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Goal.com PSL Team Of The Season
The PSL season has drawn to a close and Goal.com pick the players who have stood out throughout the condensed season.
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Mar 8, 2010 12:00:00 PM
By Clyde Tlou
Finally, the ABSA Premier Soccer League curtain has fallen with SuperSport United taking the main honours as champions for a third time on the trot.
Amid the trials and tribulations, memorable victories and agonising losses there were players who raised the bar and did their best for the teams they represented.
It was tough to decide who made it into the PSL team of the season, but many thanks go to Goal.com's Peter Pedroncelli and my fellow radio sports presenters at TUT FM, Peter Mashata and Siyabonga Nxumalo, as the final list was eventually decided.
Consistency throughout the season was a key element in us reaching the final team of the season. Football is not all about possession, fans want goals, so this team is made up of goalscorers from the back going forward. It's old fashioned to say goal scoring is a striker's job in modern football, as everyone has the responsibility to beat the goalkeeper with a shot or two.
Tshepo Motsening (Santos)
The rookie goalkeeper did well for the Cape side as he stood tall and defended the red and yellow colours with pride. Emille Baron could have easily got the nod in this area but because he had a Berlin Wall protecting him in Morgan Gould and Bongani Khumalo, the odds make Motswening a better choice. Santos' defence was found wanting in some moments but their keeper guarded the poles jealously.
Mzuvukile Tom (Golden Arrows)
He has a deadly right foot and his runs going forward were the reason why Golden Arrows went all the way to win their first major trophy in the form of the MTN8. His exploits on the right side of defence caught the eyes of national team selectors and he was called up to join the squad. Above all he has been consistent and definitely a contender for his club's player of the season award.
Lucky Lekgwathi (Orlando Pirates)
Despite his age, Lekgwathi has been brilliant in the Pirates' back four as a left-back. His runs going forward made him look like a 21-year-old and he played in almost every game for his club. He also captained the team after Benson Mhlongo's career-threatening knee injury. One other thing that he possesses is an accurate left-foot shot that packs a powerful punch, often giving goalkeepers problems. He is also an occasional goalscorer, with a couple to his name this season.
Lucas Thwala (Orlando Pirates)
What else could you want in your team's back line when you have a reliable defender and goalscorer like Thwala? Despite his tiny stature, he can jump higher than most and head the ball powerfully. He is a consistent defender who has grown to become a Bafana regular. He is strong both on the ground and in the air. His combination with Morgan Gould in this team of the season makes the back line a tough nut to crack, and gives them an edge over other top performers like Siyanda Xulu and Siyabonga Sangweni.
Morgan Gould (Supersport United)
Supersport United have one of the most solid defences because of the former Jomo Cosmos man, who has also become a national team regular. Gould probably subscribes to the notion that the best form of defence is attack as he likes venturing forward and uses his height and strength very well. He has found the net six times this season, a milestone that's worth celebrating, especially considering that he is a defender and spends the better part of the 90 minutes keeping strikers at bay.
Andile Jali (Orlando Pirates)
What a talent, what a player. Benedict Vilakazi's look-alike is a marvel to watch. Jali was identified by Coca-Cola Football Stars scout, Clive Barker, as one of the 76 players who attended a workshop at the Jet High Performance Centre. Not only was Jali one of the 16 players who formed the Coca-Cola team that played against Real Madrid development teams, but he was selected by the Spanish club's scouts to attend trials in Madrid. He is always at the top of his game and no doubt he will be a contender for PSL Young Player of the Season.
Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs)
"Yeye", as he is popularly known, has been in sparkling form this season taking the responsibility to drive the Amakhosi midfield which seemed to be ailing after the departure of Siyabonga Nkosi a couple of seasons back. His combination with Josta Dladla in the heart of midfield is the reason why the Soweto giants secured the third spot in the PSL. His commitment and dedication did not go unnoticed by national team selectors, who gave him a chance, and he has impressed for Bafana as well. What makes him an automatic choice here is the fact that he scores goals, possesses that turning pass and is marvellous defensively. A versatile player who can also be used as an offensive right winger.
