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Teko Modise played a crucial role in Mamelodi Sundowns winning the 2013/14 Absa Premiership title.
The midfielder lived to his moniker of “The General” as he marshaled the Brazilians’ engine room throughout the season. Why, he even popped in with some vital goals when required.
So it is a puzzle that his name is not among those shortlisted for the lucrative Player of the Season Award that carries a whopping prize of R250 000.
Instead, his team-mate Alje Schut, Bidvest skipper Sibusiso Vilakazi and Kaizer Chiefs’ linchpin Willard Katsande are the contenders.
Modise’s name appears among those in line for the Absa Premiership Players’ Player of the Season, an accolade that only carries R150 000 in prize money.
Modise, and many others including yours truly, must be wondering what the player had to do for his name to be among the best players competing for this highly sort after award.
I mean, The General did everything that is required of a player to steer his side to the league title.
This must actually be a very satisfying and fulfilling time for Modise as he was carrying an ugly tag of failure to win trophies with is previous sides.
Since SuperSport United started collecting silverware after his departure for the same thing to happen after his departure from Orlando Pirates, the player has had to live with the joke that if you want to win trophies, you should get rid of Teko Modise.
It must have been hard for him to carry that tag.
But like a true soldier and somebody passionate about what they do, he soldiered on and eventually got the reward for his hard work by claiming the league title with 'Downs.
Maybe some will say it’s a matter of what goes around coming around as the same Modise undeservedly won the award while with Pirates. But such would also be unfair to the player as he did not vote himself to the award.
On the other categories, Pitso Mosimane must be the favourite to walk away with the Coach of the Season title. He deserves it. Not to say Clive Barker who has done wonders with Mpumalanga Black Aces and Stuart Baxter whose Kaizer Chiefs just missed the league by a whisker, thanks to some poor results towards the end, did not do well either.
But for Mosimane to pull it off in his first season and thus become the first black coach to win the league since the inception of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in 1996 is no mean feat.
Ajax Cape Town must be commended for their belief in young players which has come out clearly in their domination of junior tournaments.
They have two players – Abubaker Mubara and Keagan Dolly – vying for the R50 000 set aside for the Young Player of the Season award. The pair is up against Gabadini Mhango of Bloemfontein Celtic.
It is befitting to award players at the end of the season as they do their best to entertain us for the better part of the year.
But I guess, Teko Modise will be left with many unanswered questions on how he missed out on the Player of the Year award, and justifiable so.
S’Busiso Mseleku is regarded as one of Africa's leading sports journalists and an authority on football. He has received some of the biggest awards in a career spanning well over 20 years. He is currently City Press Sports Editor.
Disclaimer: Sport24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on Sport24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Sport24.
The midfielder lived to his moniker of “The General” as he marshaled the Brazilians’ engine room throughout the season. Why, he even popped in with some vital goals when required.
So it is a puzzle that his name is not among those shortlisted for the lucrative Player of the Season Award that carries a whopping prize of R250 000.
Instead, his team-mate Alje Schut, Bidvest skipper Sibusiso Vilakazi and Kaizer Chiefs’ linchpin Willard Katsande are the contenders.
Modise’s name appears among those in line for the Absa Premiership Players’ Player of the Season, an accolade that only carries R150 000 in prize money.
Modise, and many others including yours truly, must be wondering what the player had to do for his name to be among the best players competing for this highly sort after award.
I mean, The General did everything that is required of a player to steer his side to the league title.
This must actually be a very satisfying and fulfilling time for Modise as he was carrying an ugly tag of failure to win trophies with is previous sides.
Since SuperSport United started collecting silverware after his departure for the same thing to happen after his departure from Orlando Pirates, the player has had to live with the joke that if you want to win trophies, you should get rid of Teko Modise.
It must have been hard for him to carry that tag.
But like a true soldier and somebody passionate about what they do, he soldiered on and eventually got the reward for his hard work by claiming the league title with 'Downs.
Maybe some will say it’s a matter of what goes around coming around as the same Modise undeservedly won the award while with Pirates. But such would also be unfair to the player as he did not vote himself to the award.
On the other categories, Pitso Mosimane must be the favourite to walk away with the Coach of the Season title. He deserves it. Not to say Clive Barker who has done wonders with Mpumalanga Black Aces and Stuart Baxter whose Kaizer Chiefs just missed the league by a whisker, thanks to some poor results towards the end, did not do well either.
But for Mosimane to pull it off in his first season and thus become the first black coach to win the league since the inception of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in 1996 is no mean feat.
Ajax Cape Town must be commended for their belief in young players which has come out clearly in their domination of junior tournaments.
They have two players – Abubaker Mubara and Keagan Dolly – vying for the R50 000 set aside for the Young Player of the Season award. The pair is up against Gabadini Mhango of Bloemfontein Celtic.
It is befitting to award players at the end of the season as they do their best to entertain us for the better part of the year.
But I guess, Teko Modise will be left with many unanswered questions on how he missed out on the Player of the Year award, and justifiable so.
S’Busiso Mseleku is regarded as one of Africa's leading sports journalists and an authority on football. He has received some of the biggest awards in a career spanning well over 20 years. He is currently City Press Sports Editor.
Disclaimer: Sport24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on Sport24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Sport24.
