With the 2024/25 campaign shutting down, AmaZulu FC head coach Arthur Zwane has picked his Betway Premiership Footballer and Coach of the Season.
Most teams have now wrapped up their season with their final matches having taken place this past weekend. Just four clubs, including Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United, are still awaiting their last fixture.
Usuthu are one of the teams that finished their campaign on Saturday, securing a 1-1 draw against Pirates at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.
Zwane offered his perspective on the PSL awards in the presser, advocating for Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso as his choice for Coach of the Season. Cardoso steered his side to its remarkable eighth successive league title.
Fortunately, the Portuguese tactician is eligible for the prestigious award, having been in charge for 21 out of 30 Betway Premiership matches, meeting the 70% requirement by the PSL.
ARTHUR ZWANE ON WHY CARDOSO SHOULD WIN COACH OF THE SEASON
“The Coach of the Season will always be a tricky one. But obviously, there are rules that bind everyone,” said Zwane.
“If the coach of [Mamelodi] Sundowns coached 70% of the season, then it belongs to him. It’s as simple as that. You win the league, you’re the Coach of the Season.
“That means you’ve done enough. You could have easily lost it. So, Sundowns won the league with so many points. So, you should give credit to Sundowns’ technical team, the coaches and all the players.“
And while Zwane spoke highly of Orlando Pirates youngster Relebohile Mofokeng, who had a remarkable season, he picked Mamelodi Sundowns’ Lucas Ribeiro as his Footballer of the Season.
ARTHUR ZWANE – ‘YES YOU HAVE RELE BUT…’
“I think you have Rele; he carried Orlando Pirates throughout the season, but you have Ribeiro. Sundowns won the league, and to be quite honest, it’s Ribeiro [who must win the Footballer of the Season],” Zwane added.
“But Rele as a youngster, doing what he did this season, carrying a giant on his shoulders. I think it was amazing, we need players like him.”
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