Elias Pelembe (Sundowns)
The Kaizer Chiefs coach Vladmir Vermzovic once referred to the Mozambican import as "European Material", this was after he ran all over the Amakhosi rearguard and gave constant problems to Punch Masenamela. He has been outstanding on the right side of attack in the Sundowns colours and he is definitely a contender for PSL Player of The Year. Of all the millions that Sundowns spent on players for this season, Pelembe is definitely worth every single cent and club owner Patrice Motsepe must be a happy man.
Daine Klate (Supersport United)
His pace, skill and precision make him one of the mostly deadly wingers in the country. No wonder his signature is reported to be in high demand in the Netherlands, where wing play remains the key element of attack. Klate was named the Absa Premiership Player of the Month for October and attributed his success to his new born son Zachary. Unlike most other traditional wingers, the lanky speedster has the ability to cut inside and pack a powerful shot. He was among the top scorers, finishing at number three on the scoring chart with 10 goals in total.
Katlego Mphela (Supersport United)
"Killer", as his fans call him, is a hardworking goal poacher and Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas can attest to his accuracy and power after a fine free-kick goal against Spain at the Confederations Cup. He finished at the top of the goalscoring chart with a total of 16 goals and will be taking the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot home. Mphela leads from the front and was at the forefront of Sundowns' title chase. His pace and ability to make midfielders play off him makes him a world-class striker and a fearsome target man.
Prince Olomu (Bloemfontein Celtic)
His move from Free State Stars to bitter cross-town rivals Bloemfontein Celtic was met with mixed reactions as it was seen as betrayal by many of his fans. He quickly found his footing and was key to Celtic's fierce third spot chase as he score a total of 13 goals. His goal scoring instincts caught the eye of Israeli scouts, who flooded the Siwelele offices. The club recalled him from the trials in Israel and turned down all offers, at least for the remainder of this season. He can score with any legitimate part of his body and uses his height to head the ball with ease.
The team selection was also based on our coach of the year's style of play. The formation that Gavin Hunt uses is a 4-4-2 in which he employs speedy wingers and in this team he has Pelembe and Klate to fill those roles.
Substitutes:
Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates)
Without a doubt he has been the most consistent goal minder this season and at times when the Bucs defence looked shaky, he stood tall at the back, playing as the keeper and sweeper. His agility was the reason why the Soweto giants won their only silverware in a long time, the Telkom Charity Cup, beating their arch rivals Kaizer Chiefs on penalties at the Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenburg. He also captained the team at one stage and showed tremendous leadership qualities.
Anthony Laffor (Supersport United)
The Liberian international had an outstanding season and he scored crucial goals for Matsantsantsa. Definitely another contender for the PSL Player of the Season. Gavin Hunt will surely be happy to have him in the stars' team as he brings depth in the team as he will be fighting for the position with Pelembe.
Siyabonga Sangweni (Golden Arrows)
A clean tackler of the ball who knows that the basics are still the most important to grasp. He is solid in the air and on the ground, and at the moment he finds himself on Bafana's fringes. His ruthless army-general-like style of doing things at the back made him another choice in this team's central defence but Thwala got the nod because of his ability to score goals as well.
Knowledge Musona (Kaizer Chiefs)
Goal.com's choice for Young Player of the Season, as the 19-year-old is surely the future of the Amakhosi strike force as long as he doesn't let fame get to his head. He has the skill, pace, precision and eye for goal but there is still room for improvement, especially with regard to his finishing. The coach used him sparingly for the better part of the season and whenever he brought him on, the complexion of the game changed in favour of Chiefs.
Tlou Segolela (Bloemfontein Celtic)
Arguably the PSL's quickest winger, his ability to take on defenders at high speed reminds us of Cristiano Ronaldo. Orlando Pirates found Segolela surplus to their requirements, but when he got to Celtic he blossomed and eventually earned himself a national team call-up.
Technical Team
Gavin Hunt (SuperSport United, Coach)
There have been talks of appointing a local coach as the Bafana mentor, and no doubt Gavin is the automatic candidate. He can inspire a team and plays a unique brand of football which makes use of both pace and skill, which remains the South African players' strength. He is not predictable in terms of his game plan and is a fine motivator of his players.
Bobbie Solomons (Santos, Assistant Coach)
What a season he had with Santos. At one stage they were title contenders, but experience and lack of depth denied him the league honours. For a team like Santos with a limited budget, and whose players are poached by Gauteng teams, finishing fourth is a milestone worth celebrating. Bobbie and Gavin both use pace and skill to dismantle opposition teams so this is a perfect combination on the bench.
