The MFA has named the list of finalists for this season’s awards.
The winners will be known during the Awards Ceremony to be held at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre (MFCC) at Ta’ Qali on Friday 14 June.
There will be 18 winners, included among them the player named for Goal of the Year and the President’s award, the former to be voted on that night and the President’s award to be named by Norman Darmanin Demajo himself, also on that night.
The finalists in the top categories are the following:
Footballer of the Year: Clayton Failla (Hibernians), Paul Fenech, Gareth Sciberras, Justin Haber and Edward Herrera (Birkirkara).
Coach of the Year: Clive Mizzi (Tarxien R.), Michael Woods (Hibernians), Paul Zammit (Birkirkara).
Best Young Player of the Year: Jean Paul Farrugia (Hibernians), Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians), Zach Muscat (Birkirkara).
Best Foreign Player of the Year: Daniel Mariano Bueno (Tarxien R.), Igor Coronado (Floriana), Alejandro Mendoza (Birkirkara).
Best BoV First Division Player: Beu Erjon (Lija Ath.), Kooh Sohna Raphael Alain (Pieta H.), Lydon Micallef (Vittoriosa S.).
Best BoV Second Division Player: Agboebina Osi Lucky (St George’s), Britto Rodrigues Mauricio Osmar (Zebbug R.), Alan Tabone (Zebbug R.).
Best BoV Third Division Player: Marko Milutinovic (Marsascala), Lee Joe Schembri (Sirens), Timothy Thomas (Senglea Ath.).
Best BoV Women’s League Best Player: Ylenia Carabott (Hibernians), Rachel Cuschieri (Birkirkara), Dorianne Theuma (Mosta).
Best Youth League Player: Johann Bezzina (Hibernians), Yenz Cini (Valletta), Llywelyn Cremona (Valletta).
There are also some other awards that include the Fair Play, and the top scorers in the men’s and women’s divisions.
Addressing reporters, Bjorn Vassallo, MFA CEO, said that the MFA has changed the format of the Footballer of the Year award this season. The MFA wanted to open the contest to each and every player eligible to play for the national team.
The 12 team captains and coaches of the Premier League as well as 11 journalists, the Technical Director of the MFA, the head coaches of the national A and Under 21 teams voted in the preliminary session for the finalists to be selected.
Vassallo said this will be the 59th edition of the Footballer of the Year Award, with the first being won by Floriana’s Lolly Debattista in 1955.
Since then only one player won the famous trophy three times. That was Gilbert Agius of Valletta. But there were others who won it twice and these were Nicky Saliba, Eddie Theobald, Andrew Cohen (both Hibernians), Carmel Busuttil (Rabat Ajax), Raymond Vella (Hamrun S.) and Noel Turner (Sliema W.)
For the first time, the MFA is presenting an award to the Best Young Footballer of the Year. The Coach of the Year award is also a first as is the Goal of the Year.
As to the Goal of the Year award, a number of journalists have selected what they considered as the best 10 goals this season. From now till 14 June, the public will be invited to take part in the televoting so as to select the best goal of the year.
On the final night, it will be the top five goals that will receive votes in connection with the award.
As to the President’s award, Norman Darmanin Demajo will name a person or an organisation, who, in his opinion would have given an extraordinary contribution in the interest of Maltese football. The MFA president himself will reveal that name on 14 June, during the Awards Ceremony.
That ceremony is to be screened live by TVM2.
League draws
Vassallo also revealed that the Premier League draws for next season’s competition, sponsored by the Bank of Valletta, will be held during the Awards ceremony on 14 June.
He added that the presentation of the financial sponsorship to the FA Trophy winners, Hibernians, will be made by U*BET, during the ceremony.
Anton Attard, CEO Public Broadcasting Services, Dr Chris Bonett and the artistic designer of the ceremony, Peter Busuttil, also attended yesterday’s news conference and spoke briefly about the awards and the ceremony.