The finalists in some of the categories to be contested in the Replay/Net TV Football Awards 2005-2006 were announced yesterday during a news conference at the Hard Rock Cafe’ at the Viset Valletta Waterfront.

The winners in all the categories, including the Best women’s player, the best goal in the Premier League and the best save in the Premier League will be presented during a special Gala Night at the Valletta Waterfront on Sunday 11 June. Also to be presented will be the awards to the three finalists of Net Stars.

For the first time, The Malta Independent and The Times have been invited to present an award to the Best Player in the Premier League. They will therefore be joining In-Nazzjon, who have held their own contest for the past 21 years, to present their award to the winner on the same night.

The finalists in the respective categories are the following:

Best goalkeeper: Simon Agius, David Simon, Murphy Akanji

Best defender: David Camilleri, Precious Monye, Ian Azzopardi

Best midfielder: Etienne Barbara, George Mallia, Ivan Woods

Best striker: Michael Galea, Daniel Nwoke, Andrew Cohen

Best coach: Stephen Azzopardi, Paul Zammit, Edward Aquilina

Best U-21 player: Andre Schembri, Dyson Falzon, Ian Zammit

Best Gozitan player: Alexander Simoncic; Ricardo Saverin, Elton Vella

Also to be decided yet is the award to the best supporters of the year. According to John Busuttil, on the part of the organisers, the public is voting strongly in favour of Birkirkara and Valletta so far but there has also been a good response for the Floriana supporters.

Robert Cutajar also revealed that former Malta and Floriana player Louis Arpa, former Valletta FC president Joe Caruana Curran and former Malta and Valletta player Vince ‘Maxi’ Magro will be among the distinguished guests presenting some of the awards.

The award for the best midfielder is to be presented by Nicki Aquilina, wife of former Sliema and Malta midfielder Richard Aquilina, who departed this life earlier this year.