Amid the trials and tribulations, memorable victories and agonising losses there were players who raised the bar and did their best for the teams they represented.
It was tough to decide who made it into the PSL team of the season, but many thanks go to Goal.com's Peter Pedroncelli and my fellow radio sports presenters at TUT FM, Peter Mashata and Siyabonga Nxumalo, as the final list was eventually decided.
Consistency throughout the season was a key element in us reaching the final team of the season. Football is not all about possession, fans want goals, so this team is made up of goalscorers from the back going forward. It's old fashioned to say goal scoring is a striker's job in modern football, as everyone has the responsibility to beat the goalkeeper with a shot or two.
Tshepo Motsening (Santos)
The rookie goalkeeper did well for the Cape side as he stood tall and defended the red and yellow colours with pride. Emille Baron could have easily got the nod in this area but because he had a Berlin Wall protecting him in Morgan Gould and Bongani Khumalo, the odds make Motswening a better choice. Santos' defence was found wanting in some moments but their keeper guarded the poles jealously.
Mzuvukile Tom (Golden Arrows)
He has a deadly right foot and his runs going forward were the reason why Golden Arrows went all the way to win their first major trophy in the form of the MTN8. His exploits on the right side of defence caught the eyes of national team selectors and he was called up to join the squad. Above all he has been consistent and definitely a contender for his club's player of the season award.
Lucky Lekgwathi (Orlando Pirates)
Despite his age, Lekgwathi has been brilliant in the Pirates' back four as a left-back. His runs going forward made him look like a 21-year-old and he played in almost every game for his club. He also captained the team after Benson Mhlongo's career-threatening knee injury. One other thing that he possesses is an accurate left-foot shot that packs a powerful punch, often giving goalkeepers problems. He is also an occasional goalscorer, with a couple to his name this season.
Lucas Thwala (Orlando Pirates)
What else could you want in your team's back line when you have a reliable defender and goalscorer like Thwala? Despite his tiny stature, he can jump higher than most and head the ball powerfully. He is a consistent defender who has grown to become a Bafana regular. He is strong both on the ground and in the air. His combination with Morgan Gould in this team of the season makes the back line a tough nut to crack, and gives them an edge over other top performers like Siyanda Xulu and Siyabonga Sangweni.
Morgan Gould (Supersport United)
Supersport United have one of the most solid defences because of the former Jomo Cosmos man, who has also become a national team regular. Gould probably subscribes to the notion that the best form of defence is attack as he likes venturing forward and uses his height and strength very well. He has found the net six times this season, a milestone that's worth celebrating, especially considering that he is a defender and spends the better part of the 90 minutes keeping strikers at bay.
Andile Jali (Orlando Pirates)
What a talent, what a player. Benedict Vilakazi's look-alike is a marvel to watch. Jali was identified by Coca-Cola Football Stars scout, Clive Barker, as one of the 76 players who attended a workshop at the Jet High Performance Centre. Not only was Jali one of the 16 players who formed the Coca-Cola team that played against Real Madrid development teams, but he was selected by the Spanish club's scouts to attend trials in Madrid. He is always at the top of his game and no doubt he will be a contender for PSL Young Player of the Season.
Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs)
"Yeye", as he is popularly known, has been in sparkling form this season taking the responsibility to drive the Amakhosi midfield which seemed to be ailing after the departure of Siyabonga Nkosi a couple of seasons back. His combination with Josta Dladla in the heart of midfield is the reason why the Soweto giants secured the third spot in the PSL. His commitment and dedication did not go unnoticed by national team selectors, who gave him a chance, and he has impressed for Bafana as well. What makes him an automatic choice here is the fact that he scores goals, possesses that turning pass and is marvellous defensively. A versatile player who can also be used as an offensive right winger.
Elias Pelembe (Sundowns)
The Kaizer Chiefs coach Vladmir Vermzovic once referred to the Mozambican import as "European Material", this was after he ran all over the Amakhosi rearguard and gave constant problems to Punch Masenamela. He has been outstanding on the right side of attack in the Sundowns colours and he is definitely a contender for PSL Player of The Year. Of all the millions that Sundowns spent on players for this season, Pelembe is definitely worth every single cent and club owner Patrice Motsepe must be a happy man.
