABSA Premiership Defender of the Season:
Siyanda Xulu (Maritzburg United) — (USD) $ 4,000
ABSA Premiership Midfielder of the Season:
Siphesihle Ndlovu (Maritzburg United) — (USD) $ 4,000
ABSA Premiership Goal of the Season:
Siphelele Magubane (L. Golden Arrows) — (USD) $ 4,000
MTN8 LAST MAN STANDING:
Ronwen Williams (SuperSport United) — (USD) $6,390
TELKOM KNOCKOUT PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT:
Amr Gamal (Bidvest Wits) — (USD) $ 15,970
NEDBANK CUP: Player of the Tournament:
Lebohang Maboe (Maritzburg United) — (USD) $ 11,980
NEDBANK CUP: Most Promising Player
Lebohang Maboe (Maritzburg United) — (USD)$ 4,000
MULTICHOICE Diski Challenge Precious Find:
Siboniso Conco (L. Golden Arrows) — (USD)$ 2,400
MULTICHOICE Diski Shield Precious Find:(USD) $ 11,980
Itumeleng Shopane (Kaizer Chiefs) — (USD)$ 2,400
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee of the Season — (USD)$ 4,000
Assistant Referee of the Season — (USD) $ 3,200