Daine Klate (Supersport United)
His pace, skill and precision make him one of the mostly deadly wingers in the country. No wonder his signature is reported to be in high demand in the Netherlands, where wing play remains the key element of attack. Klate was named the Absa Premiership Player of the Month for October and attributed his success to his new born son Zachary. Unlike most other traditional wingers, the lanky speedster has the ability to cut inside and pack a powerful shot. He was among the top scorers, finishing at number three on the scoring chart with 10 goals in total.
Katlego Mphela (Supersport United)
"Killer", as his fans call him, is a hardworking goal poacher and Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas can attest to his accuracy and power after a fine free-kick goal against Spain at the Confederations Cup. He finished at the top of the goalscoring chart with a total of 16 goals and will be taking the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot home. Mphela leads from the front and was at the forefront of Sundowns' title chase. His pace and ability to make midfielders play off him makes him a world-class striker and a fearsome target man.
Prince Olomu (Bloemfontein Celtic)
His move from Free State Stars to bitter cross-town rivals Bloemfontein Celtic was met with mixed reactions as it was seen as betrayal by many of his fans. He quickly found his footing and was key to Celtic's fierce third spot chase as he score a total of 13 goals. His goal scoring instincts caught the eye of Israeli scouts, who flooded the Siwelele offices. The club recalled him from the trials in Israel and turned down all offers, at least for the remainder of this season. He can score with any legitimate part of his body and uses his height to head the ball with ease.
The team selection was also based on our coach of the year's style of play. The formation that Gavin Hunt uses is a 4-4-2 in which he employs speedy wingers and in this team he has Pelembe and Klate to fill those roles.
Substitutes:
Moeneeb Josephs (Orlando Pirates)
Without a doubt he has been the most consistent goal minder this season and at times when the Bucs defence looked shaky, he stood tall at the back, playing as the keeper and sweeper. His agility was the reason why the Soweto giants won their only silverware in a long time, the Telkom Charity Cup, beating their arch rivals Kaizer Chiefs on penalties at the Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenburg. He also captained the team at one stage and showed tremendous leadership qualities.
Anthony Laffor (Supersport United)
The Liberian international had an outstanding season and he scored crucial goals for Matsantsantsa. Definitely another contender for the PSL Player of the Season. Gavin Hunt will surely be happy to have him in the stars' team as he brings depth in the team as he will be fighting for the position with Pelembe.
Siyabonga Sangweni (Golden Arrows)
A clean tackler of the ball who knows that the basics are still the most important to grasp. He is solid in the air and on the ground, and at the moment he finds himself on Bafana's fringes. His ruthless army-general-like style of doing things at the back made him another choice in this team's central defence but Thwala got the nod because of his ability to score goals as well.
Knowledge Musona (Kaizer Chiefs)
Goal.com's choice for Young Player of the Season, as the 19-year-old is surely the future of the Amakhosi strike force as long as he doesn't let fame get to his head. He has the skill, pace, precision and eye for goal but there is still room for improvement, especially with regard to his finishing. The coach used him sparingly for the better part of the season and whenever he brought him on, the complexion of the game changed in favour of Chiefs.
Tlou Segolela (Bloemfontein Celtic)
Arguably the PSL's quickest winger, his ability to take on defenders at high speed reminds us of Cristiano Ronaldo. Orlando Pirates found Segolela surplus to their requirements, but when he got to Celtic he blossomed and eventually earned himself a national team call-up.
Technical Team
Gavin Hunt (SuperSport United, Coach)
There have been talks of appointing a local coach as the Bafana mentor, and no doubt Gavin is the automatic candidate. He can inspire a team and plays a unique brand of football which makes use of both pace and skill, which remains the South African players' strength. He is not predictable in terms of his game plan and is a fine motivator of his players.
Bobbie Solomons (Santos, Assistant Coach)
What a season he had with Santos. At one stage they were title contenders, but experience and lack of depth denied him the league honours. For a team like Santos with a limited budget, and whose players are poached by Gauteng teams, finishing fourth is a milestone worth celebrating. Bobbie and Gavin both use pace and skill to dismantle opposition teams so this is a perfect combination on the bench.
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